College Football Nation: City Schools 2011
This week, we're taking a closer look at FBS programs located in major markets that typically also have NFL franchises. Only one SEC program fits this description and it’s Vanderbilt.
Let’s take a closer look at the Commodores:
School: Vanderbilt
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Enrollment: 6,879
Bowl appearances: 4
NFL first-rounders: 4
Losing seasons: 52
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: If we’re talking academics, the Commodores are the cream of the SEC. The number of SEC Academic Honor Roll members hailing from Vanderbilt is staggeringly high. In fact, one entire page in Vanderbilt’s media guide can’t even hold all of the honor roll members.
The football team has also consistently received high marks in the annual Academic Progress Rate. In 2011, Vanderbilt was the only SEC football program to receive a Public Recognition Award of outstanding classroom performance and graduation success. The Commodores were in the top 10 percent of football teams in the latest multiyear APR scores, which accounts for measurements from the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years.
The truth is, a lot of Vanderbilt’s athletes won’t make it to the NFL, but with the education they receive in school, they should have no problem finding a decent job in the real world.
As for football, the Commodores have been more competitive on the field in recent years. Vanderbilt ended a 53-year bowl winless streak in 2008 with a victory in the Music City Bowl, a 22-game losing streak to Tennessee in 2005 and upset Georgia in Athens in 2008.
New coach James Franklin has instilled some much-needed confidence at Vanderbilt and has started things off by grabbing a handful of commitments from top southeastern prospects in the 2012 class.
The bad: Even before the Tennessee Titans moved from Houston to Nashville in 1998, Vanderbilt didn’t exactly get a ton of football attention. The Commodores have endured 52 losing seasons since 1936 and have won just two bowl games in four appearances. Before Franklin’s hire, Vanderbilt had 26 head coaches since 1890, with a combined record of 555-558-50.
The major thing keeping the Commodores’ football program from consistently competing with the rest of the SEC is recruiting. Stricter academic requirements and the lack of a winning tradition has routinely left Vanderbilt on the short end of many recruiting battles.
The big-city feel of Nashville -- and the presence of a pro football team -- hasn’t helped enough in attracting top talent to Vanderbilt, either.
Coaching goes a long way, but not having the talent won’t win you ball games and that has been Vanderbilt’s Achilles’ heel.
Let’s take a closer look at the Commodores:
School: Vanderbilt
Location: Nashville, Tenn.
Enrollment: 6,879
Bowl appearances: 4
NFL first-rounders: 4
Losing seasons: 52
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: If we’re talking academics, the Commodores are the cream of the SEC. The number of SEC Academic Honor Roll members hailing from Vanderbilt is staggeringly high. In fact, one entire page in Vanderbilt’s media guide can’t even hold all of the honor roll members.
The football team has also consistently received high marks in the annual Academic Progress Rate. In 2011, Vanderbilt was the only SEC football program to receive a Public Recognition Award of outstanding classroom performance and graduation success. The Commodores were in the top 10 percent of football teams in the latest multiyear APR scores, which accounts for measurements from the 2006-07, 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 academic years.
The truth is, a lot of Vanderbilt’s athletes won’t make it to the NFL, but with the education they receive in school, they should have no problem finding a decent job in the real world.
As for football, the Commodores have been more competitive on the field in recent years. Vanderbilt ended a 53-year bowl winless streak in 2008 with a victory in the Music City Bowl, a 22-game losing streak to Tennessee in 2005 and upset Georgia in Athens in 2008.
New coach James Franklin has instilled some much-needed confidence at Vanderbilt and has started things off by grabbing a handful of commitments from top southeastern prospects in the 2012 class.
The bad: Even before the Tennessee Titans moved from Houston to Nashville in 1998, Vanderbilt didn’t exactly get a ton of football attention. The Commodores have endured 52 losing seasons since 1936 and have won just two bowl games in four appearances. Before Franklin’s hire, Vanderbilt had 26 head coaches since 1890, with a combined record of 555-558-50.
The major thing keeping the Commodores’ football program from consistently competing with the rest of the SEC is recruiting. Stricter academic requirements and the lack of a winning tradition has routinely left Vanderbilt on the short end of many recruiting battles.
The big-city feel of Nashville -- and the presence of a pro football team -- hasn’t helped enough in attracting top talent to Vanderbilt, either.
Coaching goes a long way, but not having the talent won’t win you ball games and that has been Vanderbilt’s Achilles’ heel.
We are profiling city schools that compete in a market alongside an NFL franchise. Up next:
School: FAU
Location: Boca Raton, Fla.
Enrollment: 28,000
Bowl appearances: 2
NFL first-round picks: 0
Losing seasons: 3
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Florida Atlantic began playing football in 2001 under Howard Schnellenberger, who certainly knows a thing or two about the South Florida area. Schnellenberger coached at Miami and won a national championship there, and immediately envisioned a successful FBS program from the time it launched. Location is obviously a huge plus, where FAU can take advantage of a fertile recruiting region and try to lure some players who would have a better opportunity to play immediately for the Owls as opposed to waiting their turn at a bigger school. The beautiful South Florida beaches are a quick 15-minute drive from campus. After being nomads when it came to its home games, FAU will open a $70 million, 30,000-seat on-campus stadium, the centerpiece of what the school is calling Innovation Village. Located in the north-central area of campus, the Village is set to include housing, restaurant options as well as shops. An alumni center and a student fitness center have already opened nearby. Schnellenberger and the university hope this will propel FAU to greater heights and national visibility. What FAU has tried to do since it opened in 1964 is challenge the traditional ideas of what makes a university. The school and football program still have plenty of room to grow.
The bad: FAU is still taking baby steps compared to most every college football program in America. Tradition is lacking, and the hope is that an on-campus stadium will help. After back-to-back bowl appearances in 2007 and 2008, the program seems to have taken a step back with losing seasons in 2009 and 2010. The preseason projections for 2011 are not high, either, with questions at quarterback, receiver and defense. FAU is also in a saturated football market. Even though the Dolphins are in Miami, they are South Florida’s team and dominate the headlines. FAU also has to compete with Miami, which is some 50 miles down the road and an automatic-qualifying school. There also are Florida and Florida State, which have big alumni bases in South Florida. Those two schools also recruit heavily in the area as well, along with USF, UCF, FIU and a host of other schools from around the nation. So finding a niche has been hard and will continue to be one of the challenges FAU must overcome.
School: FAU
Location: Boca Raton, Fla.
Enrollment: 28,000
Bowl appearances: 2
NFL first-round picks: 0
Losing seasons: 3
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Florida Atlantic began playing football in 2001 under Howard Schnellenberger, who certainly knows a thing or two about the South Florida area. Schnellenberger coached at Miami and won a national championship there, and immediately envisioned a successful FBS program from the time it launched. Location is obviously a huge plus, where FAU can take advantage of a fertile recruiting region and try to lure some players who would have a better opportunity to play immediately for the Owls as opposed to waiting their turn at a bigger school. The beautiful South Florida beaches are a quick 15-minute drive from campus. After being nomads when it came to its home games, FAU will open a $70 million, 30,000-seat on-campus stadium, the centerpiece of what the school is calling Innovation Village. Located in the north-central area of campus, the Village is set to include housing, restaurant options as well as shops. An alumni center and a student fitness center have already opened nearby. Schnellenberger and the university hope this will propel FAU to greater heights and national visibility. What FAU has tried to do since it opened in 1964 is challenge the traditional ideas of what makes a university. The school and football program still have plenty of room to grow.
