5 Reasons Why College Football Is Better Than the NFL

The NFL lockout has ended, but for awhile it looked like there might not be football on Sundays this fall.

If that had happened, college football would have been put on an even larger pedestal.

That raises one question.

Hasn't college football always been more fun to watch than the pro game?

The answer is yes.

For the reasons behind that answer, let's sort through the five reasons why college football is better than the NFL.

5. Tradition

Tradition.

Most every major college football team has at least one ritual or tradition surrounding its program.

Notre Dame's players slap the "Play Like a Champion Today" sign on the way down the stairs and into the tunnel.

Michigan's players run through a tunnel made up of alumni and jump up to slap the alumni association banner.

Clemson's players touch Howard's Rock and run down the hill into Death Valley in what is known as "The Most Exciting 25 Seconds in College Football".

The intro to Metallica's song Enter Sandman is played as the Hokies of Virginia Tech are in the tunnel and hits full blast when the players enter onto the field.

The fans at Camp Randall jump up and down to House of Pain's song Jump Around between the third and fourth quarter which makes the entire stadium shake.

Traditions such as those just don't exist in the NFL. There isn't the same level of tradition in the pro game.

It's one of the many things that makes college football so great.

4. Bands

Each university band provides a unique type of entertainment and flare for each fan base.

Each team has its own fight song that the players, coaches and fans alike can take pride and glory in.

When your team has its back against the wall during a home game, the band is able to provide that spark which has the ability to ignite the crowd into a frenzy.

There's nothing like it in the NFL.

Certain pro teams may have small drum corps, but no team has a full-fledged band attired in professionally made uniforms playing expensive instruments.

3. Rivalries

While there are rivalries in the NFL, they don't come anywhere near matching the intensity and passion in a college football rivalry.

The buildup to a college rivalry game starts when the previous season ends and runs all the way up until kickoff of the match-up the following season.

You can't find that in the NFL.

Washington Redskins fans aren't talking about the game with the Dallas Cowboys during the off-season. They'll be talking about which players will be entering free agency, contracts, injuries, etc.

Simply put, fans of a team such as Ohio State have a few things on their minds in the off-season, but priority number one is beating Michigan.

Priorities such as that don't exist in the NFL.

2. Bowl Games

College football bowl games are unlike any other event in sports.

Fans have even coined it "bowl season".

There's a high level of anticipation and excitement for most bowl games, especially BCS bowl games.

In the last few seasons there has been a strong push for a playoff system in college football that would most likely scrap the bowl games.

While a playoff system may more accurately crown the true national champion, the festivities that are bowl games would be gone.

A majority of college players have even stated that they would more enjoy heading to a vacation hot spot for a bowl game than go through the grind of a playoff post-season.

1. Football Isn't a Profession for College Players

A lot of heat will come my way for arguing this in light of college football's current landscape.

There are investigations into a number of high profile programs as well as "pay for play" scandals.

However, college players do not receive a salary for their services and should be applauded for that.

It has always been true that college players play for the name on the front of the jersey, not the back.

The passion that players have for their respective institutions is unmatched by players in the NFL.