I can’t wait for the 2012 college football season to kickoff. I’m about excited as a little boy waiting for Santa Claus to come.

I compare this time of year to the feeling most folks start to get around Thanksgiving, as each child senses Christmas is just around the corner.

Once the all frenzy of the Conference Media Days is over, I feel the anticipation, the steady increase of electricity in the air, the cooler temperatures, and the smell of fall and football in the air. It’s unexplainable, but I get it each year. It’s… It’s “football fever”.

I’m already planning on upgrading my satellite service so I can see as many games as one can possibly stand to sit in front of big screen TV and watch on any given Saturday.

Thankfully my family considers themselves as football fans as well. We’ll be cooking, grilling and concocting all the favorite tailgate foods just as we were at the stadium. That’s part of the tradition of being a football fan in the South.

Saturdays in my household are full of excitement, especially when my beloved Georgia Bulldogs are on the tube. We had a man cave in our home in South Georgia, one that was dedicated to the Red & Black, complete with red walls, black and white checkered tile floor, black ceilings, grey trim (representing the silver britches of course), all types of Georgia football memorabilia, a 4 foot x 6 foot Georgia “G” was the centerpiece of the room.

We would have ourselves big ole tailgate parties with our friends and family; most of our visitors were “Dawg” fans however, occasionally a Gator or a ‘Nole fan might get up enough nerve to enter the “Dawg House.”  We would eat, drink, and be merry; that is, of course, if we won the game. If the Dawgs lost the merry part went out the window.

Now living in ACC country is going to be a little different. I don’t have a man cave anymore; all my football stuff is packed away in boxes, and I’m not sure we’ll have any Bulldog fans coming over for the tailgate parties on Saturdays. Somehow we’ll get through it. Who knows, maybe we can convert some of you guys.

I’m also looking forward to becoming a football fan up here.  I want to make it to some of the ECU games since we are only a few miles up the road from Greenville. I hear there’s some serious tailgater and traditions in Pirate Country. And who can’t get excited about a Purple and Gold Pirate yelling ARrrrrrr after each first down.

I await the first home game of Chowan University. I understand there’s some great football played in Murfreesboro. I know Coach Place and the Hawks are ready to take flight this season.

I know the folks here in North Carolina are just as passionate about their teams as I am about mine; however, I can’t help but get the feeling that most of the people of the ACC get the same feeling I get, but it’s in November as basketball season begins.  As a “Dawg” we never had much to cheer about in basketball season. So there no reason I can’t become a “Heel”, “Dukie”, or a “Pack” fan during the winter months, is there?

As I get more and more excited as every day passes and football season draws nearer I just may get up in the attic and dig out some football decorations. Somehow I’m not sure Debbie is going to go along with my 4 foot by 6 foot “G” in the middle of our living room.

There’s only 32 days left until the 2012 college football season kicks off. Let the games begin.

Joe Cowart is Publisher of Roanoke-Chowan Publications. He can be contacted at joe.cowart@r-cnews.com or 252-332-7218.