Why College Football Needs a Preseason

Don't you hate if you're N.C. State and your first game is a loss against South Carolina in a 7-3 game, Ohio State edging Navy 31-27, or Oklahoma and your first game of the season virtually takes you out of the hunt for the BCS title game because you lost your Heisman quarterback and the rest of your team is playing a little sluggish and far from mid-season form?

As an avid fan of college football, it is just plain annoying to see a team's hopes and dreams go down the drain because they were playing in their first game since January, and it's almost just plain unfair to have kids that worked their butts off all offseason long lose to an FCS team just because they weren't used to the full speed and contact of a typical college game.

The NFL doesn't face these problems because they have a preseason, and let's be honest, the spring games are merely a game for fans to see the football team rather than waiting until September to get a first look at them.

So could it be possible that the NCAA needs to adopt a preseason for these teams, if only two games? It would make early season football bearable because players would be sharper and more ready for the physical nature of football.

Now I understand the concept that these guys are students first, athletes second, but come on—if you're going to do something, do it great! I want these guys to have their top game brought week in and week out, not to mention it will cut down on the injuries these athletes sustain because their bodies will have that preparation leading up to their game.

Though most teams open up with an easy team, I think it would make more sense if they had two preseason games against these FCS teams rather than a team like Florida playing three easy games (Charleston Southern, Troy, and Florida Int'l). Let's add a few more conference games and a few less pointless non-conference cupcake games. Personally, I think there are several issues with the structure of college football.

I know that everyone is saying, isn't it an issue that the players will be so focused on the games that they won't study? Anyone who has ever attended college knows that no college kid is ever so busy to the point that they cannot study or do homework. They aren't single moms; they are college kids who choose to make pickup games of basketball at the university's rec their priority.

Don't give me that nonsense because these players eat, drink, and sleep football. Let's make it easier on them and give them a game to get loose and knock the rust out of their systems. Anyone who played football out there knows there is no practice that can relate to a game situation.

Don't get me wrong; I think education is the primary goal or at least should be of an athlete, but while they are playing a little football, let's help them bring the best out and save guys from the letdown after an early season loss after all of those hard-working summer practices.

I know I may not see this even become an afterthought until I am chilling in a retirement home and sipping on some Crown Royal, but all it takes is a spark to ignite a fire, right? I say let BR and its readers carry this message to Indianapolis to the board of the NCAA and demand that they give us preseason in college football and a playoff system, for goodness' sake.

It's a recession, for crying out loud; if I need to get more bang for my buck, I am going to need those young men to be in tip-top shape so that my tailgating and my high-priced tickets don't go to waste in a depressing loss to Appalachian State.