The Flutie Effect In College Football

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In Columbus, Ohio, 100,000 fans dressed in scarlet and gray roar as a nut named Brutus runs through the stands. In Columbia, South Carolina, old Southerners yell as they wave their towels to the palpitating beat of a fifteen year old song. In Tuscaloosa, Alabama, sweat drips from fans’ faces as they are about to face off against their biggest rival. In Ann Arbor, Michigan, students covered in blue and yellow paint sway back and forth to the singing of their alma mater. In Lincoln, Nebraska, people of all ages scream and applaud as loud as they can as their Cornhuskers run out onto the field.
In stadiums all over the country, people of all ages, races, genders, incomes, and locations come together and pack into a stadium ready to cheer on
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A university/college that has a good football program is going to bring in a lot more revenue in various ways. Because today’s college social world is so into athletics, especially football, it attracts many people to campus. With the success of a college football team’s season comes more students wanting to enroll into the school, therefore more money. This is called the “Flutie Effect.” This name comes from former player at Boston College, Doug Flutie’s astounding hail mary pass in a nineteen eighty four football game, that allowed them to win the game, increasing the number of applicants to Boston College by thirty percent the following year (Silverthorne, 2013, para. 3). Those who are very into football most likely want to attend a school with a good football program. For example, look at The Ohio State University and Ohio University Athens. Ohio State’s football program is always very successful and known for their football team, whereas one does not hear about Ohio University’s football team as much as one does OSU’s. Personally, I can vouch for this theory. Being so into college football my entire life, I want to attend a school that has a successful program I can enjoy watching. If I were to choose between OU and OSU, I would one hundred percent chose OSU because of the sports programs at the school, and the love I have …show more content…
If players want to make it to the pro leagues, there is no chance in that happening unless they play some college football. It is extremely unlikely, no matter the level of skill, that someone is being noticed by the highest level of play coming out of high school. One may be a star in high school, but the skill level there and in college is completely different. Just because someone shines on their high school football team, does not mean he/she is going to shine in the college world. Although, if a player does have the skill and excels in college, he/she is more likely to be noticed and considered for the pro level/NFL draft. Examining the practical criteria, college football can be considered top of the line in