I’ve been making fun of Georgia State Panther football this year as it symbolizes a huge problem with big time college football. While the 0-4 Panthers have not reached the big time (and won’t anytime soon) they did upgrade their program to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS). The equivalency is moving out of an apartment and buying a house, or jumping from a Nintendo GameCube to a PlayStation 3.
Making this upgrade costs money. A lot of money.
What return has Georgia State received for shelling out the cash?
Three losses to Football Bowl Subdivision teams (FCS). The classification Georgia State had last year. Those three teams beat Georgia State with half of its budget. Also with half of its resources and half of the media attention Georgia State is entitled too. Georgia State was also destroyed playing a budget game at West Virginia 37-0. How can this program build a fan base? How can the program justify the expenses it now carries as a FBS school?
The Panthers went 1-10 last year playing a schedule of full of FCS schools. Now they are fighting out of its weight class and getting destroyed. GSU is ranked No. 208 in the Sagarin rankings behind 83 FCS schools.
Now comes Georgia States biggest challenge: No. 1 Alabama.
The Crimson Tide is a 55 and half point favorite over the Panthers. Almost eight touchdowns!
The game is unfair but GSU needs the paycheck from Alabama. Alabama needs the bye week Georgia State provides.
Some say sports are about winning and losing. That’s a sad black and white perspective if you ask me. For Georgia State it is about persevering and growth.
More like the Iraqi Air Force vs. the Death Star.
It’s why I enjoy cheering for the bad teams. For Alabama the only question is will it play as well as it’s capable of?
For Georgia State the questions are will it give up? Will it continue to play when the score 50-0? Will the team show any signs of progress?
Losing to a FCS school is comical. Getting creamed by the nation’s best team is cruel and painful. I hope the Panthers continue to fight and let something good come out of this.
The Panthers will be losers on the scoreboard Saturday, but if they refuse to give in they just might score the biggest win on the weekend. Their coach is Trent Miles, who turned around a gruesome squad at Indiana State. He’s been there before.
If you still think winning is everything. Watch Georgia State play Alabama. Particularly in 4th quarter. You’ll be proven wrong.
NC2A Nerd 
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