The classic debate on if college football or the NFL is better. Both have good things about the sport, but the NCAA trumps the NFL. Here are 14 reasons why.
1. Rivalries.
The Packers and the Bears do not compare to college football rivalries. For example, the SEC is full of heated rivalries, listed here. Athletes, students, alumni, and fans get involved, which usually leads to some serious trash talk. The last week of college football is known as rivalry week and is one of the most stressful weeks for college football fans.
2. Not a business.
Athletes are focused on the game and not their contracts or their salaries like in the NFL. The players are less selfish and more motivated. Players have commitments to their team, compared to the NFL where they will leave one team without thinking twice chasing a better contract and/or salary.
3. Tailgating.
College tailgates are intense. Drinking a couple of beers in the bed of a truck before an NFL game is nothing compared to The Grove at Ole Miss, The Junction at Mississippi State, outside Tiger Stadium at LSU, and every other football school.
4. Passion.
We spend at least four years in college. We invest thousands of dollars in our education. We take pride in our school's football team. This passion creates an incredible environment during a game. Diehard fans are common when it comes to college football.
5. Fight songs.
Nothing beats an entire stadium singing along with the band when they play the school's fight school. In Mississippi State's fight song, an unofficial line is "Go to hell Ole Miss." You do not get to see that in the NFL.
6. Live mascots.
You have to admit that it is cool that the University of Memphis has a live tiger on their field during games. Do the Cincinnati Bengals have a Bengal on their sidelines?
7. Not taken over by Fantasy football.
The NFL is sometimes overshadowed by Fantasy football. Some fans get more involved with their Fantasy team than their actual team. They are more interested in a specific player or a team's defense rather than the game. With college football, you watch the game to enjoy the game.
8. Marching band performances at halftime.
Halftime is dedicated to the school's marching band. Look at how impressive Ohio State's band is.
9. Traditions.
You can read this article about traditions in sport, and all sports at all levels have traditions. Auburn has an eagle circle Jordan-Hare Stadium before each home game. Mississippi State fans ring cowbells religiously. The NFL does not have any traditions like that.
10. Team entrances.
NFL teams usually just run through a tunnel onto the field. All colleges have a tradition when in comes to entering the field. The University of Tennessee has one of the most famous entrances in college football.
11. Roger Goodell.
One of the best parts of the NFL Draft is hearing everyone "boo" Roger Goodell when he walks on stage. The strict rules of the NCAA suck, but Goodell is worse. As commissioner, he has not helped the athletes, fans, etc, but instead only focused on only helping 32 people -- the team owners, which makes him one of the worst commissioners in NFL history. You can read more about why Goodell sucks here.
12. More focused on the sport.
Sure, college football has its scandals, but the NFL takes drama like that to a new level. The Deflategate was a headline for what seemed like forever. It takes away from the sport and arguing about deflated balls is a waste of time. (But, Tom Brady definitely realized those footballs were deflated, and should have been banned from more than just four games and should not have been able to appeal his consequence.)
13. More teams and conferences.
There are 32 NFL teams and two conferences -- NFC and AFC. In Division I NCAA football there are 11 conferences -- American, ACC, Big 10, Big 12, C-USA, Independents, MWC, Pac 12, SEC, and Sun Belt. There are a total of 128 football teams in the FBS of the NCAA. More conferences allows teams to not be nationally ranked in the Top 25, but still win their conference. The large amount of teams also makes games and ranking unpredictable, which makes the sport more interesting. Just look at these maps comparing NCAA teams to NFL teams.
14. Better rules.
In college, players only need one foot inbounds to complete a catch. Both feet must be inbounds in the NFL. NCAA overtime is much better with allowing each team the chance to score from their opponent's 25-yard line with no game clock. If the teams are tied after both get the opportunity to score, overtime periods continue. Teams that possesses the ball first in each period alternates. Starting with the third overtime, teams are only allowed to attempt two-point conversions after a touchdown. However, the NFL has a sudden death system -- if the teams are tied after the first overtime, the next team to score automatically wins. You can learn more about the differences between the NFL and NCAA rules here.
