Security Magazine logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Security Magazine logo
  • NEWS
    • Security Newswire
    • Technologies & Solutions
  • MANAGEMENT
    • Leadership Management
    • Enterprise Services
    • Security Education & Training
    • Logical Security
    • Security & Business Resilience
    • Profiles in Excellence
  • PHYSICAL
    • Access Management
    • Fire & Life Safety
    • Identity Management
    • Physical Security
    • Video Surveillance
    • Case Studies (Physical)
  • CYBER
    • Cybersecurity News
    • More
  • BLOG
  • COLUMNS
    • Career Intelligence
    • Cyber Tactics
    • Cybersecurity Education & Training
    • Leadership & Management
    • Security Talk
  • EXCLUSIVES
    • Annual Guarding Report
    • Most Influential People in Security
    • The Security Benchmark Report
    • Top Guard and Security Officer Companies
    • Top Cybersecurity Leaders
    • Women in Security
  • SECTORS
    • Arenas / Stadiums / Leagues / Entertainment
    • Banking/Finance/Insurance
    • Construction, Real Estate, Property Management
    • Education: K-12
    • Education: University
    • Government: Federal, State and Local
    • Hospitality & Casinos
    • Hospitals & Medical Centers
    • Infrastructure:Electric,Gas & Water
    • Ports: Sea, Land, & Air
    • Retail/Restaurants/Convenience
    • Transportation/Logistics/Supply Chain/Distribution/ Warehousing
  • EVENTS
    • Industry Events
    • Webinars
    • Solutions by Sector
    • Security 500 Conference
  • MEDIA
    • Interactive Spotlight
    • Photo Galleries
    • Podcasts
    • Polls
    • Videos
      • Cybersecurity & Geopolitical Discussion
      • Ask Me Anything (AMA) Series
  • MORE
    • Call for Entries
    • Classifieds & Job Listings
    • Newsletter
    • Sponsor Insights
    • Store
    • White Papers
  • EMAG
    • eMagazine
    • This Month's Content
    • Advertise
  • SIGN UP!
CybersecuritySecurity NewswireCybersecurity News

Top 25 College Football Teams found on breached password lists

football-freepik.jpg
August 31, 2021
In conjunction with the kickoff of the college football season, Specops researchers analyzed more than 800 million compromised passwords to determine the popularity of Division 1 Football Bowl Subdivision programs and their team mascots and nicknames appearing on breached passwords lists.  


In total, researchers looked at passwords related to top football-playing universities, finding that Georgia Tech, the University of Kansas and the University of Florida each appear more than 5 million times on breached password lists, while San Jose State University, New Mexico State University and the University of Nevada Las Vegas appear the least.  


Top 25 DI College Football Teams Found on Breached Password Lists

1.  Georgia Tech (GT) 

2.  University of Kansas (KU) 

3.  University of Florida (UF) 

4.  Virginia Tech University (VT) 

5.  Arizona State University (ASU) 

6.  University of Georgia (UGA) 

7.  Old Dominion University (ODU) 

8.  East Carolina University (ECU) 

9. University of North Carolina (UNC) 

10.  University of Southern California (USC) 

11.  Southern Methodist University (SMU) 

12.  University of Alabama - Birmingham (UAB) 

13.  Louisiana State University (LSU) 

14.  Florida Atlantic University (FAU) 

15.  Brigham Young University (BYU) 

16.  University of South Florida (USF) 

17.  Penn State University (PSU) 

18.  Texas Christian University (TCU) 

19.  Florida State University (FSU) 

20.  Florida International University (FIU) 

21.  Texas A&M University (TAMU) 

22.  University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) 

23.  University of Central Florida (UCF) 

24.  University of Texas - El Paso (UTEP) 

25.  University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) 


Top 10 Nicknames/Mascots 
 

  1. Utah Utes 

  2. Florida Gators 
  3. New Mexico Lobos 
  4. Florida State Seminoles 
  5. Akron Zips 
  6. UCLA Bruins 
  7. Oklahoma State Pokes 
  8. Oklahoma Sooners 
  9. Texas Longhorns 
  10. Wisconsin Badgers 

In total, college football team names and mascots appear more than 77 million times on breached password lists.

