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SALT LAKE CITY — Welcome to the dog days of summer.

All right, maybe I jumped the gun just a little bit (hello snow). But regardless, if you are anything like me, you are already counting down the days till the college football season once again greets us with the sweet sounds of ESPN College GameDay and a plethora of games to consume Thursday through Saturday.

Is this heaven? No, it's Iowa vs. Toledo in a meaningless non-conference game on ESPN 8, "The Ocho." But I love it.

The college game provides an electric game day atmosphere that the professional game just can't duplicate, from the marching band and the mascots to the tradition and pageantry that each program tries to build upon as a foundation for success.

Only 119 days separate us from the Utes hosting Utah State, and 121 days until BYU faces Virginia on the other side of the country.

What can you do to help pass the time until August rolls around? Here are 25 fun-spirited suggestions:

1. Golf 18 holes with a buddy who is a fan of a rival team. Loser has to sing the rival team's fight song.

2. Spend time with your significant other. Start to slowly annoy them as the end of summer approaches so it is easier to escape to the man cave for three days every weekend during football season.

3. Start a dynasty in NCAA Football 2013. Lead your school to an undefeated season and brag about it to your friends. 4. Start a neighborhood flag football league. Group teams by which team they root for. Just don't tear your ACL.

5. Go through a tailgate practice run in the backyard. Grill or smoke your favorite meat of choice. Be sure to invite me.

6. Try to come up with a mathematical formula to explain why the Big Ten (B1G) has 12 teams, but the Big 12 only has 10. Be sure to show your work.

7. Learn how to use video editing software. Create highlight reels of your team to your favorite music.

8. Create a season schedule graphic for your team and set it as your desktop background. Bonus: If you are feeling really adventurous, create one for your mobile device as well.

9. Go to the bookstore or your favorite athletic apparel store and buy a new article of clothing to represent your team. Be sure to wear it on casual Fridays.

10. Watch a replay of a game on ESPN U, BYU TV, Pac-12 Network, Big Ten Network or any other outlet. Pretend that you don't already know the outcome.

11. Paint one of the walls in your house with your school's color. Add to the decor by framing any team memorabilia (jerseys, autographs, ticket stubs) you may have.

12. Predict how your team will fare in 2013. Write down the record, offensive and defensive MVPs, and bowl destination, if applicable. Store in an envelope somewhere safe and open it at the end of the season. Reward yourself for any correct answers.

13. Call up the people you sit next to at the games. Invite them over to dinner to talk about your favorite moments from last season.

14. Research a player on your school's roster that you don't know. Repeat until you complete the entire roster.

15. Go to a Utah Blaze game. Try to find players on either roster that are alumni of your school. If you can't, try to find a player that is from a school that will play against your team this upcoming season. 16. Teach your kids/nieces/nephews how to properly throw a spiral. You might want to do this one away from the lamp. Better yet, take it outside.

17. Renew your season tickets. You don't want to be on the outside looking in!

18. Check your TV provider for network listings. Be sure to get everything set up now so that come AUg. 29 you aren't scrambling to find a network that you don't have access to.

19. Support your school's other athletic teams. Whether it's baseball, volleyball, soccer or tennis, they would love for you to come cheer them on.

20. Come up with a more creative name for the "College Football Playoff." Post it on internet message boards and try to get people to rally behind the idea.

21. Learn the proper technique to kick a field goal or extra point. Amaze your friends during the season by using your knowledge to try and analyze what a kicker did wrong when they miss.

22. Rank the top 10 moments in program history. Count how many you were in attendance for.

23. Plan a road trip with the team. Pick a team your school plays on the road this season and plan a vacation around it. Easy: Los Angeles, Las Vegas. Moderate: Pullman, Charlottesville. Expert: Albuquerque.

24. Research your opponents. Do position group breakdowns and compare it with your team.

25. Develop a time machine and travel into the future. Get your hands on a sports almanac if you come across one. Just be sure to bring plenty of plutonium with you for your return journey. Set the return date to Aug. 29, 2013. 119 days.

Sigh. Anyone up for a trip to the links?

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