Opinion: Professional Football is better than College Football

One of our nation’s greatest pastimes is the game of football. For the last 100-plus years, weekends have been ruled by football, either at the college level or at the pro level. As a college student, I feel it is somewhat blasphemous to say this, but I stand by it: professional football is better than college football. To me, it is better to watch, better to talk about and better to be a part of.

For starters, professional football is just plain better football. It is more exclusive, the players have the incentive of money to play at a higher level and audiences can expect an all-around better experience. This, in turn, creates better competition. Players play higher quality games and it almost always is a close and exciting game.

I cannot say the same for college football. There are over 100 teams in all of college football, none of which are allowed to compensate their players. This problem alone gives college another knock; students play their hearts out every week for their teams and receive nothing for it. In the meantime, the schools, the television networks and the coaches all receive massive paydays, and it's all on the backs of students playing for free.

College football also has another major problem; every year, it seems like it is the same 10 teams that seem to be any good. Over the last decade or two, Alabama, Clemson, Florida, Ohio State, LSU, Auburn, Oklahoma, Texas, Notre Dame and our own Georgia Bulldogs are always the best teams.

Don't look now, but each one of these teams is currently ranked in the Associated Press Top 25. How can that be good for the sport? I would love to see some new teams and fresh faces atop the leaderboard, but that is not how it goes. In the NFL, even the dynasty teams don't win year after year; each year is a surprise, and it is always great to see who ends up on top.

Lastly, pro football is just more entertaining. With college, you have one of two things; either a top tier team will completely obliterate a lower tier team (or even a respectable one), or two top-25 teams will go up against one another, and it will more than likely be a lopsided game anyway. Rarely are the games close, and when they are, it's a surprise. In the NFL, close games occur week after week, they keep fans entrenched in the action and people want to stay until the very end.

College football is certainly fun to watch, but I find myself having less and less interest year after year. I only would ever root for my team, but I would never know half the names on the field. In the NFL, I have my team. Moreover, I am able to follow along with consistent action, great games and it is always much more satisfying in the end. Which form of football do you prefer?