When fans think about programs like Ohio State, USC, or Texas A&M, those electric tailgates, packed stadiums, and loud crowds come to mind. Or when it’s not that, it’s either about a chase for a 5-star recruit or an intense spotlight for some reason or another throughout the year. But recently, these marquee schools have made headlines for something concerning, the opposite of what fans may perceive these programs to be.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, OSU, Texas A&M, and USC are among the “most dangerous” college campuses in the country. The Department released its list on May 22, and the Aggies have topped it. Ohio State is third on the list, while Lincoln Riley’s Trojans sit at 8th nationally.

Immediately, social media exploded. Some mocked the rankings. Others asked an important question. Do these lists actually mean the campuses are unsafe? The answer is more complicated than one viral graphic can explain.

The rankings mostly come from Clery Act data collected by the U.S. Department of Education. The Act requires colleges to report crimes happening on or near campus every year. That includes assaults, burglaries, robberies, stalking, domestic violence, hate crimes, and sexual offenses. The numbers can look shocking at first glance.

Texas A&M reportedly recorded 787 total crimes in 2023, the highest among major universities listed in one report. Ohio State recorded 725 incidents, while USC also appeared among the national leaders. But there is a crucial detail that many people miss instantly. All these schools are massive. Texas A&M alone has 76,000 students enrolled (per 2023 data). In the context of the list, the size of the campuses matters.

Ohio State hosts around 60,000 students on its campus, and Columbus itself is a bustling city that extends into the area around the campus. Mathematically, the data seems simple: a large population would naturally mean more crime reports and more incidents, skewing the data massively towards those ‘large’ campuses. It’s akin to comparing the crime rate of New York City to that of a small town, and those raw numbers tell us just that.

But diving into those raw numbers, Texas A&M has reported the most “dangerous crimes,” including criminal offenses, hate crimes, and VAWA on campus. Utah, on the other hand, has recorded the highest increase in reporting dangerous crimes, rising to 155% from 2022 to 2023. Compared to Texas A&M’s student population, Utah hosts just 35,000 students on its campus, and those 572 crime incidents are in a higher ratio than at programs like OSU or USC.

Despite the huge campus populations, which explain the high numbers, it’s not an excuse for the crimes. And that’s one of the reasons there are various federal requirements in place to address campus safety. The Clery Act itself was enacted after a college student, Jeanne Clery, was murdered. Later, Clery’s family discovered her university had not properly disclosed campus crime problems publicly.

Since then, universities have faced growing pressure to report crimes openly rather than protect reputations quietly behind closed doors.

Despite federal requirements, incidents still happen at college campuses

Most federal requirements for campus safety are governed through the Jeanne Clery Campus Safety Act of 1990. All colleges receiving federal financial aid must meet several requirements. The programs have to publish an Annual Security Report by October 1 each year, which also includes the past three years of crime statistics, including incidents such as hazing, after the Stop Campus Hazing Act came into force. But that’s not all.

The campuses also have to maintain a daily crime log and issue timely warnings and emergency notifications for imminent dangers. Moreover, the schools are also required to prevent and make students aware of crimes such as sexual assault and hazing. For big football programs, doing that during gamedays is also required, as the programs take several steps, including a partnership with the local law enforcement agencies, to tackle any incidents. Despite all of this, the incidents still occur.

In 2020, conversations around campus safety intensified after a gunman fatally shot student Chase Meola near a fraternity house. Although the tragedy occurred off-campus, it deeply affected college students and the entire OSU community.

Sometimes, for fans of these campuses, the numbers may seem alarming. For an Ohio State fan who developed that Buckeye love through his father or grandpa, attending tailgates, cheering from the stands, and immersing in the culture, the numbers can feel personal.