The bad: FAU is still taking baby steps compared to most every college football program in America. Tradition is lacking, and the hope is that an on-campus stadium will help. After back-to-back bowl appearances in 2007 and 2008, the program seems to have taken a step back with losing seasons in 2009 and 2010. The preseason projections for 2011 are not high, either, with questions at quarterback, receiver and defense. FAU is also in a saturated football market. Even though the Dolphins are in Miami, they are South Florida’s team and dominate the headlines. FAU also has to compete with Miami, which is some 50 miles down the road and an automatic-qualifying school. There also are Florida and Florida State, which have big alumni bases in South Florida. Those two schools also recruit heavily in the area as well, along with USF, UCF, FIU and a host of other schools from around the nation. So finding a niche has been hard and will continue to be one of the challenges FAU must overcome.
School: Maryland
Location: College Park, Md.
Enrollment: 37,641
Bowl appearances: 24
NFL first-round picks: 8
Losing seasons: 34
10-win seasons: 7
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The skinny: Maryland enters its first season under first-year coach Randy Edsall after Ralph Friedgen, the ACC’s 2010 Coach of the Year, was fired. Friedgen’s career at Maryland began with three straight seasons of at least 10 wins, but the school has settled into mediocrity since 2004. Edsall was hired to make the program a consistent contender in the Atlantic Division and top 25 presence. Maryland’s location is one of the things he’ll have to both sell to recruits and overcome.
The good: The 1,580-acre campus is located between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Md., providing ample choices for internships, careers, and entertainment. The Terps are also located in and near some of the nation’s premier recruiting territories in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. The athletic department has also taken major steps to upgrade the facilities, and in recent years have renovated the Gossett Football Team House and expanded Tyser Tower to include luxury suites. Maryland has ACC championship history, including the 2001 title in Friedgen’s first season.
The bad: Not only must the Terps recruit against neighboring Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech, they must also compete against pro sports teams for both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., for fan support. Because the nation’s capital is so transient, Maryland has a fickle fan base that has shown more apathy than loyalty in recent years, which is a major reason why the Terps were underappreciated in the bowl selection process last year, despite a nine-win season.
Location: College Park, Md.
Enrollment: 37,641
Bowl appearances: 24
NFL first-round picks: 8
Losing seasons: 34
10-win seasons: 7
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The skinny: Maryland enters its first season under first-year coach Randy Edsall after Ralph Friedgen, the ACC’s 2010 Coach of the Year, was fired. Friedgen’s career at Maryland began with three straight seasons of at least 10 wins, but the school has settled into mediocrity since 2004. Edsall was hired to make the program a consistent contender in the Atlantic Division and top 25 presence. Maryland’s location is one of the things he’ll have to both sell to recruits and overcome.
The good: The 1,580-acre campus is located between Washington D.C. and Baltimore, Md., providing ample choices for internships, careers, and entertainment. The Terps are also located in and near some of the nation’s premier recruiting territories in Maryland, D.C. and Virginia. The athletic department has also taken major steps to upgrade the facilities, and in recent years have renovated the Gossett Football Team House and expanded Tyser Tower to include luxury suites. Maryland has ACC championship history, including the 2001 title in Friedgen’s first season.
The bad: Not only must the Terps recruit against neighboring Penn State, Virginia and Virginia Tech, they must also compete against pro sports teams for both Baltimore and Washington, D.C., for fan support. Because the nation’s capital is so transient, Maryland has a fickle fan base that has shown more apathy than loyalty in recent years, which is a major reason why the Terps were underappreciated in the bowl selection process last year, despite a nine-win season.
School: North Texas
Location: Denton, Texas
Enrollment: 36,206
Bowl appearances: 6
NFL first-round picks: 0
Losing seasons: 22
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Though North Texas is located well north of the central part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, it's still right off I-35, a heavily trafficked highway. The old stadium, and the new one being built nearby, are can't miss landmarks on the side of the highway. That new stadium alone is a big plus for the program, too. The Sun Belt Conference members have the lowest prestige of any of the FBS programs in the metroplex, but North Texas can be an attractive spot for FBS transfers who, for whatever reason, didn't fit in at their bigger programs and want to transfer closer to home.
The bad: The lack of historical success makes it difficult to have much to build on, and even bringing in an innovative approach recently didn't work for the Mean Green, who hired legendary high school coach Todd Dodge from nearby offensive juggernaut Southlake Carroll. Playing in the Sun Belt limits the heights to which the program can reach, and even other programs within the conference are significantly more successful, like Troy and Middle Tennessee State.
Location: Denton, Texas
Enrollment: 36,206
Bowl appearances: 6
NFL first-round picks: 0
Losing seasons: 22
10-win seasons: 0
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Though North Texas is located well north of the central part of the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex, it's still right off I-35, a heavily trafficked highway. The old stadium, and the new one being built nearby, are can't miss landmarks on the side of the highway. That new stadium alone is a big plus for the program, too. The Sun Belt Conference members have the lowest prestige of any of the FBS programs in the metroplex, but North Texas can be an attractive spot for FBS transfers who, for whatever reason, didn't fit in at their bigger programs and want to transfer closer to home.
The bad: The lack of historical success makes it difficult to have much to build on, and even bringing in an innovative approach recently didn't work for the Mean Green, who hired legendary high school coach Todd Dodge from nearby offensive juggernaut Southlake Carroll. Playing in the Sun Belt limits the heights to which the program can reach, and even other programs within the conference are significantly more successful, like Troy and Middle Tennessee State.
We are taking a look at FBS programs located in major cities alongside NFL franchises. And we're including L.A. just because.
Up next: Washington
Location: Seattle
Enrollment: 42,000
Bowl appearances: 28
NFL first-round picks: 15
Losing seasons: 21
10-win seasons: 8
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Washington is an outstanding school located in one of the most scenic cities in the country. And, yes, it's a bit wet.
While the Huskies only this year climbed out of a lengthy program swoon that began after winning the Rose Bowl following the 2000 season, the program has long rated among the West Coast's elite, particularly under Don James, who won the 1991 national championship. Washington has won or shared 15 conference championships over nine different decades, including seven from 1980-2000.
Husky Stadium, which is the centerpiece of a major athletic facilities renovation plan that will start after the regular season, is one of the nation's loudest stadiums. Washington entered this past season without a winning season since 2003, but the Huskies averaged 66,264 fans, and their 91.4 percent of capacity ranked fifth in the Pac-12.
Husky football has never seemed to suffer in the shadow of professional sports in Seattle. In fact, it's typically been viewed as the No. 1 attraction.
The bad: If you are sunshine-obsessed, Washington is not the place for you.