In today’s cybersecurity threat landscape, any use of a college football team name or mascot must be part of a much larger and complex password if they are to be used at all.  

KEYWORDS: cyber security football security passwords risk management

Share This Story

Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!

Recommended Content

JOIN TODAY
To unlock your recommendations.

Already have an account? Sign In

  • Cyber tech background

    Security’s Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2026

    Security magazine’s Top Cybersecurity Leaders 2026 award...
    Top Cybersecurity Leaders
  • Iintegration and use of emerging tools

    Future Proof Your Security Career with AI Skills

    AI’s evolution demands security leaders master...
    Career Intelligence
    By: Jerry J. Brennan and Joanne R. Pollock
  • The 2025 Security Benchmark Report

    The 2025 Security Benchmark Report

    The 2025 Security Benchmark Report surveys enterprise...
    The Security Benchmark Report
    By: Rachelle Blair-Frasier
Manage My Account
  • Security Newsletter
  • eMagazine Subscriptions
  • Manage My Preferences
  • Online Registration
  • Mobile App
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

Paparazzi

When Private Events Become Public Infrastructure: What Celebrity OSINT Teaches Security Leaders

Broken wet floor sign

Why Response Time Is Becoming the Missing Metric in Workplace Safety and Security

People watching fireworks

Security Guard Assaulted at Firework Show

Cargo ship sailing

You Can’t Secure a Ship Like a Laptop

Medical professional

Nearly 85% of Nurses Experienced Workplace Violence in the Last Year

Kaseware sponsored webinar
Schneider Electric sponsored webinar

Events

August 19, 2026

From Investigative Question to Defensible Answer: AI in Digital Forensics and Incident Response

LIVE: August 19, 2026 at 2 PM EDT We'll examine where AI can deliver meaningful value, where incomplete context or black-box reasoning can introduce risk, and what governance, validation, and evidence-traceability controls organizations should establish.

August 25, 2026

Critical Infrastructure Security Is National Security: Protecting Essential Operations in an Era of Escalating Risk

LIVE: August 25, 2026 at 2 PM EDT Learn why critical infrastructure security has become a national security imperative, and the strategies organizations can adopt to improve visibility, collaboration, and response across their security operations.

View All Submit An Event

Products

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

Security Culture: A How-to Guide for Improving Security Culture and Dealing with People Risk in Your Organisation

See More Products


Alertmedia sponsored webinar

Related Articles

  • password

    21 Million Logins for Top 500 Firms Found on the Dark Web

    See More
  • Kristin Myers earns recognition as Top 25 Women in Healthcare leader

    CIO Kristin Myers recognized on Top 25 Women Leaders in Healthcare list

    See More
  • Businesses expect more COVID-related phishing attacks in 2021

    The top 25 most phished brands

    See More

Related Products

See More Products
  • A Leaders Guide Book Cover_Nicholson_29Sept2023.jpg

    A Leader’s Guide to Evaluating an Executive Protection Program

See More Products

Events

View AllSubmit An Event
  • September 25, 2025

    Cloud or On-Premise: Navigating Access Control and Cybersecurity Choices

    ON DEMAND: As cyber threats grow and infrastructure demands evolve, understanding the trade-offs between flexibility, security, cost, and compliance is essential. Explore the critical decisions security professionals face when choosing between cloud-based or on-premise access control solutions.
View AllSubmit An Event
×

Sign-up to receive top management & result-driven techniques in the industry.

Join over 20,000+ industry leaders who receive our premium content.

SIGN UP TODAY!
  • RESOURCES
    • Advertise
    • Contact Us
    • Store
    • Want More
  • SIGN UP TODAY
    • Create Account
    • eMagazine
    • Newsletter
    • Customer Service
    • Manage Preferences
  • SERVICES
    • Marketing Services
    • Reprints
    • Market Research
    • List Rental
    • Survey/Respondent Access
  • STAY CONNECTED
    • LinkedIn
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • X (Twitter)
  • PRIVACY
    • PRIVACY POLICY
    • TERMS & CONDITIONS
    • DO NOT SELL MY PERSONAL INFORMATION
    • PRIVACY REQUEST
    • ACCESSIBILITY

Copyright ©2026. All Rights Reserved BNP Media, Inc. and BNP Media II, LLC.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing