Why I Love to Watch Weekday College Football

For me, there’s nothing better than when the evenings start cooling off and the sun starts setting before I get home from work.  There’s just something about rushing through dinner so I can flick the TV on and check out some MAC or Sun Belt football.  You may think I’m being sarcastic, but I promise I’m not.  Being a huge football fan, I’ve always felt that I can appreciate any game, no matter who is playing or what the story lines may be.  Here’s my list of the reasons why I love weekday college football.  Hopefully I can convert some of you, “Saturday-only” fans…

• It’s a good change of pace…  The high tensions of the NFL on Sunday and Monday night make me yearn for the lighthearted college game sometimes.  After a week of hearing about Brett Favre’s first game against the Packers, I just couldn’t take it anymore.  There’s a simplicity in mid-major college football.  Just like during basketball season, it’s near impossible to know all the “star” players on each team, but it’s fun jumping on the Levi Brown bandwagon for a few hours (by the way, he’s Troy’s quarterback who beat Middle Tennessee State on Tuesday).  I’m not saying that it’s better football or anything like that, it’s obviously not, but it is a good change of pace.
• A chance to see teams that are usually relegated to local markets… On a normal Saturday, you would never see matchups like Missouri/Nevada, Boise State/Fresno State or Toledo/Colorado nationally.  All three games where reasonably close and entertaining until at least the fourth quarter when one team began to pull away.  These types of games aren’t for everybody, but remember that these nationally televised games are most players only time to shine during their football career.
• The game is more pure…  I couldn’t think of the right way to word this, but in essence, I mean that most of the weekday matchups include players who will never make it to the NFL.  You won’t get Florida vs LSU on a Tuesday at 7pm.  As I mentioned before, for many teams and players this primetime game may be their only chance for anybody to watch them around the country.  I’d bet that’s a great feeling.  Louisiana Tech won’t garner much attention this season, but for one night on Friday, they own the college football spotlight.
• Interactive Tuesday…  ESPN didn’t feature it this week, but I’m hoping to see it later in the year.  Last season, Interactive Tuesday became must see TV for me.  Imagine a football themed “pop up video” for the Twitter, Facebook and Text Message generation.  Fans are encouraged to send in questions, comments and complaints about the game that are featured on a scrolling ticker.  Also, there are times when phone lines are opened and viewers can pose questions to the commentators.  At first, I thought it was a stupid idea, but it grew on me quickly.  It shows a lighter side of the game that I think works well when it’s not a marquee matchup.
• The Big East…  Any college football fan can remember the legendary weeknight games in 2006 when Rutgers came from oblivion to upset #2 South Florida on a Friday night and stole a win against Louisville late on a Thursday evening.  The Big East schedule makers do a good job creating interesting in-conference matchups in these slots.  This year should be no different with weekday matchups including South Florida vs Cincinnati (winner probably takes the conference), Pitt vs Rutgers and West Virginia vs South Florida.
• It fills out my week…  Take a look at the schedule for next week.  Notice anything?  There will be a primetime football game on every night.  There is college football from Tuesday-Saturday and then there are our usual Sunday and Monday night NFL games.  Every week but Week 14 (the last real week) has at least three weekday college games, and Week 11 is another packed week with every day covered.
• Erin Andrews…  She probably won’t see the MAC and MWC sidelines anymore since she’s become increasingly popular, but an entire demographic can dream, can’t they?

And there you have it: the reasons you should turn that TV on every weeknight to make sure you’re not missing out on any TV.