I’ll just list them in order of when the games will be played:

New Mexico Bowl — Washington (6-6) vs. Colorado State (7-5)

Potato Bowl — Nevada (8-4) vs. Toledo (8-4)

New Orleans Bowl — UCF (6-6) vs. Troy (9-3)

St. Petersburg Bowl — Tulsa (8-5) vs. Connecticut (7-5)

Poinsettia Bowl — Fresno State (9-4) vs. San Diego State (8-4)

Las Vegas Bowl — Arizona State (7-5) vs. Air Force (10-2)

Hawaii Bowl — Hawaii (9-4) vs. East Carolina (6-6)

Independence Bowl — North Carolina (7-5) vs. TCU (10-2)

Little Caesars Bowl — Purdue (7-5) vs. Ohio (9-4)

Belk Bowl — Boston College (7-5) vs. West Virginia (9-3)

Military Bowl – NC State (6-6) vs. Navy (6-6)

Holiday Bowl — Stanford (8-4) vs. Missouri (8-4)

Champs Sports Bowl — Pittsburgh (9-3) vs. Clemson (9-3)

Alamo Bowl — Utah (9-3) vs. Texas (10-2)

Armed Forces Bowl — BYU (7-5) vs. Houston (10-2)

Pinstripe Bowl — Temple (7-5) vs. Rutgers (7-5)

Music City Bowl — Tennessee (7-5) vs. Georgia Tech (7-5)

Insight Bowl — Oklahoma State (9-3) vs. Northwestern (8-4)

Meineke Car Care Bowl — Texas Tech (7-5) vs. Ohio State (7-5)

Sun Bowl – Virginia (7-5) vs. UCLA (7-5)

Liberty Bowl — Southern Miss (13-0) vs. Cincinnati (7-5)

Fight Hunger Bowl — Oregon State (7-5) vs. Western Michigan (7-5)

Chick-fil-A Bowl — Miami (FL) (10-2) vs. South Carolina (9-3)

TicketCity Bowl — SMU (8-4) vs. Michigan State (7-5)

Outback Bowl — Michigan (10-2) vs. Georgia (9-3)

Capital One Bowl — Florida (10-3) vs. Nebraska (11-2)

Gator Bowl — Penn State (8-4) vs. Mississippi State (7-5)

Rose Bowl – Wisconsin (11-2) vs. Oregon (12-1)

Fiesta Bowl — Oklahoma (11-1) vs. Boise State (12-0)

Sugar Bowl — LSU (10-2) vs. Virginia Tech (12-1)

Orange Bowl — Florida State (11-2) vs. South Florida (9-3)

Cotton Bowl — Texas A&M (12-1) vs. Arkansas (9-3)

Compass Bowl — Northern Illinois (8-4) vs. Iowa (7-5)

GoDaddy.com Bowl — Middle Tennessee State (8-4) vs. Central Michigan (9-4)

BCS National Championship Game — Alabama (13-0) vs. Notre Dame (12-0)

Well, after Week 1, my National Championship has probably already blown up. I still think ND is a very quality team, and if they had tried even just a little bit less to shoot themselves in the foot they would have beaten USF. Turnovers are the one thing that can make a bad team look good, or a good team look awful. I’m not saying USF is a bad team — far from it, I’m calling for them to win the Big East — but I still think the Irish were the better team without a doubt, and turnovers took points off the board for ND and handed it to the Bulls. Oh well. If they win out, they might still get a shot to get back to the title game after all. We shall see.

Hope you enjoyed these, and I’ll try to keep the content coming as often as I can throughout the season, but don’t expect anything near the level of last year — I’m simply too busy on weekends now, and a lot of my weekends will be spent traveling to see my girlfriend, friends and family. Does that mean I’ll probably have to give up watching college football as maniacally as I did last year? Yeah, probably. Am I happy about it? Not entirely, but at the end of the day, even given as much as I LOVE college football, I’d much rather spend a good weekend with my girlfriend, or my family, than sitting alone on my couch watching 15 straight hours of college football. This may come as a shock to some of you, but it’s true. So I’ll try to keep up with the season, but it’s going to be tough. Stay tuned.

