RotoWire.com, where you can find top college football betting promos, used follower counts from Instagram and X to create a social media hype power ranking system for Division 1 non-Power 4 college football teams' official accounts. We ranked teams based on percentage growth week-over-week on the platforms, following their previous game.
Social Media Power Rankings
Rank | Team | Social Media Growth |
1 | Liberty Flames | 0.374% |
2 | New Mexico State Aggies | 0.125% |
3 | USF Bulls | 0.052% |
4 | New Mexico Lobos | 0.022% |
5 | Ohio Bobcats | 0.021% |
6 | Missouri State Bears | 0.018% |
T7 | UTEP Miners | 0.016% |
T7 | Texas State Bobcats | 0.016% |
9 | Temple Owls | 0.012% |
10 | Wyoming Cowboys | 0.011% |
T11 | Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors | 0.010% |
T11 | Buffalo Bulls | 0.010% |
T11 | UTSA Roadrunners | 0.010% |
T11 | North Texas Mean Green | 0.010% |
15 | Old Dominion Monarchs | 0.009% |
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Which Non-P5 Teams Gained The Most Ground?
The top non-Power Five team on our chart this week might be surprising. The Liberty Flames of Conference USA saw the largest group outside of the sport's largest conferences in Week 3, gaining 0.374% week-over-week.
The Flames did that despite falling to Bowling Green of the MAC, 23-13, and falling to 1-2 for the season, a week after losing a conference game to Jacksonville State, 34-24. Still, the school from Lynchburg, Virginia, is atop this week's social media growth chart among teams that aren't in the ACC, Big Ten, Big 12 and SEC (and not named Notre Dame).
Next up was Liberty's conference rival, New Mexico State (2-1), which gained 0.125% more followers despite losing to Louisiana Tech 49-14 on Saturday in the CUSA opener for both teams. The USF Bulls were next up, gaining 0.052% more followers in Week 3 after getting routed by Miami, 49-12. The other FBS team in the Land of Enchantment, the New Mexico Lobos, were fourth overall, with +0.022% growth across the MWC member's social channels.
On CFP futures odds boards, USF is still high on the list of teams most likely to snag the Group of 5's guaranteed College Football Playoff berth, alongside American Conference rival Tulane.
In UNM's case, first-year head coach Justin Eck earned a highlight-reel quality win in Pasadena, as the Lobos upset a listless UCLA Bruins squad on the road, 35-10. New Mexico (2-1) set the stage for next weekend's in-state battle between the Aggies and Lobos in The Duke City.
Trailing UNM this week were the Ohio Bobcats of the MAC, who gained 0.021% more followers in Week 3 after giving top-ranked Ohio State a run for their money in a 37-9 loss in Columbus. An FBS newcomer, the Missouri State Bears (+0.018%), were up next, followed by the UTEP Miners and Texas State Bobcats (+0.016% each).
Further down the list, Sun Belt Conference member Old Dominion gained 0.009% more followers after routing Virginia Tech, 45-26, in Blacksburg and ending Hokies head coach Brent Pry's tenure in one fell swoop.
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Q&A
Q: Which college football team outside the Power 4 conferences dominated social media growth this week?
A: The Liberty Flames football program came out on top, posting the highest social media growth at 0.374%. Liberty's surge easily outpaced the New Mexico State Aggies (0.125%) and every other team in the rankings.
Q: Were there any surprising teams in the Top 5?
A: The New Mexico State Aggies, USF Bulls, and New Mexico Lobos aren't typically associated with major national buzz, yet all three ranked inside the Top 5 for social media growth among non-Power 4 teams. Their presence shows how emerging college football programs can capitalize on momentum and digital engagement.
Q: What does this ranking reveal about the connection between the field and social media?
A: This week's data highlights that college football social media trends don't always mirror on-field performance. Programs such as Liberty and New Mexico State may not always be in the national spotlight, but their fans are fueling impressive online growth. The takeaway: winning games helps, but strategic engagement and passionate fan bases are just as powerful for driving digital visibility.
