In the annals of college football history, there was once a time when every Saturday afternoon was a battleground of gridiron glory. 

The clash between Michigan and Ohio State epitomized this grandeur, a spectacle that gripped the nation with its intensity and fervor. 

But alas, those days are but a distant memory, buried beneath the rubble of a sport ravaged by greed and apathy.

The Death Knell of Tradition: From Epic Matchups to Mundane Mediocrity

Once, the Michigan-Ohio State rivalry was a titanic clash, a showdown of titans that left fans breathless and pundits in awe. 

Yet, such moments of brilliance are now fleeting, drowned out by a sea of forgettable matchups and lackluster performances. 

The heart and soul of college football have withered, replaced by a pale imitation of its former glory.

Bowl Games: From Majestic Finale to Meaningless Spectacle

Remember when bowl games were the pinnacle of the season, a chance for teams to prove their worth on a national stage? 

Those days are long gone, sacrificed at the altar of the College Football Playoff—a soulless cash grab that has rendered bowl games little more than glorified exhibitions.

Realignment Madness: Sacrificing Identity for Profit

The recent realignment frenzy has only exacerbated the sport’s decline, with traditional powerhouses like USC and UCLA forsaking their identity in pursuit of profit. 

The Big Ten, once a bastion of Midwestern tradition, now welcomes these interlopers with open arms, betraying the very essence of college football in the process.

The Transfer Portal: A Free Agency Fiasco

And let us not forget the transfer portal, a cesspool of greed and opportunism that has transformed college football into a glorified free agency market. 

Players come and go with reckless abandon, their loyalty bought and sold to the highest bidder, while the integrity of the game lies trampled beneath their cleats.

In conclusion, the state of college football is dire indeed, a hollow shell of its former self. 

The games may still be played, but the soul of the sport has long since departed. 

Until the powers that be recognize the error of their ways and return to the principles that once made college football great, its descent into irrelevance will continue unabated.