My interest in college football might be entering the transfer portal

[WestTexasHusker]

Good gosh and I thought NFL free agency was nuts. I can’t even keep up with who is coming and going any more.

As a Husker fan, I guess my strategy is just to wait till September and cheer for whoever is flopping around with an N on the helmet. College football has been reduced to cheering for laundry.

While I’m returning to Husker Max this year, I may be spending a lot more time in the other sub forums: My give-a-s***ter is giving out.

 

[Blue Howl]

I'm right there with you. It's not only the transfers and the lack of loyalty, but also the soon-to-be Name-Image-Likeness payments to players that is going to make college football players not much more than paid mercenaries. And then you have players opting out of bowl games because they want to focus on their NFL career. And 11:00 am kickoffs which also don't help the college football experience.

I have season tickets that have been in the family since the stadium was first built in the 1920's, but I really don't know how much longer I will keep them. College football is no longer the sport that I grew up loving.

 

[2nd and 3]

I still can't wrap my head around the NIL mess. How can you keep the money legit? How can programs keep up with the big dogs like Alabama and others? Top talent will continue to go to top programs. I can't get behind it. Maybe someone can enlighten me on the subject.

 

[Redleg]

As a Husker fan, I guess my strategy is just to wait till September and cheer for whoever is flopping around with an N on the helmet.

Unfortunately that sounds about right.

 

[HuskerTea]

I still can't wrap my head around the NIL mess. How can you keep the money legit? How can programs keep up with the big dogs like Alabama and others? Top talent will continue to go to top programs. I can't get behind it. Maybe someone can enlighten me on the subject.

I feel that if you get paid for your NIL,you are no longer an amateur.Jmo.Keep the faith.GBR.

 

[mulletpelini]

I still can't wrap my head around the NIL mess. How can you keep the money legit? How can programs keep up with the big dogs like Alabama and others? Top talent will continue to go to top programs. I can't get behind it. Maybe someone can enlighten me on the subject.

I think the NIL is a way smaller problem as only a very very very small % of players will ever capitalize from it. No one is wearing a Randy Gregory jersey, but we all know who he is.

Transfer portal is what is killing this sport, followed by rule changes where you can't even block downfield anymore. Yeah I get it, it's a safety issue, but cmon man.

 

[2nd and 3]

Just saw a blip on an AP article about NIL stuff. Sounds like there are some hiccups right now. The transfer portal is going to open a can of worms with NIL it sounded like. Would paste article but don't know how.

 

[The_CornTorch]

Good gosh and I thought NFL free agency was nuts. I can’t even keep up with who is coming and going any more.

As a Husker fan, I guess my strategy is just to wait till September and cheer for whoever is flopping around with an N on the helmet. College football has been reduced to cheering for laundry.

While I’m returning to Husker Max this year, I may be spending a lot more time in the other sub forums: My give-a-s***ter is giving out.

Thread Title of the Year. Well said.

 

[HuskyHuskerVandal]

I use to think college football was far superior to the NFL. With these new transfer rules I think the NFL is on top. Of course being a Chief's fan might have something to do with it too.

 

[HuskerWeatherman]

I use to think college football was far superior to the NFL. With these new transfer rules I think the NFL is on top. Of course being a Chief's fan might have something to do with it too.

I've swayed toward greater interest in the NFL in the past few years -- but mostly because college football is so extremely predictable anymore -- at least regarding the top 3-4 teams.

NFL playoffs are far more unpredictable than college.

That said, I still care about Nebraska football more than any other single team. But for the sport as a whole -- if I'm just watching football for the sake of football -- NFL it is.

 

[WestTexasHusker]

Big time college ball has become quasi-pro.

I am honestly gaining a lot more interest in D2 and D3 programs in several sports. You don’t have a lot of this garbage in the lower divisions. The kids are true student athletes who are there to earn a diploma. You get to watch them grow and mature over 4 years. Might even have a chance to get to know a few. The coaches are real people you might see eating out or at church. You can catch a game for $10-15. Still have club level amenities.

It’s become a better product IMO.

 

[XCHusker]

I think Nebraska in general could actually benefit from the NIL as there is such huge support for the team in the state that kids could really capitalize on their name and likeness. The thing I worry about with the NIL is the division it could cause in locker rooms as a small percentage of kids are getting the lions share of the money. This could lead to more movement in the transfer portal. I think they need to go to an across the board stipend for every kid in every program.

The playoff needs to be expanded to 16 teams as that would keep interest in the sport from more schools. You might have the same teams winning it but it would keep more teams and fanbases engaged throughout the season than saying "oh we lost a game or two so our season is over."

 

[solesrfr]

I've swayed toward greater interest in the NFL in the past few years -- but mostly because college football is so extremely predictable anymore -- at least regarding the top 3-4 teams.

NFL playoffs are far more unpredictable than college.

That said, I still care about Nebraska football more than any other single team. But for the sport as a whole -- if I'm just watching football for the sake of football -- NFL it is.

Way more parity in the NFL.


C

 

[solesrfr]

Big time college ball has become quasi-pro.

I am honestly gaining a lot more interest in D2 and D3 programs in several sports. You don’t have a lot of this garbage in the lower divisions. The kids are true student athletes who are there to earn a diploma. You get to watch them grow and mature over 4 years. Might even have a chance to get to know a few. The coaches are real people you might see eating out or at church. You can catch a game for $10-15. Still have club level amenities.

It’s become a better product IMO.

GO5 isn't to bad either. I get great season ticket seats to a winning program for just over $300 and they are getting their own brand new stadium soon. Good times to be an SDSU fan.



C

 

[berryhusker]

Good gosh and I thought NFL free agency was nuts. I can’t even keep up with who is coming and going any more.

As a Husker fan, I guess my strategy is just to wait till September and cheer for whoever is flopping around with an N on the helmet. College football has been reduced to cheering for laundry.

While I’m returning to Husker Max this year, I may be spending a lot more time in the other sub forums: My give-a-s***ter is giving out.

My interest in college football is as strong as ever. I have continued to love it as it has evolved over the years, and I don't see that changing for me. There are aspects of the college game that are unique from the NFL game that I think make it more exciting. College players may be getting more professional treatment than ever, but they are still amateurs. Emotion plays a bigger role, there are more unpredictable outcomes and trends within and across seasons (see LSU) that create better intrigue. I also think what makes CFB special is there is more love of the game that transcends the professional identity. Even as the game evolves with changes in rules and strategies, there is still something special about it.

As for the transfer portal, it certainly will be disruptive, it already seems to be. The question is in what ways? There are always going to be changes so teams will have to figure out ways to adapt if they want to succeed. Similar as the previous changes with scholarship limits. I do fear that programs could be more disadvantaged, especially a team like Nebraska in the short-term, with the timing of it happening when we are in the toilet. Long-term we'll have to see, and certain coaches will find a way to use it to their advantage. That's what successful people do- they figure out the climate and adapt accordingly. The game will continue to evolve and programs will obviously have to always adapt. I have a feeling that if Frost or the next Nebraska head coach figures out how to use the transfer portal as an advantage, the love of college football might return for those who hated the idea