What Makes College Football So Great

It doesn't matter with whom your allegiance resides, as a college football fan, this time of year gives you chills.

Whether you're a die-hard fan of a perennial powerhouse such as USC, Michigan, or Ohio State, or a fan of lesser well-known schools such as Miami (OH), Central Michigan, or Toledo.

Well, folks, it's that "time of the year" where the smell of brats and beer fill the air, and where marching band music rings loudly in our ears.

From the moment you enter the parking lot to set up camp and tailgate for the day, donning your favorite team's gear, to the packed and raucous environment in the stadium.

If you're watching college football, the experience is the same everywhere you go: electric.

From the Coliseum to Kyle Field, from the "Big House" to Beaver Stadium, fans are thinking more about Saturday's game than anything at work, that's for sure.

It's the thought that if your team loses one game, their national championship aspirations may be shot. It's that late-game interception that leads the dramatic two-minute drill victory. That's what we come out in packs each weekend to see.

As fans descend on some of the most massive structures known to man, they will see some remarkable football played within those confines.

It's what we live for. It's upsets like Boise State over Oklahoma. The tiny Appalachian State defeating the powerhouse Michigan Wolverines. Why else would we allot twelve hours every Saturday to this sporting activity?

Well, I'm here to tell you that this season, 2008-2009, may just be one of the finest in recent memory.

Not only will America witness national title contenders go head-to-head in Week Two, but the nation may also see the second two-time Heisman Trophy winner in the making.

It's the storylines that fill our preseason minds, but once the first couple weekends are over, it's all about "What have you done for me lately?".

No one will seem to care that Lou Holtz thought Notre Dame would win 11 games this year, or that Knowshon Moreno might not contend for the Heisman when it's all said and done.

It will be the highlights from players like Missouri's Jeremy Maclin and Pittsburgh's LeSean McCoy that will make us all remember why we watch this beautiful game.

It will be the surprising play of LSU's quarterback and former Harvard scholar, Andrew Hatch, and Michigan's, Steven Threet that will remind us never to give up on what we thought was a "rebuilding year".

From the defense-first SEC to the offensive slideshow of the Pac-10, thrills and spills are sure to be abundant.

Whether Ohio State's Chris Wells raises the Heisman Trophy, or if Mizzou's Chase Daniel steals the show, we'll all be watching.

Why? Because this is college football, and we're just crazy fanatics.