College Football - How To Choose a Team

There is hundreds of college football teams, so how do you pick just one? Well we give you some ideas to help you find your new addiction

I love reading the stories on how UK and European fans discovered their chosen teams. It's a unique part of the game that only fans of the sport outside America can really relate too.

I think this is even more complicated when it comes to choosing college teams. American's are quite often born into supporting a college, very much like football fans over this side of the pond with our sport. If not born into a team, usually being local or attending the college usually leads to their fandom. This is what leads to such a passionate affiliation to the teams that we see in stadiums across America on Saturdays.

I enjoy the NFL for many reasons, although I can't help but miss the extra passion college fans hold for their teams and the unique atmospheres they create in their stadiums.

Now how does a UK fan who has just started getting into college football go about choosing a team from the hundreds of choices?

Well I thought I would offer a few ideas to help with that.

First of all you will need to ask yourself a few questions before you just jump straight in and pick a team.

Are you looking for a College Playoff contender? If yes, then you really need to stick to the Power 5 Conferences as they currently stand. No non Power 5 Conference has ever made it to the playoffs, since the playoff era began. (Power 5 Conferences - SEC, Big 10, Big 12, PAC 12 & ACC.)

Is there a part of America you really enjoy visiting, or is there a part of America you want to visit? If this is the case simply base it around this area and decide on the teams closest. I became a Florida Gators and Tampa Bay Buccaneers fan from my trip to Orlando. The only merchandise I saw was them both and after passing Tampa they became the teams I most took an interest in.

Do you want to choose a team based on your NFL team? This is a popular choice, I've tried to do my best to put the closest team to all NFL teams or teams nearby that I think would be an option.

Arizona Cardinals - Arizona State Sundevils, Arizona Wildcats

Atlanta Falcons - Georgia Bulldogs, Georgia State

Buffalo Bills - Buffalo

Baltimore Ravens - Navy, Maryland

Carolina Panthers - South Carolina Gamecocks, Clemson Tigers, Coastal Carolina

Chicago Bears - Illinois, Northwestern

Cincinnati Bengals - Cincinnati Bearcats, Bowling Green, Ohio State Buckeyes

Cleveland Browns - Ohio State Buckeyes, Cincinnati Bearcats, Toledo, Bowling Green

Dallas Cowboys - TCU Horned Frogs, Texas Longhorns, Texas A&M, Texas State Bobcats

Denver Broncos - Colorado Buffaloes

Detroit Lions - Michigan Wolverines, Michigan State Spartans

Green Bay Packers - Wisconsin Badgers

Houston Texans - Rice, Houston Cougars

Indianapolis Colts - Indiana Hoosiers, Ball State, Notre Dame

Jacksonville Jaguars - Jacksonville Dolphins, Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles

Kansas City Chiefs - Kansas, Mizzou Tigers, Kansas State

LA Chargers - UCLA, USC, California Golden Bears

LA Rams - UCLA, USC, California Golden Bears

Las Vegas Raiders - Nevada, UNLV

Miami Dolphins - Miami Hurricans

Minnesota Vikings - Minnesota Golden Gophers

New England Patriots - Boston College, UMass

New Orleans Saints - LSU Tigers, Lousiana Ragin Cajuns

New York Giants - Rutgers

New York Jets - Rutgers

Philadelphia Eagles - Penn State, Temple

Pittsburgh Steelers - Pittsburgh Panthers, Penn State

San Francisco 49ers - California Golden Bears, Stanford

Seattle Seahawks - Washington Huskies, Washington State Cougars

Tampa Bay Buccaneers - USF Bulls, Florida Gators, UCF

Tennessee Titans - Tennessee Volunteers, Vanderbilt, Memphis

Washington Football Team - Georgetown Hoyas, Howard Bison

If none of the above tick the boxes then don't put pressure on it, watch a bunch of games over a season or two and I bet a team jumps out to you.

Whether it's the crazy mascots, colour of jerseys or quality of a team, a team will find you.

Also unlike the NFL I think with so many different conferences, different levels of ability and so many teams to choose from you might find yourself enjoying a few different teams or perhaps the whole culture of college football itself.