Ohio State led all BCS conference schools in spring game attendance this year with 81,112 fans, up from the past two years when attendance dipped due to poor weather. The game marked the first time Urban Meyer appeared on the sideline as Ohio State coach. Coming off its second national championship in three years, Alabama drew 78,526 fans this year. That was a drop from the last two years, in which the school drew more than 90,000 fans for both games. Several schools set new spring game attendance records. Oregon drew 44,129 fans, setting a school record for a second straight year. UO also set a Pac-12 Conference record. Washington State, which brought in new coach Mike Leach this season, drew a school record 10,713 fans, up 163% from last season. Other schools setting new records were Arkansas, Georgia and Clemson. Notre Dame drew 31,582 fans for its game, up from recent years and marking the school’s fifth-best mark all-time. Several schools were affected by weather. Nebraska, which has held a spring game every year since ’50, had its game cancelled due to bad weather. West Virginia, Virginia Tech and Illinois also saw huge dips in attendance due to weather. TCU, which joins the Big 12 this fall, went without a spring game this year due to ongoing construction at Amon G. Carter Stadium (THE DAILY).
|
NCAA FOOTBALL: SPRING GAME ATTENDANCE FOR
BCS CONFERENCE SCHOOLS
|
| SCHOOL |
ATTENDANCE
|
SCHOOL |
ATTENDANCE
|
| Ohio State |
81,112
|
Kansas |
15,000
|
| Alabama |
78,526
|
Iowa |
15,000
|
| Penn State |
60,000
|
UCLA |
13,000
|
| Texas |
46,000
|
Washington |
11,802
|
| Arkansas |
45,250
|
Oklahoma State |
11,000
|
| Oregon |
44,129
|
Washington State |
10,713
|
| Georgia |
44,117
|
Wisconsin |
10,479
|
| Auburn |
43,427
|
Miami |
10,000
|
| Florida State |
40,631
|
California |
8,812
|
| Florida |
38,000
|
Virginia |
8,500
|
| South Carolina |
34,513
|
Vanderbilt |
8,500
|
| Tennessee |
34,421
|
Colorado |
7,100
|
| LSU |
33,000
|
Connecticut |
5,500
|
| Notre Dame |
31,582
|
Wake Forest |
5,500
|
| Clemson |
28,000
|
Arizona State |
5,142
|
| Ole Miss |
25,000
|
Stanford |
5,000
|
| Michigan |
25,000
|
Arizona |
5,000
|
| NC State |
24,797
|
Iowa State |
5,000
|
| Mississippi State |
22,604
|
Pittsburgh |
4,607
|
| Michigan State |
21,000
|
Kentucky |
4,500
|
| Oklahoma |
20,509
|
Syracuse |
3,716
|
| Missouri |
18,614
|
Minnesota |
3,500
|
| Georgia Tech |
18,125
|
Texas Tech |
3,000
|
| Kansas State |
18,048
|
Baylor |
2,750
|
| North Carolina |
17,000
|
Temple |
2,500
|
| USC |
15,515
|
Maryland |
2,000
|
| Rutgers |
15,000
|
Oregon State |
1,000
|
| Texas A&M |
15,000
|
Boston College |
200
|
| |
|
|
|
NOTES: Estimates for Virginia Tech, Louisville, West Virginia and Illinois left off due to weather have a major impact on attendance. Figures not available for Nebraska, Purdue, Indiana, South Florida, Cincinnati, Duke and Northwestern.
