What major football college has the best academics?

Question

We're talking I-A here, with a good football program. I want to know what college you think not only has good football, but also offers top-notch academics. Please support your answer with more than the usual hearsay or baseless opinions.

Answer 1

University of Florida

Go Gators!!

Answer 2

It's a natural fact that getting into Notre Dame is the most difficult thing to do for any athlete that doesn't have superior grades, and maintaining a B+ average to stay on the team is just as much as a dawning task once you are accepted.

That's the #1 reason why a few years ago all the sports analysis were saying that the talent level on the football team wasn't what it once was, because the academic standards had gotten a little to high and all the blue chip players were looking else where because of it.

A good number of the athletes that attend Notre Dame more times than not have either an impressive SAT score (900-1450), a high GPA (3.5 - 5.0) or both.

Answer 3

University Of Southern California (USC)

Obiously They Have A Great Football Program. Some Great Players Recently Include Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush, Etc. I Could Go On For Awile

Football:
11 national championships
34 conference championships

Academic Wise It Is A Very Hard School To Get Accepted To. USC Is Currently A Private Institution

Answer 4

Michigan is probably the top football/academic combo with (I hate to say it) Texas a strong second place. Stanford and Cal are also right up there, stronger in the academics than in football but relatively competitive. That these are among the top academic schools in the country is beyond question. For one thing, they have some of the largest, deepest faculties across huge numbers of academic areas of any schools in the world; if you doubt it, look at their websites and check the faculty lists for various departments. Not only are the large compared to, say, Pac 10 and Big 10 schools, they are generally world class. They are also among the most difficult schools to get into as well. Also, their graduate programs, notably medicine, law and business, are amongst the most prestigious in the country; their graduates make up a large number of the faculty at other professional schools around the country.

Duke is also an excellent school across the board but has not had great football in years. Northwestern is a top tier academic school as well and although its football fortunes have been much better these past 10 years or so, it is not in the class of a Michigan or Stanford. Ohio State, USC and UCLA are strong football schools, of course (USC being the stronger of the two historically and recently) but they also offer top notch academic programs a notch below those of the elite schools I mentioned above.

Of the real top grade football schools -- Alabama, Oklahoma, Florida State, Florida, Miami, Tennessee, Georgia, Nebraska -- only FSU, Florida and Tennessee have great academic programs. One famous quote by a former Oklahoma administrator -- "we want to make a university the football team can be proud of" -- pretty much says it all for the rest.

Of up-and-coming football programs, keep your eye on Vanderbilt. Though historically second division in IA, it is on a little bit of a roll. Academically it is one of the outstanding universities in the south.

Answer 5

Most listed are great schools! Stanford, UCLA, USC, Michigan, and Norte Dame would be my top 5.

UCLA is easily the best value of them all, if you do not receive a full ride! Berkley would be 2nd.

It depends on what you plan to major in also!

Here are the top 30 schools!
1 Harvard University (MA)
2 Princeton University (NJ)
3 Yale University (CT)
4 University of Pennsylvania
5 Duke University (NC)
5 Stanford University (CA)
7 California Institute of Technology
7 Massachusetts Inst. of Technology
9 Columbia University (NY)
9 Dartmouth College (NH)
11 Washington University in St. Louis
12 Northwestern University (IL)
13 Cornell University (NY)
13 Johns Hopkins University (MD)
15 Brown University (RI)
15 University of Chicago
17 Rice University (TX)
18 University of Notre Dame (IN)
18 Vanderbilt University (TN)
20 Emory University (GA)
20 University of California – Berkeley*
22 Carnegie Mellon University (PA)
23 Georgetown University (DC)
23 University of Virginia*
25 Univ. of California – Los Angeles*
25 University of Michigan – Ann Arbor*
27 Tufts University (MA)
27 U. of North Carolina – Chapel Hill*
27 Wake Forest University (NC)
30 Univ. of Southern California
here are the top 25 football rankings at the end of 2005
AP Top 25
1. Texas (65)
2. USC
3. Penn State
4. Ohio State
5. West Virginia
6. LSU
7. Virginia Tech
8. Alabama
9. Notre Dame
10. Georgia
11. TCU
12. Florida
12. Oregon
14. Auburn
15. Wisconsin
16. UCLA
17. Miami (FL)
18. Boston College
19. Louisville
20. Texas Tech
21. Clemson
22. Oklahoma
23. Florida State
24. Nebraska
25. California

try this link

Answer 6

This could be any number of schools. Notre Dame, Georgia Tech, Stanford, Michigan, Northwestern, Florida, Miami, Tenneessee, Arizona State, so on and so forth all are recognized academically in something. Also some schools have lowered academic standards in the past to bolster their athletic department. Notre Dame has been critizied for not doing that recently-the football program just wasn't doing very well. I'll give you that Stanford, Notre Dame, and Northwestern have the highest academic standards but Notre Dame has the most celebrated football program of these. So I believe that Notre Dame is the best.

Answer 7

Hi,
Ohio State University aka OSU is not only the biggest university in the USA,but has the number 1football team over and over again.it has lots majors and Columbus ,Ohio is a fun city with good employment oppurtunities.
Academics are hard, but rewarding. Classes are large and alot of graduate students are teaching. It's sad that each individual is a number nota name.That is the only thing I feel is negative. They offer online classes, and regular classes.People are pretty nice and helpful. Reny is reasonable especially witha roommate that you like,trust with paying his or hers part of thr rent and utilites.Look up more info on Yahoo!search and OSu.com
picking out the best college or university is not easy. I went to CWRU in Cleveland for my first degree. The academics were very challenging and the people were nice. I f you are a geek,(do not take this wrong) you will fit in.
Iwas in my 20's and I had a hard time finding a really good looking guy,but as i grew older ,i realized looks aren't every thing.The bad thing about CWRU is:it is Downtown Cleveland. If you go there Go to Little Italy if you love Italian food and goto Mama Santa's. It is soooo good ,imiss their pasta and pizza. I wish luck if you have any questions e- mail me any time

Answer 8

It completely depends on what academic program you are looking at. I mean Duke is top notch academically but their football team sucks. All of the Big10 school are pretty good academically. Although not as high as probably a USC or Notre Dame would be.

But different schools have different programs ranked differently so it depends :)

Answer 9

Notre Dame, is the obvious one that excells in both academics and the football program.

Not to mention the Big 10 Conference is full of teams worth considering, as far as academics and talent.

Answer 10

Oklahoma State University

Answer 11

Rice- Nobel Laureates and a rigorous undegraduate program. #1 by far.

Northwestern- Also Nobel laureates and pretty rigorous undergrad program.

Cal- Nobel Laureates, top grad schools, tough to get into.

GaTech- Under-recognized how hard this school is. I've met dropouts who were damn smart, but not ready for GT's rigor.

Stanford- overrated undergrads. You can slide by here if you want to.

Duke- Lousy football, great faculty. fair students.

Vanderbilt- You can slide by here big time. Vastly overrated by outsiders.

UVa- Top public university, decent football

Texas, UMich- Good public schools. Lots of losers get accepted.

Miami U (Ohio)- Good undergrads, good football

Notre Dame- respected undergrads (nothing spectacular) lousy grad programs


Did someone really say Marshall? Bahaha. That's like a 4-year JUCO.