Grondar

College Football season is slowly approaching.

In about a week, the preview magazines will hit the stores.

In a month, NCAA 2005 will be released for the consoles.

And then, the season itself begins.

I find college football to be very exciting, and its atmosphere, rivalries, and general enjoyment level is second to none IMO.

I'm starting to read up on teams and college football in general for the upcoming season, and that gave me an idea for a topic here at the TFP.

What college football team(s) do you like, and more importantly, why do you like them?

I personally, am more interested in the reasoning behind liking a certain team than the specific team itself, just so I can get an idea of how diverse the reasons are. I assume alma-mater will be a big one, but I'm sure there are other reasons for following and being a fan of a particular team.

What's your team, and reason for liking them? If you like more than one, tell about both!

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"Yes, I rather like this God fellow. He's very theatrical, you know, a pestilence here, a plague there. Omnipotence. Gotta get me some of that." -Stewie

WarWagon

Alma mater for starters, but the Buckeyes always, ALWAYS keep the fans on their toes. I can't even count how many times I almost had a heart attack this past season alone from their games. OSU vs Miami last year, one of the greatest college football championships ever. Purdue, multiple overtimes and it came down to defense and kicker vs. kicker. They always seem to play on a level equal to that of their opponents.

That, and Tressel is God.

Ace_O_Spades

Ugh that championship was total bull.... that was NOT pass interference! BAH

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Feh.

WarWagon

Pfft, dream on pal. If Miami was such a great team, they should have had no problem stopping lil' ol' Ohio State.

Ace_O_Spades

The thing is I'm not a Miami fan... I'm a fan of proper calls... and that just aint proper

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Feh.

WarWagon

That call was more proper than Penelope Prim after coming back from finishing school.

Rudel73

I'm a huge fan of Washington...my dad went there so i've always always always been a huge fan. I live in ohio and yet i have season tickets to the Huskies!

Living in Ohio, i also always here all this BS about Ohio State so i've grown to HATE them and their mindless fans that actually THINk they are good! So naturally Michigan has grown to be my 2nd favorite team. Nothing i liked more than seeing michigan hand OSu their ass on a golden platter this year

djtestudo

Fear the Turtle bay-bee!

Former Maryland student, but forever a Terp fan.

This is the year we finally beat FSU, and we'll get to beat Virginia Tech as a bonus

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"Final thought: I just rented Michael Moore's Bowling for Columbine. Frankly, it was the worst sports movie I've ever seen."
--Peter Schmuck, The (Baltimore) Sun

Ace_O_Spades

Not only was the contact incidental he was looking at the ball...

but that ball was so overthrown that not even Wilt Chamberlain could catch it... UNCATCHABLE

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Feh.

bellzboy

Miami Redhawks, my school to be this fall. Too bad Roethlisberger had to leave a year early. Dammit.

I always root for the Golden Gophers of Minnesota as well, it being my brother's school.

Cant wait for NCAA 2005, a guy I played ball with in high school will be in it.

Jesus Malverde

Arizona State because I go there. We had a terrible year this year, and I've already put it behind me. I think we'll do alright this year, with Andrew Walter in his senior year and the emergence of Derek Hagan as a solid receiver.

I like University of Texas because I'm from Texas, and a lot of my good friends go to school there. I'm glad they had a pretty good year, everyone I know is really excited about the upcoming season.

Lastly, I like Florida State because of their tradition. They are also looking to have a great year, but can Chris Rix PLEASE beat Miami before he graduates!? I was already pissed off that Oklahoma beat the UT senior class all four years, it would be really nice if FSU could kick Miami's ass in Week One.

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...I'm that cat by the bar toasting to the good life...

miggity99

Mississippi State, my alma mater. Yeah, we suck, but we did get brownie points for hiring the first black coach in the SEC.

I really like Coach Croom and I think he'll do great things here at MSU, maybe not for the first few years, but our time will come.

Averett

Notre Dame

Grew up watching games with my Dad. A friend of mine got his Masters from there so that's cool too.

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Absence is to love what wind is to fire. It extinguishes the small, it enkindles the great.

absorbentishe

U Toledo! One of the best Mid-major programs. My Alma mater.

First and foremost, is Ohio State. I'm a buckeye through and through, always have been.

bond007

I was born in Texas, but raised in Oklahoma... so, I'm a Sooner fan!

as Steve Martin would say... Oklahoma! Oklahoma! Oklahoma! Oklahoma!!!

Jaiddin

Oklahoma. Raised on OU football since i was a toddler.. Dad went there, and Mom and my borther are aggie fans. So of course me and Dad had to be on the same wavelength to balance things out

pan6467

OSU BUCKEYES #1 BABY, FROM THE GREAT WOODROW HAYES TO JAMES TRESSEL. WE'RE TALKING BIG 10 ALL AMERICAN, GRIND IT IN AND OUT EVERY WEEK FOOTBALL THAT EVEN THE NFL CAN'T TOUCH.

