College football fans mock Space Force flag at national championship game

The service, which was founded in 2020 with the help of then-President Trump, has been heavily ridiculed online ever since its creation

Some college football viewers couldn’t help but notice the presence of a strange flag on the field last night, ahead of the national anthem performance.

The College Football Playoff National Championships game pitted the Georgia Bulldogs against Alabama Crimson Tide - although it was a Space Force flag that had Twitter abuzz just before the clash.

The Space Force was first founded in December 2019, when then-President Donald Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act into law.

The Force has been the subject of much derision ever since, which was the case once again on Monday night, as its flag appeared on the field alongside those of other - slightly more distinguished - uniformed services.

President Donald Trump gestures towards the U.S. Space Force flag during a presentation of the flag in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, U.S., May 15, 2020 (REUTERS)

Consequently, many football fans took to Twitter to exclaim their confusion at seeing the flag in such an environment.

It’s inclusion wasn't by accident either, as the College Football Playoff website mentioned it by name when describing the pre-game ceremonial procedures.

It said: “In advance of [Natalie] Grant’s performance, the Nation’s Colors will be presented by a Joint Service Color Guard from the Military Department of Indiana’s Ceremonial Unit.”

“Including Indian and Kentucky members of the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, Space Force and Coast Guard.”

Sports blogger Mike Taddow wrote on Twitter: “Lmaoo ayo space force is still a thing? Joe [Biden] aint fixed that? Joe really aint done s**t huh.”

“And when we gone get a space force flyover? I’m tired of the air force monopolizing that segment. Space force need to fly ET’s ship over the national game,” he later joked.

Journalist Gregory Anderson also wrote: “I can’t believe ‘Space Force’ is still a thing. WTF POTUS.”

Photographer Will Leverett was similarly pizzled after seeing it on the field: “I forgot we had a Space Force. Like in my head it’s a joke from a bad dream.”

Comedian Chad Daniels also joked that the Space Force was announced ahead of the Coast Guard.

He said: “At the college championship they just announced the different branches of the military and Space Force was before Coast Guard hahaha they just can’t catch a break.”

While the force has attempted to establish credibility within the US military apparatus, it is still routinely mocked for some of its early PR missteps.

For instance, right after it was first founded, the service announced that personnel would be referred to as ‘Guardians’, while its camo-style uniform was also teased online.