A Breathtaking Start to College Football Season
It’s that time of year again, where colleges enter a collective fervor and millions watch one of the nation’s favorite sports: College football. From August to December, nearly 900 different teams take part in the season, with the excitement drawing in 8,900,000 people on this year’s Kickoff Saturday. With all the spectacle around this collegiate sporting event, we here at the Original Breath Builder want to take some time to remember what makes this occasion so special, from the awesome teams to the legendary rivalries.
Right from the get-go, this season has been an exciting one. As we begin to have more normalcy with the easing of the Covid-19 pandemic, you can easily see how eager teams are to put their best foot forward with their performance this fall. The top three teams in the AP Top 25 are currently the Georgia Bulldogs, the Cincinnati Bearcats, and the Oklahoma Sooners. The Coaches Poll on CBS News also agrees that these teams are the cream of the crop now, and are definitely worth watching. But regardless of rankings, it’s always the most fun to root for your team, whether they’re from your old alma mater or if you're a new fan.
While the football field may seem like the only place to catch the action, there are also the many rivals to keep an eye one. This competition transcends the field and involves the competitiveness between universities. Dozens of rivalries exist across the country, but it’s worth mentioning a few of the most famous ones. Such as Notre Dame and Southern Cal. Since first playing against each other in 1926, these two teams have played against each other nearly every year. Another great athletic antagonism is seen between Princeton and Yale, the oldest rivalry in all of American college football. Making up two thirds of the Big Three, these two teams always bring much attention from sports fans hoping to see where this storied struggle will lead to next. But it would be amiss to talk about college rivalries without mentioning the iconic Army-Navy rivalry. Fought between teams of West Point cadets, this interservice rivalry holds a special place in the hearts of Americans, especially those that served for our country. Whenever they play, it is a worthwhile experience to watch.
The Army-Navy rivalry also has some of the most famous traditions in football. Each game, the entire 9,000 student body of both academies head to the game to cheer on the players. After reciting the names of each company and their respective commander, the “prisoner exchange” of swapped students is done. This imprisoned exchange is meant to symbolize the mutual regard that each academy has. Another great tradition can be found in Nevada, with Las Vegas and Reno battling over the Fremont Cannon. The Fremont Cannon is a 545 pound replica howitzer, making it the largest trophy in college football. Whenever Las Vegas and Reno are against each other, the winner gets to keep the cannon and paint it their school colors. Now, not all traditions have to be so serious, as many help to get the players and crowd ready for the game. They can also even be fun for the viewers, such as the “Jump Around” chant that Wisconsin has at it games.