Although the Cooper era was lame, so much talent but such a sucky ass coach (he had one hot daughter tho in Playboy). I maybe wrong but I believe OSU from Hayes to present has had more NFL players than any other school.

Ah, the Rockets............. Rock on at the Glass Bowl. UT was one of my choices for college when I was a high school sr. EXCELLENT LAW SCHOOL AT UT.

Ended up at Hiram (small Ohio rich college that Bernie Kosar's sister Beth went to). Flunked out because of gambling.

U of Akron my school now has a decent program.

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I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

perripken

Michigan Wolverines. When I was 14 my best friends dad who was an alumni, took us to a Michigan-Purdue game. It was awesome and I've liked them ever since.

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And in the end, it’s not the years in your life that count. It’s the life in your years.
Abraham Lincoln

SCrubjay

USC

That's right, the University of Spoiled Children ........ and when I was there, from a football perspective, were we ever. (From a monetary perspective I found the school very diverse and not deserving of that moniker ..... but that's another post).

But back to football, l was there during one of the greatest 4 year runs in history, '78-'82 (yes I know many of you weren't yet born!). These teams produced one national title, two Hiesman winners, one Lombardi award and more all-americans than I can name without really digging back into the gray matter. The talent these teams produced and supplied the NFL could have won a Super Bowl on their own ....... Charlie White, Marcus Allen, Anthony Munoz, Ronnie Lott, Dennis Smith, Jeff Fisher (the Titans coach), Brad Budde, Keith Van Horn, Pat Howell, Dennis Johnson, Don Mosebar, Bruce Matthews, Jack Del Rio (the Jaguars coach), Joey Browner, Roy Foster .......

Then, what makes a true fan .... the suffering. 8 loss streak to UCLA, 13 loss streak to the Domers, 1 loss streaks to Memphis, Utah, and, ugh, Fresno State. A balance of power shift to the pacific northwest (UDub, Ducks & Beavers). Bad coaching, bad attitudes, bad management, increased admission standards, and an apathy that caused me to believe that the program was forever DONE.

Then the past two years! Teams that should inspire all struggling programs (not because they were so good .... but to show how far you can come in a short time). Given the past 20 years, I'll ride this wave as long as it lasts and if it crashes now, that's OK too. Most Trojans of my generation had any arrogance washed away in the '90's ....... but we're hav'n a good time right now!

absorbentishe

Yes, we still rooted for the Bucks. Every UofM and bowl game he took the team too was a shamble. The guy could get the talent, but couldn't motivate them to save his life. Then his play calling was really bad too.

degrawj

The Oregon State Beavers!!! because i graduated from there.

Scipio

Arkansas Razorbacks, where I go to school. Other than that, I tend to cheer for other SEC teams when they play. I was pulling for LSU in the championship. Hopefully they or another SEC team will do well this coming year.

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"Erections lasting more than 4 hours, though rare, require immediate medical attention."

SCrubjay

degrawj ----- nice avatar for a Beaver fan!

You know my Trojans ........ nah, nevermind.

SAM821

Miami Hurricanes all the way!!! Ive been a fan my whole life, my parents branded me with the "U" right after birth! (just kidding)

I like them because they are always exciting, and they never dissappoint, and like I said, Ive been a fan since I knew what football was.. I got season tickets, and well, Its amazing how much people dislike the program for whatever reasons, i.e. Program has a bad rap, too much thuggery, whatever... I just love the way miami plays football and they just have this swagger that intimates most teams before they even kick off...

Oh and just my two cents... THAT WAS A BAD CALL IN THE FIESTA BOWL... not just cause im a cane fan, but because im a fan of the game, and....forget it im not gonna elaborate, its history, we lost, and whats done is done...

AND, FSU WILL NOT BEAT MIAMI in the opener!! you heard it hear first!!!

GO CANES!!!

cementor

I was SOONER born and SOONER bred and when I die I'll be SOONER dead! Mom and Dad and sis and I are all SOONERS.

I do however like a lot of teams but none of them wear orange!

Should be a great yearof college football. I can't wait! As for the statement above about the Horns senior class never beating Oklahoma... I hope it goes on and on and on. I do hope the Horns win the NCAA baseball title, they got a nice team!

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Cementor
If I was any better I'd have to be twins!

choskins

I like the University of South Carolina Gamecocks. Mostly so, because of the fact that I am an alumni. Prior to that though, I fell in love with the school because of the loyalty of the fans.

Who else can have a sub-.500 historical record, go 0-21 between 1998 and 1999, and still sell out over 82,000 seats for the season?

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"Sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."
- Sigmund Freud

emopwr

f-l-o-r-i-d-a s-t-a-t-e
florida state florida state florida state wooo!!!

thespian86

Same but because my mom bought me a wolverines hat when I was younger and I have liked them ever since. GO MICHIGAN... and PACKERS

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EX: Whats new?
ME: I officially love coffee more then you now.
EX: uh...
ME: So, not much.

BigGov

What The_Dude would say:




I cheer for the good ol' Badgers...Who aren't going anywhere.

