Ranking the States for Football

[Hostile]

Updated: Dec. 27, 2006, 4:48 PM
Overall state football rankings


ESPN.com

High school playoffs have ended, bowl season is in full swing, and the NFL playoff picture grows clearer by the game.

In the midst of this football bonanza, we got to wondering: How do the states stack up across all levels of football?

We asked our NFL, college and Scouts Inc. editors to rank the states and District of Columbia at each level, then combined those rankings for an overall number.

The rankings you see below connect to a further description of each state. They aren't, however, the final word.

We're interested in your description of football in your state. Did we get it right? Did we miss an important fact, player, coach or game that would alter the rankings? Let us know what you think, and we'll add the best submissions to that state's pages.

The state names are actually links where you can see further details of each state and why they rank where they do. Oh yeah, and ESPN is once again wrong about the Cowboys.


THE RANKINGS

1. Texas
No. 4 pro | No. 1 college | No. 1 high school: The Lone Star State has 10 DI teams, six Heismans*, six national titles**, three AFL titles***, five Super Bowl wins and 24 NFL Hall of Famers****.

2. California
No. 2 pro | No. 3 college | No. 2 high school: The Golden State has seven DI teams, nine Heismans, eight national titles, one NFL title, one AFL title, eight Super Bowl wins and 15 NFL Hall of Famers.

3. Florida
No. 3 pro | No. 2 college | No. 3 high school: The Sunshine State has seven DI teams, six Heismans, eight national titles, three Super Bowl wins and seven NFL Hall of Famers.

4. Pennsylvania
No. 1 pro | No. 7 college | No. 6 high school: The Keystone State has three DI teams, two Heismans, four national titles, four NFL titles, five Super Bowl wins and 26 NFL Hall of Famers.

5. Ohio
No. 5 pro | No. 4 college | No. 5 high school: The Buckeye State has eight DI teams, seven Heismans, seven national titles, nine NFL titles and 21 NFL Hall of Famers.

6. Georgia
No. 9 pro | No. 11 college | No. 4 high school: The Peach State has two DI teams, three Heismans and three national titles.

7. Michigan
No. 13 pro | No. 6 college | No. 10 high school: The Great Lakes State has five DI teams, three Heismans, five national titles, four NFL titles and four NFL Hall of Famers.

8. Louisiana
No. 18 pro | No. 5 college | No. 7 high school: The Pelican State has five DI teams, one Heisman, two national titles and five NFL Hall of Famers.

9. New Jersey
No. 7 pro | No. 23 college | No. 13 high school: The Garden State has one DI team, one Heisman and five NFL Hall of Famers.

10. Wisconsin
No. 10 pro | No. 13 college | No. 25 high school: The Badger State has one DI team, two Heismans, nine NFL titles, three Super Bowl wins and eight NFL Hall of Famers.

11. Illinois
No. 14 pro | No. 22 college | No. 11 high school: The Prairie State has three DI teams, one Heisman, 10 NFL titles, one Super Bowl win and 16 NFL Hall of Famers.

12. Alabama
No. 23 pro | No. 10 college | No. 9 high school: The Heart of Dixie has four DI teams, two Heismans, eight national titles and four NFL Hall of Famers.

13. Virginia
No. 22 pro | No. 14 college | No. 8 high school: Old Dominion has two DI teams and seven NFL Hall of Famers.

14. North Carolina
No. 17 pro | No. 21 college | No. 14 high school: The Tar Heel State has five DI teams and five NFL Hall of Famers.

15. Missouri
No. 8 pro | No. 29 college | No. 28 high school: The Show Me State has one DI team, two Super Bowl wins and four NFL Hall of Famers.

16. New York
No. 6 pro | No. 35 college | No. 24 high school: The Empire State has three DI teams, four Heismans, three national titles, four NFL titles, two AFL titles, three Super Bowl wins and nine NFL Hall of Famers.

17. Maryland
No. 11 pro | No. 32 college | No. 16 high school: The Old Line State has two DI teams, two Heismans, one national title, two NFL titles and two Super Bowl wins.

18. Tennessee
No. 24 pro | No. 12 college | No. 18 high school: The Volunteer State has four DI teams, two national titles and three NFL Hall of Famers.

19. Oklahoma
No. 28 pro | No. 8 college | No. 17 high school: The Sooner State has three DI teams, five Heismans, seven national titles and five NFL Hall of Famers.

20. Indiana
No. 20 pro | No. 17 college | No. 26 high school: The Hoosier State has four DI teams, seven Heismans, nine national titles and two NFL Hall of Famers.

