College Football or the NFL?

[Rockstar Matt]

NFL hands down and it's not even close.

My reasoning: I like to see an actual champion crowned, and I like that champion is completely deserving of the title they won. You cannot get that in College Football until every team has a fair/equal chance to win a National Title. I'm not saying that schools that don't get high profile recruits need to get more of them. I'd just like to see a TCU, or a Boise State, or any other school in D-1 football have just as much of a chance at becoming champions as any team in the BCS Conferences. While I think football is the best sport on the planet, I prefer watching College Basketball over College Football because at least in College Basketball, every D-1 team has a shot at a title.

Also, I like watching the NFL because the play on the field is far superior than it is in College.

[Eye]

I think college football sucks. The way they determine a champion is ridiculous. And besides, why would I want to watch minor league football when I can watch the best players in the NFL? I don't care about "fan experience" or anything like that when it comes to college football, because it's a sport I don't like.

I don't care about the NFL much anymore, pretty much because I work on Sundays and can't watch many games. I probably wouldn't watch many games anyway though, because besides again, not caring much anymore, I just can't get into it with all the television timeouts and other long ass breaks.

NFL > college I guess.

[tBBP]

The relentless pursuit of the almighty dollar?check that, all the mighty dollars?and the inherent consummation of mind, heart, and soul pursuant of such, has consequently resulted in the steady but consistent decline on quality of both levels.

All of which is to say...money done fuct the game up. That said, I'll still take the NFL over college...until bowl season rolls around. Then they're both even.

[BlueSky]

The relentless pursuit of the almighty dollar?check that, all the mighty dollars?and the inherent consummation of mind, heart, and soul pursuant of such, has consequently resulted in the steady but consistent decline on quality of both levels.

All of which is to say...money done fuct the game up. That said, I'll still take the NFL over college...until bowl season rolls around. Then they're both even.

This. The money thing has really started to take the shine off sports for me.

I'm torn on the topic of college vs. NFL. If I had an alma mater and went to games all the time, my choice would probably be college football based on my experience as a "Sooner-in-law" - going to an OU game is amazing. As it is now, I enjoy watching NFL football much more than college.

[Sport]

it's possible to like both. They don't play on the same day.

[infrared41]

it's possible to like both. They don't play on the same day.

No, you gotta pick a side and stick with it. That's how we do it around here.

Anyway, taking away all the baggage that both of them bring to their respective tables, I prefer college football. It's just more entertaining to me. Things like Appalachian State knocking off Michigan can't happen in the NFL. The NFL doesn't have crazy offenses like the spread or triple option. College football just has more variety. It's more fun to watch. But I like the NFL too.

[Mr. Aware Eagle]

I actually think about this topic a lot.

I grew up a huge Auburn fan in Alabama. My parents have had season tickets since they graduated from AU in the early 80's. My mom always reminds me that she walked all the way up to the upper deck at the Iron Bowl when she was 8 months pregnant with me. I'm now an Auburn student. When I calculated last, I'd been to over 100 Auburn football games during my life. I grew up with college football, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The tradition, history, stories, stadium experience are all amazing.

But I've also grown to hate all of the controversy, corruption, and dysfunction in college football.

I've found myself enjoying and more heavily following the NFL in the last few years. It's just better football, when it comes down to it. I love the talent and the skill. I love how competitive it is every year.

The problem with the NFL, for me, is that I never had a favorite team growing up. I always wanted to get into it, but living in Alabama, people just don't care too much about professional football. No team has ever truly put forth an effort to market to the Birmingham area, where I grew up (and why would they?). I've been looking for a team since I was a kid, and don't know if I'll ever have a true NFL fan identity. I'm working on making myself a Falcons fan now, as they're the closest team to where I live.

So, while I have a natural tendency and reason to care more about college football, I would rather watch an NFL game. And I'd MUCH rather watch the Super Bowl than the BCS national championship.

[JayMac]

I'm about 15 minutes across the river from Philly. Philadelphia has no huge allegiance to any college football team and has a huge allegiance to the Eagles. With that being said, I'm a huge a college football fan. I will always take it over the NFL.

[Saint Zephyr III]

This is an odd workaround with how I feel about it...but I see college football as a cult classic and NFL as the blockbuster.

With a cult classic, that's when it builds up the fanbase and the legacy. The movie can create a community, repeat viewings, a true genuine cult that loves and adores it on a personal level.

With a blockbuster, it has the rush of anticipation and excitement even if it seems hollow and corporate as a result. Nonetheless, you're talking about a product with the best of the best of the best of its respective industry on the highest level possible.

Me in particular, I'm someone who loves watching movies in the theater and someone who loves the NFL for that blockbuster hyper-elite quality. But with college football, especially since I finally go to a school WITH a football team (go Trojans!), I love the sense of community that a cult classic/college football has.

[winghaz]

For me, there's no question -- it's college football.

I love, love, love, love, LOVE the Minnesota Vikings. But I don't have a lot of interest in the other teams. Once the Vikings game is over, I could just as well watch golf.

