If you're not a BSU fan (and aren't a Vandal), maybe you should be.

Anyone else going to miss these two?

As I walked around the Western Idaho Fair last night, I came across the University of Idaho booth where, among other items, football posters and Joe Vandal stickers were being handed out. (By the way, if you were one of the select few Boise State fans who found a Joe Vandal sticker on the back of your T-shirt when you got home and don't know how it got there, I too do not know how it got there.)

I was excited to see Robb Akey's face again, he really is a cool guy, as I said out loud the name of each Vandal I felt like a huge geek. I was thinking about the fair this morning and realized the college football season starts in three days.

College football is my favorite sport by far. And since I haven't seen a game since January, I almost forgot why I like college football so much. So I searched the archives and found this article on while it's so great. The only problem with that article was that it was written to a college student audience, which makes sense since it did appear in a college newspaper. I am no longer in college, will that affect my love for the sport, I wondered.

I spent some time thinking about it and yes, college football is something to be loved by all.

Without a playoff system, every game means something. The entire season is a playoff series. Georgia finished the year ranked number two last year and felt it, not LSU, should have played in the national title game. But Georgia lost to Tennessee in October, failing to win it's division and causing them a shot at LSU in the conference championship game. Had Georgia beat Tennessee, they would have played against LSU for the right to play in the national title game.

There are 32 NFL teams and unless you live, or have lived, in or around one of those two cities, you're really rooting for a group of strangers you have no real connection with other than maybe your dad used to cheer for them too. There are a 119 Division I FBS football teams and hundreds more at various levels. Chances are, there's probably a college football team near you. This makes it easy to be a fan. You can follow them in the local media, catch them on TV and best of all, go watch them play without having to save for six months to afford plane tickets and game tickets. Being a fan of your local team is like being part of your community. Take Boise State for example. How many Boise State fans actually attended Boise State? It doesn't matter, they are the local team down the road. And so you're a fan almost by default. You hear about them on the news, read about them in the paper, see them on local TV when they aren't playing on ESPN, tailgate in the stadium's parking lot and fill the stands for home games. The Broncos are associated with Idaho as much potatoes and lame "you da ho" jokes are. With all due respect to the Hawks, Stampede and Steelheads, the Broncos are the closest thing this area has to a professional football team.

If you went to a college with a football team, the sport will always give you a reason to stay connected with your school. Do you think most USC alumni know, or care, who the president of the school is? Probably not, but I'm sure they know who Pete Carroll, Reggie Bush and Matt Leinart are. Alumni aren't going to brag about USC having a better business department than UCLA but you can be sure they'll brag about the final score at the end of the game.

College football games are cheaper to attend then professional games and the fans look much better. Would you rather sit next to this fan or these fans? The game is also played by players who are playing for very more then for the love of the game. The majority of them know they'll never make it to the professional level and that winning homecoming their senior year is their Super Bowl.

Anything and everything can happen in college football during a game, just ask a Michigan fan if you don't believe me.

College football is as good as it gets. If you're still not excited about this year's season, here's a game from every week of the season that should do the trick.

Appalachian State at LSU (Aug 30)

This is the first ever match up of the FCS and FBS champions. Don't expect Appalachian State to sneak up on LSU like they did Michigan last year, but expect them to show up to play.

Fresno State at Rutgers (Sept. 1)

Fresno State was the WAC's original Boise State. Rutgers is a team that has come on strong the last few years. Fresno State is looking to get back to the top of the WAC and into the polls, this early season test will show how close, or far, they are to getting there. For Rutgers, this win or loss could set the tone for the rest of their season.

BYU at Washington (Sept. 6)

BYU is this year's hot pick for a mid-major program to run the table and end the season playing a BCS bowl game. Washington put an end to Boise State's BCS dreams early in the season last year, will they end BYU's this year?

Ohio State at USC (Sept. 13)

This game could decide who plays for the national title. If the winning team goes undefeated the rest of the season, they are a lock to get in. If the losing team runs the table from that point on, it will give the winning team some padding should they drop a game one week.

Boise State at Oregon (Sept. 20)

Boise State plays in the Weakest Atheltic Conference, the school will need to run the table in the conference and put up quality wins against non-conference opponents to earn a spot in the top 25 and try to secure another BCS bowl. Oregon, ranked No. 20 in USA Today's preseason poll, is a quality opponent some expect to challenge USC's hold on the Pac-10.

Tennessee at Auburn (Sept. 27)

Anytime two teams from the nation's toughest conference go at it, it's going to be a good game, both teams are ranked in the top 15, it should be a good game.

Ohio State at Wisc. (Oct. 4)

Ohio State has already won the Big Ten Conference, if you ask the talking heads on ESPN, and no one is supposed to be able to challenge them. Expect Wisconsin to feel differently in what should determine the Big Ten Champion.

Oklahoma at Texas (Oct. 11)

The Red River Shoot Out has been much more exciting now that Texas has proved it can win it. In one corner you have No. 4 Oklahoma. In the other, you have No. 10 Texas. Both teams will be giong for blood.

Tennessee at Georgia (Oct. 11)

If only Georgia had beaten Tennessee, they'd be national champs, or so they've spent the last year believing while looking forward to this rematch.

Hawai'i at BSU (Oct. 17)

It won't be the same Hawai'i team that beat the Broncos last year and ended their stronghold on the WAC since they will come into town with a new coach and quarterback, but don't expect Boise State to take that into consideration as they look to average last year's loss.

Georgia at LSU (Oct. 25)

These teams finished as the top two ranked teams in 2007. If they remain undefeated at this point, expect a full out brawl for the nation's top ranking. The best part is, there's a good chance this game could be a preview of the SEC Championship game, giving fans an encore presentation.

Florida at Georgia (Nov. 1)

To be the top Dawg, you have to beat the top Dawg. If Georgia wants to play for the national championship, it will have to beat the 2007 and 2006 champion in back-to-back weeks. As if playing in the SEC wasn't challenging enough.

Georgia at Kentucky (Nov 8)

I know there are other teams playing than just Georgia but Kentucky came out of nowhere last season and could catch Georgia by surprise for the upset if they make it though LSU and Florida undefeated. They were a tough home team last year, where they will face Georgia.

Boise State at Idaho (Nov. 15)

This is a game fans of both school's mark on their calendar months in advance. For those who don't, they won't have a chance to get inside the Kibbie Dome where the Vandals' gave the Broncos' all they could handle for the first 80 percent of the game in 2006.

For Boise State fans, it's the chance to extend their dominance over instate rival Idaho. For Idaho fans, it's the entire season and postseason wrapped up into one game.

BYU at Utah (Nov. 22)

If BYU is undefeated at this point, this game could mean millions for the MWC. Or rival Utah could take down BYU, buying themselves a year's worth of bragging rights while costing the conference millions.

Fresno State at Boise State (Nov 28)

The Bronco's can't be happy they saw their WAC-title winning steak come to an end last year. Both teams should be undefeated in WAC play at this point, meaning the title will be decided on the Broncos' blue turf. If both teams are undefeated in conference and non-conference play, expect to see College Game Day in Boise.

SEC Championship Game (Dec. 6)

This is the closest thing to a playoff game you'll see in college.