A Bold Request to Improve College Football

College football is my favorite sport on this Earth, but as we all know, it's far from perfect. I could list dozens of concerns I have for the great game, both presently and for the future, but I would rather spend this time focusing on a current issue that has a pretty simple fix.

Michigan the Latest Team to Contribute to Issue

In late July, the University of Michigan announced that it's in discussions to start the 2026 season overseas, as it plans to play Western Michigan in Frankfurt, Germany.

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We are engaged in ongoing discussions to kick off the 2026 season on foreign soil, playing host to Western Michigan at Deutsche Bank Park in Frankfurt, Hesse, Germany, on Saturday, Aug. 29. This non-conference matchup would become the first game played by the Wolverines… pic.twitter.com/V4j6TZAYHc
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) July 25, 2025

This is something Iowa State and Kansas State will do as they battle in Dublin, Ireland, in four weeks, and is something several other teams have done over the years, including Notre Dame, which has twice done it against Navy since 2012.

The International Football Game Idea

I get it, Michigan playing Western Michigan won't normally draw headlines as it'd likely just be another blowout in the Big House, and moving the game to Germany makes it unique, despite still likely non-competitive.

Whether the game is a blowout or great, it doesn't matter. It's a waste of time and effort to schedule a game overseas, regardless of the slight extra attention that comes as a result.

I had the good fortune of having a family trip to Ireland for Notre Dame's 2012 opener against Navy. As great as the trip was, the football game was a small part of it. Yes, it was cool seeing Notre Dame play in Ireland of all places, but do you know what was even cooler?

SEEING IRELAND.

Two gentlemen enjoy a sip of Jameson in the Wicklow Mountains in Ireland — My brother-in-law and myself enjoying Jameson in the Wicklow Mountains. | Nick Shepkowski

I can't stress enough: if you want to go to Ireland, Germany, or any other country, just go. Don't wait for the football team you cheer for to bring you there. The game is cool to see and all as it's unique, but the atmosphere isn't what it should be.

Sipping Jameson in the Wicklow Mountains and (poorly) singing folk songs in a half-grocery store, half-bar in the small town of Shannonbridge were far more memorable parts of the trip than Notre Dame's 50-10 beatdown of Navy.

Seriously, if you want to go see another country, do it without waiting for football to get you there.

A Simple Solution

Nov 2, 2013; South Bend, IN, USA; A general view as the Blue Angels flight demonstration team performs a flyover above Notre Dame Stadium before the game between the Navy Midshipmen and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. | Matt Cashore-Imagn Images

I know this will sound crazy, but college football is best when played on a college campus. I get it, Notre Dame vs. Navy and Michigan vs. Western Michigan won't generally generate much buzz when played in the States, and playing overseas changes that.

It doesn't make the game better. It doesn't make the atmosphere better. It gets people to make the trip, but does anyone go to Ireland or Germany and think seeing an American football game will give an authentic feel for the place?

Notre Dame is as guilty as anyone for these games taking off like they have, but they're just better when they're played on college campuses. Plain and simple.

A Step Further

While we're at it, can we please stop the neutral-site college football game? OK, there are a couple of exceptions (Oklahoma vs. Texas, Florida vs. Georgia), but the same thought applies.

Notre Dame opens the 2026 season at Lambeau Field next year against the Wisconsin Badgers. You know where a cooler place would have been for that game to be played?

Notre Dame and Wisconsin graphics for the 2021 Shamrock Series gam — Sep 25, 2021; Chicago, Illinois, USA; The Shamrock Series logo is seen during a game between the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and the Wisconsin Badgers during the second half at Soldier Field. | Patrick Gorski-Imagn Images

Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin, just like it would have been better to see the Badgers travel to Notre Dame Stadium in 2021 instead of to Soldier Field in Chicago.

Week 1 of the college football season is quickly approaching, and we'll get a good amount of marquee matchups that weekend. However, you can't convince me that Syracuse vs. Tennessee or Virginia Tech vs. South Carolina wouldn't be better if played on a college campus.

Cincinnati and Nebraska in...Kansas City? Yeah, can't wait.

Would Notre Dame and Miami be better if it were played in New Orleans?

Would Clemson and LSU be better if it were moved from Clemson to Atlanta?

No and no.

We already get too few fall Saturdays to enjoy the best sport in the world, why are we busy punting on the cathedrals that make them so great to bring them overseas or to neutral site locations?

The toothpaste is out of the tube with this, and it won't be going back, but that doesn't mean college football wouldn't be better overall if it did.