The College of Information and Communications Social Media Insights Lab is capturing the pulse of the college football world — tracking every viral moment, hot take and trending hashtag in real time.
Introducing the College Sports Social Pulse™, a groundbreaking new way to measure the real-time heartbeat of college athletics across X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, Instagram and other major social media platforms. The initiative brings together data science, sports media expertise and fan passion to track the most influential voices and viral moments in college football.
Every week, the College Sports Social Pulse tracks the top teams, coaches and players dominating the online conversation. Built on cutting-edge analytics and academic rigor, the rankings show who’s hot — and who’s not — in the world of college football.
The Pulse will also dive into trending stories, uncovering the moments, matchups and personalities driving the conversation. The rankings are powered by a proprietary formula developed by professors and researchers at the university — designed to capture not just noise, but true momentum.
Findings are fan-driven and Ph.D. approved.
The platform was created by faculty and data analysts in USC’s Social Media Insights Lab and is supported by the college’s ongoing mission to blend innovation, research and public service.
The Rankings
• Week Eleven - Indiana rises to No. 1 in the College Sports Social Pulse
• Week Ten - Ohio State Returns to No. 1 in the College Sports Social Pulse•
• Week Nine - AP Poll favors the Big Ten, but the College Sports Social Pulse belongs to the SEC
• Week Eight - Georgia tops the College Sports Social Pulse rankings
• Week Seven - Penn State’s turmoil dominates the College Sports Social Pulse rankings
• Week Four - Michigan rises to No. 1 in College Sports Social Pulse rankings
• Week Three - Georgia, Notre Dame Surge in College Sports Social Pulse Rankings
• Week Two - John Mateer, Oklahoma surge in latest College Sports Social Pulse rankings
• Week One - Ohio State Remains No. 1 in Social Swagger
• Week Zero — Farmageddon goes global but doesn’t move the needle