Source: https://www.d1ticker.com/2023-fbs-attendance-trends/

2023 Attendance Numbers

# School 2023 attendance
1 Michigan 109,971
2 Penn State 108,409
3 Ohio State 103,792
4 Tennessee 101,915
5 Texas 101,625
6 LSU 100,742
7 Alabama 100,077
8 Texas A&M 99,234
9 Georgia 92,746
10 Florida 89,587
11 Auburn 88,043
12 Nebraska 86,802
13 Oklahoma 83,741
14 Clemson 81,334
15 Florida State 78,711
16 South Carolina 77,833
17 Notre Dame 77,622
18 Wisconsin 75,391
19 Michigan State 70,211
20 Iowa 69,250
21 Washington 68,814
22 USC 66,071
23 Arkansas 65,317
24 Virginia Tech 64,733
25 Ole Miss 63,721
26 BYU 61,944
27 Kentucky 60,939
28 Iowa State 60,384
29 Missouri 60,169
30 Purdue 58,248
31 NC State 56,919
32 Oregon 55,895
33 Texas Tech 54,491
34 Mississippi State 54,455
35 Oklahoma State 53,891
36 Colorado 53,180
37 Utah 52,499
38 Kansas State 51,957
39 Louisville 51,252
40 West Virginia 51,156
41 North Carolina 50,095
42 Miami (FL) 49,714
43 Illinois 49,698
44 Rutgers 49,251
45 Minnesota 48,453
46 Arizona State 48,301
47 Pittsburgh 48,122
48 UCLA 47,951
49 TCU 47,331
50 Arizona 47,320
51 Kansas 45,888
52 Indiana 44,589
53 UCF 44,015
54 Baylor 43,388
55 Virginia 43,293
56 Maryland 40,314
57 Fresno State 39,969
58 California 38,684
59 Cincinnati 38,193
60 South Florida 37,944
61 Oregon State 36,969
62 Boston College 36,376
63 Georgia Tech 36,290
64 Houston 36,020
65 Boise State 35,867
66 ECU 35,115
67 Appalachian State 34,734
68 Syracuse 34,045
69 Stanford 33,219
70 Navy 30,804
71 Wake Forest 30,609
72 Memphis 29,782
73 Air Force 29,616
74 Army West Point 29,016
75 UTSA 28,876
76 Washington State 28,023
77 Troy 27,121
78 Colorado State 26,509
79 Vanderbilt 25,509
80 James Madison 25,372
81 Duke 25,111
82 Tulane 25,021
83 San Diego State 24,832
84 UConn 24,659
85 UNLV 23,661
86 Southern Miss 23,275
87 Marshall 23,198
88 Wyoming 23,163
89 SMU 22,616
90 UAB 21,543
91 Georgia Southern 21,480
92 Texas State 21,184
93 Northwestern 20,800
94 Rice 20,542
95 Tulsa 20,187
96 Jacksonville State 20,033
97 Toledo 19,675
98 Utah State 19,282
99 Ohio 19,005
100 Liberty 18,911
101 Florida Atlantic 18,603
102 UTEP 18,160
103 Old Dominion 17,847
104 North Texas 17,761
105 Western Michigan 17,619
106 South Alabama 17,190
107 Coastal Carolina 17,120
108 Nevada 16,998
109 Eastern Michigan 16,882
110 San Jose State 16,804
111 Arkansas State 16,747
112 Louisiana 16,664
113 Central Michigan 16,350
114 New Mexico 15,982
115 Louisiana Tech 15,796
116 Western Kentucky 15,710
117 Georgia State 15,594
118 FIU 15,290
119 New Mexico State 14,847
120 Louisiana-Monroe 14,296
121 Bowling Green 13,462
122 Temple 13,446
123 Miami (OH) 13,395
124 Middle Tennessee 13,219
125 Buffalo 13,142
126 Charlotte 12,471
127 Hawaii 11,251
128 Ball State 10,771
129 Massachusetts 10,598
130 Kent State 9,511
131 Northern Illinois 9,456
132 Sam Houston State 8,298
133 Akron 7,237