I’d like to take a moment to comment on that last remark. I have been keeping track of the whole conference realignment rumor mill, and I’m deeply concerned about what will happen to both Mizzou and the Big 12 when it all shakes out (for those who don’t know or have forgotten, I went to Missouri). BUT… a rumor mill is all it is at this point. Nobody knows anything for sure. I could waste hours of my life I’ll never get back worrying myself sick over this issue and trying to follow every new ‘lead’ that pops up. In fact, I know people who have… I have neither the time nor the patience for that. I will keep a casual interest in all the rumors, and stay on top of the issue, but until some actual FACTS are reported, don’t expect to hear a peep on this blog about it. If and when that day comes, however, I’ll be sure to share some thoughts. Alright, back to predictions.

The Big 12 is going to be a very good league this year. Possibly the second-best league behind the SEC. While I don’t think it’s quite as deep as the Big Ten, the top half of the league has the chance to be ridiculously good. Here’s how I think they’ll shake out in 2011:

Big 12 Conference

1. Oklahoma (11-1, 9-0)

2. Texas A&M (11-1, 8-1)

3. Texas (10-2, 7-2)

4. Oklahoma State (9-3, 6-3)

5. Missouri (8-4, 5-4)

6. Texas Tech (7-5, 4-5)

7. Kansas State (5-7, 3-6)

8. Baylor (4-8, 2-7)

9. Kansas (3-9, 1-8)

10. Iowa State (1-11, 0-9)

When I originally made my predictions off the top of my head back in the middle of summer, I had OU meeting Bama in the National Championship game. But I just don’t trust Bob Stoops to lead a team that’s ranked #1 at the start of the year, along with all the pressure and extra attention that brings, to an undefeated season. OU almost always seems to drop a game to somebody they shouldn’t. This year, I think it will at least be excusable — going on the road against a super-talented Florida State team, not to mention that OU won’t have their best defensive (and maybe best overall) player in senior LB Travis Lewis, and that’s a tough hill to climb. While OU certainly has talented and capable backups, Travis Lewis is the best linebacker in the country. Bar none. I don’t care how good his backup is, he’s not Travis Lewis. Losing him hurts quite a bit, and that was the final straw that made me pick at least one game for OU to falter this year.

Texas A&M is a VERY good team. The one thing that remains to be seen is how the defense will perform after losing Von Miller, the best linebacker in last year’s draft class. I think they’ll be alright, and that offense should be damn near unstoppable. I like them to win every game except their road trip to Norman. If it were in College Station, I might have even picked the Aggies to go undefeated. That’s how high I am on them this year.

I think Texas is going to be back. I know they went 5-7 last year, but I’m sorry, you just don’t keep a roster with that much talent down for long. Throw in the fact that I like what I’ve seen and heard about Mack Brown getting after these guys, kicking their ass a little and re-setting the tone and attitude of that program, and I’m feeling good about the Longhorns. On top of that, you have to remember these players all signed up to play for Texas with the expectation they would not only compete for, but WIN conference and national titles. Going 5-7 had to sting their collective ego something fierce. This will be a very hungry, very talented team — watch out. The only thing that still makes me nervous is the passing game. Their top two receivers left the program over the summer for personal reasons, (although one has since returned), and it remains to be seen who will take over the quarterback position and perform at a championship level. But I’m still saying the Horns get back at least into the top half of the league in 2011.

Oklahoma State’s offense might be the best in the country. Losing Kendall Hunter at RB should not be overlooked — the guy was super-talented — but with Weeden and Blackmon back, they’ll be just fine. The other key they lost on offense was Dana Holgorson, the offensive coordinator who is now head coach for West Virginia. I’m still saying the Pokes are going to be a very tough team to beat, but given those two facts I can’t expect them to match last year’s record-setting 11 wins.

