Country music and college football are a match made in heaven. There’s something about a good football game that is made even better with a country soundtrack.
Fans of the genre tend to be fans of the game, too, and — as it turns out — college football coaches return their admiration.
In 2023, Action Network surveyed all 133 head coaches in the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and asked them who their favorite musician is.
While their answers vary from genre to genre, there are a whopping 38 head coaches who called out a country act as their top choice of music to listen to.
Some of the most popular choices on this list? George Strait, Eric Church and Luke Combs — and of course, there’s some home state love for a few artists.
South Carolina’s Shane Beamer says Darius Rucker is his favorite artist.
Rucker is not only a native of the state, but he’s also an alumnus and a big fan of the Gamecocks. The country star also launched his music career while attending the University of South Carolina, when he founded his first band, Hootie & the Blowfish.
Lane Kiffin of Ole Miss wasn’t afraid to let his Swiftie flag fly. The coach noted that Taylor Swift was his favorite artist.
And while many would argue that Swift is no longer a country artist, we thought we should include her because that’s certainly an interesting choice for a college football head coach.
As far as the rest of the field goes, most of the coaches on this list selected male artists. From legends like Merle Haggard and Jimmy Buffett to newer faces including Morgan Wallen and Zach Bryan. It’s safe to say that country music is a favorite in the world of college football.
Find the full list of coaches and their favorite music below.
