As we contemplate college football’s place in the larger picture of American sports, we rank the top 20 things in sports. The list includes sporting events, fan experiences and random parts of the game itself. In Part 2, we’ll look at No. 10-1. You can see No. 20-11 by clicking here.

This is one man’s list, so feel free to criticize and debate in the comment section.

10. NBA Lottery

The NBA lottery is one of the more underrated events in sports. In fact, it might be one of the more exciting five minutes every year. The event is extremely quick, prone to wildly unexpected results and quite impactful for the league and for the teams involved.

For a recent example, consider the string of top picks that the Cleveland Cavaliers landed. In 2014, the No. 1 pick afforded them the services of Andrew Wiggins which arguably led to the Cavs bringing Lebron James home. Wiggins was then traded for Kevin Love to create the new “Big 3” in Cleveland.

An example further back would be the Orlando Magic getting the No. 1 pick in consecutive years (1992 and 1993) which brought Shaquille O’Neal and Penny Hardaway to the Magic. The duo led the Magic to a finals run before breaking up.

The lottery system has also created one of the more interesting topics in the last few years: tanking. Teams, most notably the Philadelphia 76ers, have been intentionally tanking to get better chances at top picks in the draft each year.

9. College Football Road Trip

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One of the great aspects of college football is the visit to different college towns to experience the traditions, the tailgating and the unique elements of a great football program.

Many SEC fans have a goal of checking off every stadium in the SEC, and a worthy goal it is.

8. Kentucky Derby

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Regardless of your interest in horse racing, it is likely that you’ve watched and taken part of an event around the Kentucky Derby. The attire, the mint juleps, the betting and the race all add up to a heck of a party. Whether you ever attend the Kentucky Derby in person is irrelevant, on the first Saturday in May each year, we’re all horse racing fans.

7. SEC Championship Game

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The SEC was the first conference to have its own championship game in college football, and in 2015, it remains the most important and most interesting championship game. Through the recent reign of the Southeastern Conference, the championship game had direct implications on the national championship.

The participating teams are always highly ranked. In 2012 and 2013, both teams were ranked in the top five. Back in 2008 and 2009, Alabama and Florida squared off in consecutive years. Each time, the teams came into the championship with the No. 1 and No. 2 rankings nationally.

The SEC Championship is easily one of the biggest single games in all of American sports.

6. Men’s 100 Meter (Olympics)

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Performances in sports are impacted by many things: teammates, coaching, weather, etc. Every four years, we get treated to one of the purest competitions in the world of sports. Every four years, we get an answer to the question: who is the fastest person on Earth?

The 100m sprinters are insanely athletic, and the race itself lasts mere seconds… both contribute to the high degree of watchability that this event holds. The fact that the event happens only every four years makes it even more of a must watch.

5. National Signing Day

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National Signing Day is probably the strangest event on this entire list, but its strangeness is part of what makes the day wonderful. The culmination of a year-long (multi-year?) recruiting cycle ends each year with a dramatic bang.

While watching 18-year old kids do their best Lebron James “Decision” impression all day long on ESPNU can be ridiculous, the drama of the day is difficult to turn away from. Additionally, if the Signing Day results weren’t so impactful, perhaps we wouldn’t care so much. But, as they say, recruiting is the lifeblood of every college football program, and National Signing Day is the biggest day in recruiting each year.

Every year on Signing Day, there are always a few individuals that dominate the headlines with either acts of indecision or dramatic announcements. This year, players like CeCe Jefferson, Byron Cowart and Roquan Smith kept fans on the edge of their seats due to delayed letters of intent.

My favorite Signing Day drama from recent years has to be Alex Collins’ mom running away with his signed LOI so he couldn’t fax it in to Arkansas.

4. NBA Playoffs

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The playoffs in the NBA are essentially a second season, and a much better one at that. Where the regular season can be long and players take nights off, the playoffs are full of urgency and consistent, high levels of play.

Sports is best when the biggest stars shine on the biggest stage, and most of these moments in my lifetime have been during the NBA playoffs. Older readers may cite Joe Montana’s playoff heroics, but the playoff heroics of Michael Jordan, Tim Duncan, Kobe Bryant, Shaq and Lebron James stick in my mind.

3. Super Bowl

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What!? Super Bowl not No. 1?

The NFL’s Super Bowl is definitely the biggest sporting event of the year in terms of viewership. No other event gets the masses to tune in like the Super Bowl. It’s essentially become a national holiday where families across the country plan their day around the big game.

While the game remains the most watched event in America, is it the best event in sports? If you could only watch one sports event the entire year, would it be the Super Bowl? An interesting question to consider.

2. March Madness

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While the multi-week men’s basketball tournament known as March Madness is not a direct comparison to a single game like the Super Bowl, the event and all it encompasses is one of the best things on the sports calendar.

The event begins with families, friends and co-workers all making their picks on millions of brackets across the country. Is there an event that brings in the masses of sports fans more? Maybe fantasy football?

The four day stretch of Thursday through Sunday where the rounds of 64 and 32 take place are four of the wildest, jam-packed days in all of sports. Productivity in the country plummets across work environments beginning the Thursday morning of the tournament. Online brackets and streaming technology turn highly efficient office environments into man caves each March. It’s a beautiful thing.

1. The College Football Postseason

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The college football postseason is unbeatable.

While there is plenty to criticize about the bowl system, it’s a unique animal in the world of sports and it still remains a great event for players and fans involved. Yes, the bowls have been somewhat diminished during the BCS and playoff eras, but the system remains relevant at least for now. Fans love to find out where their team will be traveling in late December and early January, and what better reason is there for escaping cold weather than traveling to watch your team play in a bowl game?

Additionally, the renewed emphasis on New Year’s Day is a great thing for the college football postseason. Watching football all day on Jan. 1 each year is one of the best days for a sports fan.

Now that semifinal playoff games take place on Jan. 1 (most years), the games are even better. College football has solidified its place as the sport to watch on the New Year’s Day holiday.

If you missed part 1 of the top 20 things in sports, you can read it here.