Iowans lead nation in college football fandom, study says

Cooper WorthDes Moines Register
Sept. 5, 2026, 5:04 a.m. CT

When it comes to Americans loving their favorite college football team, no one does it quite like Iowans, according to new Nielsen data.

The TV ratings company revealed the top 20 college football fan bases by market on Sept. 2. Nielsen determined the rankings using eight fan-engagement metrics: apparel purchases, general interest level, event attendance, betting intent, social media following, radio listening, <a href="https://comicvibe.com/our-guide-to-the-9-top-new-shows-and-films-<a href="https://comicvibe.com/xbox-streaming-current-subscribers-may-be-spared-changes-in-select-markets/” title=”Xbox Streaming Current Subscribers May Be Spared Changes in Select Markets”>streaming-on-netflix-in-september-2026/” title=”Our Guide To The 9 Top New Shows And Films Streaming On Netflix In September 2026″>streaming and linear TV viewership, measured between January 2025 and May 2026.

Here’s what to know.

Iowa’s college football fans ranked among the nation’s best

Here are the top 10 college football fan bases by market

Elsewhere in the top 20 were Kansas City, Cincinnati, Austin and Cleveland/Akron, Ohio. Markets in states without professional sports franchises tended to outperform larger metropolitan cities with several sports teams.

Des Moines/Ames ranked No. 1 for three categories: apparel purchases, social media following and radio listening, while ranking top five in event attendance and streaming. However, the lone Iowa market was last in betting intent, suggesting “a fan base whose passion is deeply rooted in traditional local channels rather than the broader national trend toward sports wagering,”

Iowa State’s regular-season games in 2025 aired across several networks, including FOX and ESPN, while Iowa’s were carried by FOX, CBS and NBC. Four Cyclones games attracted more than 60,000 fans, and all seven Hawkeyes home games sold out at Kinnick Stadium.

Nielsen data also found that Iowa and Iowa State were among the nation’s most-watched women’s basketball programs during the 2025-26 season based on linear TV viewership and social media following.

How to watch Iowa, Iowa State football Week 1

Iowa opens the season Saturday, Sept. 5 vs. Northern Illinois at 3:15 p.m. CT, and fans can watch on the Big Ten Network or streaming with Fubo.

The Cyclones play the Southeast Missouri Redhawks at noon CT on Saturday, with the game streaming on ESPN+.

Cooper Worth is a service/trending reporter for the Des Moines Register. Reach him at cworth@gannett.com or follow him on X @CooperAWorth.

Our editors independently choose our recommendations. Some content is produced with paid support from a third party, however our editorial decisions remain independent. If you buy through our links, the USA TODAY Network may earn a commission. Prices and availability may change.