Football is, in my opinion, the greatest sport on this earth. There’s something about the clashing of pads that has always held a very special place in my heart, as it was one of the first sports that really caught my eye and that held my attention for all four quarters. So, when I was posed the question “college football or the pros?” I was truly torn on which I favored. While there is an obvious connection in that the cream of the CFB crop ends up donning a jersey in the National Football League, there’s still a ton of separation between what makes the two collectives great. At that moment when I struggled to decide, I thought to myself that this would make for a pretty great article. So low and behold, I decided to put my own personal pros and cons down for the world to read and agree or disagree with.
The Case for College Football
First off, there’s something so refreshing about having so many options in-conference. Being from Arkansas, I have a natural magnetism to the SEC, no matter how horrendous the Razorbacks are against their in-conference opponents. But despite my affinity for the Red and White in Fayetteville, the search for a game that you have no “team” in is a really short one. There’s a whole slew of options to watch. There’s the Big Ten, with perennial powerhouse Ohio State and the relentless pursuit to catch up by Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Penn State, and company. The Pac 12 has been producing entertaining seasons, with schools like Oregon, Washington, Utah, and USC being the main focuses of attention. The Big 12 houses the historic Texas-Oklahoma rivalry, as well as Baylor and TCU who have been the hosts of impressive seasons recently. That’s only the tip of the iceberg, as there are tons more options to who you’ll be watching on a Saturday.
Speaking of Saturday, the day that most CFB games are played is also a huge plus for me. With the NFL having Sunday games, fans who work early Monday morning will be faced with staying awake long enough to see the conclusion of their team when placed in the late game slot. With the Saturday games, it’s less of a burden due to the extra rest day before it’s back to work.
Another huge win for college football is the interactivity of their fans. There’s a certain undying loyalty that you get from those cheering on their alma mater that you can’t replicate. No matter where College Football Gameday goes, you can expect a great turnout to show support. They also travel in droves, with the 112,000 in the Big House to watch Michigan-Ohio State in 2019. In comparison, Pro Football Reference recorded 90,646 fans in attendance for the Washington-Dallas game. It feels like loyalty is stronger in college, and the numbers reflect that as well.
The Case for the NFL
What the NFL might lack in tons of team options or crowds the size of the CFB’s, they certainly make up for in consistency and familiarity. There’s just something about being able to watch a player from their youngest point and being on the roller coaster all the way until retirement. In college, you’re only going to get to see players for a maximum of 4 seasons. That just doesn’t feel as complete.
The National Football League also has, in my opinion, the best playoff system in sports. The twelve-team pool is big enough to provide for some underdog stories and to avoid feeling like anyone got snubbed, but small enough as to not feel like you can be average to make it. And while the playoffs are set to expand in 2020, it’s still an improvement over the four-team postseason offered by college football. Every year there seem to be great teams who miss the cut while their fill-in gets pummeled by Alabama or Clemson. While league parity can’t simply be accomplished by adding more teams for the powerhouses to run through, it at least leaves a bigger opportunity to have shock victories.
Speaking of league parity, the NFL feels far more balanced than CFB could ever dream of. Is this because the NFL is allowed to pay players to come there and they can draft whoever they want? Absolutely. But the college system just doesn’t allow for great competition, especially not in recent years. If you’re a big-name recruit, you’re more than likely going to be at one of Alabama, Clemson, Ohio State, LSU, Georgia, Notre Dame, or Oklahoma. They offer the best coaching, high level wins, TV games, and the opportunity to have NFL scouts watching just about every game that you’ll play. The NFL has the benefit of spreading the wealth, both literally and figuratively, across the league.
Conclusion
When I was initially asked this question, I chose College Football. It seemed like a fairly easy choice, as the multitude of game choices felt like too large of a pro to overcome. But at the completion of this article, I have officially swayed myself to the other side. The NFL provides for a more entertaining product yearly to me, and the playoff format mixed with a revolving door of contenders just pushes it ahead of its counterpart.
What do you think? Do you prefer the NFL or College Football? Feel free to message me @ItsJacksonTM on Twitter
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