Which college football team has the most fans? Why (we think) Michigan edges Ohio State

Editor’snote:Thisisthefirstinasemi-regularseriesattemptingtoanswerunanswerablequestionsandsolvemysteriesincollegesports.Havearabbitholeyouwantustogodown?Leaveyourunanswerablecollegesportsquestionsandmysteriesinthecomments. What’sthemostpopularcollegefootballteaminthecountry? It’sthetypeofquestionfanscanargueaboutonmessageboardsorsocialmediabutisadmittedlyimpossibletoanswerwithanydegreeofcertainty.Wetriedanyway. Nosinglemetriccanmeasuresomethingascomplexascollegefootballfandom,soTheAthleticanalyzedninedistinct,quantifiablecategories,fromTVviewershipandattendancefigurestoStubHubticketsalestoGooglesearches.Therewereafewindividualsurprises,likeBetMGM’smostbet-onteam(thanks,LincolnRiley?)andaspecificsocialmediaspikearoundDeionSandersandColorado. Wedidn’tcompilenumbersforeveryPower4teamineverycategory.Wedidn’tneedto.Wewereabletoquicklyeliminateoutliersandfocusonatoptierof12teamsappearingacrossmultiple