Some players played for multiple teams, like Russell Wilson and Jeff Hostetler. So by typing NC State for Wilson gets you Wisconsin and Penn St for Hostetler gets you West Virginia. Perhaps this is what you experienced.
For students and academics, yes. For football, I don't think I've ever heard it described as such. ("Washington 17, Berkeley 10 at the half" - that would sound super weird.)
I thought this would be pretty easy just by naming major programs, but I started by doing the ones I knew (21). Then I employed the other strategy and got nothing else. Might've been here awhile before I got Simms' school.
There is only a small handful of programs that have been consistently top-tier through the decades (Oklahoma and Alabama come to mind). Clemson and LSU weren't pumping out pros in the 70s. Miami was unstoppable for 20 years through around 2001, and now they've fallen way off. "Big" programs are mostly programs that are above-average most of the time and then have a burst of several years where they're really great.
Fair. But I'd have guessed that at least some of Oklahoma, Nebraska, Texas, Ohio St., Penn St. (we really shouldn't count Hostetler), Florida, LSU, Miami (Fla.), and USC, would have been on the list. Also interesting that Alabama's recent glory days haven't resulted in getting very close to getting back on this list.
Great Quiz, one comment though. Nick Foles was on Michigan State for a season, he didn't play much, but I still think it should be accepted, as he did play in a game against UAB.