First, on any given Saturday, it's at least theoretically possible that the best team in the land might lose to somebody nobody's heard of.
Another thing I love is the passion. As much fun as the NFL is to watch, there is a machine-like precision at that level that often lacks passion.
In college football, the emotion of a crowd can actually change the course of a game. Like the Aggies say, crowds really are the 12th person. (Work with me here on the language...)
In college football, one key turnover, one long pass or run, can change the momentum of a game long before the score does. In other words, there are intangibles that always keep you on your toes as a fan.
So, that's another thing I love about college football.
A third thing I love about college football is that so many other people love it. It's such a unifying cultural experience. Take away the big schools for a moment. I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about the "Austin Peay's" of the world. I'm talking about the "Colgate's"
Every Saturday, check the scroll on SportsCenter, and you'll find the names of tiny little schools nobody's ever heard of will flash by...
...Furman vs. Wofford
...Samford (no, not Stanford) vs. South East Missouri State
...Butler vs. Valpairiso
I just listed six schools I know nothing about. Couldn't begin to tell you what towns they're in. And I'm only confident about the state for one of them. But as those scores scroll, you get the sense that thousands of people in these tiny little towns have turned out to stadiums nobody's heard of, to scream at the top of their lungs at games nobody else will remember.
It really is not whether we win or lose. It's that we all play the game. We're all in this together on those Saturday afternoons, cheering on our teams, big and small, hoping against hope that this year will be "our year."
College football is a unifying experience that is not just about the "Top 25." It's about everybody else too. And that's another thing I love.
But the thing I love most about college football is that only in college football do things like this video clip happen. Maybe you have seen this clip already. Pay special attention to the joy of the announcers.
As long as you live, you may never see another play like this. Check it out:
THIS is what I love about college football.
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