Are you looking forward to cheering on your favorite college football team this upcoming season? While you can always visit a local sports bar to get in on the game day action, the experience is that much more exciting when you purchase tickets to get up close and personal with the team.
Finding College Football Tickets
The way to find the best deals on tickets will depend on whether you are a current student, alumni or a fan with no affiliation to the college or university.
College Students
If you are currently enrolled as a degree-seeking student, tickets are available through the athletic department. For home games, a student section closer to the field is typically where students sit.
For colleges with minimal attendance at football games, general admission tickets may be distributed free-of-charge. However, institutions with widely attended games sometimes make interested students enter a lottery to compete for tickets. For example, the University of Georgia has students enter a lottery for games against its rivals, South Carolina and Auburn. If your name is selected, payment must be made by a specified date or you forfeit rights to the tickets.
The athletic department also handles distribution for away game tickets in a similar manner, but steep discounts are not always available. At the University of Florida, students are limited to one ticket per away game since quantities are limited. Unfortunately, the tickets are sold at face value since the opposing school sets the price.
Former Students
The alumni association at most colleges and universities have an agreement with the athletic department for former students to purchase home and away game tickets at a discounted rate. However, an active membership may be required to qualify for discounts.
General Fans
When you visit the athletic department's website, you will find a link to an online portal to purchase tickets. If you prefer to bypass this step, other viable options include:
- The stadium's box office
- Call the athletic department
- NCAA Ticket Exchange (for NCAA championship tickets)
- Ticketmaster
How to Find Cheap Football Tickets
Often, select buyers purchase tickets in bulk and sell them at a much lower rate to fans via secondary ticket markets. In these online platforms, the seller controls the asking price of the ticket.
Secondary ticket markets are also a reputable option if you wish to attend a sold out college football game. However, you should be mindful of the service fees associated with online ticket marketplace transactions. Also, consider the risks associated with purchasing online, and confirm the website offers a money-back guarantee.
Secondary Ticket Market Options
The following platforms connect sports enthusiasts with buyers, and all offer a money-back guarantee:
| Service Fee for Buyers | Delivery Method | |
| StubHub | 15-17 percent | Online |
| Seat Geek | 15 percent | Online or Mail |
| Tickets Now | 20 percent | |
| Ticket City | 24 percent | Online or Mail |
| Ticket Network | 20 percent | |
| Razor Gator | 25 percent | Online or Mail |
| Ticket Zoom | 20 percent | On-Site |
| Vivid Seats | 24 percent | Online |
| Ticket Liquidator | 25 percent |
Beware of Counterfeit Tickets
Be careful with Craigslist listings and scalpers selling tickets on the street. Since there is a huge demand for college football tickets at select colleges and universities, fraudsters prey on innocent and sometimes desperate consumers who are looking to get a good deal. Unfortunately, the buyer ends up with a counterfeit ticket and no feasible way to recoup the funds forfeited in the transaction. Finally, if a price on a ticket seems too good to be true, it probably is.