Further, the program has trended downward since getting hit with major NCAA sanctions in 1992. While the Huskies finished ranked third after the 2000 season, a 27-year streak of non-losing seasons ended in 2003 and the program didn't post another winning campaign until finishing 7-6 in 2010. Things bottomed out in 2008 when the program went 0-12, the worst finish in team history.
And some fans have turned away, though not in huge numbers. In 2000, Husky Stadium attendance was 71,638, or 99 percent of capacity. It is fair to say that Husky football, at present, is not the tough ticket it once was.
Up next: Washington
Location: Seattle
Enrollment: 42,000
Bowl appearances: 28
NFL first-round picks: 15
Losing seasons: 21
10-win seasons: 8
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Washington is an outstanding school located in one of the most scenic cities in the country. And, yes, it's a bit wet.
While the Huskies only this year climbed out of a lengthy program swoon that began after winning the Rose Bowl following the 2000 season, the program has long rated among the West Coast's elite, particularly under Don James, who won the 1991 national championship. Washington has won or shared 15 conference championships over nine different decades, including seven from 1980-2000.
Husky Stadium, which is the centerpiece of a major athletic facilities renovation plan that will start after the regular season, is one of the nation's loudest stadiums. Washington entered this past season without a winning season since 2003, but the Huskies averaged 66,264 fans, and their 91.4 percent of capacity ranked fifth in the Pac-12.
Husky football has never seemed to suffer in the shadow of professional sports in Seattle. In fact, it's typically been viewed as the No. 1 attraction.
The bad: If you are sunshine-obsessed, Washington is not the place for you.
Further, the program has trended downward since getting hit with major NCAA sanctions in 1992. While the Huskies finished ranked third after the 2000 season, a 27-year streak of non-losing seasons ended in 2003 and the program didn't post another winning campaign until finishing 7-6 in 2010. Things bottomed out in 2008 when the program went 0-12, the worst finish in team history.
And some fans have turned away, though not in huge numbers. In 2000, Husky Stadium attendance was 71,638, or 99 percent of capacity. It is fair to say that Husky football, at present, is not the tough ticket it once was.
We are taking a look at FBS programs located in major cities alongside NFL franchises. And we're including LA just because.
School: USC
Location: Los Angeles
Enrollment: 35,000
Bowl appearances: 43
NFL first-round picks: 55
Losing seasons: 10
10-win seasons: 17
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: USC is probably the best program in college football history, so it's got that going for it. Which is nice. Of course, USC's critics would note that the Trojans also ensure LA has always had a professional football team.
USC is USC. It produces NFL players -- and NFL Hall of Famers -- like no other program. It's spent 90 weeks ranked No. 1. It's won 11 national titles in five different decades. It's produced six Heisman Trophy winners.
After a lull in the 1980s and 1990s, USC again became the "it" program of the new millenium under Pete Carroll. The Trojans were feared and admired. And hated for being so darn good.
Even when the NCAA, in a fit of pique, walloped the program with unprecedented sanctions, new coach Lane Kiffin reeled in a top-five recruiting class. Why? Because young men want to play for USC, the premier bright lights, big city program in the nation.
The bad: USC doesn't have a great recent or past history with NCAA violations. And if you like fancypants facilities, USC is not your school.
Further, USC doesn't have the maniacal and dedicated fan base of some other elite, big stadium teams. In 2005, USC played in front of an average of 90,012 fans -- 99 percent capacity at the Coliseum. This past season, they played in front of 79,907, a percentage of capacity -- 85.36 -- which is less than new Pac-12 member, Colorado, which has suffered through five consecutive losing seasons.
In 2000, the year before Carroll arrived, USC averaged just 57,399 fans, just 62 percent of capacity in the Coliseum.
Finally, while USC goes to great lengths to emphasize how safe its campus is, it is still fair to say the mostly idyllic campus is not located in the most scenic, touristy area of LA.
School: USC
Location: Los Angeles
Enrollment: 35,000
Bowl appearances: 43
NFL first-round picks: 55
Losing seasons: 10
10-win seasons: 17
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: USC is probably the best program in college football history, so it's got that going for it. Which is nice. Of course, USC's critics would note that the Trojans also ensure LA has always had a professional football team.
USC is USC. It produces NFL players -- and NFL Hall of Famers -- like no other program. It's spent 90 weeks ranked No. 1. It's won 11 national titles in five different decades. It's produced six Heisman Trophy winners.
After a lull in the 1980s and 1990s, USC again became the "it" program of the new millenium under Pete Carroll. The Trojans were feared and admired. And hated for being so darn good.
Even when the NCAA, in a fit of pique, walloped the program with unprecedented sanctions, new coach Lane Kiffin reeled in a top-five recruiting class. Why? Because young men want to play for USC, the premier bright lights, big city program in the nation.
The bad: USC doesn't have a great recent or past history with NCAA violations. And if you like fancypants facilities, USC is not your school.
Further, USC doesn't have the maniacal and dedicated fan base of some other elite, big stadium teams. In 2005, USC played in front of an average of 90,012 fans -- 99 percent capacity at the Coliseum. This past season, they played in front of 79,907, a percentage of capacity -- 85.36 -- which is less than new Pac-12 member, Colorado, which has suffered through five consecutive losing seasons.
In 2000, the year before Carroll arrived, USC averaged just 57,399 fans, just 62 percent of capacity in the Coliseum.
Finally, while USC goes to great lengths to emphasize how safe its campus is, it is still fair to say the mostly idyllic campus is not located in the most scenic, touristy area of LA.
School: Southern Methodist
Location: Dallas, Texas
Enrollment: 11,000
Bowl appearances: 11
NFL first-round picks: 4
Losing seasons: 43
10-win seasons: 4
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: SMU is a small school, but located in the heart of the city of Dallas, the home of numerous Fortune 500 companies. For a program more apt to send players into the business world than the NFL, that can be a real selling point. Coaches can sell small-town kids on big-city life more than almost any school, and certainly more than any school that plays FBS football in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The Ponies are on the rise of late, too, after a dark period before June Jones arrived from Hawaii and put the Mustangs into two consecutive bowls.
The bad: Those dark ages came at the worst time possible, too. Chronicled by the ESPN 30 for 30 film, "Pony Excess," recruiting violations resulted in the death penalty when the SMU program was at its height. Shortly after, the Southwest Conference split, and instead of finding a soft landing in the Big 12, the Mustangs are now relegated to the Conference USA, blocking them from getting access to the Cotton Bowl, where it's played four times. The school has plenty of money and a nice, albeit small, stadium. Its size keeps it from really grabbing a stronghold in the Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M-dominated Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Also not helping matters: Only 21 percent of students are minorities.
Location: Dallas, Texas
Enrollment: 11,000
Bowl appearances: 11
NFL first-round picks: 4
Losing seasons: 43
10-win seasons: 4
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: SMU is a small school, but located in the heart of the city of Dallas, the home of numerous Fortune 500 companies. For a program more apt to send players into the business world than the NFL, that can be a real selling point. Coaches can sell small-town kids on big-city life more than almost any school, and certainly more than any school that plays FBS football in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. The Ponies are on the rise of late, too, after a dark period before June Jones arrived from Hawaii and put the Mustangs into two consecutive bowls.
