College Sports: Which teams have the longest travel distances?

This fall, college students have a new question on their minds: it’s not about who will endure #BamaRush, but rather how far they'll need to travel to support their college football teams.

Recent conference realignments have reshaped matchups and venues, all aimed at enhancing fan engagement. Consequently, football schedules have been revamped to ensure marquee schools face off during the regular season. While fans may celebrate these changes, players will experience significant alterations to their travel routines, as teams are set to journey further than ever, navigating new airports and time zones.

Which school experienced the biggest impact?

We analyzed the data to identify which power conference teams will be spending the most time in transit and who has been most affected by the conference realignment.

Focusing solely on in-conference travel, NC State has experienced the largest change, with a staggering 655% increase in miles traveled year over year, followed by Georgia Tech (232% YoY), Cal (298%), and Wake Forest (272% YoY).

As expected, UCLA (225% YoY), Stanford (191% YoY), Oregon (175% YoY), and Washington (166% YoY) will also feel the effects of their journeys to the east, while Iowa (154% YoY) will accumulate miles for a scenic view of the Pacific.

Who is racking up the most travel miles within their conference?

Washington is set to log the highest in-conference travel miles this football season, totaling 8,312 miles, surpassing the combined mileage of Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Texas, and Vanderbilt.

Explore the complete list of schools that will be traveling the most within their conference this football season:

What about total travel distances, including both in-conference and out-of-conference games?

It's important to remember that while college teams primarily compete against other teams in their conference, they have the flexibility to schedule additional games against out-of-conference opponents to complete their season.

When examining the total miles traveled over a full season, the rankings change somewhat:

So, no matter which team you support, raise a glass at the concession stand to the athletes managing their jet lag as they take the field. And if you’re planning your own journey (whether or not it's sports-related), Dinogo for Students can assist students in finding greater discounts on travel, just in time for back-to-school.