
Here in Florida the Florida Gators are struggling to even get to bowl eligibility while the Seminoles of Florida State are coasting along. But both schools have rabid followers, as do the downstate Miami Hurricanes and even newcomers UCF and USF show flashes of what they might become. The same is apparent everywhere as back in my birth state the Virginia Cavaliers and Virginia Tech are always followed closely. In my college days in Tucson, the Wildcats were always aware that Arizona State was the threat nearby. Great rivalries make for great games.
But to me the best part is the weather in November. Really, attending an early season game in September or even early October can be brutal and there is something that seems irreverent about attending a game in shorts and sandals as is common down here. But now the cooler weather is settling in and the air is much more crisp on game day. It just adds energy and the feeling I remember on football Saturday back home in the Old Dominion. The changing leaves and chill in the air with the smell of burning wood just goes hand in hand with football.
And there's one more thing that is so wonderful about college football. In a life that is so full of stress and worry, those wonderful hours at a football game with all the pageantry and excitement in the air eliminate your concerns for a little while. That is good for the soul and good for the blood pressure and it's a time when you can just let things go for a little while.
So whether your team is the Florida Gators, the Arizona Wildcats, the Virginia Cavaliers or any of the many other proud schools playing today, relax and have fun. Let your hair down for a while, for the game of football is one of those things that is meant to be enjoyed. There's plenty of time later to fret and worry. Have a great day and savor it. But, remember, tomorrow morning to spend some time with your Maker and thank Him for all that you have. After all, football is just another of those things that He had a hand in creating.
God bless America and go, team, go.