Donald Trump hates the NFL so much that he decided to love college football instead! After decades of “embarrassment” and unrequited love with his last attempt at owning an NFL team in 2014 (the Buffalo Bills) failing, Trump did what he thought was best—MOVE ON with the next best thing. College football, in this case.

In 2018, he attended the Crimson Tides vs Georgia Bulldogs match that Alabama won 26-23. This attendance, many alleged, was a political move, with the then-POTUS only attending games from the Southern US—a Trump supporting region. Then on November 9, 2019, he became the first sitting president to attend a University of Alabama home football game as the Tides lost 46-41 to LSU at the Bryant-Denny Stadium.

Most recently, during 2020’s first presidential debate, the business mogul also credited himself for the return of the Big Ten. Talking about the COVID-19 induced economic crisis, he said, “By the way, I brought back Big Ten football. It was me, and I’m very happy to do it, and the people of Ohio are very proud of me,”—a claim many debunked. The 45th president reportedly secured funding for testing and safety protocols to ensure a smooth return of the conference.

However, now, as the 2024 season continues and the Dawgs and the Tide rivalry picks up pace, reports state the Republican presidential candidate will be there at Tuscaloosa when the revamped Tide under Kalen DeBoer goes up against Kirby Smart’s powerhouse. Chairman of the Alabama Republican Party, John Wahl noted, “I am aware that Donald Trump has been considering a visit to Tuscaloosa for the Alabama-Georgia game.” Wahl went on to elaborate that he is quite excited about the entire prospect and that the people of Alabama have always had a proper relationship with Trump and would love to have him in their state.

As for Trump’s hate for the NFL, it was a one-sided affair, at most. In the early 1980s, a fresh-faced 37-year-old Trump kept wrestling for a way into the hallowed world of professional football. He made multiple bids for partial ownership of NFL teams—in the 1980s, he attempted to purchase the Baltimore Colts and the Dallas Cowboys on two separate occasions each—only to be met with resistance from NFL insiders.

At the time, the United States Football League (aiming to bring professional football to audiences in summer and spring) was also rising through the ranks, garnering the former president’s attention. So what did he do? Of course, he bought the New York Generals for $9 million in 1983, pushed for a merger for the NFL and the USFL, and was reportedly responsible for the latter’s demise just three years later.

Trump reportedly led a anti-trust lawsuit by the USFL that alleged NFL was monopolizing football. The USFL won, but was awarded a meagre $1, that become $3.76 ($3 as treble remedy and $0.76 as interest). The financial upheaval was too much for the nascent league to take, forcing them to shut doors permanently. “I got this league to go as far as it could go. Without me, this league would have folded a lot sooner,” Trump had later said, defending himself. And he was far from giving up….

In 1986, he tried to barge in again. Then NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle, however, had strictly told the future politician, “Mr. Trump, as long as I or my heirs are involved in the NFL, you will never be a franchise owner in the league.” 

Having said that, it’s quite understandable why Trump would want to attend the game on September 29. Things are going to get quite spicy at Tuscaloosa.

Dawgs vs the Tide

This would be the first time the Crimson Tide would be facing off against the Bulldogs without Nick Saban guiding the roster. Are they afraid? Heck no. The 2024 season has been a blast for Kalen DeBoer and the Crimson Tide. With 3 back-to-back wins, the team looks like it’s in a solid spot. While it is true that the SF game did test the offensive line no action was seen till the clock hit the 4th quarter. However, what you still gotta keep in mind is that the entire Ryan Williams and Jalen Milroe pairing is looking more formidable than ever.

On the other side, Kirby Smart did struggle a bit with the Dawgs. 2 explosive wins against TN Tech and Clemson did raise the morale of the team and the fans quite high but the close game with Kentucky brought everyone down from cloud 9. The offense left so much to be desired. The O-line failed to keep Carson Beck under proper protection and the QB was under quite the pressure throughout the game. The Wildcats also managed to exploit the gaps in the offense of the Dawgs and harass the team through the first and second halves. However, this is CFB and anything can happen here. So, all we gotta do is wait and watch what unfolds in Tuscaloosa.