Football Graduation Rate Ranked Second Among Top 25 Teams

Dec. 19, 2005

Clemson’s football program is ranked second among USA Today Top 25 schools in the new NCAA graduation success rate announced by the NCAA on Monday. Clemson has a four-year average graduation rate of 94 percent, second only to Notre Dame’s 96 percent among the top 25 schools in the final regular season USA Today Poll.

The new NCAA graduation success rate does not count transfers or early entry draft departures against a school’s graduation rate. Previously both categories had counted against a school. The percentages below are for a combined four years of entering scholarship players (1995-98). Clemson’s 94 percent rate was nearly 30 percent ahead of the Division I national average of 65 percent.

Reshuffling of Final Regular season USA Today Football Coaches’ poll according to Each School’s Four-year Graduation Rate:

        Rk      School  Grad Rate        1.      Notre Dame      96%        2.      Clemson         94%        3.      Boston College  89%        4.      TCU     86%        5.      Penn State      84%        6.      Florida 80%        7.      Texas Tech      73%        8.      Virginia Tech   72%        9.      Michigan        68%        10.     Miami (FL)      67%                Wisconsin       67%        12.     West Virginia   64%        13.     Oregon  63%                UCLA    63%        15.     Auburn  59%        16.     Iowa    58%        17.     Southern Cal    55%        18.     Ohio State      54%        19.     Georgia Tech    53%        20.     Florida State   52%        21.     LSU     51%        22.     Louisville      47%        23.     Georgia 45%        24.     Texas   40%        25.     Alabama 39%

Source: USA Today Note: Takes into account scholarship players who entered from 1995-98.