5-year Average Attendance Numbers

# School 5 Year Average
1 Michigan 110,559
2 Penn State 106,410
3 Ohio State 102,849
4 Alabama 100,420
5 Texas A&M 100,070
6 LSU 99,114
7 Texas 95,796
8 Georgia 92,760
9 Tennessee 92,709
10 Nebraska 88,198
11 Auburn 85,604
12 Florida 85,216
13 Oklahoma 83,628
14 Clemson 80,445
15 Notre Dame 76,108
16 Wisconsin 76,015
17 South Carolina 75,139
18 Michigan State 70,414
19 Iowa 67,193
20 Washington 66,221
21 Florida State 63,837
22 Arkansas 62,496
23 USC 61,638
24 Virginia Tech 60,833
25 Iowa State 58,357
26 BYU 57,922
27 Ole Miss 56,319
28 Kentucky 56,261
29 NC State 56,124
30 Mississippi State 55,131
31 Texas Tech 54,758
32 Oklahoma State 54,579
33 Miami (FL) 54,328
34 West Virginia 53,850
35 Oregon 53,302
36 Purdue 53,297
37 Missouri 51,631
38 Kansas State 49,478
39 Utah 48,516
40 North Carolina 48,015
41 Arizona State 47,878
42 UCLA 47,694
43 Louisville 46,396
44 Colorado 46,354
45 Pittsburgh 44,288
46 Baylor 44,175
47 Indiana 43,999
48 Minnesota 43,924
49 TCU 43,184
50 Virginia 42,017
51 Arizona 41,342
52 Georgia Tech 41,342
53 UCF 41,324
54 Rutgers 40,603
55 California 39,565
56 Illinois 38,112
57 Stanford 37,581
58 Syracuse 37,285
59 Maryland 36,210
60 ECU 35,695
61 Boston College 35,644
62 Northwestern 35,368
63 Cincinnati 34,079
64 Fresno State 33,228
65 Boise State 33,213
66 Navy 33,129
67 South Florida 32,972
68 Oregon State 32,882
69 Memphis 32,557
70 Army West Point 29,903
71 Kansas 29,008
72 San Diego State 28,250
73 Wake Forest 28,210
74 Washington State 28,003
75 Colorado State 27,778
76 Houston 27,681
77 Vanderbilt 27,665
78 Appalachian State 27,111
79 Air Force 26,739
80 UAB 24,816
81 Temple 24,798
82 Troy 24,499
83 UTSA 24,183
84 Duke 23,837
85 Southern Miss 23,296
86 James Madison 23,071
87 Marshall 22,516
88 SMU 22,220
89 Wyoming 20,767
90 North Texas 20,554
91 Toledo 20,098
92 Rice 19,872
93 UNLV 19,721
94 Utah State 19,353
95 UConn 19,251
96 Old Dominion 18,837
97 Florida Atlantic 18,622
98 Arkansas State 18,178
99 Tulane 18,032
100 Liberty 17,937
101 Louisiana 17,908
102 Tulsa 17,824
103 Louisiana Tech 17,649
104 Ohio 17,500
105 Jacksonville State 17,418
106 UTEP 17,348
107 Nevada 17,313
108 Hawaii 16,978
109 New Mexico 16,965
110 Texas State 16,586
111 South Alabama 16,492
112 Western Michigan 16,213
113 Georgia State 16,146
114 Georgia Southern 16,033
115 Buffalo 15,757
116 Eastern Michigan 15,594
117 Miami (OH) 15,552
118 Akron 15,487
119 Western Kentucky 15,411
120 New Mexico State 15,346
121 San Jose State 15,145
122 Bowling Green 14,629
123 Coastal Carolina 14,559
124 Middle Tennessee 14,433
125 Central Michigan 14,039
126 Louisiana-Monroe 13,505
127 Kent State 13,051
128 Charlotte 12,026
129 FIU 11,527
130 Ball State 10,656
131 Massachusetts 10,077
132 Northern Illinois 9,694
133 Sam Houston State 6,945

