College Football
Should College Football have a Preseason?
NFL preseason games are underway which signal college football is right around the corner! This is the time each year where hardcore college football fans live and die with fall camp reports. Watching preseason NFL games always gets me thinking about a “what if” scenario for college football. A college football world where summer can have something going on besides waiting for the season like a “preseason college football” so to speak. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t ever wish or want to see college football watered down, but I think a college football preseason should be a thing…sort of.
College Football Preseason Idea: FCS Games
I want quality over quantity for the season. Instead of having to watch Furman vs Clemson opening week, why don’t we have FCS scrimmages during the beginning or midway through Fall Camp? I think that would fill some void for college football fanatics and give us more exciting games during the season. Would we miss some old school Appalachian State and Michigan upsets? Somewhat, but I think there would be much more upside.
Positives of FCS Scrimmages
1. No more week 1 or late season snooze fests
We have all witnessed the week 1 or late season FCS beat downs. The only fun thing about these cupcake teams is getting to see our team and backups play. Let colleges have one game during the half way point of camp to help evaluate players. Modify the games to two-20 minute quarters and an option to have a running clock in the second quarter. Players always mention that they are sick of hitting each other after a couple weeks of fall camp, so why not let them get after it halfway through fall camp?
2. FCS Programs still have a way to Fund their Athletic Programs
This is no secret in college football. FCS teams regularly have to travel to play bigger schools to collect a check to fund their athletic programs. Going ahead knocking these games out during fall camps can also take care of paying the small in-state school and allow them to coast into their seasons without having to worry about traveling early or late to get beat on by bigger schools.
3. Next thought: Spring Game Replacement
Spring games are fine exhibitions, but why not use an FCS or regional FBS schools to use as a measuring stick. This idea isn’t new and has been floated around a few times over the years. Find a team close by and scrimmage them for the spring game. College kids from small schools still get to experience the big time college football and fans get to enjoy a change of pace from the normal spring game.
Negatives of Preseason College Football Idea
1. Injuries
There is no getting around this obvious point. College football is a rough sport. Adding a scrimmage before the season opens the door for more injuries.
2. When does more become less?
As mentioned earlier, I don’t believe in watering down college football. I live and die with my favorite team on Saturdays and part of the reason is because I only get to see them for a limited time each year. If the door is opened for scrimmages, where does the line exactly stop? What is to keep the college football world from expanding from mostly a fall sport to year round?
Final Thoughts
I believe there are plenty of good reasons to move FCS teams to a fall or spring scrimmage. Injuries happen in practice all the time, so I don’t really buy the whole, “an extra game increases risk.” The college football season does have a good thing going, but I would love more powerhouse regular season matchups until the playoffs expand. Overall, I think the idea of a college preseason COULD work. Almost every other college sport I can think of (college basketball, college baseball) gets to have a warm up game or exhibition against a regional team, so why not football?
What do you think? Would you support a college football preseason game? What would you do differently?
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