The bad: Those dark ages came at the worst time possible, too. Chronicled by the ESPN 30 for 30 film, "Pony Excess," recruiting violations resulted in the death penalty when the SMU program was at its height. Shortly after, the Southwest Conference split, and instead of finding a soft landing in the Big 12, the Mustangs are now relegated to the Conference USA, blocking them from getting access to the Cotton Bowl, where it's played four times. The school has plenty of money and a nice, albeit small, stadium. Its size keeps it from really grabbing a stronghold in the Texas, Oklahoma and Texas A&M-dominated Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex. Also not helping matters: Only 21 percent of students are minorities.
School: Texas Christian
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Enrollment: 9,142
Bowl appearances: 24 (11 in BCS era)
NFL first-round picks: 4
Losing seasons: 39
10-win seasons: 8 (7 in BCS era)
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: TCU's program his risen to new heights under coach Gary Patterson, culminating in a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin after the 2010 season, and membership in a BCS conference (Big East) beginning in 2012. The Horned Frogs have earned a reputation as one of the top programs in Texas of late, which has allowed them to start recruiting like any good AQ-conference team. Continued winning and more BCS bowl appearances (two in the past two seasons) will allow that to continue. Patterson's hard-nosed defense has allowed TCU to rise from also-ran to BCS participant, winning 25 of 26 games in the past two years, and going 36-3 over the past three seasons.
The bad: As a small school, TCU doesn't have the alumni base of some of the larger schools in the state, like Texas and Texas A&M. The Horned Frogs also began $143 million in upgrades this year on the west stands at Amon Carter Stadium, which was built in 1930 and badly needed renovation. It seated just over 44,000 fans. But even with the recent success, the stadium has been difficult to sell out because the school resides in a city with so many alumni from bigger schools nearby. Metroplex citizens are more apt to head to Austin or College Station or even Norman, Okla., for a game on Saturday, instead of Fort Worth. There's no denying the on-field product Patterson's teams have trotted out of late, though.
School: Texas Christian
Location: Fort Worth, Texas�
Enrollment: 9,142�
All-time bowl appearances: 24 (11 in BCS era)�
All time NFL first-round picks: 2�
Losing seasons: 39
10-win seasons: 8 (7 in BCS era)�
The skinny
The good: TCU's program his risen to new heights under coach Gary Patterson, culminating in a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin after the 2010 season, and membership in a BCS conference (Big East) beginning in 2012. The Horned Frogs have earned a reputation as one of the top programs in Texas of late, which has allowed them to start recruiting like any good AQ-conference team. Continued winning and more BCS bowl appearances (two in the last two seasons) will allow that to continue. A hard-nosed defense for Patterson has allowed it to make the rise from also-ran to BCS participant, winning 25 of 26 games in the last two years, and 36-3 over the last three seasons.�
The bad: As a small school, TCU doesn't have the alumni bases of some of the larger schools in the state, like Texas and Texas A&M. The Horned Frogs also began $115 million renovations this year on the west stands at Amon Carter Stadium, which was built in in 1930 and badly needed renovation. It seated just over 44,000 fans, but even with the recent success, being in the city with so many alumni from bigger schools nearby has made it difficult to sell out. Metroplex citizens are more apt to head to Austin or College Station or even Norman, Okla. for a game on Saturday, instead of Fort Worth. There's no denying the on-field product Patterson's teams have trotted out of late, though.�
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Enrollment: 9,142
Bowl appearances: 24 (11 in BCS era)
NFL first-round picks: 4
Losing seasons: 39
10-win seasons: 8 (7 in BCS era)
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: TCU's program his risen to new heights under coach Gary Patterson, culminating in a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin after the 2010 season, and membership in a BCS conference (Big East) beginning in 2012. The Horned Frogs have earned a reputation as one of the top programs in Texas of late, which has allowed them to start recruiting like any good AQ-conference team. Continued winning and more BCS bowl appearances (two in the past two seasons) will allow that to continue. Patterson's hard-nosed defense has allowed TCU to rise from also-ran to BCS participant, winning 25 of 26 games in the past two years, and going 36-3 over the past three seasons.
The bad: As a small school, TCU doesn't have the alumni base of some of the larger schools in the state, like Texas and Texas A&M. The Horned Frogs also began $143 million in upgrades this year on the west stands at Amon Carter Stadium, which was built in 1930 and badly needed renovation. It seated just over 44,000 fans. But even with the recent success, the stadium has been difficult to sell out because the school resides in a city with so many alumni from bigger schools nearby. Metroplex citizens are more apt to head to Austin or College Station or even Norman, Okla., for a game on Saturday, instead of Fort Worth. There's no denying the on-field product Patterson's teams have trotted out of late, though.
School: Texas Christian
Location: Fort Worth, Texas�
Enrollment: 9,142�
All-time bowl appearances: 24 (11 in BCS era)�
All time NFL first-round picks: 2�
Losing seasons: 39
10-win seasons: 8 (7 in BCS era)�
The skinny
The good: TCU's program his risen to new heights under coach Gary Patterson, culminating in a Rose Bowl win over Wisconsin after the 2010 season, and membership in a BCS conference (Big East) beginning in 2012. The Horned Frogs have earned a reputation as one of the top programs in Texas of late, which has allowed them to start recruiting like any good AQ-conference team. Continued winning and more BCS bowl appearances (two in the last two seasons) will allow that to continue. A hard-nosed defense for Patterson has allowed it to make the rise from also-ran to BCS participant, winning 25 of 26 games in the last two years, and 36-3 over the last three seasons.�
The bad: As a small school, TCU doesn't have the alumni bases of some of the larger schools in the state, like Texas and Texas A&M. The Horned Frogs also began $115 million renovations this year on the west stands at Amon Carter Stadium, which was built in in 1930 and badly needed renovation. It seated just over 44,000 fans, but even with the recent success, being in the city with so many alumni from bigger schools nearby has made it difficult to sell out. Metroplex citizens are more apt to head to Austin or College Station or even Norman, Okla. for a game on Saturday, instead of Fort Worth. There's no denying the on-field product Patterson's teams have trotted out of late, though.�
We continue our look at FBS programs located in major cities alongside NFL franchises with the University of Minnesota.
School: Minnesota
Location: Minneapolis
Enrollment: 51,721
Bowl appearances: 14
NFL first-round picks: 4
Losing seasons: 34
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: There have been times when Minnesota football could call itself the jewel of the Minneapolis sporting scene. The Gophers recorded winning records in all but one season between 1900-18 and became a dynasty under coach Bernie Bierman, winning three consecutive national titles from 1934-36 and recording a 28-game unbeaten streak. Minnesota continued to surge through 1942 and had another impressive run in the 1960s under Murray Warmath. The Gophers rank third in the Big Ten (behind only Michigan and Ohio State) in both national titles (7) and league championships (18).
