After its academic reputation, the success of sports teams and alumni have the biggest impact on the brand appeal of major universities. Applications often surge at once-obscure schools if their football team wins a spot in a bowl or its basketball team makes a deep run in the NCAA tournament. George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia, saw a surge in applications in 2006 after its men's basketball became the Cinderella team of the year, going all the way to the Final Four.

Many major universities have produced captains of industry—that much is evident by the placards on the doors of academic buildings and concert halls. Sports and politics are different. They have champions. Becoming President of the United States is the pinnacle achievement in politics. In sports, little compares to winning a Super Bowl.

There have been 44 U.S. presidents. Fifty-five quarterbacks have started the Super Bowl , and 31 have won it. Only four of the more than 14,000 U.S. colleges and universities can boast they have graduated at least one of each. Talk about a proud talking point in marketing materials! This Hub details the connections for each.

It is impossible for Super Bowl 50 on Feb. 7 to change the outcome of this question. Denver quarterback Peyton Manning graduated from the University of Tennessee, which has not produced as U.S. President. Carolina quarterback Cam Newton is an Auburn University alum, which also has never produced an American president.

Even a scenario in which Denver backup QB Brock Osweiler plays or Seattle backup BQ Tavaris Jackson play wouldn't change the result. Osweiler graduated from Arizona State University and Jackson played at both the University of Arkansas and Alabama State University. None of those schools have graduated a U.S. President.