As The College Football Playoff begins today, the hope is that the playoffs and championship game will attract people that are not everyday college football fans to watch the ensuing spectacle.
For the new college football fan, I offer a musical guide to college football to help you associate certain teams and programs with musical bands that are familiar.
The College Football Playoff Semi-Finals:
The Cotton Bowl:
Alabama — The Rolling Stones: An original heavyweight in Rock and Roll. They’ve had ups and downs but always remained the biggest/baddest band on the planet. They’re timeless still turning out huge followings every time they play.
Michigan State — The Beatles/ Paul McCartney: They were big in the 1960s but the cohesiveness fell apart. Like Paul McCartney MSU kept playing but never quite caught that same Beatles mojo. Now Sir Paul and MSU have resurfaced stronger while staying true to old-school style.
The Orange Bowl:
Oklahoma — Toby Keith: Toby Keith is a big Oklahoma Fan so this was a no-brainer. Oklahoma football is Keith’s strong country sound respecting/honoring the past but keeping up with the times. Like Toby Keith, OU gets the job done and has fun doing it.
Clemson — Lil’ Wayne: Like Lil’ Wayne Clemson really hit it big (1981 National Title) then spent time in Riker’s Island (NCAA probation). Now they’re back and poised to have a brighter future ahead of them.
New Year’s Six Bowl Games:
(non-playoff games but still big bowls)
The Rose Bowl:
Iowa — Garth Brooks: Iowa hit it big, fell out of favor for newer younger stars but made a comeback.
Stanford — Yo-Yo-Ma with the Boston Pops: Stanford and the Boston Pops are elite; a virtuoso conductor Keith Lockhart (coach David Shaw) and talented star Yo-Yo-Ma (running Back Christian McCaffrey).
The Peach Bowl:
Florida State — Jay-Z: Like Jay-Z Florida State was not an original power of College Football/or Rap. But they emerged as perennial chart-toppers and built solid foundations to ensure their relevance for a long time
Houston — Selena Gomez: Houston hung around and was competitive but didn’t get taken seriously by the adults in the room. Now with new Coach Tom Herman as the producer they’re grown-up and moving up the charts with a more mature sound.
The Fiesta Bowl:
Ohio State — U2: Almost always successful U2 and Ohio State had some ups and downs experimenting with different producers. In the early 2000s Coach Jim Tressel took OSU back to their old sound. Urban Meyer updated the Buckeyes while sticking to fundamentals of great defense and special teams.
Notre Dame — Elvis Presley: An original Notre Dame still boasts lots of loyal fans and re-emerges on the charts when they re-issue great material. Much like Elvis on Sirius/XM Radio they even have their own channel (NBC).
The Sugar Bowl:
Oklahoma State — Justin Timberlake: Justin Timberlake rose from his time at Disney, Oklahoma State has risen in part because of wealthy backer T Boone Pickens. They’re versatile and entertaining but not yet ready to take their place among the game’s elder statesmen.
Ole Miss — Taylor Swift: Given Katy Perry’s College Game Day appearance in Oxford she might seem like the right choice, but Ole Miss is more Taylor Swift. They started as country but topped the charts with huge hits (back to back wins over Alabama). Like Swift they could be on the charts for a long time.
Other Teams of Note:
Oregon — Lady Gaga: The Oregon Ducks are the eccentric fashionistas of college football, never wearing the same uniform twice. Perhaps someone in Eugene is working on a uniform like Lady Gaga’s all-meat dress. They’d be tough to tackle in those uniforms.
Miami — Madonna: Madonna and Miami were dominant and in “Vogue” in the 1980s and 1990s. The even shared an outlaw-ish image. They still boast big names but the new material isn’t quite the same chart-topping sensation it used to be.
Michigan — Led Zeppelin/Jimmy Page/Robert Plant: Robert Plant sang solo and with The Honeydrippers. Michigan also experimented with different styles. Coach Jim Harbaugh is Jimmy Page reuniting with Robert Plant re-creating the old classic sound to put Michigan fans on their Stairway to Heaven.
Penn State — Van Halen: The long-term success re-emerged in 2005 after a couple of lesser years. But like Van Halen they’re looking to find the right lead singer since David Lee Roth left the band. Sammy Haggar/Bill O’Brien seemed like a good fit until he left. Fans will embrace a lead singer who takes their band up the charts.
Wisconsin — Pearl Jam: Underrated by many, they have a loyal following that seems to show up at shows all over the country. Wisconsin is committed to sound fundamentals and consistency regardless of changing trends.
Texas A&M — Lyle Lovett: Like Texas A&M Alum Lyle Lovett, the Aggies are country at heart but mastered a range of styles. The Aggies have been built on The Wrecking Crew Defense or the frenetic pace of an offense run by Johnny Football. Joining the SEC may be the equivalent of Lyle’s marriage to Julia Roberts but we will see how it works out for A&M in the years to come.
So there you have it new College football fans. Hope this helps you understand the cultural significance of college football in America. It is so much more than a game played between young men aged of 17 to 23.