By Conference (2024-2025 membership)

ACC
School Conference 2023 5 Year Avg
Clemson ACC 81,334 80,445
Florida State ACC 78,711 63,837
Virginia Tech ACC 64,733 60,833
NC State ACC 56,919 56,124
Louisville ACC 51,252 46,396
North Carolina ACC 50,095 48,015
Miami (FL) ACC 49,714 54,328
Pittsburgh ACC 48,122 44,288
Virginia ACC 43,293 42,017
California ACC 38,684 39,565
Boston College ACC 36,376 35,644
Georgia Tech ACC 36,290 41,342
Syracuse ACC 34,045 37,285
Stanford ACC 33,219 37,581
Wake Forest ACC 30,609 28,210
Duke ACC 25,111 23,837
SMU ACC 22,616 22,220
ACC Average 45,948 44,822

AAC
South Florida American 37,944 32,972
ECU American 35,115 35,695
Navy American 30,804 33,129
Memphis American 29,782 32,557
Tulane American 25,021 18,032
Tulsa American 20,187 17,824
Temple American 13,446 24,798
UTSA American 28,876 24,183
UAB American 21,543 24,816
Florida Atlantic American 18,603 18,622
North Texas American 17,761 20,554
Army West Point American 29,016 29,903
Rice American 20,542 19,872
Charlotte American 12,471 12,026
American Average 24,365 24,642

B12
BYU Big 12 61,944 57,922
Iowa State Big 12 60,384 58,357
Texas Tech Big 12 54,491 54,758
Oklahoma State Big 12 53,891 54,579
Colorado Big 12 53,180 46,354
Utah Big 12 52,499 48,516
Kansas State Big 12 51,957 49,478
West Virginia Big 12 51,156 53,850
Arizona State Big 12 48,301 47,878
TCU Big 12 47,331 43,184
Arizona Big 12 47,320 41,342
Kansas Big 12 45,888 29,008
UCF Big 12 44,015 41,324
Baylor Big 12 43,388 44,175
Cincinnati Big 12 38,193 34,079
Houston Big 12 36,020 27,681
Big 12 Average 49,372 45,780

B10
Michigan Big Ten 109,971 110,559
Penn State Big Ten 108,409 106,410
Ohio State Big Ten 103,792 102,849
Nebraska Big Ten 86,802 88,198
Wisconsin Big Ten 75,391 76,015
Michigan State Big Ten 70,211 70,414
Iowa Big Ten 69,250 67,193
Washington Big Ten 68,814 66,221
USC Big Ten 66,071 61,638
Purdue Big Ten 58,248 53,297
Oregon Big Ten 55,895 53,302
Illinois Big Ten 49,698 38,112
Rutgers Big Ten 49,251 40,603
Minnesota Big Ten 48,453 43,924
UCLA Big Ten 47,951 47,694
Indiana Big Ten 44,589 43,999
Maryland Big Ten 40,314 36,210
Northwestern Big Ten 20,800 35,368
Big Ten Average 65,217 63,445


CUSA
Jacksonville State C-USA 20,033 17,418
UTEP C-USA 18,160 17,348
Louisiana Tech C-USA 15,796 17,649
Western Kentucky C-USA 15,710 15,411
FIU C-USA 15,290 11,527
Middle Tennessee C-USA 13,219 14,433
Sam Houston State C-USA 8,298 6,945
Liberty C-USA 18,911 17,937
New Mexico State C-USA 14,847 15,346
C-USA Average 15,585 14,890

Independent
Notre Dame Independent 77,622 76,108
UConn Independent 24,659 19,251
Massachusetts Independent 10,598 10,077