After an ill-fated run in the Metrodome, Minnesota brought football back to campus in 2009 with the opening of TCF Bank Stadium. The new facility is a huge hit and generated plenty of buzz for the program. If the program can bring consistent success to TCF Bank, the glory days might not seem so far away.
It's a crowded sports market in the Twin Cities, but there's definitely room for the U. Minnesota is the state's flagship public institution and boasts a huge alumni base, especially in the Twin Cities and the surrounding areas. Minneapolis might be a pro sports town, but the Gophers have the potential to attract increased interest from media and fans.
The bad: The Gophers haven't been an elite program in more than four decades, as their last Big Ten title came in 1967. They now find themselves in a market featuring four major pro sports teams, including the NFL's Vikings, as well as plenty of other entertainment options.
Minnesota's decision to move its games off campus and into the Metrodome between 1982-2008 didn't help the program. Although the Metrodome would get loud for some Gophers games, it lacked the charm and feel of a campus facility. Minnesota competed in a league defined by iconic stadiums and lost something by playing in a multipurpose facility shared by the Vikings and Major League Baseball's Twins. Until TCF Bank Stadium opened, the Gophers were the only Big Ten school not to play its games on campus.
Minnesota's centralized and metropolitan location puts the school near most of the top recruits the state produces. But many other Midwest programs recruit the Twin Cities, and Minnesota hasn't been able to keep top local products like Michael Floyd and Seantrel Henderson at home. Facilities and funding have been issues for Minnesota -- the athletic department isn't swimming in money, and many of its flagship programs have struggled in recent years -- and being located in a major city brings a greater financial burden.
School: Minnesota
Location: Minneapolis
Enrollment: 51,721
Bowl appearances: 14
NFL first-round picks: 4
Losing seasons: 34
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: There have been times when Minnesota football could call itself the jewel of the Minneapolis sporting scene. The Gophers recorded winning records in all but one season between 1900-18 and became a dynasty under coach Bernie Bierman, winning three consecutive national titles from 1934-36 and recording a 28-game unbeaten streak. Minnesota continued to surge through 1942 and had another impressive run in the 1960s under Murray Warmath. The Gophers rank third in the Big Ten (behind only Michigan and Ohio State) in both national titles (7) and league championships (18).
After an ill-fated run in the Metrodome, Minnesota brought football back to campus in 2009 with the opening of TCF Bank Stadium. The new facility is a huge hit and generated plenty of buzz for the program. If the program can bring consistent success to TCF Bank, the glory days might not seem so far away.
It's a crowded sports market in the Twin Cities, but there's definitely room for the U. Minnesota is the state's flagship public institution and boasts a huge alumni base, especially in the Twin Cities and the surrounding areas. Minneapolis might be a pro sports town, but the Gophers have the potential to attract increased interest from media and fans.
The bad: The Gophers haven't been an elite program in more than four decades, as their last Big Ten title came in 1967. They now find themselves in a market featuring four major pro sports teams, including the NFL's Vikings, as well as plenty of other entertainment options.
Minnesota's decision to move its games off campus and into the Metrodome between 1982-2008 didn't help the program. Although the Metrodome would get loud for some Gophers games, it lacked the charm and feel of a campus facility. Minnesota competed in a league defined by iconic stadiums and lost something by playing in a multipurpose facility shared by the Vikings and Major League Baseball's Twins. Until TCF Bank Stadium opened, the Gophers were the only Big Ten school not to play its games on campus.
Minnesota's centralized and metropolitan location puts the school near most of the top recruits the state produces. But many other Midwest programs recruit the Twin Cities, and Minnesota hasn't been able to keep top local products like Michael Floyd and Seantrel Henderson at home. Facilities and funding have been issues for Minnesota -- the athletic department isn't swimming in money, and many of its flagship programs have struggled in recent years -- and being located in a major city brings a greater financial burden.
We are profiling city schools that compete in a market alongside an NFL franchise. Up next:
School: Tulane
Location: New Orleans
Enrollment: 12,622
Bowl appearances: 8
NFL first-round picks: 2
Losing seasons: 48
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Tulane is a survivor, no question. After having to shut its doors for a semester because of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, Tulane has rebounded in wonderful way. The school received more applications in 2010 (44,000) than any other private university in the United States. Indeed, academics are a huge draw for Tulane, a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. On top of that, every student is required to do community service to help rebuild the city. In fact, student-athletes combined for 500 total hours of community service in 2010-11. The campus itself is right off St. Charles Avenue, where Mardi Gras goes, and across from Audubon Park in the Uptown District of New Orleans. Of course, student-athletes can have the best of what the rebuilding city has to offer when it comes to culture and food. The Green Wave play all their games in the Superdome, which has special meaning for any football player in the state of Louisiana. The Superdome is also where the state high school football championships are held, so many kids grow up with the dream of playing there. Though the winning tradition is lacking, Tulane did go undefeated in 1998 under former coach Tommy Bowden and quarterback Shaun King, though the Green Wave were left out of a BCS game.
The bad: Tulane was actually a charter member of the SEC in 1932, but left the league to go independent in 1966. If university leaders had it to do over again, you can bet they most likely would make a different decision. Tulane has struggled to find any consistent success, even after being a founding member of Conference USA in 1996. And look where the SEC is today. The last time Tulane made a bowl game was 2002. There is another what-if moment in Tulane history as well. What if Tulane had decided to hire then-offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez when Tommy Bowden left instead of Chris Scelfo? Scelfo is the last coach to win a bowl game at Tulane and guided the team through the devastation of Katrina. Would Rodriguez have made a bigger impact? As for attracting attention, Tulane just launched “The Playbook Campaign,” a fundraising and ticket-sales effort to drive support for the program. Playing in the Superdome may be a dream for a high school football player, but the Green Wave struggle to get fans in the seats. They also struggle for publicity in a town that is dominated by the Saints and prep football.
School: Tulane
Location: New Orleans
Enrollment: 12,622
Bowl appearances: 8
NFL first-round picks: 2
Losing seasons: 48
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Tulane is a survivor, no question. After having to shut its doors for a semester because of the destruction caused by Hurricane Katrina, Tulane has rebounded in wonderful way. The school received more applications in 2010 (44,000) than any other private university in the United States. Indeed, academics are a huge draw for Tulane, a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities. On top of that, every student is required to do community service to help rebuild the city. In fact, student-athletes combined for 500 total hours of community service in 2010-11. The campus itself is right off St. Charles Avenue, where Mardi Gras goes, and across from Audubon Park in the Uptown District of New Orleans. Of course, student-athletes can have the best of what the rebuilding city has to offer when it comes to culture and food. The Green Wave play all their games in the Superdome, which has special meaning for any football player in the state of Louisiana. The Superdome is also where the state high school football championships are held, so many kids grow up with the dream of playing there. Though the winning tradition is lacking, Tulane did go undefeated in 1998 under former coach Tommy Bowden and quarterback Shaun King, though the Green Wave were left out of a BCS game.
