The concept of approval ratings in the world of college football is an interesting thing. If you were to take a poll of Pac-12 fans regarding other teams in the conference, there would be a long list of nitpicks about opposing teams and players, with a large lack of support and favor for other schools in the area.
This isn’t surprising; the teams in a conference together play so often and have such deep-rooted history that you will always find something to dislike.
On a grander scale, though, the idea of approval ratings is interesting. For a Pac-12 fan, take a step back and look at the Big Ten for example. What are your opinions on schools like Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, and Wisconsin?
An Oregon Duck fan would likely feel as follows: Ohio State — Disapprove; Michigan — Don’t like, don’t hate; Penn State — No strong feelings; Wisconsin — Don’t like, but Oregon’s beat them in the Rose Bowl twice recently so there’s some pitty there.
Now how does the average college football fan feel about the 12 schools in the Pac-12 on a general basis? Obviously, it will differ for each individual person, but here are my projections based on overall interactions on social media, media coverage, and general vibes.