College vs. NFL Football
- Keaton and John
- 21 hours ago
- 5 min read
Among some of the hot topics at our lunch table recently, one of the most intriguing and controversial is which genre of American football is better: NFL Football or College Football. Juniors Keaton McKinstry and John Wielechowski have differing opinions. In the following opinion pieces, each will give reasons as to why he believes his preference is superior. They will format their articles by starting with the atmosphere and fan base of their respective genre of football, followed by rules and regulations that separate the two levels.
John:
I believe that NFL football is superior to college football, and it is not even close. The NFL, unlike college football, has a larger and more enthusiastic fanbase, specific rules that create more competitive and more exciting seasons, and professional players who are the best in the world.
My dad’s side of the family is from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and since birth, I have been raised a Pittsburgh Steelers fan. I admith I never had a choice to cheer for any other team in the NFL, but I don’t care because the Steelers are a legendary franchise with six super bowls. What I specifically love most about the Steelers is their huge, supportive fanbase.
Every game, whether at home field or away, Steelers fans fill the stadiums with black and gold gear and violently swing terrible towels with each Steller touchdown. However, it is not only the Pittsburgh Steelers whose fans electrify their stadiums. Junior Bo Bateman, a devoted Philadelphia Eagles fan, claims that “Eagles fans are very passionate,” and the fanbase “is known for getting in fights during the game.” College fans cannot begin to comprehend the devotion NFL fans have to their team.
Another reason the NFL is better than college football is that the NFL formulated rules regulating salary caps and holds events like the yearly draft to achieve equality among the ` teams. Developing rosters in the NFL takes a ton of skill and precision because each organization can only spend so much money. Additionally, they will not have the same draft picks every year since the draft is a lottery. Bo said, “There are fewer teams, so each has a better chance of winning a championship.”
A major problem with college football is the introduction of NIL money. Student-athletes have the opportunity to earn millions of dollars in a year directly from their college. This makes the playing field unfair because schools with more money can “buy-off” the best athletes in the country. Personally, I’d rather not watch a sport in which the same teams are dominant every year.
Finally, the skill level of players in the NFL immensely exceeds that of the college athletes, which makes the game more enjoyable to watch. The odds of reaching the NFL after playing college football is approximately 1.6%. It takes almost superhuman athleticism and a relentless dedication to make it to the league. This statistic explains why I and other fans prefer watching NFL games. Real sports fans want to watch the best compete, and you simply cannot have the same experience watching amateurs in college football.
All in all, the NFL easily surpasses college football as the best genre of American football for numerous reasons. If you want to watch the best quality football, the NFL is your best bet.
Keaton:
College football is far superior to its NFL counterpart in a number of ways. I believe the atmosphere that college students bring to their football games is unlike any other tradition in sports. The historic Penn State white-out game is unique to collegiate football. All people in attendance will participate in the tradition, regardless of who they are cheering for. Personally, I would much rather go to this game than any NFL game. College games place much more pressure on the players than in the NFL. Imagine playing in a game in front of 100,000 people, including your peers that you go to class with and see everyday on campus. Additionally, players feel pressure to get drafted to the NFL, inspiring them to play better.
Sometimes NFL players are too exceptional and experienced for their own good. For example, any field goal closer than 45 yards almost guarantees three points. Another example is the “Tush Push,” a play which is rapidly gaining popularity in the NFL. It is almost impossible to stop, which makes this level of football unentertaining to watch.
College kids are nowhere close to perfect in any aspect, making the games much less predictable than in the NFL. To me, there is something truly exciting about watching a 19 year old kid, who is a few years older than me, try to orchestrate a game-winning drive while millions of people watch. Some people cannot handle the pressure while others rise to the occasion, leading to unexpected and crazy outcomes that no one could predict.
For the most part, the rules are the same between the two leagues, but there are a few that differentiate. One of these rules that greatly affects the flow of the games is that in college football on catches, receivers are only required to get one foot in bounds opposed to both feet in the NFL. This rule has led to some incredible catches that entertain people around the country, but are not possible in the NFL.
Another factor that makes college football so special is the College Gameday pregame show. Starting at 10 A.M every Saturday during the football season, Gameday goes live from different college campuses, predicting the games for the day, reading students signs, and even hosting challenges. This helps set the atmosphere and tone for the games for those who cannot attend. One of the numerous unmatched traditions of college football.
Junior Jack Mcfee agrees with my stance, saying, “College football is so much more enjoyable than the NFL for so many reasons.” He really enjoys the unpredictability of the games which makes them so much more exciting to watch. Jack states, “I’m tired of watching the same 4 teams be superpowers in the NFL.”
Every single game matters in college football, as one bad loss early in the season could crush any team’s playoff hopes. Before the playoff change was implemented last year, teams who went undefeated did not make the playoffs. This proves that every single point matters in college football, and there is no room for error.
If you want an all-day, action packed, and unpredictable football-watching experience of kids trying to make names for themselves, college football is the way to go.
