John Madden attended multiple colleges and ultimately graduated from Cal Poly (California Polytechnic State University) in San Luis Obispo.

Colleges attended

• He first played college football at the College of San Mateo in 1954.

• He then went to the University of Oregon on a football scholarship.

• After additional time at the College of San Mateo and Grays Harbor College, he transferred to Cal Poly in San Luis Obispo, where he played football and baseball and earned his bachelor’s degree in education in 1959, later completing a master’s degree in education in 1961.