With spring football in the rearview mirror and fall camp on the horizon, college football fans are already gearing up for what promises to be another wild ride in 2025.
Following a dramatic 2024 season that ended with Ohio State winning the first-ever 12-team College Football Playoff, hype is growing for the upcoming campaign.
But beyond preseason rankings and championship odds, one particular list is making waves – and stirring up emotions across fan bases.
According to a recent study from Elite College Football, Ohio State supporters have been crowned the most “toxic” in the nation.
The Buckeyes fan base, fresh off a national title run, earned a perfect score of 10.0 out of 10.0 on the site’s toxicity index.
Here’s the full Top 10 ranking…
#1. Ohio State
#2. Florida
#3. Georgia
#4. Colorado
#5. Miami
#6. Tennessee
#7. Texas
#8. Alabama
#9. Florida State
#10. Michigan
Despite leading the pack, Ohio State fans hardly seemed rattled by the label.
As a matter of fact, many Buckeyes fans are embracing the title with great pride – and a bit of swagger.
“A perfect 10.0 rating. Hang the banner!!!!! I’m serious — I want this banner unveiled directly next to the National Champions one. Because the thing that the Kirk Herbstreits of the world don’t understand is that the Lunatic Fringe willed the Buckeyes to a title this year. Do you know what happens the day this fan base accepts complacency? 7-5,” one fan posted on X.
Of course, that fan is referring to ESPN analyst and former Ohio State quarterback Kirk Herbstreit who has long voiced concerns about what he calls the program’s most extreme supporters.
“The lunatic fringe at Ohio State is as powerful as anywhere in the country. It used to be eight to 10 (percent), I think it’s grown now to about 15 to 20,” Herbie said during Ohio State’s dominant playoff victory over Tennessee last season.
“I’m sure they’ll be happy tonight, fired up about what the team did, but God forbid they lose to Oregon. They’ll want to fire [Day] again,” he added.
“First Take tried to fire (Day). They thought he was done, so I’ll be excited to see what they talk about on Monday after this performance. They had him out, trying to find replacements. But here he is, he still has his hat on. He’s still coaching.”
Whether the Buckeyes’ fan base is “toxic” or just intensely passionate may depend on who you ask.
What’s undeniable, however, is that Ohio State enters 2025 with one of the most energized – and scrutinized – followings in the nation.
And after winning the national title in college football’s new playoff era, they’re not looking to take their foot off the gas anytime soon.
What are your thoughts on the toxicity rankings? … Is Ohio State’s fan base indeed the most toxic in the country???
