Last Saturday, the University of Colorado hit a major speed bump when they played the 10th-ranked University of Oregon in Eugene. Losing by a score of 42-6, Oregon scored five touchdowns by halftime.

The “Buffs” coach, a two-time Super Bowl champion, Deion Sanders, has attempted to turn the team into a national contenders. Their last game against long-time rival Colorado State ended in overtime, with Colorado winning by eight points. Sanders had built up the Colorado State game as a clean sweep. At the close of the game, fans started getting nervous.

The buildup of the Oregon game was all over social media platforms leading up to the contest. As of now, this game was the second most viewed college football game, second to Ohio State vs. Notre Dame. Ohio State vs. Notre Dame was a close game that came down to the final seconds; Oregon vs. Colorado was the opposite. The game wasn’t at all close, and the result was really never in doubt after halftime, with the Ducks easily beating the Buffaloes.

Oregon Quarterback Bo Nix completed 28 out of 33 pass attempts for 276 yards and three touchdown passes, along with a rushing touchdown, to lead the Ducks to victory. Oregon running backs Jordan James and Noah Whittington rushed for touchdowns and wide receiver Troy Franklin caught eight passes for 126 yards and two touchdowns.

It was a stellar offensive performance for the Ducks, and their defense was great as well. They held a dynamic Colorado offense to six total points, which was a very impressive feat. Colorado quarterback Shedeur Sanders went 23 for 33 passing for 159 yards and a touchdown pass. Anthony Hankerson rushed for 31 yards to lead the Buffaloes in rushing, and Xavier Weaver caught nine passes for 75 yards to lead their team in receiving yards.

Regardless of the outcome of the games, college football may be experiencing a renaissance of following. Colorado is a prime example of this, as this year, they have become one of the most popular teams in college football. But why is this occurring? Several factors are contributing.

Firstly, athletic administrators and generic high education administrators are embracing college football as a cash cow. More and more Americans want to be part of the experience, getting into the standing rivalries between schools.

Also, the hype of Coach Deion Sanders and high-profile collegiate athletes and coaches has also made many more casual fans invested in college football.

Moreover, having a successful football program is very valuable to universities, as it increases their applications and their school’s exposure on the national stage, as seeing a school’s football team play well and win games makes people more likely to want to apply and get into that school.