21. Nebraska
No. 29 pro | No. 9 college | No. 19 high school: The Cornhusker State has one DI team, three Heismans, five national titles and two NFL Hall of Famers.

22. Colorado
No. 15 pro | No. 26 college | No. 30 high school: The Centennial State has three DI teams, one Heisman, one national title, two Super Bowl wins and one NFL Hall of Famer.

23. Washington
No. 21 pro | No. 25 college | No. 21 high school: The Evergreen State has two DI teams, one national title and four NFL Hall of Famers.

24. Minnesota
No. 19 pro | No. 28 college | No. 31 high school: The North Star State has one DI team, one Heisman, four national titles and seven NFL Hall of Famers.

25. Mississippi
No. 34 pro | No. 15 college | No. 15 high school: The Magnolia State has three DI teams, one national title and seven NFL Hall of Famers.

26. Iowa
No. 32 pro | No. 16 college | No. 23 high school: The Hawkeye State has two DI teams, one Heisman and one national title.

27. Massachusetts
No. 16 pro | No. 36 college | No. 36 high school: The Bay State has one DI team, one Heisman, three Super Bowl wins and five NFL Hall of Famers.

28. Arizona
No. 25 pro | No. 30 college | No. 22 high school: The Grand Canyon State has two DI teams.

29. Arkansas
No. 35 pro | No. 19 college | No. 20 high school: The Razorback State has two DI teams, one national title and four NFL Hall of Famers.

30. District of Columbia
No. 12 pro | No. 49 college | No. 29 high school: The Nation's Capital has two NFL titles, three Super Bowl wins and two NFL Hall of Famers.

31. West Virginia
No. 31 pro | No. 20 college | No. 35 high school: The Mountain State has two DI teams and five NFL Hall of Famers.

32. South Carolina
No. 41 pro | No. 18 college | No. 12 high school: The Palmetto State has two DI teams, one national title and two NFL Hall of Famers.

33. Oregon
No. 30 pro | No. 24 college | No. 33 high school: The Beaver State has two DI teams, one Heisman and one NFL Hall of Famer.

34. Nevada
No. 26 pro | No. 37 college | No. 38 high school: The Silver State has two DI teams.

35.Hawaii
No. 27 pro | No. 39 college | No. 32 high school: The Aloha State has one DI team.

36. Kentucky
No. 33 pro | No. 34 college | No. 27 high school: The Bluegrass State has two DI teams and two NFL Hall of Famers.

37. Utah
No. 39 pro | No. 31 college | No. 34 high school: The Beehive State has three DI teams, one Heisman, one national title and two NFL Hall of Famers.

38. Kansas
No. 40 pro | No. 33 college | No. 37 high school: The Sunflower State has two DI teams and four NFL Hall of Famers.

39. Connecticut
No. 37 pro | No. 41 college | No. 43 high school: The Constitution State has one DI team, two Heismans and two NFL Hall of Famers.

40. Idaho
No. 49 pro | No. 27 college | No. 42 high school: The Gem State has two DI teams and one NFL Hall of Famer.

41. New Mexico
No. 42 pro | No. 40 college | No. 39 high school: The Land of Enchantment has two DI teams and two NFL Hall of Famers.

42. New Hampshire
No. 38 pro | No. 45 college | No. 48 high school: The Granite State has no DI or NFL teams.

43. Rhode Island
No. 36 pro | No. 48 college | No. 51 high school: The Ocean State has one NFL title.

44. Wyoming
No. 46 pro | No. 38 college | No. 44 high school: The Cowboy State has one DI team.

45. Delaware
No. 43 pro | No. 43 college | No. 45 high school: The First State has three NFL Hall of Famers.

46. North Dakota
No. 48 pro | No. 44 college | No. 40 high school: The Peace Garden State has no DI or NFL teams.

47. South Dakota
No. 47 pro | No. 46 college | No. 41 high school: The Mount Rushmore State has one NFL Hall of Famer.

48. Maine
No. 45 pro | No. 47 college | No. 49 high school: The Pine Tree State has no DI or NFL teams.

49. Montana
No. 50 pro | No. 42 college | No. 46 high school: The Treasure State has no DI or NFL teams.

50. Vermont
No. 44 pro | No. 50 college | No. 50 high school: The Green Mountain State has no DI or NFL teams.

51. Alaska
No. 51 pro | No. 51 college | No. 47 high school: The Last Frontier has no DI or NFL teams.

*Heisman counts are for trophies won by a player attending college in the given state.
**National titles include those won or shared since the inception of the AP Poll in 1936.
***NFL and AFL titles don't include those won after Super Bowl play began in 1966.
****NFL Hall of Famers are based on birthplace.

