By: Nate Murphy (@bigmurph23)
We have all heard that what once was old is new again. We have all heard that fads disappear but trends will fade and come back. Even inside our simulation world of the CFSL, that sort of thing holds true.
Season 23 marks the return of Nebraska and Iowa’s much-requested and storied programs (more so in real-life football). That’s right, just like bell-bottom jeans and vinyl records the Cornhuskers and Hawkeyes are back. But this doesn’t just happen, it isn’t by accident. And by far it isn’t the first time we have seen programs taken off the shelf, dusted off, and put back into service. This won’t be a comprehensive list, but let’s take a look at Nebraska, Iowa, and some of the other current teams that have been given a new shine and another chance.
Nebraska played their final game in Season 15 against Boise State. When they take the field in Week One it will be for the first time since October 8th of 2022. That is a long time for the black shirts to be folded up and for the Cornhusker fans to be pent up. It was a frustrating 1-7 season. But none of that matters in Season 23. There is a fresh start coming in Lincoln and you know there will be excitement league-wide when they kick off their season. Every time I have seen a conversation about a program being added to the league many people have been on board with bringing Big Red back into the fold. Now they are here. I for one am looking forward to seeing what their future holds.
Iowa is back…again. This is not the second coming of the Hawkeyes program. No, this will be the third iteration of the Black and Gold. Iowa was part of the inaugural season of the CFSL and played up through Season 4. They disappeared for a little while before resurfacing in Season 12 before going into hibernation again after Season 15. The Hawkeyes went 3-6 in that final season playing in the PIT that year. Their final snaps were taken on October 19th, 2022. And though it is not shown in the NCAA14 game I’m sure we will all be seeing the wave to the Children’s Hospital in our minds at the end of every home game first quarter.
Now let’s look at, at least, a couple of programs that have made returns. When I started brainstorming this article idea I had two programs immediately jump into my mind. These two programs have made returns and have found instant success. We have seen at least one of these programs in the past three championship games and were matched up to end Season 21. Of course, I’m talking about the USC Trojans and the Texas A&M Aggies.
The Trojans began their original run in the CFSL back in Season 6 and lasted through Season 12. During that time they were able to capture a National Title in Season 7. USC was brought back just a few short seasons ago, Season 19, and has had nothing but success since re-entering the league. The Trojans have made the playoffs every season since returning and have earned a conference title (S22) and back-to-back national titles (S20 and S21). Looking at what the roster could potentially look like heading into Season 23 I would venture to guess that the Trojans have a great shot to keep that current playoff streak alive and well in LA.
The Aggies are in the midst of their third stint in the CFSL. Appearing first in Seasons 2 through 4 and then again for a much longer run in Seasons 9-15. In those runs the Aggies found success elusive, never having huge win totals. However, they did win 7 games and the Big 12 crown in Season 10. Fast forward to their re-entrance in Season 20 where they once again struggled, going only 2-6.
Then it all clicked. In Season 22 they won the Big 12 once again after falling short of a Big 12 title in Season 21, missing out due to tiebreakers. They then found themselves in the National Title games in both S21 and S22 falling short in each. This is another team I expect to be contending for a playoff bid at worst.
As I mentioned these are not the only two programs that have made returns to the league. Here is a brief look at some of the other programs that will participate in Season 23 that are in their “Return Era”. The Oklahoma Sooners appeared from S10-18 and returned in S21. The Penn State Nittany Lions from S3-5 and pounced back in S19. The LSU Tigers have stalked the league three separate times. In S2, S7-15, and the Bayou Bengals came back again in S19. And finally, the Tennessee Volunteers gave their time to the start-up of the CFSL in S1-S4. Then had another short run in S11-S15 before being brought back again in S19.
I for one can not wait to see what plays out in Season 23. The league has grown into a super competitive league in the last few seasons. Anything can happen on any night. So good luck to all teams, the old, the new, and those who once were old and are new again.