Oooooooooooooold Missouuuuuuuuri, faiiiiiiiir Missouuuuuri… I think James Franklin will eventually become the next great quarterback in what is becoming quite the impressive string of Mizzou signal callers. But let’s be realistic, the guy is just a sophomore. Looking back at what happened when Chase Daniel and then Blaine Gabbert took the reins in their sophomore campaigns, the results were good but not great. In 2006, while Daniel was a sophomore and a first-year full-time starter, the Tigers went 8-4 and lost their bowl game to Oregon State on a last-second play. In 2009, when Blaine Gabbert was a sophomore and a first-year full-time starter, Missouri went 8-4 and lost their bowl game to Navy. So obviously in 2011, with James Franklin as a first-year full-time sophomore starter, I’m calling for the Tigers to go 8-4 and hopefully actually win their bowl game. But I think 8-4 is a realistic expectation for this team. If Gabbert and Alden Smith had not jumped a year early to the NFL, this team would be talked about for National Championship contention. Even accounting for losing two first-round draft picks, the Tigers have 9 starters back on offense and 6 back on defense. This is a very deep, experienced team. There are a couple concerns, however. The few positions they lost starters at are arguably the most important positions in all of football — quarterback, pass rusher, center and left tackle (after senior Elvis Fisher went down with a knee injury in summer practice). It’s tough for anybody to step in and fill a departed starter’s shoes, but especially tough at those positions, and triply tough when you consider that the QB and DE were both top-10 NFL draft picks. Still, I think Mizzou will be a formidable team and possibly even a sleeper as Big 12 champs, as some national pundits have thrown out there, although I think that might be a bit too high of praise.

I won’t say much about the bottom half of the league except to say that they probably won’t be very good. I will say Baylor’s offense impressed me a lot in their opening win over TCU — but keep in mind that was facing a Horned Frogs defense that had just 5 returning starters. Also important to note that, despite winning, the Bears gave up 48 points to a TCU offense that lost first-round QB Andy Dalton and had just 3 returning starters — not a good sign when you consider they have to face much more talented and more experienced offenses up and down the entire conference schedule. It was a very exciting game, Robert Griffin III is a beast, and Baylor will put up points this year… but they’re probably going to lose a lot more of those shootouts than they win. It also gives me great pleasure to predict another awful year for kansas (yes, it’s not capitalized on purpose) and poor Iowa State might not win another game all year after barely sneaking past Northern Iowa, 20-19, in the opener… at home. Ouch.

Sure, the Miami scandal has surpassed perhaps all previous scandals in terms of the sheer despicable quality and astounding depth of the accusations, but just a few months before that let’s not forget a certain Mr. Jim Tressel was taken down in a pretty ugly scandal of his own. Terrelle Pryor was not far behind. And the players who actually stuck around in Columbus to finish out their college careers like they agreed to do are taking their lumps like men and accepting their five-game suspensions. So that covers Ohio State in about as brief a manner as I possibly could.

Next you’ve got Nebraska joining the league, and the first ever divisional play and championship game that comes with that. Which would be great news for the Big Ten… if only they hadn’t gotten all high-and-mighty with their ‘Legends and Leaders’ division names and completely over-thought the process in terms of splitting up the actual teams in those ridiculous sounding divisions. Does anyone really want to see Michigan and Ohio State play in back-to-back weeks? I’m a huge Michigan fan and I don’t want to see that. It cheapens the rivalry. And that was seemingly the only reason the Big Ten had to split the teams up as they did. I could spend literally hours bemoaning the poor choices the conference made when they decided the names and makeup of their divisions, but that would just be driving a Sherman tank over the corpse of a dead horse that had already been pummeled to death months ago.

OK, so we’re 0-2. What about… rhabdo? Woops. No, getting 13 of your players hospitalized due to excessive workouts in the off-season doesn’t fit the check box on any positive measures. Um… oh! I know! At least we get to see a lot of new faces around the coaching table this year. Oh wait… that’s not necessarily a good thing either. But at least with change comes hope, so I’ll count that as a wash for now, let’s give these new guys some time to see how they pan out.

I mean, seriously, about the only bright spot I can think of that the Big Ten has had this off-season is that they had a premiere QB decide to transfer into the league (NC State’s Russell Wilson came to Wisconsin after testing the waters of pro baseball). I don’t even like the fact that they made the championship game in Indianapolis. For a league that has long prided itself on its black-and-blue, hard-nosed image, making the move to play indoors, rather than at the home stadium of the team with the best record (like the Pac-12) or at any number of outdoor NFL stadiums within the Big Ten footprint (Chicago, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, even Green Bay) is just utterly disappointing to me.

But enough about how desperately the Big Ten needs a new PR firm. Let’s start talking about actual football. And if my hunches are correct, it’s going to be another very good year for Big Ten football. On to the predictions!

