2025 OHIO FALL TOP 40 STUDENT SECTION PRESEASON RANKINGS

Off front, Northern, Previews, Student Section Buzz,

In 2015, yours truly began covering Student Sections in Orange County, California. We expanded to Southern California in 2017 and in 2021, we added four more states and added 15 more states. We went to 40 states two years ago.

We went to all 50 states in winter of 2023 and now we add our friends from the North in Canada on top of dividing Texas into two regions, similar to what we did with California. No one has ever done that before…until now!

This is still a one-man operation for the most part, but we have some help with some partners on Instagram like good friends at OC Student Sections and Stadium Geeks with help from Maryland Student Section Rater, NorCal Student Sections and many more.

This year we plan to get several “barstool” pages that showcase Student Sections in their states. Some of those pages were very helpful last year as we get more accurate with our rankings.

I know that Student Sections have a lot of work to do to get the students to the games to cheer on their classmates and go along with the theme and make sure they don’t cause trouble. These student sections deserve recognition.

This past season, we several more Student Sections, including some big powerhouse ones that not only will be a top dawg in their state, but will be a big player in the National side!

We will kick off the Student Section season with Preseason Football Student Section Rankings. REMEMBER, this is a PREVIEW. It is merely a prediction. The real rankings come out in November or December. 

If you feel your student section isn’t ranked high enough or not ranked at all, let us know and we’ll keep a close eye on them.

Every week, we will also have Student Section of the Week for each state. Once you win Student Section of the Week, you can’t win it again, but you still have to battle for the top spot in your state and perhaps the Nation as we will also name a Football Student Section National Champion. 

We continue with the 2025 Fall Student Section Season with a preview of Ohio.

As we get to know and discover more Student Sections over the past few years, we noticed Ohio is getting more and more loaded with Student Section talent. A lot of fantastic Student Sections in this state. It has become one of the best states for rowdy Student Sections. Ohio is for Student Sections, not just lovers…terrible pun, I’m sorry.

Last Football season, we had the Centerville Herd as the top Football Student Section in Ohio. The Herd went for the repeat and I’m sure they’ll look for the threepeat, but it will take a whole lot of work to stay at the top. Two years ago, it was a no brainer who was the best Student Section in the state. Last year, it was a close one and Herd barely got the top spot. This list is deeper this year, so this will be a big challenge for the Herd to hold on.

In each state, we will name one student section to look out for. A student section that while they aren’t ranked super high or weren’t ranked high last year, they’re a Student Section to lookout for and for Ohio, it’s the Mason Blackhole. The Blackhole has been a solid Student Section, but is always on the outside when it comes for the top spot. There’s a lot of solid Student Sections in this state and perhaps it is time I give the Blackhole the credit it deserves, not just in Ohio, but in the nation. They have a great social media presence, and I feel if this state struggles with lack of Student Section showing on Instagram and the Blackhole stays the course, they will finish on top.

Will the Blackhole be the new top dawg or will the Herd go 3 for 3 in The Buckeye State? Let’s find out.

2025 OHIO FALL TOP 40 STUDENT SECTION PRESEASON RANKINGS

  1. Elder (2024 Rank: 2)

If Elder social media was as active as the normal Student Section, this would be a no-brainer, but a Student Section not posting on social media is a tree falling when no one is around. It doesn’t make any noise. If they show it off on Instagram, Elder won’t have to worry about being number one in Ohio, they can battle for the Fall National Student Section Title! This is a large Student Section and you know they go nuts in the stands. Elder will have to let us know that they’re still the same crazy group of kids in 2025!

  1. St. Xavier Bomb Squad (2024 Rank: 5)
  2. Centerville Herd (2024 Rank: 1)
  3. Mason Blackhole (2024 Rank: 3)
  4. Archbishop Hoban Jungle (2024 Rank: 4)
  5. Walnut Hills Nuthouse (2024 Rank: 10)
  6. Loveland (2024 Rank: 6)
  7. Fairfield Tribe (2024 Rank: 7)
  8. Badin Herd (2024 Rank: 14)
  9. Maryville Pit (2024 Rank: 9)
  10. Nordonia (2024 Rank: NR)
  11. Springboro Blue Crew (2024 Rank: 16)
  12. Olentangy Orange (2024 Rank: 8)
  13. St. Edward Madhouse (2024 Rank: 18)
  14. Anderson (2024 Rank: 17)
  15. Archbishop Moeller (2024 Rank: 11)
  16. Kings Red Sea (2024 Rank: 19)
  17. Franklin Wildcat Den (2024 Rank: NR)
  18. Walsh Jesuit Superfans (2024 Rank: 12)
  19. Lincoln Lions Den (2024 Rank: 38)
  20. Springfield Den (2024 Rank: 30)
  21. Oak Hills Red Sea (2024 Rank: 13)
  22. Miamisburg Ship (2024 Rank: 31)
  23. Medina Swarm (2024 Rank: 15)
  24. London (2024 Rank: 32)
  25. Urbana (2024 Rank: 21)
  26. Wilmington (2024 Rank: 22)
  27. Monroe Hornets Nest (2024 Rank: 29)
  28. South Range (2024 Rank: 20)
  29. Bellbrook Nest (2024 Rank: NR)
  30. Edison (2024 Rank: 37)
  31. Mentor Nest (2024 Rank: NR)
  32. Lakota West Red Sea (2024 Rank: 23)
  33. Whetstone (2024 Rank: 34)
  34. Whitmer (2024 Rank: 28)
  35. Bishop Ready Dungeon (2024 Rank: NR)
  36. Avon (2024 Rank: NR)
  37. Bloom Carroll Dawgpound (2024 Rank: NR)
  38. Cincinnati Hills Christian Academy (2024 Rank: 33)
  39. Olentangy Liberty (2024 Rank: NR)

HONORABLE MENTION: Chaminade Julenne, Madison Plains Flock, Indian Hill, Millard Flock, Grove Dawgpound