The bad: Tulane was actually a charter member of the SEC in 1932, but left the league to go independent in 1966. If university leaders had it to do over again, you can bet they most likely would make a different decision. Tulane has struggled to find any consistent success, even after being a founding member of Conference USA in 1996. And look where the SEC is today. The last time Tulane made a bowl game was 2002. There is another what-if moment in Tulane history as well. What if Tulane had decided to hire then-offensive coordinator Rich Rodriguez when Tommy Bowden left instead of Chris Scelfo? Scelfo is the last coach to win a bowl game at Tulane and guided the team through the devastation of Katrina. Would Rodriguez have made a bigger impact? As for attracting attention, Tulane just launched “The Playbook Campaign,” a fundraising and ticket-sales effort to drive support for the program. Playing in the Superdome may be a dream for a high school football player, but the Green Wave struggle to get fans in the seats. They also struggle for publicity in a town that is dominated by the Saints and prep football.
We are taking a look at FBS programs located in major cities alongside NFL franchises. And we're including LA just because.
Up next: UCLA
Location: Los Angeles
Enrollment: 38,476
Bowl appearances: 30
NFL first-round picks: 21
Losing seasons: 21
10-win seasons: 7
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: UCLA is one of the best schools in FBS football and its location, Westwood, is pretty righteous.
Folks forget that the Bruins took over big time football in L.A. before USC did, particularly in the 1990s when the NFL abandoned town. The Bruins won eight in a row in the rivalry with USC, and in 1998, with swashbuckling quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Cade McNown running the show, the Bruins averaged a school-record 73,709 in attendance while the Trojans drew 60,903 per game at the Coliseum.
UCLA has one national title -- 1954 -- and 18 conference championships. It also boasts a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Gary Beban (1967).
The Bruins home stadium is perhaps the most storied venue in college football: The Rose Bowl in Pasadena. And when the Bruins win, fans show up.
The bad: UCLA has been successful in football, but most folks consider it a basketball school with fair-weather football fans.
UCLA is a basketball school, in large part because of the extraordinary success of legendary former coach John Wooden, one of the great sportsmen of all-time, across any sport. Nothing to be ashamed of about that. But UCLA football fans are notoriously fickle.
In 1998, the Bruins were on the cusp of playing for a national title before an injury-ravaged team lost at Miami in the season-finale -- a make-up game due to a hurricane no less. After then losing the Rose Bowl to Wisconsin, the Bruins began the 1999 season with three losses in their first five games. Just a year removed from winning a school-record 20 consecutive games, attendance imploded, as the LA Times pointed out: "[UCLA's] attendance average at the Rose Bowl dropped nearly 24,000, to an average of 49,825, the third-lowest since UCLA moved to Pasadena from the Coliseum in 1982."
A year after averaging 73,709, UCLA averaged 49,825.
The rise of the Pete Carroll dynasty at USC didn't help. In 2005, USC averaged 90,812 fans. UCLA 64,218.
UCLA averaged 60,376 fans in 2010, which ranked third in the Pac-12. But it ranked 10th in percentage of capacity. (66.25).
There's a lot to do in LA, and UCLA football doesn't top the list unless the Bruins are winning.
Up next: UCLA
Location: Los Angeles
Enrollment: 38,476
Bowl appearances: 30
NFL first-round picks: 21
Losing seasons: 21
10-win seasons: 7
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: UCLA is one of the best schools in FBS football and its location, Westwood, is pretty righteous.
Folks forget that the Bruins took over big time football in L.A. before USC did, particularly in the 1990s when the NFL abandoned town. The Bruins won eight in a row in the rivalry with USC, and in 1998, with swashbuckling quarterback and Heisman Trophy candidate Cade McNown running the show, the Bruins averaged a school-record 73,709 in attendance while the Trojans drew 60,903 per game at the Coliseum.
UCLA has one national title -- 1954 -- and 18 conference championships. It also boasts a Heisman Trophy winner in quarterback Gary Beban (1967).
The Bruins home stadium is perhaps the most storied venue in college football: The Rose Bowl in Pasadena. And when the Bruins win, fans show up.
The bad: UCLA has been successful in football, but most folks consider it a basketball school with fair-weather football fans.
UCLA is a basketball school, in large part because of the extraordinary success of legendary former coach John Wooden, one of the great sportsmen of all-time, across any sport. Nothing to be ashamed of about that. But UCLA football fans are notoriously fickle.
In 1998, the Bruins were on the cusp of playing for a national title before an injury-ravaged team lost at Miami in the season-finale -- a make-up game due to a hurricane no less. After then losing the Rose Bowl to Wisconsin, the Bruins began the 1999 season with three losses in their first five games. Just a year removed from winning a school-record 20 consecutive games, attendance imploded, as the LA Times pointed out: "[UCLA's] attendance average at the Rose Bowl dropped nearly 24,000, to an average of 49,825, the third-lowest since UCLA moved to Pasadena from the Coliseum in 1982."
A year after averaging 73,709, UCLA averaged 49,825.
The rise of the Pete Carroll dynasty at USC didn't help. In 2005, USC averaged 90,812 fans. UCLA 64,218.
UCLA averaged 60,376 fans in 2010, which ranked third in the Pac-12. But it ranked 10th in percentage of capacity. (66.25).
There's a lot to do in LA, and UCLA football doesn't top the list unless the Bruins are winning.
School: Rice
Location: Houston, Texas
Enrollment: 5,760
Bowl appearances: 9
NFL first-round picks: 2
Losing seasons: 47
10-win seasons: 2
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: The Houston metroplex is a rich recruiting base, but teams from the Big 12, and even larger programs like TCU and Houston, are more likely to get the talent left behind after the top schools. Rice also has an on-campus stadium that seats 47,000 and can expand to 70,000. It also hosted Super Bowl VIII. Rice's central location to other teams around Texas makes it an attractive nonconference opponent to major in-state schools like Texas, who plays the Owls nearly every year, often at Reliant Stadium, where the Texans play.
The bad: Though Houston is a good recruiting base, it's not as deep as the Dallas Fort-Worth area, which hurts the amount of talent the school can get. Also, the private university has very strict entrance requirements and a demanding curriculum, which means any athlete who enrolls had better be prepared to be very dedicated to their studies. Additionally, the former member of the Southwest Conference must compete with a better program within the state, Houston, who also competes in its conference.
Location: Houston, Texas
Enrollment: 5,760
Bowl appearances: 9
NFL first-round picks: 2
Losing seasons: 47
10-win seasons: 2
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: The Houston metroplex is a rich recruiting base, but teams from the Big 12, and even larger programs like TCU and Houston, are more likely to get the talent left behind after the top schools. Rice also has an on-campus stadium that seats 47,000 and can expand to 70,000. It also hosted Super Bowl VIII. Rice's central location to other teams around Texas makes it an attractive nonconference opponent to major in-state schools like Texas, who plays the Owls nearly every year, often at Reliant Stadium, where the Texans play.
The bad: Though Houston is a good recruiting base, it's not as deep as the Dallas Fort-Worth area, which hurts the amount of talent the school can get. Also, the private university has very strict entrance requirements and a demanding curriculum, which means any athlete who enrolls had better be prepared to be very dedicated to their studies. Additionally, the former member of the Southwest Conference must compete with a better program within the state, Houston, who also competes in its conference.