Big Ten Leaders

1. Wisconsin Badgers (10-2, 6-2)

2. Penn State Nittany Lions (8-4, 5-3)

3. Ohio State Buckeyes (7-5, 4-4)

4. Purdue Boilermakers (7-5, 4-4)

5. Indiana Hoosiers (4-8, 1-7)

6. Illinois Fighting Illini (4-8, 1-7)

Big Ten Legends

1. Nebraska Cornhuskers (11-1, 7-1)

2. Michigan Wolverines (10-2, 7-1)

3. Northwestern Wildcats (8-4, 5-3)

4. Iowa Hawkeyes (7-5, 4-4)

5. Michigan State Spartans (7-5, 4-4)

6. Minnesota Golden Gophers (3-9, 0-8)

Big Ten Championship Game

Wisconsin over Nebraska
View This Poll

Big Ten Bowl Games

Wisconsin Badgers → Rose Bowl (Jan. 2, 5:00pm — Pasadena, CA)

Nebraska Cornhuskers → Capital One Bowl (Jan. 2, 1:00pm — Orlando, FL)

Michigan Wolverines → Outback Bowl (Jan. 2, 1:00pm — Tampa, FL)

Penn State Nittany Lions → Gator Bowl (Jan. 2, 1:00pm — Jacksonville, FL)

Northwestern Wildcats → Insight Bowl (Dec. 30, 10:00pm — Tempe, AZ)

Ohio State Buckeyes → Car Care Bowl (Dec. 31, 12:00pm — Houston, TX)

Michigan State Spartans → TicketCity Bowl (Jan. 2, 12:00pm — Dallas, TX)

Purdue Boilermakers → Little Caesar’s Bowl (Dec. 27, 4:30pm — Detroit, MI)

Iowa Hawkeyes → Compass Bowl (Jan. 7, 1:00pm — Birmingham, AL)

Let’s take a second to touch on another brilliant move by the Big Ten… That’s not a typo in the bowl games immediately above. The Big Ten really did think it was a great idea to schedule five of their eight bowl games all on the same day. Not only that, they apparently thought it was brilliant to have four of them kicking off at the same time, virtually ensuring that fans of the Big Ten can only watch their team playing (assuming they’re in a bowl that day) or be forced to jump channels back and forth. If the Big Ten did this to get more people watching the Rose Bowl (all four games are scheduled to end right about the time pre-game for the Rose Bowl begins) then in the immortal words of Darth Vader, ‘they are as clumsy as they are stupid.’ I don’t care if kickoff was slated for 4AM on a Tuesday, Big Ten fans would watch it. To virtually ensure that fans of the conference have as few options as humanly possible when picking what Big Ten bowl games they want to watch is idiotic beyond my ability to comprehend. In case you can’t tell, I love the schools in the Big Ten and the football (and basketball, for that matter) that is played in that conference — I HATE the Big Ten as an institution.

But enough about that. The Big Ten sucks and everyone knows it. Let’s get to the good stuff. Even before Tressel resigned, Pryor left, and half the star players were suspended for the first five games of the season, I was already leaning towards picking Wisconsin in the Leaders. Then they landed Russell Wilson. And man was he good at NC State. I’m guessing not many people here in the good ole Midwest got to see him play as often as I did last year, when I was out on the East Coast, but the dude can really sling it. And he’s a very mobile QB as well. He’s the most dynamic QB I can ever remember Wisconsin having, and they should already have an outstanding running game to provide him some relief, which he never got at NC State.

In the Legends, Nebraska is the trendy pick to win it all, and I think for good reason. They should have the best defense in the league, and no other team in the conference plays the style of offense they do (not any more anyway). I think Taylor Martinez will run rampant in his first year against Big Ten defenses and the Huskers should be favored in just about every game. That being said, I’m still nervous picking them to lose only two games this year because every opponent they face is brand new. It’s tough to gameplan for that. Very tough.