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One day an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman walked into a pub together. They each bought a pint of Guinness. Just as they were about to enjoy their creamy beverage, three flies landed in each of their pints. The Englishman pushed his beer away in disgust. The Scotsman fished the fly out of his beer and continued drinking it, as if nothing had happened. The Irishman, too, picked the fly out of his drink but then held it out over the beer and yelled "SPIT IT OUT, SPIT IT OUT, YOU BASTARD!"

Derwood

I lived in State College, PA from '86-'92 (and my folks still live there) so I grew up loving Penn State. Plus my sister is an alum now, so all the more reason.

I must have been to about 15-20 games just in high school. Of course, that was when tickets were $15 a piece (they are pushing $60/seat now)

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"You can't shoot a country until it becomes a democracy." - Willravel

ForgottenKnight

I grew up a CSU fan, but now I'm also a CU fan due to currently attending school their. The only time I root against CSU now is when CU is playing them. I've always been a fan of all of Colorado's teams when they weren't playing each other.

GO AIRFORCE!
GO RAMS!
And most importantly:
GO BUFFS!

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"People say I'm strange, does that make me a stranger?"

pan6467

I love it when Miami fans complain about 1 fucking call vs. OSU in the Fiesta Bowl, when if the Miami team were as truly great as everybody says they were OSU wouldn't have even been in the game to begin with. Hell if Miami were half as good as everyone says OSU woulda been blown out in the first quarter.

Just as in the 86 World Series with Buckner, one play does NOT determine the outcome of the game. It can change momentum and you may have to work harder but in and of itself 1 play does nothing.

__________________
I just love people who use the excuse "I use/do this because I LOVE the feeling/joy/happiness it brings me" and expect you to be ok with that as you watch them destroy their life blindly following. My response is, "I like to put forks in an eletrical socket, just LOVE that feeling, can't ever get enough of it, so will you let me put this copper fork in that electric socket?"

BigGov

Except that one play did mean something. They play the games for a reason, and the score was close, and because of a bullshit call the Buckeyes did not lose on that play. If that one play had been called correctly, Miami would have won the national championship. That, by definition, determined the outcome of the game. It changed it from game over, Miami wins, to lets play some more.

In most cases, you're right, Bartman, '86 World Series, etc. all of those are momentum. But Miami was screwed on that one play, and it did determine the outcome.

Same thing with Calgary, they won game 6. The puck crossed the goal line, they were up by one goal, and odds are with that one goal being scored, Tampa would not score in the rest of the game. That call affected the outcome of the game.

__________________
One day an Englishman, a Scotsman, and an Irishman walked into a pub together. They each bought a pint of Guinness. Just as they were about to enjoy their creamy beverage, three flies landed in each of their pints. The Englishman pushed his beer away in disgust. The Scotsman fished the fly out of his beer and continued drinking it, as if nothing had happened. The Irishman, too, picked the fly out of his drink but then held it out over the beer and yelled "SPIT IT OUT, SPIT IT OUT, YOU BASTARD!"

jobu

Hawkeye fan here. that's where i went to school so i root for them. i really enjoy watching SEC football becasue i think the best talent year in and out is in the conference

cameroncrazy822

I am an avid sports fan comprehensively however I never really got into college football. I guess in my case it was due to the fact that I enjoy following teams and all their players. In college football it's just too diffficult for me to do that with any amount of knowledge overall. I do however like the Miami Hurricanes. This is due in part to the exciting type of game they tradionally play but probably more concisely because I am from Baltimore and RAY LEWIS plays for the Ravens! That guy is a player!

SAM821

i Im glad at least i dont have to reply to that... look, that was a BLOWN call.... but like i said before, its history, it was two years ago, and thats it... the refs gave you a championship with a bow on top, the rest is history

Im just looking ahead to this year... should be exciting

bouray

i have been an LSU fan my whole life. being brought up here in southern la. played a big part in that. Although I didn't go to lsu (doesn't offer a degree in the field I graduated in), I still love them tigers. Last year was amazing to be a tiger fan living in Baton Rouge!!!

My alma mater, don't laugh Univ. La.-Monroe (one of those bottom of the barrel div 1A teams), still holds a place in my heart though. All I want is one winning season for them!!! Hey, back in 1987, ULM (Northeast La. Univ. at the time) won the Div. 1AA national championship. They thought that could mean some Div. 1A success, but they were gravely mistaken. Now they are everyones homecoming victory.

chinkypanda

Penn State cause i go there

phyzix525

Buckeyes. I was born in Columbus and have grown up a fan. I went to my first game as a couple a month old baby. Buckeye mania has been in my blood since I was a kid. The fans are great and the tradition is as good as any other school.

As for those who do not believe that the bucks should have won the NC, just watch the game over again and count how many calls went against the bucks and how many holds were never called on important plays. The game would have never have been so close if ALL the calls were called correctly.

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It's hard to remember we're alive for the first time
It's hard to remember we're alive for the last time
It's hard to remember to live before you die
It's hard to remember that our lives are such a short time
It's hard to remember when it takes such a long time