School: Miami
Location: Coral Gables, Fla.
Enrollment: 14,905
Bowl appearances: 31
NFL first-round picks: 54
Losing seasons: 18
10-win seasons: 14
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The skinny: Miami enters its first season under coach Al Golden.
The good: With South Beach nearby, along with dozens of other beaches, beautiful weather, and five national titles, the program should be an easy sell. Former Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta and Golden like it so much they both have homes less than two miles away from campus. Miami has a football tradition that can rival that of any in the country, and the graduation rate has been among the best in the country in recent years. There’s enough talent in the state of Florida to go around, but the staff doesn’t have to look much further than its own county. While the alumni base is small, a large percentage of the program’s most loyal fans grow up in the nearby South Florida neighborhoods and are aware of its rich history.
“Not only is the scholarship at Miami here worth $55,000, but with that there’s more value in that because of what Miami can provide you from a social aspect,” Golden said. “Most people, the first thing they think about are parties. That’s like one of 50 things you can do when you’re in this kind of diverse setting. Our kids go to the beach, they fish, we have kids who go out to the Everglades or central Florida and hunt. We have art shows, festivals … Key West. When USC and Miami are right, when they’re right, they’re hard to beat because not only are they top 50 institutions that can play top-level football and have a track record of producing NFL players, they also can give you everything.”
The bad: The Hurricanes don’t have the room or the money for a stadium on campus, so they’re forced to play in an NFL stadium 20 miles away. Unless it’s a marquee opponent like Ohio State, the tailgating scene at Sun Life Stadium is lacking and the venue seems bigger than the game. The Hurricanes are also competing with four professional sports teams, including the Dolphins, for fan support, and have one of the country’s smaller alumni bases to start with (approximately 154,000). Golden said that the program’s relationship with the Dolphins, while respectful, isn’t as close as it was with the Eagles when he was in Philadelphia. Miami is also competing with rivals Florida State and Florida -- not to mention the country's other premier programs -- for in-state talent. While the history of Miami football is what defines it, it’s also what creates an enormous amount of pressure for every new head coach.
Location: Coral Gables, Fla.
Enrollment: 14,905
Bowl appearances: 31
NFL first-round picks: 54
Losing seasons: 18
10-win seasons: 14
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The skinny: Miami enters its first season under coach Al Golden.
The good: With South Beach nearby, along with dozens of other beaches, beautiful weather, and five national titles, the program should be an easy sell. Former Heisman Trophy winner Gino Torretta and Golden like it so much they both have homes less than two miles away from campus. Miami has a football tradition that can rival that of any in the country, and the graduation rate has been among the best in the country in recent years. There’s enough talent in the state of Florida to go around, but the staff doesn’t have to look much further than its own county. While the alumni base is small, a large percentage of the program’s most loyal fans grow up in the nearby South Florida neighborhoods and are aware of its rich history.
“Not only is the scholarship at Miami here worth $55,000, but with that there’s more value in that because of what Miami can provide you from a social aspect,” Golden said. “Most people, the first thing they think about are parties. That’s like one of 50 things you can do when you’re in this kind of diverse setting. Our kids go to the beach, they fish, we have kids who go out to the Everglades or central Florida and hunt. We have art shows, festivals … Key West. When USC and Miami are right, when they’re right, they’re hard to beat because not only are they top 50 institutions that can play top-level football and have a track record of producing NFL players, they also can give you everything.”
The bad: The Hurricanes don’t have the room or the money for a stadium on campus, so they’re forced to play in an NFL stadium 20 miles away. Unless it’s a marquee opponent like Ohio State, the tailgating scene at Sun Life Stadium is lacking and the venue seems bigger than the game. The Hurricanes are also competing with four professional sports teams, including the Dolphins, for fan support, and have one of the country’s smaller alumni bases to start with (approximately 154,000). Golden said that the program’s relationship with the Dolphins, while respectful, isn’t as close as it was with the Eagles when he was in Philadelphia. Miami is also competing with rivals Florida State and Florida -- not to mention the country's other premier programs -- for in-state talent. While the history of Miami football is what defines it, it’s also what creates an enormous amount of pressure for every new head coach.
We are profiling city schools that compete in a market alongside an NFL franchise. Up next:
School: Temple
Location: Philadelphia
Enrollment: 39,000
Bowl appearances: 2
NFL first-round picks: 3
Losing seasons: 35
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: It is hard to beat being in Philadelphia, one of the most historic cities in the United States. The school really plays up that history, too. Every year, each senior gets photographed with a landmark of their choice. The picture not only goes in the media guide, it also gets blown up into poster size and hung around the football offices. The main campus is two miles north of City Hall and right off Broad Street, the main thoroughfare that goes through Philadelphia. But once you turn off Broad, you have the quiet idyllic campus in a beautiful setting. All major mass-transit options are within walking distance from the campus, too, giving students the option of either staying within the borders of school or heading out to many of the other options available to those who live in a big city. The transformation of the school has been pretty incredible. When Temple was founded, it was primarily a night school -- that is how the school settled on its Owls mascot, because students were night owls. In the past five to 10 years, the campus has expanded and blossomed as it tries to shed its commuter school label. The athletics facility is on the northern edge of the main campus with its own practice facility and beautiful building housing the locker room and football offices. The Owls do play at Lincoln Financial Field and have a good relationship with the Eagles. Coach Andy Reid has two sons at Temple -- youngest son Spencer signed with the team in February and Britt is a student assistant.
The bad: Temple doesn’t exactly have a winning football tradition -- 35 losing seasons and no 10-win seasons pretty much says it all. The school was kicked out of the Big East following the 2001 season after 13 woeful years for failing to field a competitive team and meet attendance standards. The MAC has been a much better fit, and former coach Al Golden returned the school to respectability. Temple made a bowl game in 2009 for the first time since the 1970s and posted a winning record for the first time since 1990. The Owls went 8-4 in 2010 but were passed over for an at-large berth into a bowl game. Golden left for Miami and former Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio comes in to try and build on what Golden started. While there may be some benefits to playing in an NFL stadium, Temple only fills it to about half the capacity. But that is a major improvement over its average from its Big East days, which was about 18,000. Playing in a pro-sports town also has its drawbacks. Getting noticed is often difficult. Every year, Temple launches a billboard campaign on I-95 and around the city to try to attract more fans to attend games. The new billboard campaign, “Philly Proud,” will go up sometime this summer.