 

[stealth]

what were the asterisks about?

 

[Hostile]

what were the asterisks about?

I added the explanations.

 

[BrAinPaiNt]

We're Number 1!, We're Number 1!

Oh wait...

We're Number 31!, We're Number 31!

 

[Jarv]

I added the explanations.

Interesting Hos, I would move CT down the list (to 52) tho, because we host ESPN.

 

[Maikeru-sama]

Question for folks from New York.

Do they just not play football alot of there? Population seems to have alot to do with this list, and I would think NY would be more representative.

As they say on the radio, I will just hang up and listen .

 

[peplaw06]

Question for folks from New York.

Do they just not play football alot of there? Population seems to have alot to do with this list, and I would think NY would be more representative.

As they say on the radio, I will just hang up and listen .

I really don't know WHY football isn't as big in NY. But when I was working for a TV station, we got a reporter who moved from Brooklyn to Texas. She was astounded at the attention given to high school football. She said in NY, you were lucky if there were stands at a high school football game. It was pretty interesting to hear.

 

[sacase]

How can DC be ranked 12 when the Commanders play in LANDOVER, MARYLAND and practice in ASHBURN, VIRGINA?

 

[Hostile]

How can DC be ranked 12 when the Commanders play in LANDOVER, MARYLAND and practice in ASHBURN, VIRGINA?

I'm guessing it's because they don't call them the Landover or Ashburn Commanders.

 

[Jarv]

How can DC be ranked 12 when the Commanders play in LANDOVER, MARYLAND and practice in ASHBURN, VIRGINA?

Thats soo true, just like NY has only 1 pro football team...The Buffalo Bills.

 

[cowboys#1]

espn said the cowboys have only been to seven super bowls......bunch of idiots:bang2:

 

[Jarv]

espn said the cowboys have only been to seven super bowls......bunch of idiots:bang2:

We all try to forget Baltimore and the pass that was never deflected.

 

[percyhoward]

Taking population into account, Louisiana has to be #1 by far.

 

[Concord]

Alaska is getting screwed.

 

[jterrell]

After watching Southlake Carroll play Austin Westlake I can tell you this is the premier football state. Incredible talent. Southlake had two former Cowboys kids on the squad(they always seem to have a couple). Tre Newton(6 foot 190 pound RB) is unbelievably good. Prolly be the highest rated kid in the state next year. If he isn't then Riley Dodge, the Carroll QB might be. Dodge's dad was the coach(he just took the college job at UNT) and is a former UT QB.

Westlake had amazing talent as well. The QB is heading off to Arizona State and is a serious prospect at 6'5" 230 pounds with very strong arm and solid speed.

Texas has always had great high school football talent but the coaching and conditioning now are at all-time highs. Most premier Texas High School football coaches now make 6 figures.

Cedar Hill has a QB named William Cole that is the quickest kid in the state. They won their classification and he averaged over 200 yards rushing per game. He'll be a pro WR one day. Very Santana Mossesque.

 

[jterrell]

Taking population into account, Louisiana has to be #1 by far.

High school and college very possibly but the pro team has been horrid for most of its existence and was in seriously jeopardy of leaving the state.

Louisiana high school football is dominated by the private league that has kids stay in school an extra year similar to what BYU does. They graduate at 19 and are often stellar in football.

 

[mitchell2254]

Way to go North Carolina

#14

But i'm glad to see Texas #1

 

[jgboys1]

Question for folks from New York.

Do they just not play football alot of there? Population seems to have alot to do with this list, and I would think NY would be more representative.

As they say on the radio, I will just hang up and listen .

New York is a Baseball town. On the local talk sports radio they talk nothing but yankees and mets 85% of the time, that is why I got Sirius. NFL and the Cowboys! No baseball for me.

 

[WilmingtonHeel]

Mitch I've been saying for years North Carolina is very underrated state for football because basketball has been good for 50 + years it's hard to overcome this. Butch Davis is at UNC he'll start getting these kids Georgia, Florida and Tennessee has been getting

 

[percyhoward]

High school and college very possibly but the pro team has been horrid for most of its existence and was in seriously jeopardy of leaving the state.

I wasn't even talking about the Saints.

Louisiana is 22nd in population, but in the top 7 in this list in both college and high school.