College Football is Back!

128 Teams. 10 Conferences. 4 Independents. One dream.

Baseball is coming down the homestretch, school is back in session, and the anticipation is building. This can only mean one thing… College Football is back!! The best sport in the world is upon us once again, and a multitude of story lines are set to unfold.

The Highlights. The Miracle plays. The Traditions. The Rivalries. The Fans. College Gameday. The UPSETS. It’s all back and better than ever as a new season is set to begin August 28.

In the sport of football, every game matters. Every team gets one chance every week to prove themselves. This isn't a sport of multiple games every week. Just one game, and you better make it count! 

In college football, this statement cannot be more significant. With the BCS standings, it is imperative for teams ranked in the top 10 to escape with a win each and every week as hopes of a spot in the National Championship (now 4-game playoff) loom. Failing to show up one week can certainly have its consequences. 

But what is it that makes the game stand out from other sports? Here are five reasons that make College Football far superior to that of its peers:

The Unthinkable - Who in their right mind could have predicted or even seen Auburn making it to the National Title game a year ago, let alone the SEC Title game? The Tigers 2012 campaign saw them win only 3 games, not a single one in the SEC, as they were 3-9 overall (0-8 SEC)! Not only that, but the Tigers had a revamped coaching staff and new head coach heading into the 2013 season. On SEC media day in 2013, Auburn was projected to finish 10^th in the Conference (5^th in the SEC West). Yet with the odds stacked against them, the Tigers took their talent (along with some luck) all the way to the National Championship. In doing so, they had the two best plays in college football, including one that will go down in the history of college football as one of the best of all-time -- in the SEC title game against Bama. Its stories such as these that make college football so fun to watch year after year.

The Traditions – Just about every school has some type of tradition when it comes to game day. Ohio State’s “Script Ohio” with the dotting of the “I”, The 12^th man of Texas A&M, Clemson’s Howard’s Rock and the Hill, Penn State’s Beaver Stadium White Out, Auburn’s War Eagle Flight, the Army-Navy game, and the list goes on. There is nothing quite like the pageantry and history that surrounds college football come Saturday’s in the fall. There is not another sport that can boast such greatness or tradition than that of college football!

   

The Fans – From the 100,000+ fans that pack the Big House, Beaver Stadium or the Shoe, to the raucous loud Tiger Stadium at Death Valley, fans make college football so much more special. They give their respective teams a unique home field advantage. No other sport can compare to the crowds of loyalty that show up in droves each and every Saturday to support their team, win or lose. It’s a sight that has transcended the modern era.

The Rivalries – Every year, players & fans circle the one game that means more than the rest. The one game in which bragging rights and glory are at stake for an entire year. The one game in which anticipation builds as it gets closer and the intensity of players and fans increase to a whole new level. The one game that can make or break the entire season. Quite simply, the one game that can turn a losing season into a winning season.

My favorite college football rivalries:

7. Florida State vs. Miami

6. Oklahoma vs. Texas (The Red River Shootout)

5. BGSU vs. Toledo (Battle of I-75)

4. Notre Dame vs. USC

3. Army vs. Navy

2. Ohio State vs. Michigan (The Game)

1. Alabama vs. Auburn (The Iron Bowl)

            
           

The Upsets – Every year there is a bevy of games in which a top-ranked team is beaten by an unexpected foe, or an FCS team that surprises an FBS school. This is what makes the game so great. Essentially, any team can beat another on any given Saturday. Last year the following FCS schools upset FBS opponents: Georgia Southern defeated (usual SEC power) Florida, North Dakota State knocked off Kansas State, Northern Iowa defeated Iowa State, Eastern Illinois upended San Diego State, McNeese State beat South Florida, Eastern Washington defeated Oregon State, and Towson beat Connecticut. In most cases the games weren't even close. In addition, Oregon was blown out by Arizona 42-16, Duke beat Virginia Tech for the first time in years, BGSU rocked undefeated Northern Illinois for the MAC Title, and Auburn defeated Alabama in the Iron Bowl. And who could forget when Appalachian State upset the Wolverines in the Big House?! In all, there’s nothing quite like the underdog beating a heavy favorite. 

The pride and passion of the sport of college football is unlike any other. Now, the thrill and excitement of a new season is upon us once again, as the long wait of 234 days is finally over! And let’s not forget, for the first time ever, we get the luxury of a four-game playoff to decide the National Champion – a College Football fan’s dream!!

Saddle up, this should be a season for the ages!!

                                           Here's a video to get the juices flowing..