Alabama, Kentucky, South Carolina, Maryland, Mississippi, and Arkansas based on population. AR and MS are about a million less than LA.
If it wasn't in the Confederacy, it ain't a southern state. Maryland, Kentucky, West Virgina, and Missouri are pretenders.
Here is the deal. I checked Louisiana, Arkansas, Mississippi and Alabama. The number of 4-year, football-playing schools is closer than I realized. BUT . . . you've never heard of many of them because they are in division II and III. Louisiana, at great public expense, has 11 of its 14 schools in Division I. Division I = Louisiana 13, Alabama 8, Mississipi 5, Arkansas 4 Division II = Louisiana 0, Alabama 4, Mississipi 1, Arkansas 7 Division III = Louisiana 3, Alabama 3, Mississipi 3, Arkansas 2