Good for the Fans, but Big Risk for Teams Involved

The 2009 college football season is officially underway and it kicks off in style with four top 25 matchups in the first week of the season. While these matchups are exciting for the fans, they also put a lot of pressure on the teams early in the season. For some teams the dream of a National Championship disappears with the season barely underway.

            Most teams schedule weak opponents in week 1, so that they can get a win and use their first game as a final tune-up before they start their “actual season.” However, there is a new trend where top teams are beginning to schedule top teams and provide fans with exciting games in early September. This trend has both positive and negative aspects. Most of the negative aspects would be eliminated with a playoff system, but I am not going to complain about the BCS or lobby for a playoff system, because those attempts are futile and we have all heard the arguments for a playoff over and over again.

            The big games are great for the fans because we would all much rather watch a competitive game than a 50 point blowout over a division two team. The hype, excitement, and drama that are involved with a top 25 matchup are unparalleled. Adding more of these games is nothing but good for college football because it increases the ratings. People have been waiting months for football and starting off the season with matchups of teams that have legitimate shots at making a championship run is just what the fans want. Thank you to the athletic directors who had the gutsiness necessary to schedule top programs so early in the season. While, these games are great for college football, they can be harmful for the teams that lose these games.

            Because college football still lacks a playoff system, each game is that much more important. 1 loss and suddenly every other game becomes do or die; 2 losses and your chances of winning a title are basically gone. Knowing that one loss has the potential to ruin a season, it is a huge risk to schedule a national power so early in the season. One can make the argument that the teams will not suffer that much because it’s better to lose early than to lose late; however the loss is a huge setback and it also gives the other program a huge win to bolster their confidence and their bowl resume come selection time. Even though it’s a huge risk, I enjoy the big games early in the season and would like to applaud the athletic directors for starting this new trend.

            As seen with Boise State’s win last night, one early season game could turn a whole season around. Assuming Oregon does not choke and ruin their season (which is possible after the loss of Blount and everything that surrounded that incident) Boise’s win over Oregon could be the defining moment of their season. A loss would have meant that they had virtually no shot at a BCS Bowl, but because they won, and are now expected to go undefeated, the Broncos are likely to be a BCS buster. With big risk comes big rewards, let’s see how the other three top 25 matchups affect the season.