Your team is probably not Alabama, so here’s how to have fun anyway.
College football has hundreds of teams at all sorts of levels, but only a handful of you have any shot at the biggest trophy. Luckily, more than in any other sport, this lends to choosing your own path. You’re probably not making the Playoff, and your coach will be gone three years from now, but so what? Set an attainable goal, hope for improvement over last year, and shout your fight song at 1 a.m. on your neighbor’s lawn regardless.
Basically, you can pout about not being Alabama — if you are Bama, no one asked you — or you can find joy.
So let’s treat the whole thing like a video game quest. Overpowered teams can hope to beat the game. Most can only hope to complete 50 percent. For some, logging on is a victory. (Good job, Oregon State.)
Below, you’ll find a winding series of paths, with any team at any level sure to find at least one goal worth striving for. Hidden within the quest, you’ll also find fun profiles of interesting teams, unique 2018 season analysis, and the best 130-team preview collection, period.