Rooting Guide for College Football Fans in Super Bowl 59
Introduction
The 2024 college football season has drawn to a close, and with it, the thrilling spectacle of the National Championship Game. While the wait for the 2025 season may seem interminable, there is still one more football game to keep us captivated: the Super Bowl.
This annual event, often referred to as America’s secular holiday, pits the best teams in professional football against each other. However, it also has strong ties to college football. Nearly every player on the Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs rosters has played college football, and many have left legions of fans emotionally attached to their NFL exploits.
Who to Root For Based on College Allegiances
For many college football fans, rooting for a team in the Super Bowl boils down to which team has the most players from their alma mater. In some cases, it could hinge on a single particularly impactful player.
Texas Tech Red Raiders
For Texas Tech fans, the choice is clear: root for the Kansas City Chiefs. Former Red Raiders star Patrick Mahomes II has been the NFL’s most dominant quarterback since becoming a starter in 2018. On Sunday, he will have the chance to win his fourth Super Bowl championship, putting him alongside Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw for the fourth-most ever.
Oklahoma Sooners
The Chiefs’ roster is also brimming with former Oklahoma Sooners, including six players. The most notable is center Creed Humphrey, a first-team All-Pro selection. Wide receiver Marquise "Hollywood" Brown could also play a significant role in the game’s outcome.
Cincinnati Bearcats
Travis Kelce, a future Hall of Famer, may not have had the most illustrious college career at Cincinnati, but he has become a beloved figure for the Bearcats. Kansas City starting safety Bryan Cook also attended Cincinnati.
Georgia Bulldogs
The Bulldogs have a defensive standout on each team, with Chris Jones on the Chiefs and Darius Slay Jr. on the Eagles. Jones, a ninth-year defensive tackle, has been one of the league’s most productive players and a first-team All-Pro in each of the past three seasons.
Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue fans can find solace for their disappointing 2024 season in George Karlaftis, the Chiefs’ regular-season sack leader in just his third year. Karlaftis has strong ties to the region, having graduated from West Lafayette High School, just across from Ross-Ade Stadium.
Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets
If the game comes down to the wire, former Yellow Jacket Harrison Butker’s kicking prowess could determine who hoists the Lombardi Trophy. In Super Bowl 57, Butker’s chip-shot field goal with eight seconds remaining gave the Chiefs a thrilling victory over the Eagles.
North Carolina State Wolfpack
Mahomes may not have the most Super Bowl rings on his own team. That distinction belongs to offensive lineman and former Wolfpack standout Joe Thuney. A victory against the Eagles would move Thuney into a tie with Charles Haley for the second-most Super Bowls won by a player.
Other Notable Ties
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Philadelphia Eagles:
- Georgia Bulldogs: Jalen Carter, Jordan Davis, Nolan Smith Jr.
- Penn State Nittany Lions: Saquon Barkley, Jahan Dotson
- Alabama Crimson Tide: Landon Dickerson, DeVonta Smith, Jalen Hurts (played first three college seasons at Alabama)
- Tennessee Volunteers: A.J. Brown
- Washington Badgers: Zack Baun
- Memphis Tigers: Jake Elliott, Kenneth Gainwell, Bryce Huff
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Kansas City Chiefs:
- Oklahoma State Cowboys: Will McDonald IV
- Iowa Hawkeyes: Luke Fortner
- Pittsburgh Panthers: Marcus Allen
- Missouri Tigers: Brody Kemp
- Florida Gators: Lorenzo Lingard
- West Virginia Mountaineers: Marvin Jones Jr.
