While the college football season is still just over a month away, many fans have been preparing for kickoff by heading to the secondary market. With the market starting to take shape for college football tickets, TiqIQ released the Top 25 most expensive average prices for the 2014 season. Eight schools from the SEC are in the Top 25, the most of any conference. The Big Ten has the second most schools with six, while the Pac-12 and Big 12 both have four.
The schools at top of the list don't offer many surprises. Notre Dame, Georgia, Alabama and Ohio State have the four most expensive average prices for the season, and are the only four schools with a season average over $200. The most expensive season average in college football belongs to Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have plenty of marquee matchups this season, with Michigan, Stanford and Louisville all heading to Notre Dame Stadium. Only two home games on the Notre Dame football schedule this season have an average price below $200, the season opener against Rice and the second to last game of the season. Overall, Notre Dame tickets are averaging $252.25 for the season.
Ohio State is third in average price, but will be hosting the single most expensive game of the college football season against the Michigan Wolverines. The average price for the game is $616.14, 179.7% more expensive than the average home game on the Ohio State football schedule. The $308 get-in price would be just outside the ten most expensive games of the season by average price.
Michigan, however, did not make the Top 25 for the first time since TiqIQ has kept track of data. The fall is mostly based on the lackluster opponents on the Michigan football schedule. The Wolverines only have four home games with an average price above $100 and only the game against Penn State has an average price above $150.
The biggest surprise on the list might be the inclusion of only one ACC school and the reigning national champion Florida State Seminoles not being it. The representative is the conference's newest, the University of Louisville. Last season the Louisville football schedule left a lot to be desired during the team's lone season in the AAC. But with the conference move, the team's ticket average is up 78.4% sneaking into the middle of the Top 25. That's even with quarterback Teddy Bridgewater in the NFL, and head coach Charlie Strong heading to Texas.
Speaking of Texas, they rank 20th on the list with a $129.34 ticket average. The Longhorns let head coach Mack Brown go after another disappointing season. Their secondary market average would likely be much higher, but the two most expensive games on the Texas football schedule are being played on neutral fields. Their game against UCLA is averaging $294.65, but is at AT&T Stadium. The Red River Rivalry game with Oklahoma has a $481.66 average, but will once again be played at the Cotton Bowl Stadium.
For more on the Top 25 most expensive college football teams, check out this slideshow on Forbes.