Patrick Mahomes. Tom Brady. Jerry Rice. These are just a few names that come to mind of a casual fan when thinking about the National Football League, or NFL for short. Combined, these legends boast an overwhelming number of achievements together: 13 Super Bowl Rings, 5 NFL MVPs, and 9 Super Bowl MVPs, just to name a few. The merits achieved through college football don’t always translate into success in the NFL, where only the best compete. With sharper competition, bigger stakes, and more significant accolades, the NFL is clearly better.
The biggest argument for college football being better is the fanbase and overall atmosphere at games. Even though this view is shared by many, statistics say otherwise. When comparing the most viewed games of both leagues ever—the 2006 Rose Bowl for college football and the 2024 Super Bowl 58 for the NFL—the Rose Bowl reached just 35.6 million viewers compared to Super Bowl 58’s 123.4 million. Aaron Williams ‘26 added, “I love watching UCLA football and showing my Bruin pride by wearing my Josh Rosen jersey every Saturday, but most of the time, the average game is a blowout due to the significant skill disparities between teams.”
The NFL’s 32-team structure, composed of only the best players, ensures closer, more competitive games. This structure completely contrasts college football’s, which features dozens of Division One teams with significant skill gaps. This difference in team structure causes an overload of blowouts in college football. Additionally, Fantasy Football and premier streaming times make the NFL a better league. Jack Horan ‘26 added, “I look forward to turning on Sunday Night Football, as no other good entertainment options are on at the time. I constantly check my Fantasy Football team, which creates more excitement when watching close games.”
College football is simply subpar in comparison to the NFL as of now. With the NFL’s higher viewership, longer season, and higher stakes, it’s the far superior choice to tune into on weekends for the foreseeable future. What would you do if there was a college and NFL game on at the same time? The USC Trojans at the Coliseum or an AFC quarterback clash between Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson? For some, the pageantry and tradition of college football make it a far superior spectacle to its professional equivalent.
AP World History teacher Levi Line remarked, “The passion and dedication to a college town foster a connection not seen in professional football, which I especially saw this after playing during my college years. There is a sense of pride in seeing one’s own school succeed.” On the other hand, some appreciate the NFL’s higher entertainment value, unpredictable playoffs, and each respective team’s elite players. The narratives that surround America’s most-watched drama also add another element to the viewing experience.
Despite being a USC alumnus, one of the most decorated football programs in history, counselor Ryan Bouziane still views the NFL as the superior product: “I still have a fantasy football league with all my good buddies from high school, and this fosters a deeper connection to the game, since I’m always checking to see how my team’s doing. Also, I can turn on NFL RedZone, half-watching, while also playing with my kids.”
While the NFL does offer Fantasy Football and a convenient NFL RedZone app that enhances the watching experience, the college football atmosphere and tradition transcend the NFL experience and capture football’s raw passion. Caleb Turse ‘27 is one of the Cubs who loves the visceral feel of collegiate football, as he remarked, “To put it simply, college football players care more. This is why I have a much deeper connection watching my dad and I’s favorite team every Saturday on the TV, the Rutgers, than with any team in the NFL.”
Both levels of football are incredible in their own right. However, the strong connection to schools, players, and communities easily cements college football as superior to the National Football League.
