A few entries ago, I noted that the start of the National Football League season doesn’t really interest me. And I believe a big chunk of the Los Angeles market feels the same way.

Saturday, we saw Reasons A and B why L.A. doesn’t need the NFL.

USC and UCLA football.

Since the NFL left the L.A. market, after the 1994 season, either USC or UCLA has been good — sometimes really good, and sometimes at the same time — nearly every season since.

On Saturday, we saw again how good.

USC 18, Ohio State 15, at Columbus.

UCLA 19, Tennessee 15, at Knoxville.

Both games were nationally televised. Both came down to the final moments.

Both were played in environments of extreme enthusiasm, color, campus tradition and entertainment that is alien to the NFL experience. The enormous crowds (both over 100,000; how many people does the biggest NFL stadium hold? It’s not 100k, rest assured),  the clash of styles, the real-girl cheerleaders (as opposed to NFL tarts) and marching bands …

And great games. The sort of highly emotional back-and-forth we so rarely see in the NFL.

That, right there, was why I don’t need the NFL, and neither does Los Angeles. It has something better. Far better. USC and UCLA college football.