No it's not unique to college football, just unique to NCAA. The NFL has 4 preseason games that allow them to get ready for the season, but it doesn't count. High school football does the same type thing with jamborees. You can't include basketball, it doesn't matter. But in NCAA football it does count. And if your a ranked team and you slip and lose you have just ended your season. Well unless you are an SEC team and then you can still do whatever you want. But it doesn't matter to me. Like I said I've been totally underwhelmed so far and I don't see that changing. High school ball has been way more entertaining at this point. I'll just stick to my Friday nights and use Saturday to mow and fish.
I will be most likely taking one of my daughters to the Arkansas Mizzou game so I will see that one.