08-21-2015, 12:16 PM
(08-13-2015, 04:55 PM)OkamiW Wrote: So, I've been a NFL fan for as long as I can remember, but I've never dabbled much into the college football scene. I don't really understand the SEC, Big-12, etc, and I would very much like to (not to sound like a noob but yeah xD ). Any college teams that remind you of the Bengals in terms of play style/culture?
I almost forgot to describe the conferences to you...
The Big Ten is in the Midwest, and prides itself on academics. Applicants are required to meet stringent standards, including AAU membership. This conference is home to the three largest fanbases in the country: Ohio State, Michigan, and Penn State. The Big Ten has not actually had ten teams since 1990.
The ACC is (shockingly) located along the Atlantic Coast, and thanks to the rich history of Duke and North Carolina, are generally thought of as more of a basketball conference. However, ACC teams have seen success on the football field, especially Miami in the 80s and early 00s and Florida State in the 90s as well as recent years.
The SEC is located in the southeast (again, shocking), and had a recent run of national football success through the 00s. These successes have been thanks to the effort of numerous teams. The camaraderie individual fans share with their so-called rivals has led to chants of "S-E-C" being audible over telecasts. (This is akin to Bengal fans rejoicing when the Steelers win a Super Bowl. "Hooray, our division won!") Generally, when a talented recruit is kicked off a team, he can easily find his way onto an SEC roster due to southern hospitality and lax standards. They think it's fun to schedule games against lower division teams in November.
The Big XII is centered in Texas, but for some reason West Virginia is there, too. Football here is what you'd expect from a great football state like Texas. The Red River Rivalry was one of the best in football, and TCU and Baylor have seen great success in recent years. They have not actually had 12 teams since 2011, and they do not have a conference championship (all teams play each other).
The Pac-12 is the one conference that knows how to count. They are located in the Arctic Ocean. Kidding! They are on the Pacific Coast. USC is their traditional powerhouse, with the University of Nike (Oregon) coming on strong since the late 00s. The Golden Coast has a rich history of producing NFL talent, and has a long-standing rivalry with the Big Ten due to similar academic standards (putting the college in college football). The showcase for this rivalry was the Rose Bowl, the granddaddy of them all.
