COLLEGE FOOTBALL COMPARED TO SINGERS

College football feels like singers, but which ones?

College football has one steadfast rule when comparing teams: you can’t compare eras.

You need to compare teams and their times instead of one decade to the next.

But you can compare college football to lady singers of the same era.

This era comparison includes Beyonce, Adele, Taylor Swift, and Katy Perry.

Is it a stretch? Let’s go.

Alabama Crimson Tide is the dominant program of the common era.

If they’re not in the finals, they’re in the final four. If not in the championship picture, they are the team the others are glad to avoid.

Big and fast and either leading the conversation by record or reputation, Alabama is always the elephant in the college football room.

They need a girl singer with the same qualities.

With that in mind, Beyonce is the Alabama in her circle of college football.

Like the Crimson Tide, Beyonce’s roots go way back. She’s not Diana Ross and The Supremes, but she’s close. Both came from groups before going solo, and both create events for each new release, each concert tour.

When The Tide needed more, they found it. Run or pass, this year’s team rounds out nicely the way Beyonce works her act.

It’s all about balance. If Alabama beats Clemson, you know they’ll put a ring on it.

If Alabama comes on as the traditional power in college football with Beyonce on the sidelines, the Oregon Ducks are the surprising upstart.

Known for flash and dash, and after this year you can add crash, the Ducks play and appearance over the past seven years changed the game.

Like a Katy Perry show, the Ducks are unpredictable in college football.

Both go fast and furious with costume changes that draw as much attention as the final score.

When it comes down to the biggest game of the year the Ducks fall short.

Twice in the National Championship, recently in the Alamo Bowl, the Ducks came away empty handed the same way Katy Perry leaves the Grammy Awards.

Who will win the big prize first?

She’s got range, skills, and a knack for revenge.

Who is Taylor Swift’s college football doppelganger?

Clemson of the ACC is overlooked too often, but not this year, not when they’ve got Beyonce in the finals. Make that Alabama.

Like Swift, Clemson had to reinvent itself a few times before this year.

Taking a look at their coaching merry go round shows more suitors than Taylor Swift’s mythic date book.

But no one sings the Clemson song. Yet. This is the year with Taylor on their side. She’s won Grammy Awards, Clemson has been voted in as national champions.

This year they could both cash in.

Here’s Adele carrying the sort of Grammy load Notre Dame carries for college football titles.

It’s a lot. What do Adele and Notre Dame have in common?

Our world is better when they’re in the picture.

College football without Notre Dame feels lacking.

You don’t know you’re lacking some Adele until you hear one of her songs.

What would college football look like without Alabama, Clemson, Oregon, or Notre Dame?

We’d all be saying hello from the other side.

Without them you’re stuck with the Stanfords, Penn States, Ohio States, and Iowas. All good teams from great states, but their songs don’t have the sort of reach needed in this era.

What would pop music be without Beyonce, Katy Perry, Taylor Swift, and Adele?

Barren.

Note to the ladies: Pick a team, either those noted here or another, and gear up.

You’ll look like winners when you do.