Mike Farrell Sports

College Football Recruiting, Opinion, and Analysis

Actual Spring Games Between Schools Would Be a Massive Boon to College Football

An actual game between schools would be a game changer and moneymaker

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By Rock Westfall

Each year, the start of spring football gets considerable hype that is unmatched by actual interest. Most hard-core fans barely glance at it despite their high interest in the programs themselves. But an actual game between schools would be a game changer and moneymaker. 

Intrasquad Scrimmages Understandably Don’t Move the Needle 

As boring of a product as spring football is, a case can be made that it was more popular in the past. These days, only Nebraska and a few other schools draw big crowds for intrasquad spring games, which are the symbolic end of 15 practice days allowed for spring football.

Spring football is meant to develop players and install systems as safely as possible. Coaches want to have their players focus on football with as little risk of injury as possible.

The major TV networks will televise a limited amount of these spring football intrasquad games. For example, Ohio State (April 13) and Michigan (April 20) will have their games televised by FOX. ESPN will televise Alabama’s April 13 game.

The rest of the action is relegated to conference networks or ESPN+, and there is plenty of good reason for that. The games are an unwatchable generic eyesore bore, and their main objective is for the players to leave the field unscathed.

A bigger issue is the inability of fans and media to judge the merits of a team in an intrasquad scrimmage. If the offense does well, does that mean the defense is weak, or vice versa?

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Many schools don’t even have formal games anymore. Instead, they will offer fan-fun days with a final practice followed by autographs and picture taking. It’s a decent way to build goodwill with fans and sell merch, but it falls far short of what is possible. 

Hundreds of Millions of Dollars Being Left on the Table 

Now imagine if there were actual games, even if that meant Power Four teams would take on Group of Five teams in a formal game. For example, we could have the Ohio State Buckeyes host the Ohio Bobcats. Yes, it would likely be a mismatch. But it would be an actual game. 

The matchup would likely sell out and be televised on a major network. No doubt, the game would draw viewership that is geometrically larger than this year’s intrasquad scrimmage fakery. Additionally, it would draw significant betting activity. And it would offer a better feel for coaches, fans, gamblers, and the media of where teams stand. Finally, programs like Ohio University would leave with a large check that would help fund all of its athletic programs. 

The matchups are easy and sensible. If Power Four programs want to avoid each other, they could do so for the most part. Primarily, SEC and ACC teams could schedule Sun Belt and CUSA programs. The Big Ten could focus on the MAC and Mountain West teams. The Big 12 could take on CUSA and Mountain West schools. The American Athletic Conference and four independents would fill in the rest as needed. 

Formal Spring Games Would Outdraw Anything Else on TV or the Betting Window

During spring football, the NBA and NHL are winding down their marathon regular seasons while baseball starts its 162-game slog. March Madness is down to its Final Four, the first Saturday in April. There is golf, NASCAR, soccer, and minor league spring football (UFL), which is the fourth such league in five years to give it a try. Real college football spring games would blow all of that away, both on TV and at the betting windows.

April would be a great month to stagger the schedule with games each Saturday that run from morning to night. It would be an oasis in a relatively unappealing sports desert. And college football fans would get a much-needed month of Saturday action to hold them over until Labor Day weekend.  

College football fans are the most intensely passionate, engaged, and loyal of any sport. They would devour the information and results and be thrilled to have a real opportunity to learn about their teams and arch-rivals. Spring games would be great for limitless interaction and debate both before and after the matchups. Fans would feel far more knowledgeable and have more anticipation for the season ahead.

Another entertaining reason for real spring games is that they would terrify coaches. Indeed, coaches would not be able to hide. And if a monumental upset takes place, it would light their seats on fire. A date with the firing squad would be on the table. The pressure would be on full blast, and fan engagement would soar.

Give the sporting public a real game, and you’ll generate high interest while making real money.

Now, off to our boring, wasted sports weekend that could and should be so much better.

Maybe next year…

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