OPINION: There is a Civil War in College Football Brewing

Written by Ethan Roberts

The recent conference realignment has started a civil war in college sports. Ironically, the Civil War is a regional rivalry between Oregon and Oregon State that may not be played anymore due to Oregon and Washington jumping ship to the Big Ten at a heavy discount starting in 2024. Nobody asked for the death of regionality in sports, but here we are.

So long are the days of the Pac-12, which has four teams remaining that are looking at a few options to go forward. None of the options look promising to college football fans. So long the league that brought us heavy passing schemes and thrilling midnight finishes between UCLA and Oregon that posed as prime time entertainment to the half-drunken crowds on the east coast. So long clashes of style between USC and Utah to determine west coast supremacy, because there is no such thing as regional or territorial supremacy anymore. So long protected rivalries that matter in conferences due to schedule limitations. How can Northwestern be expected to maintain their rivalry with Illinois when they will be expected to play in New Jersey one week and southern California the next week.

Welcome to the new era of college football. ESPN College Football Playoff ads are already knocking on your door. The committee is ready to tell you that your team doesn’t have a strong enough schedule to make the playoffs. If only they were in the Big 22, or however many teams actually end up in the former Midwestern conference. Players are ready to opt out of bowl games, not because they are meaningless, but because they were told that they were by filthy rich executives that oversell the importance of the college football playoffs.

The civil war has already transpired in Europe. A group of people attempted to steal the top soccer clubs from the European leagues to form one super league. Does this sound familiar? Fans in Europe managed to destroy the corporate greed with inspirational protesting and denouncing the hideous idea. Families packed the streets to save the game that they love.

There are two wars coming. Both need to be won by the passionate fans to inch closer to saving the game that we all love. The first war is the battle of meaningless bowl games. Don’t let the TV executive tell you that it’s playoffs or bust for your favorite team. Watch the GoDaddy.com bowl. Watch the TaxSlayer Gator bowl. Watch your armed forces play in their special bowl game. Denounce the casuals who claim that last year’s bout between USC and Tulane didn’t matter. It was a classic. Two teams that clearly felt honored to be in their “meaningless” bowl game.

The second war will be manufactured rivalries. TV executives will attempt to create a dramatic storyline and feud between Rutgers and Washington, but, they have only faced each other twice in their respective histories. It is emphatic that the passionate football fans tune into the real rivalries game. Florida Gator fans need to tune in for to TCU-Texas Tech and “The battle for the Saddle”. Indiana Hoosier fans need to tune in for Ole Miss-Mississippi State for the “The Egg Bowl”.

 Let the executives know that they cannot and will not destroy tradition. There are bleak times ahead, but the battle is not yet lost, commander.