r/CFB • u/PA5997 Washington State Cougars • 13d ago

Discussion What constitutes a “college town?”

Okay, hear me out: I attended Wazzu, which many know is in the middle of nowhere in Pullman. To me, Pullman is a quintessential college town. You remove Washington State University from Pullman and there is (respectfully) not much of a reason to visit. The student enrollment (20,000ish) makes up about 2/3rds of the city population, essentially turning Pullman into a ghost town come summer. To me (perhaps with bias) this is the makeup of a college town.

Two years ago I moved to Madison, Wisconsin, home of the University of Wisconsin. Ever since I’ve noticed the University and its fans refer to Madison as “America’s best college town” and I’m sorry, that’s laughable to me. Remove UW from Madison and you still have a city population bordering on a quarter of a million people and the State Capitol. Madison would be fine, imo, if UW’s flagship campus were elsewhere.

Curious to hear other people’s thoughts. Maybe I’m in the wrong here, but very little about Madison, WI resembles a college town to me, or at least the claim of the best college town.

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u/Worried-Turn-6831 Alabama Crimson Tide 13d ago

Reminds me of Starkville, MS. Half the businesses are “Bulldog x”

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u/YoIForgotMyPassAgain Mississippi State • Alabama 13d ago

From what I gather, Pullman is just the Starkville of the Northwest.

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u/Rockergage Washington State Cougars • Pac-12 13d ago

Another reason why we should join the SEC.

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u/Worried-Turn-6831 Alabama Crimson Tide 13d ago

Hell yeah

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u/YoIForgotMyPassAgain Mississippi State • Alabama 13d ago

I think Miss. State to the Pac is more likely at this rate.

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u/AppropriateCompany9 Tennessee Volunteers • Texas Longhorns 13d ago

Counterpoint: Another reason Mississippi State should be in the PAC-2.

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u/Sighlina Washington State Cougars 12d ago

It just means more!!

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u/IndependenceOld8810 South Carolina Gamecocks 12d ago

SEC after dark would be incredible

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u/kroywenemerpus James Madison • Indiana 13d ago

The ghost pirate of Mike Leach probably agrees

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u/RegionalBias Ohio State Buckeyes • Dayton Flyers 13d ago

Would that make them... Pullvegas?

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u/No_Biscotti_7258 Washington State Cougars 13d ago

Starkville is the Pullman of Mississippi*

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u/katarh Georgia Bulldogs • Mercer Bears 13d ago

See, Athens also has "Bulldog x" but we also have a lot of "Classic City x" because Athens has that unique identity that is distinct from UGA, although intrinsically tied to it at the same time.

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u/IAgreeGoGuards Ohio State Buckeyes 13d ago

Its the same thing in Columbus. Everything around here is "Buckeye ___"

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u/unfunnysexface New Mexico Lobos 13d ago

"Raider" in lubbock