To keep your dignity or to get a huge chunk of money, that is the question. Revenue games or as others call it “mismatch” or “paycheck” games are set up between a powerhouse college team and a lower level team. They are far from dignified and painful to watch.

Is it fair you ask? Well, the answer is complicated. Take San Jose State for example, last year they went to Texas and got destroyed by the Texas Longhorns 56-0.

If you are a football fan, you would understand how devastating that sounds, but don’t feel too bad for them because despite their embarrassing loss, they came home with one million dollar in their pocket.

This way the powerhouse team gets an easy win that would get them closer to the six victories they need for qualifying for post-season bowl game, and the lower level team gets a sum of money for just showing up.

It doesn’t sound too bad until you start considering the injuries that the weaker team endures. These games are very demanding, especially for the weaker team both physically and mentally.

It is demoralizing for those players walking into the field knowing they are about to get crushed in front of their fans.

David Grenado who is a former Rice cornerback and has participated in these mismatched games before has said in interviews that the weaker team is beaten physically.

“If there are no serious injuries, there can be a soreness like you’ve never felt before. Our coaches said, ‘They put their pants on one leg at a time just like us,’ and I’m thinking, ‘Yeah, but it takes them a lot longer to put on their pants because they’re a lot taller and bigger,’” Grenado said.

In 2015, Devon Gales fell victim to this unfair match of money vs. power. Gales who played for Southern University got into a collision with University of Georgia’s kicker, Marshall Morgan.

That collision left Gales paralyzed from the waist down. Southern was paid one million dollar for that game, but was it worth it for Devon Gales?

It is really not fair for the students who join the football team at their school with the hope of a better future to get beat up and humiliated, so that their school can make their budget.