There are many wonderful things people can do on a late-summer or fall Saturday. Sitting on our flabby keisters and watching others run around and bash into one another in the name of higher education is one of them. Would you believe some of us even do it for a living?
In this week’s “Polling Place,” your home for Sun-Times sports polls on the site formerly known as Twitter, we wanted to know how much college football you’ll watch this season. A lot? A little? None at all?
“I’m a fan of just my team and generally don’t watch other games,” @00723maui commented.
“I don’t like football, sorry,” @AuntieLisa111 chimed in.
That’s OK. We like anyone who pays attention to us enough to answer our questions.
We also asked if you’ll bet on college football this season. Not @RogersParkMan, who wrote that betting “ruins sports — or so the ghost of Shoeless Joe Jackson told me.”
Last, we asked how Illinois will fare coming off an 8-5 season. According to @JeffreyCanalia, “The expectations for the Illini should be to play in a better bowl game each year, though they’re not an elite team yet.”
On to the polls:
Poll No. 1: How much college football will you watch this season?
It’s time for this week’s “Polling Place.” Let us hear from you! Selected comments will appear in Saturday's paper.
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) August 31, 2023
Q1: How much college football will you watch this season?
Upshot: This is a Bears town and a pro sports market, but there’s a good chunk of sports fans here who really dig the college game. At least, it sure seems that way considering every other tavern bills itself as an “alumni bar” of some faraway school or another.
Poll No. 2: Will you bet on college football this season?
Q2: Will you bet on college football this season?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) August 31, 2023
Upshot: Look, there’s no easy way to say this, but at least 10% of the “nos” are lying. Also, every single one of the “maybes” is really a “yes.”
Poll No. 3: Illinois took a step forward last season, winning eight games. How many games will the Illini win in 2023?
Q3: Illinois took a step forward last season, winning eight games. How many games will the Illini win in 2023?
— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) August 31, 2023
Upshot: Boy, voters didn’t exactly show an overload of faith in the Illini. A matter of supporters of other schools voting according to their allegiances? Or are the Illini just kind of blah? Or worse? “Pick a number that’s greater than zero but less than five,” @JBIRD1268 predicted. Not even five measly wins? Ouch.