MAC
Toledo MAC 19,675 20,098
Ohio MAC 19,005 17,500
Western Michigan MAC 17,619 16,213
Eastern Michigan MAC 16,882 15,594
Central Michigan MAC 16,350 14,039
Bowling Green MAC 13,462 14,629
Miami (OH) MAC 13,395 15,552
Buffalo MAC 13,142 15,757
Ball State MAC 10,771 10,656
Kent State MAC 9,511 13,051
Northern Illinois MAC 9,456 9,694
Akron MAC 7,237 15,487
MAC Average 13,875 14,856

MWC
Fresno State Mountain West 39,969 33,228
Boise State Mountain West 35,867 33,213
Air Force Mountain West 29,616 26,739
Colorado State Mountain West 26,509 27,778
San Diego State Mountain West 24,832 28,250
UNLV Mountain West 23,661 19,721
Wyoming Mountain West 23,163 20,767
Utah State Mountain West 19,282 19,353
Nevada Mountain West 16,998 17,313
San Jose State Mountain West 16,804 15,145
New Mexico Mountain West 15,982 16,965
Hawaii Mountain West 11,251 16,978
Mountain West Average 23,661 22,954

Pac
Oregon State Pac-12 36,969 32,882
Washington State Pac-12 28,023 28,003
Pac-12 Average 32,496 30,443

SEC
Tennessee SEC 101,915 92,709
Texas SEC 101,625 95,796
LSU SEC 100,742 99,114
Alabama SEC 100,077 100,420
Texas A&M SEC 99,234 100,070
Georgia SEC 92,746 92,760
Florida SEC 89,587 85,216
Auburn SEC 88,043 85,604
Oklahoma SEC 83,741 83,628
South Carolina SEC 77,833 75,139
Arkansas SEC 65,317 62,496
Ole Miss SEC 63,721 56,319
Kentucky SEC 60,939 56,261
Missouri SEC 60,169 51,631
Mississippi State SEC 54,455 55,131
Vanderbilt SEC 25,509 27,665
SEC Average 79,103 76,247

Sun Belt
Appalachian State Sun Belt 34,734 27,111
Troy Sun Belt 27,121 24,499
James Madison Sun Belt 25,372 23,071
Southern Miss Sun Belt 23,275 23,296
Marshall Sun Belt 23,198 22,516
Georgia Southern Sun Belt 21,480 16,033
Texas State Sun Belt 21,184 16,586
Old Dominion Sun Belt 17,847 18,837
South Alabama Sun Belt 17,190 16,492
Coastal Carolina Sun Belt 17,120 14,559
Arkansas State Sun Belt 16,747 18,178
Louisiana Sun Belt 16,664 17,908
Georgia State Sun Belt 15,594 16,146
Louisiana-Monroe Sun Belt 14,296 13,505
Sun Belt Average 20,844 19,196

Grand Average 40,693 39,280

Somebody (an ACC fan) gave me the % figures for five year average for certain programs:

102% Michigan and Nebraska
100% Ohio State and Georgia
99% Penn State and Clemson
98% Bama, Auburn, NC State
97% LSU
96% Florida
95% Washington
93% VT
90% Tennessee
83% Miami (pro stadium)
80% FSU
75% Louis
69% MD
65% Pitt (pro stadium)

The SEC’s attedance average was 79,103.

The sole non P2 program that beats the SEC average is Clemson. Even FSU and ND fell short.

The B10’s attendance average was 65,217.

The three non P2 programs which had better numbers are Clemson, FSU and ND.

Obviously, the attendance number is just one metric. But if the B10 looks to strengthen its football products, these three schools should be their first targets and this is another reason why I think the B10 would want FSU/Clemson more.

In terms of football strength, the SEC is already almost maxed out. They don’t need FSU/Clemson for football upgrade. If the SEC expands, that would be for different reason(s).