School: Temple
Location: Philadelphia
Enrollment: 39,000
Bowl appearances: 2
NFL first-round picks: 3
Losing seasons: 35
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: Numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: It is hard to beat being in Philadelphia, one of the most historic cities in the United States. The school really plays up that history, too. Every year, each senior gets photographed with a landmark of their choice. The picture not only goes in the media guide, it also gets blown up into poster size and hung around the football offices. The main campus is two miles north of City Hall and right off Broad Street, the main thoroughfare that goes through Philadelphia. But once you turn off Broad, you have the quiet idyllic campus in a beautiful setting. All major mass-transit options are within walking distance from the campus, too, giving students the option of either staying within the borders of school or heading out to many of the other options available to those who live in a big city. The transformation of the school has been pretty incredible. When Temple was founded, it was primarily a night school -- that is how the school settled on its Owls mascot, because students were night owls. In the past five to 10 years, the campus has expanded and blossomed as it tries to shed its commuter school label. The athletics facility is on the northern edge of the main campus with its own practice facility and beautiful building housing the locker room and football offices. The Owls do play at Lincoln Financial Field and have a good relationship with the Eagles. Coach Andy Reid has two sons at Temple -- youngest son Spencer signed with the team in February and Britt is a student assistant.
The bad: Temple doesn’t exactly have a winning football tradition -- 35 losing seasons and no 10-win seasons pretty much says it all. The school was kicked out of the Big East following the 2001 season after 13 woeful years for failing to field a competitive team and meet attendance standards. The MAC has been a much better fit, and former coach Al Golden returned the school to respectability. Temple made a bowl game in 2009 for the first time since the 1970s and posted a winning record for the first time since 1990. The Owls went 8-4 in 2010 but were passed over for an at-large berth into a bowl game. Golden left for Miami and former Florida offensive coordinator Steve Addazio comes in to try and build on what Golden started. While there may be some benefits to playing in an NFL stadium, Temple only fills it to about half the capacity. But that is a major improvement over its average from its Big East days, which was about 18,000. Playing in a pro-sports town also has its drawbacks. Getting noticed is often difficult. Every year, Temple launches a billboard campaign on I-95 and around the city to try to attract more fans to attend games. The new billboard campaign, “Philly Proud,” will go up sometime this summer.
This week, we're taking a closer look at FBS programs located in major markets that typically also have NFL franchises. Two Big Ten programs fit this description.
First up, Northwestern.
School: Northwestern
Location: Evanston, Ill.
Enrollment: 16,475
Bowl appearances: 9
NFL first-round picks: 3
Losing seasons: 47
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Northwestern benefits from being located near but not quite in a major city, allowing it to have a true campus from which you can see the towering Chicago skyline. Northwestern recruits nationally both for its student body and for its football team, and Chicago is a major selling point for coach Pat Fitzgerald and his staff.
The academic component is huge at Northwestern, the Big Ten's highest-rated academic institution. Most players who come to Evanston have more than the NFL on their minds, and Northwestern can point to Chicago and all the networking and career opportunities it provides for life after football.
There has been a definite disconnect between Northwestern and Chicago in the past, but things are starting to shift. Fitzgerald, a former All-American linebacker at the school who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, has been instrumental in bridging the gap. Last year, Northwestern launched its first major marketing campaign, targeting the Chicago area and touting the slogan, "Chicago's Big Ten team." Northwestern must grow its fan base first and foremost, but appealing to the other Big Ten fan bases in Chicago isn't a bad approach.
Northwestern brought football to Wrigley Field for the first time in 40 years in November as it faced Illinois at the Friendly Confines. Despite all the controversy about the field dimensions, the game was a success for both teams and generated a lot of attention for Northwestern within the city. Future nonconference schedules have been upgraded with teams like Notre Dame that will appeal to the Chicago market.
Ultimately, Northwestern must keep winning to gain more buzz in the big city to the south.
The bad: Northwestern still fights several significant obstacles in relation to Chicago. The Wildcats were one of the worst programs in major college sports history from 1972 to 1994, and their NCAA-record 34-game losing streak from 1979 to 1982 still haunts the program from a perception standpoint.
Northwestern also is the Big Ten's only private institution, and it not only has a significantly smaller enrollment than the other league members, but it has fewer alumni in Chicago than every Big Ten school except Penn State. Attendance has been a significant problem for some time, and Northwestern still relies on fans from opposing Big Ten teams to help its attendance numbers.
Despite all the Big Ten alumni in Chicago, the city will always be a pro sports town. The NFL's Bears dominate the media coverage, and if the Cubs or White Sox make any sort of postseason run, Northwestern football is largely an afterthought. Notre Dame football and even Illinois football can get more media coverage than the Wildcats.
The school's location also has impacted its ability to hang onto assistant coaches. The Chicago/Evanston area has higher living costs than most Big Ten cities, and while Northwestern has increased its commitment to paying assistants, it's a concern going forward.
First up, Northwestern.
School: Northwestern
Location: Evanston, Ill.
Enrollment: 16,475
Bowl appearances: 9
NFL first-round picks: 3
Losing seasons: 47
10-win seasons: 1
Source: ESPN Stats & Info (Note: College numbers date back to 1936, the first year of the AP poll. NFL numbers date back to 1970.)
The good: Northwestern benefits from being located near but not quite in a major city, allowing it to have a true campus from which you can see the towering Chicago skyline. Northwestern recruits nationally both for its student body and for its football team, and Chicago is a major selling point for coach Pat Fitzgerald and his staff.
The academic component is huge at Northwestern, the Big Ten's highest-rated academic institution. Most players who come to Evanston have more than the NFL on their minds, and Northwestern can point to Chicago and all the networking and career opportunities it provides for life after football.
There has been a definite disconnect between Northwestern and Chicago in the past, but things are starting to shift. Fitzgerald, a former All-American linebacker at the school who grew up in the Chicago suburbs, has been instrumental in bridging the gap. Last year, Northwestern launched its first major marketing campaign, targeting the Chicago area and touting the slogan, "Chicago's Big Ten team." Northwestern must grow its fan base first and foremost, but appealing to the other Big Ten fan bases in Chicago isn't a bad approach.
Northwestern brought football to Wrigley Field for the first time in 40 years in November as it faced Illinois at the Friendly Confines. Despite all the controversy about the field dimensions, the game was a success for both teams and generated a lot of attention for Northwestern within the city. Future nonconference schedules have been upgraded with teams like Notre Dame that will appeal to the Chicago market.
Ultimately, Northwestern must keep winning to gain more buzz in the big city to the south.
The bad: Northwestern still fights several significant obstacles in relation to Chicago. The Wildcats were one of the worst programs in major college sports history from 1972 to 1994, and their NCAA-record 34-game losing streak from 1979 to 1982 still haunts the program from a perception standpoint.
Northwestern also is the Big Ten's only private institution, and it not only has a significantly smaller enrollment than the other league members, but it has fewer alumni in Chicago than every Big Ten school except Penn State. Attendance has been a significant problem for some time, and Northwestern still relies on fans from opposing Big Ten teams to help its attendance numbers.
Despite all the Big Ten alumni in Chicago, the city will always be a pro sports town. The NFL's Bears dominate the media coverage, and if the Cubs or White Sox make any sort of postseason run, Northwestern football is largely an afterthought. Notre Dame football and even Illinois football can get more media coverage than the Wildcats.
The school's location also has impacted its ability to hang onto assistant coaches. The Chicago/Evanston area has higher living costs than most Big Ten cities, and while Northwestern has increased its commitment to paying assistants, it's a concern going forward.
ABOUT THIS BLOG
College Football Nation
Have a question about college football? Ask our bloggers:
