Touchdown. One word, nine letters. Marching bands, fight songs, cheerleaders and a roaring stadium all surrounding a field marked in yards. These are all things I wish we could experience at UCCS, but unfortunately, we don’t. UCCS has sports such as soccer, basketball and baseball, but it lacks a football team.
Football is an American icon for many colleges and universities, and UCCS has yet to add this to their athletic lineup.
There’s no better way to show school spirit than to tailgate the morning of a game and cheer on your football team. Saturdays all across America are known as “Game Day” and are treated like a holiday in college towns. UCCS lacks this wow factor on campus. Tailgates are the perfect way for students to come together and celebrate their love for their school.
First, if UCCS had a football team it would probably attract more athletes. High school football players would be likely to consider UCCS for collegiate athletics. UCCS not having a football team eliminates it as an option for prospective high school football players wanting to continue playing their sport.
Also, if UCCS had a football team it would attract more students who like social events. Whether administrators like it or not, some students pick their college based on social opportunities. The opportunity to tailgate football games and attend game days at UCCS would make more students consider coming here for their college years.
When a football team wins a championship game, it brings publicity to the school and attracts potential students. If UCCS got a football team, they would have the potential to recruit athletes from all over the nation and possibly win championships. Who doesn’t want to win a championship?
These reasons aside, I wish UCCS had a football team because, why not? Most colleges have a football team. It’s a common thing in the U.S. and it’s part of the college experience. Many people decide their college based on the overall experience, and a football team is a huge part of that experience.
Why should we take away the typical college football season experience for students if we don’t have to?
I hope that one day down the road UCCS will add a football team to their athletics. I really think it would enhance the already wonderful experience here at UCCS. But until then, I guess I’ll continue watching College Gameday on ESPN and hoping that one day UCCS realizes how beneficial a football team would be.
