Can You Be a Fan of a School's Team If You Didn't Attend That School?

None of these teams even voted themselves #1 in the final poll before the championship game.

Let's be clear about how the BCS and national titles work in college football. The BCS does NOT define a champion - the polls do, as they always have. Texas did not win the 2005 title by beating USC - they won the title because the coaches agreed to vote for the winner of that game #1 in the polls. As such, they were national champions because they were #1 in the polls. Same with Florida. Regardless of who played whom - that's the system we have in place. The NCAA still doesn't recognize an official NCAA Champion - it's just the team(s) that are #1 in the AP and Coaches polls.

Until the system changes, Florida's championship is as official and as legit as Texas' as is LSU's 2-loss championship, regardless of whether people feel other teams should have had a shot at being in the title game, and regardless of how many other teams claim to be #1.

 

I've always rooted for UT growing up and still do. My brother and some friends went to Baylor so I made the decision to attend Baylor as well.

The frat I'm in as a chapter at UT so I have a lot of friends that went there. Plus, I used to always party there since Austin is close to Waco.

So I'm a Baylor & UT fan

 

Fixed.

 

Waco was ok. Atleast we're not in the middle of nowhere like Lubbock

No traffic was a plus..just sit back and get throwed in the game

 

You believing this is akin to me saying the same thing in the 2002 season when Miami "lost" to Ohio State. I could go on and on about how Miami got robbed at the end with the bogus pass interference call (and I did at the time, there was a massive thread about it that eventually got closed), but in the end, it was Ohio State (much to my chagrin) that was recognized as the National Champion, not Miami. I have moved on, believe it or not, although it took about 5 years. Maybe you will move on as well although I guess you still have 4 years to keep fighting the good fight, lol.

 

Oh and I have heard this from people on this board (ahem, Buck Turgidson) as well as people in real life about how I am a bandwagoner because I like the U and I never went to school there. Absolute rubbish and garbage - like moe said, you form the teams you like when you are in elementary school. Living in TN, there were no professional sports teams (I feel like I have said this too many times that I should have it memorized) to follow. I guess I could have rooted for the Atlanta sports teams (Falcons, Hawks, and Braves) since they were "local" but I chose the teams I chose because of players - the Broncos (John Elway), the Red Sox (Wade Boggs and Roger Clemens, ironically enough) and the Rockets (Hakeem Olajuwon). This was done in the mid '80s when I was around 12. It was also around that time that I became a fan of the Canes due to their Orange Bowl win over Nebraska (the '84 Orange Bowl).

As SCF and Lil Pun mentioned about Arkansas, it is the same way in TN, especially before the Titans, that it is UT Vol football that everyone is supposed to root for. The feeling that you can't be a fan if you didn't go to school there?? Bull**** - try telling that to all the people in TN who went to MTSU (like me and my wife) or Tennessee Tech or Austin Peay or Tennessee State or David Lipscomb or any of the other colleges and universities in Tennessee. People would probably curse you (if you are lucky) and then beat your ass for saying such a thing.

The thing I do agree with is that once you pick a team to root for, to bail on them because they have a down year (or in Miami's case, several down years) and start rooting for like USC is lame. You should always stay with your team no matter how bad (or good) they are doing. I also like Georgia because that is where my mom is from and because of Herschel Walker. There was a brief period of time where I was torn who to root for between UT and Georgia (I was a UT fan up til the '86 Sugar Bowl) but luckily the 2 schools used to not play each other that much. It was only when Arkansas and South Carolina joined the SEC that Georgia and Tennessee played each other every year and by then, I was no longer a fan of UT (I didn't like how all of the Vol fans I knew rubbed my nose in them beating Miami - if the game had been close, I probably would still be a fan of both teams). If someone wants to call me a bandwagoner or a "t-shirt" fan because I never did go to Georgia or Miami, then let them. I think it would be hilarious that they would get that worked up and be that bothered by who I, a grown man, roots for. Oh and if MTSU ever beat Miami or Georgia, I think it would be the greatest thing ever and would be extremely happy for my alma mater.

 

Well. I wanted to attend FSU growing up.

Then I even lived about two hours from the campus during my junior year of high school, and I thought I'd get to go there.

Then we moved back to Texas and some things in life happened that I'm actually just fine with in the long run. I met my wife at our university, so I'm okay with it all.

But, I grew up with family in FL, was born in FL, and mostly my mom and I shared a bond rooting for FSU, hence the desire to attend there. When she passed away, it only solidified my interest in what they do over there.

Plus, I love me some Bowdenisms.


So, if you have more reasons than a "bandwagon" reason... I say, "yes" - be a fan of a school you didn't attend.

 

Growing up I always liked Michigan and applied there after high school. Got in but decided to attend UT-Austin instead. Always root for them when they're not playing Texas. I don't know if this falls under t-shirt fan status.

I've always found that people who didn't attened Texas and are fans of the schools football team, always seem to overcompensate their non-alumni status by going overboard on the fandom. Decking themselves out in burnt orange, getting a longhorn tatoo, etc... Live and let live I guess. The more fans Texas has the more money my university makes.

But there is a difference between Alumni fandom and Non Alumni fandom. The primary difference is Almuni graduated from Texas.

 

who the hell cares??

 

You have a great point about that pass interference call. But Miami should have played better in that game. Miami should have never even let OSU take them to OT, putting Miami in a position to get screwed on a terrible pass interference call. So in my opinion, Miami is to blame for the loss.

At least in 2002, there was no debate about who should be playing for the title, while in 2008, you had 7 teams that could make a case to play in the championship game, Tech, OU, Utah, Texas, USC, Florida, and Penn St. All had one loss except Utah.

Hey, we live in a broken world, and that includes college football.

Human beings are too stupid to get an 8 team playoff system.

Florida's *championship* is hallow. But in some years in college football, the champion is legit (2005 Texas, 2006 Florida for example.)

 

Fatty? ..that you?

 

In your opinion Major.

Florida's 2008 championship is completely disputable whereas Texas 2005 championship is indisputable.

No true champion in 08. Or 07.

 

As long as you don't like a team just because they win a lot of games...

 

Dang this thread blew up like the world trade. I really didn't think it was that big of a deal.

 

They're all disputable until a playoff system is in place. Your take that Texas' championship is indisputable is nothing other than an opinion just like Major's.

 

Well, that and the college football world.

Eh. I'm sure people could argue with Texas in 2005. Matt Leinart said USC was still better than Texas. Just because teams lost a game doesn't mean they couldn't argue that they could have beaten Texas.

 

I never take UT fans seriousy when they talk trash about my school (TTU). Like this weekend some punks were talking trash about Tech it looked like they just got out of prison this weekend so they are not worthy of a response....

I enjoy UT alumni not their fans. IMHO their fans come off just like cowboy fans, yankee fans, laker fans. The fans we have all grown to hate. Their alumni are usually good people 9 out of 10 times but not their fans...So you can root for whoever just dont expect me to listen to the trash you talk unless you attended the school.....

 

Really? just an opinion? Name another team with zero losses in a major conference that can dispute the Longhorns title.

It amazes me that anyone would think that Texas' 2005 title is disputable.

There's nothing "Mythical" about Texas 2005 championship. That's what makes it so special.

 

If you have only two undefeated teams and they play, the winner is the champion.

Your argument here doesn't hold water, Major. I don't care what Leinart said, they didn't beat Texas. According to you NO team in any sport can ever claim a true championship. After all, the Giants just beat the Patriots one time, right? It's obvious they weren't the true champions that year.