Because of the backlash professional football has received for allowing players to kneel during the national anthem in protest, the NFL lost viewers to the College Football Playoffs this year, which occur every year during the beginning of January.

According to SB Nation, a Fox Media-owned sports news website, college football television ratings had an 18 percent jump from last year while NFL ratings fell 9.7 percent.

While some say the drop in numbers is due to the protesting during the national anthem, others said they just turn to college football for a better football-watching experience.

“I enjoy watching college football more than professional football because I just think guys play harder, faster and make better plays,” said Senior Bobby Nuzzo.

Before the playoffs began, at the top of the four competing teams was the reigning champs the University of Clemson Tigers, number two University of Oklahoma Sooners led by Heisman Memorial Trophy winner Baker Mayfield, number three University of Georgia Bulldogs, and finally, the three-time CFB playoff finalists the University of Alabama Crimson Tide.

In the end, Crimson Tide beat the Bulldogs 26-23 in overtime for the championship title.

“You see stuff in college football that you will never see in the NFL,” said senior football player Abram Nazario.

For example, according to TeamRankings, a website that tracks sports data and statistics for five major sporting organizations, college football teams average 29.3 points a game compared to the NFL teams who average 22.4 points per game.

For another example, Western Michigan University and University of Buffalo went into seven overtimes in a game that ended in a 71-68 offense shootout this season. This has happened four different times in college football but not once in the NFL.

“College athletes like Lamar Jackson and Baker Mayfield make college football what it is today,” said Nazario.

Lamar Jackson of the University of Louisville and Baker Mayfield of the University of Oklahoma are Heisman Trophy winners who make college football an offensive game.

Jackson accounted for 4,932 combined yards and 42 touchdowns alone this season. Going into the playoffs, he was almost 1,000 yards away from the number one team ranked Clemson Tigers in total offense.

Mayfield led his team into the college football playoffs by accounting for 4,340 passing yards and 41 touchdowns.

“The numbers put up in the NFL don’t come close to college football,” said Nazario

The New Orleans Saints averages the most yards per game in the NFL, which is 400.7 per game. That is almost 200 fewer yards than the highest average in college football, which is held by the Oklahoma Sooners.

For some college football fans, the NFL protests have only helped highlight the level of play one can find in college football.

“Kneeling has hurt the NFL a lot this season,” said Nuzzo, “but I think it will cause college football to topple the NFL and start gaining the respect it deserves.”