The Bandwagon Fan Guide đ
08/31/2023
By: Jeff Yoder
Donât Have A College Football Allegiance? It’s Never Too Late. Meet the 2023 CFB Bandwagon Fan Guide (By Aaron Yorke)
The start of college football season is always an exciting time of year. Hope springs eternal, even if your team has no chance to win the national championship (which is true for at least 80 percent of college football fans). Suddenly, your Saturdays are filled with several must-see sporting events that you have to plan family outings around. Even if thereâs a game on that you have no rooting interest in, the passion of the fans and the magical atmosphere draw you into the drama. Thereâs nothing like college football.
Sadly, there are some fans among us who havenât been properly introduced to the thrill that is the college game. The NFL has almost universal appeal, so why not college football? There are even more touchdowns, and you can celebrate those touchdowns with even more fervor because the next day is not Monday! Itâs probably because some people think you have to attend a college in order to root for that collegeâs football team. Nonsense! Choosing a college football team to root for should be just as easy as choosing a pro team. Thatâs why this bandwagon guide is here. Just choose which region of the United States you live in to get started.
Northeast: #7 Penn State
This region of the country has the most potential for bandwagon jumping because there are so many pro sports fans and so few big college football programs. Enter the Nittany Lions, who have come close to the College Football Playoff, but never qualified. Many fans think that this is finally the year with the team coming off a Rose Bowl victory and introducing a blue-chip starting quarterback in Drew Allar. Ohio State and Michigan are still tough obstacles, but Penn Stateâs returning experience on the defense and in the running game could finally get this team over the hump.
Midwest: #19 Wisconsin
Yes, the aforementioned Buckeyes and Wolverines also reside in the Midwest, so why Wisconsin? First of all, like Penn State, the Badgers have also not made the Playoff before. Second, it is really fun to Jump Around at the start of every fourth quarter. Plus, by not rooting for Michigan and Ohio State, you can jump on a bandwagon without making it super obvious that you are doing so. It is a stealth move, even if the smashmouth Badgers are anything but stealth. Sure, they have not always been the most entertaining team, but they embody Midwestern grit with their commitment to physical play, and new head coach Luke Fickell could take them to the next level after leading Cincinnati to the Playoff two years ago.
West Coast: #6 USC
What? Another Big Ten team? Itâs hard to have diversity with conferences when two of them try to take over the world. USC is indeed joining the Big Ten in 2024, and the culture shock should be amusing enough to make up for how ridiculous the matchmaking is. Anyway, the Trojans appear to be a safe bet for bandwagon jumping because of how quickly Lincoln Riley has returned them to their former glory. It wasnât a national championship, but last yearâs Cotton Bowl appearance was a far better result than USCâs last few seasons under former head coach Clay Helton. With Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams returning to school, the Trojans are expected to conquer the Pac-12 before heading where the grass is greener.
South: #5 LSU, #8 Florida State & #11 Texas
Everyone in the South is supposed to have a college football team already. The sport just means a little something extra in that part of the country. In case youâre a transplant or an NFL diehard, though, there are plenty of programs to choose from. LSU has the cool colors, the cool uniform, Joe Cool himself, Joe Burrow, as an alumnus, and a shot to return to the SEC Championship Game for a second year in a row under second-year head coach Brian Kelly. Just like Riley with USC, Kelly turned around the LSU program faster than expected, and the Tigers are right back in the national title hunt.
When Texas defeated Georgia in the Sugar Bowl following the 2018 season, everyone thought the Longhorns were âback,â but instead it was Georgia who became a national title winner while Texas hasnât won double-digit games since. Five years later, the hype is starting to build again with Quinn Ewers back under center and Arch Manning waiting for his time to shine. The 2023 season is a major opportunity for Texas because winning the Big 12 figures to be a lot easier than winning the SEC in future years. Good thing for that Playoff expansion, right?
It had been rough sledding for Florida State fans since Jimbo Fisher left for Texas A&M, but now is the perfect time to jump on the bandwagon with Mike Norvell leading the team to a 10-win season in 2022 that included wins over LSU, Oklahoma, Miami, and Florida. This season there is serious Playoff hype for the Seminoles, and thereâs a great chance they fulfill it if they finally get past Clemson. Is this the year? Jump on the bandwagon before itâs too late!
Everywhere: #13 Notre Dame
The good thing about college football nowadays is that most of the big games are widely available on national television. Itâs not like the NFL where a local game could cause you to miss a clash of the titans. However, even in the old days, Notre Dame was always on television, and the programâs media deal with NBC is a major reason why it has remained independent for so long. No matter where you live in the country, there are Notre Dame fans there, and itâs easy to follow the team since they are always in the national spotlight. After years of success under Kelly, including a 2012 BCS appearance as well as Playoff appearances in 2018 and 2020, Marcus Freeman is in charge. Last year got off to a disappointing start with a stunning loss to Marshall, but the Irish finished the campaign with a Gator Bowl win over South Carolina, and they scored a paradigm-shifting transfer in Sam Hartman from Wake Forest. If last Saturdayâs dominating win over Navy was any indication, Irish fans are about to be very obnoxious again.
Donât get me wrong, there are other options beyond the teams listed above. But unless you want to hop aboard the Georgia and Alabama SEC dynasties, or simply comply with the Ohio State and Michigan over-saturation in the Big Ten â and look like a true bandwagoner â these teams will deliver excitement on Saturdays in a season where anything can happen. Having a community in sports makes games all the more special. The 2023 CFB season is about to launch. Enjoy the ride!
Read More
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CBS Sports:Â CFB QB Power Rankings: Williams, Hartman & More
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