But with college football, there are all sorts of teams I love to watch. I can sit and watch college football on TV from 10 a.m. to after midnight. In fact, I have, and it's driven my wife nuts.

[DC in Da House w/o a Doubt]

For me, there's no question -- it's college football.

I love, love, love, love, LOVE the Minnesota Vikings. But I don't have a lot of interest in the other teams. Once the Vikings game is over, I could just as well watch golf.

But with college football, there are all sorts of teams I love to watch. I can sit and watch college football on TV from 10 a.m. to after midnight. In fact, I have, and it's driven my wife nuts.

Same for me and the Redskins. It seems NFL RedZone has spoiled me, I just can't watch any regular season game from start to finish. Even if it's a great match up.

[4_tattoos]

Also, I like watching the NFL because the play on the field is far superior than it is in College.

This just about sums up why I prefer NFL or College.

[pianoknight]

The college game features more variety in offense.

For example, NCAA:

Old School Triple-Option: Georgia Tech, Navy

Air Raid: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State

Shotgun Spread: Texas, Oklahoma

Pistol: Nevada

Spread Run/Blur: Oregon, Boise State

Shotgun/Spread/Option: Nebraska, Michigan

And the NFL:

West Coast Pass Attack: AFC, NFC

[thespleenenator]

The college game features more variety in offense.

For example, NCAA:

Old School Triple-Option: Georgia Tech, Navy

Air Raid: Texas Tech, Oklahoma State

Shotgun Spread: Texas, Oklahoma

Pistol: Nevada

Spread Run/Blur: Oregon, Boise State

Shotgun/Spread/Option: Nebraska, Michigan

And the NFL:

West Coast Pass Attack: AFC, NFC

I was just about to comment on this. It's much more interesting to watch college teams play than NFL teams play.

[Lights Out]

Spread Run/Blur: Oregon, Boise State

Boise's offense has been closer to a pro-style offense than what Oregon runs for the past few years, although that's probably more because Kellen Moore had the mobility of a department-store mannequin.

That being said, I get your point: the variety of offenses are interesting to watch - although, I wouldn't mind the Pistol and the triple option going away, so Nevada and Air Force won't be so infuriating to watch when Boise plays them.

[Raysfan12]

Spread Run/Blur: Oregon, Boise State

Boise's offense has been closer to a pro-style offense than what Oregon runs for the past few years, although that's probably more because Kellen Moore had the mobility of a department-store mannequin.

That being said, I get your point: the variety of offenses are interesting to watch - although, I wouldn't mind the Pistol and the triple option going away, so Nevada and Air Force won't be so infuriating to watch when Boise plays them.

College offenses have much more variety than the NFL. Even the Run and Shoot is still used for SMU and Hawaii. The only teams to keep the option is Navy, Army, and Air Force. Speed is Oregon's game and Boise brings a balanced attack. Still, most college offenses use the spread. But it isn't an epidemic unlike the NFL.

[smzimbabwe]

I prefer college football despite the recent changes (conference shifts, adding playoffs, etc.) that are happening...

On Saturday, I'll watch just about any college football game that's on TV. On Sunday, if the Chargers aren't on, then maybe a game is on as background noise while I'm doing housework or while I'm eating lunch, and I'll watch the NBC highlights show (whatever it's called), but that's about it...

It could be because I went to a school with football, went to every game, and a couple of Rose Bowls, but even then, I think I'd still prefer college football...

[njmeadowlanders]

NFL. It's the highest level, they're professionals, the rules are geared more towards a higher level, etc. They have a champion determined off of a playoff with a set of parameters that is not subjective. If there's a tie, here's the first tiebreaker, then second, etc. There's no bias, no big market/small market, whatever. There aren't 42 different forumulae and polls to determine who gets to play for the title.

I think a lot of this has to do with where you grew up too. If you're from Oklahoma or Alabama or wherever it's different than someone like me who grew up in NYC Metro where big-time college football is virtually non-existent. I never got into college football as a result before I went to Penn State and never had an interest in it after I left.

[Chief.]

Arrowhead provides all the college atmosphere while fielding a professional team (with the exception of our quarterback), so I'm content with the NFL over college football.

[tBBP]

I think a lot of this has to do with where you grew up too. If you're from Oklahoma or Alabama or wherever it's different than someone like me who grew up in NYC Metro where big-time college football is virtually non-existent. I never got into college football as a result before I went to Penn State and never had an interest in it after I left.

How do you explain me, then? I was born and bred deep down south?and I still prefer the pros. Imagine that.

All that said, between all the dumb-ass rule changes and the over-legislation of on-field play, to say nothing of the whole money-hungry aspect of it, the NFL has lost much of its luster, as the quality of play seems to continue to go down. That's one problem we don't have in the college ranks?yet. However, the formation of all these super-conferences could ultimately prove to be its?and the NCAA's?undoing soon enough.

All that said, at the end of the day, I'm still a football nut, so I'll watch it anyway.