The US collegiate sports system ranks as one of the nation’s top contests for any fan to tune into on any given game, with football remaining as a hot commodity and valuable asset for all US sports fans thanks to its extensive college atmosphere and wide selection of valuable prospects who could potentially become mainstays in the NFL Draft selection proves.
The NFL may still reign supreme as the nation’s most highly popular football sports league, yet the college game has also amassed its fair share of momentous intrigue from fans across the country and with students represented their respected school ahead of gameday.
College football has garnered an incredible reputation amongst sporting fans due to the amazing and highly passionate fan base that most school’s have amassed over their selective period of existence, as well as the often-reliable means of developing star-studded talent that is aiming to make the transition from college star to professional sporting icon at NFL level.
Fans now turn up in huge numbers to a variety of encounters, with some stadiums even supporting spectators in the hundreds of thousands capacity, all in the effort of cheering on their beloved college team to National Championship glory throughout the regular season and tournament play-off bracket.
Here’s a breakdown on the US college football system including its overall structure, outright favorites for the new season and other notable inclusions in the college game:
Here’s The Beginners’ Guide To College football
1. How The NCAA College Football Season Works
Before any prestigious program can gain passage into the NCAA Play-off bracket, they must first earn qualification from their respected Conference that features other rivalling and neighboring schools all jostling for a place in the tournament.
Some conferences feature much more ranked schools than others with the Southeastern West and East league’s being widely considered to be the main pinnacle of any NCAA action as it features several schools in the top ranking throughout the overall standings.
After the regular season reaches its conclusion, only the very best ranked teams in their respected conference will enter into the NCAA tournament bracket against another rivalling school who has also achieved qualification.
As the tournament progresses towards its closing stages, two teams will be left for a chance to win a National Championship in the NCAA finals, with several collegiate programs raring for a chance to prove their worth as the nation’s top destination for all developing young talent that the sport has to offer.
There remains a great struggle amongst even the top ranked teams to earn National Championship glory at the tournament’s conclusion, yet this remains as one of the greatest honors available for any aspiring athlete at college level when attempting to turn pro in the coming years.
2. Favorites For The 2022/23 Season
With the 2022 regular season now already well underway, fans will now be clamoring to place their bets in play with the latest college football lines on the DraftKings sportsbook with the postseason tournament now due to start in a short while.
For any newcomers to the sport, the most prominent school that is likely to stake their claim as National Champions comes in the form of last year’s winners Georgia Bulldogs who remain the heavy favorites at -120 money line outright odds.
Other notable schools include Ohio State (+240), Michigan (+700) and Tennessee (+1,200) who have all emerged as major contenders to claim the National Championship this season thanks in large part to their impressive roster of high-profile talented athletes that are expected to be selected at a very high rate throughout the looming 2023 NFL Draft.
Fans can also place bets on who they believe will claim the prestigious Heisman Trophy this season with Ohio State Buckeyes Quarterback CJ Stroud being ranked as the top contender to win the award at +140 and as a potential first overall pick candidate for any franchise that is in desperate need of a QB in the 2023 Draft Class.
3. Path To The NFL
College football is arguably the greatest pathway available for any aspiring high school prospect to choose when aiming for a career at the professional level within the NFL.
This level of play allows athletes to hone their skills and showcase their overall talents on mainstream coverage to scouts from across the nation representing the 32 NFL clubs, including those who will be picking high in the Draft.
Once the season has concluded, a player can declare whether they are planning to enter the NFL Draft and will await their name to be called throughout the seven-round period from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell on Draft night, where they will remain hopeful that a franchise will select them during the next few rounds.
Some positions such as Quarterbacks will always be valued over others, meaning even the top players in their position will likely have to wait hours before their name is called up to the NFL due to the clear favoritism of Drafting a talented QB over a critically acclaimed star name in another rivalling spot on the field.
Read Also: