There's Still Nothing Like College Football!

Submitted by Bo Harbaugh on October 16th, 2022 at 12:09 AM

Yes, things are changing with NIL, playoffs (expanded playoff), the professionalization of CFB, ESPN and Fox shilling teams and conferences, and the inevitability of super conferences in the coming years,

BUT... on this great Saturday, we were reminded that there's still nothing quite as awesome, passionate and tradition rich in US sports as college football.

What a day for us UM fans on top of it all.

UM bludgeons PSU with old school ram it down your face football. Domination of a top 10 foe.

After 15 years of misery, UT breaks through against Bama, upsetting them on a crazy knuckleball field goal and storming the field.  

Utah, on a night where they are paying tribute to two fallen teammates, painted on their helmets, upset unbeaten USC, with a 2 point conversion.

TCU remains unbeaten with an incredible 4th quarter comeback against fellow unbeaten Oklahoma State.

 

Bonus**** Notre Dame lost to Stanford - To Hell with Notre Dame!

Go Blue!

Ronswanson13

October 16th, 2022 at 12:15 AM ^

Give me college football Saturdays over NFL Sundays (and Mondays and especially Thursdays) each and every week.

I know statistically that most NFL games are close, especially compared to college games as a whole, but even many of the “close” NFL games don’t feel particularly close and they sure as hell don’t provide the emotion and atmosphere that college games provide.

Man, I love college football.

jhayes1189

October 16th, 2022 at 12:50 PM ^

I would make a strong case that it’s much easier to tell who’s going to win in college, on almost every occasion. Pro teams are all good, even the bad ones. Pro football is propped up by betting and corporate ticket packages more than anything, certainly not the passion of the fanbases. Maybe only a handful of fanbases even scratch the surface of college fandom and passion. 

Unsalted

October 16th, 2022 at 12:25 AM ^

The Utah - USC game was absolutely terrific. Fortunately, I live in Colorado so it's not past my bedtime. 

You only get this level of passion in college sports, I'm blessed/cursed to be addicted. 

1VaBlue1

October 16th, 2022 at 10:01 AM ^

I'm no fan of UTenn, but after so many years in their version of darkness watching that outpouring of joy was a joy to watch!  The goalposts got dumped into the Tenn River - carried off the field, up the steps, out an exit, across the street, and into the river!!  Their party reminded me of 42-27.

You'll never see any of that in the corporate powered NFL.

Remember_the_G…

October 16th, 2022 at 12:27 AM ^

And no one to kiss OSUs ass after they beat a team that’s .500 or below! Perfect Saturday!

 

Edit: I forgot they beat now 5-2 Toledo. According to some Buckeyes, Michigan fans aren’t smart enough to realize Toledo is MAC+ and therefore OSUs strength of schedule is way better than Michigans. 

MFanToledo

October 16th, 2022 at 12:57 AM ^

College football is amazing and I love it, but we need to recruit at a higher level. If we make it to the NC this year I'll eat my words but you have to pay for good teams going forward. This isn't me complaining, but after next year we might be in trouble if recruiting doesn't pick up 

FrankMurphy

October 16th, 2022 at 1:17 AM ^

I wasn't rooting for Tennessee to beat 'Bama, but when they hit that field goal as time expired and their fans started rushing the field, I'll be honest: a part of me said, "Good for them."

stephenrjking

October 16th, 2022 at 1:21 AM ^

Yes.

Just a magnificent sport. The fans. The colors. The fight songs and the bands. The traditions.

Even with the playoff, the truth is that every game matters in a way not true of any other sport. Every loss is a gut punch with a measurable deleterious effect on a season. A single game can make a season. The moments within the game are magnified. You can’t look away because any and every moment could be THE moment.

Every game. Every play. Every second. Every yard.

It all matters. A triumph for one is a tragedy for another.

It is America’s greatest game. We get to watch. College football is wonderful. 

SBayBlue

October 16th, 2022 at 2:18 AM ^

When I was young, my dad told me he loved college football, but didn't like pro. I looked at him like he didn't get it.

Looking back, I was the one that didn't get it.

 

Cruzcontrol75

October 16th, 2022 at 9:29 AM ^


You dad was a wise man.  

When the Maples 🍁  turn red and the air has that chill, thoughts for me turn to a day when it was Primo’s 🍕 Birmingham for ND-Michigan.  Or Michigan Football on the radio while raking leaves.  Throwing the football with friends down the street, This time of year takes me back to some memories as far back as 40 years ago.  In a way time travel does exist.

GunnersApe

October 16th, 2022 at 6:15 AM ^

IMO the NFL started to slide once FA took hold. It's sterile corporate football where they want everyone to be .500 and there is no teams just mercenaries.

tigerd

October 16th, 2022 at 7:23 AM ^

Yea watching the Utah / USC game where both teams played their hearts out and there were tears of joy and tears of pain from both sides at the end said it all.

XM - Mt 1822

October 16th, 2022 at 7:32 AM ^

indeed.  college football like no other sport.  yesterday was an earthly heaven:

attended one of our son's college games. redshirt freshman getting starting snaps and his team won big.  too antsy to sit during the game (any parent here will know that feeling), i'm standing next to a dad of another player and he's streaming the michigan game on his phone while we watch our respective sons play.  it was so exceptionally fun.  smiles all day.  smiles all the way home.  what a great day.  

Monkey House

October 16th, 2022 at 9:38 AM ^

Did people not watch the NFL playoffs last year?? I know this weekend of college football was fun, but last year's NFL playoffs was unlike anything I've ever seen. 

jhayes1189

October 16th, 2022 at 2:50 PM ^

NFL playoffs are good, but still don’t reflect the passion of the college regular season. If college ever starts having playoff games at the higher seeds home fields as they do for almost every NFL playoff game, the energy from the players and the fans would be unmatched. 

The bowl traditions are cool, but I kind of get why Bo didn’t put near the importance to it as much as he did beating OSU and winning the BiG10, since they were merely invitationals…….didn’t Michigan actually turn down a share of the title in 1973? If im not mistaken