College football Saturday’s aren’t the same without all Power 5 conferences in action

It’s officially fall and it’s absolutely great that there are college football games being played. As far as the big dogs, the SEC starts conference play today, and the Big 12 and ACC both have a full schedule of games as well. However, it’s just not the same without all the Power 5 conferences in action.

A reflection of things not being the same can be found in the AP Top 25 poll, where programs like the Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin’ Cajuns and Marshall Thundering Herd are in the top 25. If the Pac-12 and Big Ten are playing, there’s no chance teams like this get in the top 25. This is nothing against those programs or any other that’s made the top 25, but it doesn’t make it any less weird.

When all Power Five conferences are playing we see communities from all across the United States. As part of a broadcast we see different cultures, cuisine, and city skylines during a broadcast. With all of them playing, there are games on from early in the morning until very late at night. From my perspective, I cover Michigan games in the pressbox, followed by post-game coverage that takes hours to complete. By the time I can catch my breath the game of the week being called by Chris Fowler and Kirk Herbstreit is on, followed by games that stretch past midnight via Pac-12 action. Without all the conferences playing, we don’t see nearly as many games going that late.

Let’s not stop with the Power 5 programs, let’s talk about the MAC, and MAC-tion. It’s one of my favorite past-times watching college football during a weekday, and the MAC provides plenty of Wednesday night matchups like Central Michigan vs Northern Illinois. For those who can’t get enough football, the MAC not being in action is quite a bummer.

The good news is the MAC is coming back, the PAC, and most importantly for our readers, the Big Ten. By the time of the end of October rolls around, most conferences will be playing football games, Saturday’s will start to feel a bit more normal.

Then there are fans who only care about a specific team and could care less about watching any other college football program. If that’s you, a Michigan fan without a reason to watch today, I do understand, and in turn you likely agree that this Saturday just doesn’t feel the same. It could be worse, though, there could be no season upcoming at all for Michigan. Fortunately a season is coming, but until then we’ll have to deal with the schedule at hand that includes just three of the Power 5 conferences.

College football is still great, there will be upsets today, highlight reel plays, but Michigan can’t start playing soon enough.