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Giger: Which 15 teams should be in college football super league, and would PSU make the cut?

What if college football went to a 15-team super league, such as European soccer just announced? Which 15 teams would make the cut, and more importantly since you’re reading a Penn State website, would the Nittany Lions be in the group of 15.

Absolutely. Without question. 1,000 percent chance.

The Penn State brand is so strong that it would be nearly impossible for the program to not be included in a 15-team super league.

I’m guessing you’ve heard more than once — or maybe 100 times — that Penn State has the largest alumni association in the world. PSU games draw huge ratings on TV. Beaver Stadium is one of the largest venues in the country, and the student section is often cited as the best in the nation.

Oh, and the football team itself is usually really good. That certainly helps when being considered for a super league, but in all honesty, the Penn State football brand is so strong that it should make the cut for 15 even with a somewhat mediocre product on the field.

PODCAST: Listen as Jason Dambach and I give our lists on “Sports Central with Cory Giger” on WRTA in Altoona

 

A number of national college football analysts have weighed in on this topic the past couple of days, and almost all of them have included Penn State in their group of 15. Again, the brand recognition and size of the fan base are undeniable.

I took a crack at coming up with 15 teams for a super league. This was actually a pretty easy exercise, since really the following 13 are no-brainers:

**Alabama

**Clemson

**Ohio State

**LSU

**Georgia

**Penn State

**Michigan

**Oklahoma

**USC

**Texas

**Notre Dame

**Florida

**Auburn

Every one of those 13 teams has a huge brand, is usually very successful on the field or both.

That leaves me two more spots. And this is where things get a little more complicated.

Miami has a huge brand, which is vital if you’re going to have a super league. Why? Because of the TV money. Even though the Hurricanes have had only one 10-win season since 2003 and have been pretty mediocre most years since then, they still have great drawing power for TV ratings.

OK, so like it or not, Miami is on my list.

Just about everyone is putting Florida State in their 15. The Seminoles’ records the past four seasons have been 3-6, 6-7, 5-7, 7-6. The program has fallen off a cliff, and while it has been one of the best programs in the nation for decades, I’m not sure FSU can ever get back to that level of prominence. Too many other teams are going in and getting a lot of the top talent in Florida. I also don’t believe the Seminoles will remain a big national brand for much longer if they keep playing like that.

I also considered Oregon and Texas A&M. Both have tons of money in their programs, and the Ducks have been really good since the turn of the century. I would give them the nod over the Aggies.

Alrighty, so it came down to Florida State and Oregon for my final spot. A tough choice because it depends on whatever criteria you use. I would like to have another West coast team to go along with USC, because this shouldn’t just be an Eastern football league. That would have me lean toward Oregon.

Ultimately, though, I went with Florida State for the final spot, because the Seminoles have been such a powerhouse program for many decades, and that cannot be overlooked just because they’ve struggled so much in recent years.

Do you agree with my 15? If not, who would you add, and who would you take out?

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