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Attendance discrepancies noted at college football stadiums this week

Yahoo Sports • 1 min read • Latest: Sep 22, 2026, 11:55 AM

Last updated Sep 22, 2026

Attendance discrepancies noted at college football stadiums this week

Summary

Week 3 attendance figures in the Big Ten show significant gaps between announced and actual fan presence. Reports suggest stadiums in places like Bloomington and Eugene appeared over capacity, but attendance data reveals that many tickets went unused. For instance, Rutgers announced over 43,000 at their game against USC, but actual attendance seemed inconsistent. Research indicates that on average, 28.4% of distributed tickets did not result in attendance across 55 public FBS schools, highlighting a growing disconnect in college football attendance metrics. The Big Ten teams varied, with Michigan seeing 13% of no-shows despite a reported sellout crowd.

Source Links

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By the Numbers

•Big Ten attendance shows discrepancies between reported and actual figures.
•Rutgers claimed over 43,000 fans at USC game, but visuals suggested otherwise.
•Research indicates an average of 28.4% of tickets go unused across 55 FBS schools.
•Michigan reported attendance of 107,601, but actual scan was likely around 93,613.
•The trend indicates a potential issue with how college football attendance is recorded.

Latest Updates

11:55 AMYahoo Sports — The missing fans of college football

What they're saying

"
Why doesn’t that sold out stadium look….full? First, a quick look at attendance in the Big Ten for week 3. With a few exceptions, everyone is still in the non-conference portion of the schedule. I’m tempted to contact the fire marshals in Bloomington, Ann Arbor, Madison, and especially Eugene. Each of those stadiums were over […]
— Yahoo Sports

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