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College Football Continues to Change, But Saturdays Are Still Special
As the sport leans more into a professional operation, positive remnants of the past remain
This past week, I was listening to the debut episode of “Ringer Tailgate”, a new college football podcast from The Ringer. Towards the end of the episode, the hosts were reminiscing about their favorite college football players and the mystique of various venues around the college football landscape. As a longtime watcher of the sport, it was a great listen because it made me think about my favorite players over the years.
When the games arrived on Saturday, it was a reminder that despite all the nostalgia and great feelings, college football has become an incredibly commercialized product. The headliner of Week 0 was a top-25 matchup between Iowa State and Kansas State, affectionately called “Farmageddon,” which was played in Ireland. Sponsorships are everywhere, and we are reminded constantly of the NIL deals and transfer portal. And yet, despite that commercialization, there is still something about college football on Saturday that taps into emotional chords that few other sports can.
