How I Keep Every Conference Interesting

I love college football. It is my favorite sport to watch. I am an Oregon Ducks fan.

Before the season starts, I read two to three preview magazines. Cover to cover, every team.

I wake up at 6:45 a.m. on Saturdays, which gives me enough time to jump in the shower and run to Starbucks to get home to sit and watch College Gameday at 7a.m.

I watch football all day long. 9 a.m. to whatever time the last game ends, sometimes after midnight if the game is at Hawaii.

I have five TVs set up in my living room. The largest is a 46" LCD. Then I have a 30" flat wide screen. Next is two 19", old school types and finally a 13". I also use my DVR on occasion.

Out of 120 DI-A teams, including probationary Western Kentucky, there was only one team I did not see play a game, Louisiana Lafayette.

I traveled to a few games as well, so that nearly eliminates a day of games. Over the years I have even traveled to watch games that didn’t involve my team.

Why, one may ask, would I spend money on airfare, hotel, car, and tickets, to see games that my team isn’t even in??

The love of the game.

I feel like I am fairly well informed on the rest of the country. Not as well as Oregon, but still enough to know what’s going on for the most part in every conference. More than just the premier teams and players, too.

When I first started getting into college football more on a national level I decided I needed to make every conference matter. I decided I should pick a team from every conference an that would be my team for the year. Some times I had a reason for the team I picked, but for the most part I didn’t.

I enjoyed the first season I did this, I do it every year now. Watching as many games as possible and following more than just the Oregon Ducks gave me a better appreciation for the differences in the fans and the game in the west, east, south, and mid west.

Next season give it a try. It makes the conference races a bit more interesting. Or maybe try being a fan of your team's non-conference opponents. If they have a good year it helps your team with a better strength of schedule.

However you choose to follow the season and spend your Saturdays, enjoy it.