Michigan probably jumps right off the page at you. 10-2 is a very bold prediction for the Maize and Blue this year. But they had the best offense in the conference last year and I think a wholesale change in the coaching staff will work wonders to improve that defense. Even changes to the offense (running a more traditional, methodical style rather than the break-neck pace of RichRod’s spread-option wizardry) will help the defense improve, just by keeping them on the bench longer. I must also admit right here and now in the first Big Ten post of the year that yes, I am a Michigan fan, and yes, I have an enormous man crush on Brady Hoke. I think the guy is awesome. He hasn’t worn red a day in his life since setting foot on Michigan’s campus the first time around. He calls the Buckeyes ‘Ohio’, which I love after having to listen to all that ‘THE Ohio State’ B.S. for so many years. Seriously, that’s the most pretentious thing I’ve ever heard. Maybe that’s where the rest of the conference is taking their cues from (a la Legends, Leaders, etc.). This is what I think of every time I hear someone drop a ‘THE Ohio State’…

But enough of that. Ohio State sucks and everyone knows it. I’m picking them at a pretty low-ball 7-5 because the issues and distractions they have dealt with this year have been off the charts, but more importantly, they have no quarterback. The team will no doubt be very talented, but the defense loses pretty much everyone from last year, and as far as I can tell there really was no Plan B behind Pryor. Throw in the fact that the starting RB, LT, and #1 WR are out for the first five games, and this offense might not click. Ever. How is a new QB supposed to build confidence and gain experience when he’s playing with the B team during his first five games? By the time the real players come back, it’s conference season. And by then it’s already too late. Way too late.

The last team I’d like to touch on is Michigan State. The Spartans are another team that was solid, but in my book extremely lucky to only lose one game in the regular season last year. I’m not sure exactly how they did it, but I’m positive it was mostly accomplished with smoke and mirrors. Even though they’ve got a great QB/RB combo back this year, I think karma will come back and bring this team down to the level they should have been last year, if not even swinging the pendulum in the other direction a bit. So that’s why I’ve got two teams that went 11-1 last year pegged at 7-5.

But even with all those reasons to be disappointed and down on the SEC, it will still be by far the greatest collection of high-quality football this side of the NFL. Let’s dive into the predictions.

SEC East

1. Florida Gators (10-2, 6-2)

2. Georgia Bulldogs (9-3, 6-2)

3. South Carolina Gamecocks (9-3, 5-3)

4. Tennessee Volunteers (7-5, 3-5)

5. Kentucky Wildcats (5-7, 1-7)

6. Vanderbilt Commodores (5-7, 1-7)

SEC West

1. Alabama Crimson Tide (12-0, 8-0)

2. LSU Tigers (10-2, 7-1)

3. Arkansas Razorbacks (9-3, 6-2)

4. Mississippi State Bulldogs (7-5, 3-5)

5. Ole Miss Rebels (5-7, 1-7)

6. Auburn Tigers (4-8, 1-7)

SEC Championship Game

Alabama over Florida

The SEC has won five straight national titles, with four different programs. A lot of people are wondering when that run will inevitably come to an end. I’m saying at least not for one more year. Alabama has 10 starters back from what was already arguably the best defense in the country last year. Yes, the one player they lose was a superstar (first-round draft choice Marcell Dareus) but they have the horses to take his place.

LSU is super-talented as well, but I just don’t trust Les Miles (seriously… the guy eats grass as a pre-game ritual), and with all the off-field controversies blowing up in their face right before the incredibly important season opener against Oregon (AP preseason #3 vs. #4), I don’t see them putting it all together to run the table and get to the BCS title game in New Orleans.

I feel much the same way about South Carolina. They are the prohibitive favorite to win their second straight East crown (never mind that last year was the first year they’ve ever accomplished that feat), but I just don’t have a good feeling about them this year.

Despite what I usually say about first-year head coaches, I think Will Muschamp will get this Florida program turned around quickly. They’ve got boatloads of talent. I think the program probably just got a little stale and complacent under Urban Meyer – and really, how could you not after winning two national titles in three years? Also keep in mind that last year they were trying to replace Tim Tebow with John Brantley while running the exact same offense, which is like expecting Tony Stewart to run the same 100m dash as Usain Bolt. Yeah, they’re both really good racers – but they get it done with a completely different skill set. It’s not just Muschamp that joins this Gators staff — Charlie Weiss is the new offensive coordinator. In case you had forgotten after all those frustrating years in South Bend, the dude can still coach some offense. I mean, he can REALLY coach up quarterbacks. And as bad as he looked last year, John Brantley was the #4 QB coming out of high school for a reason, folks. You put him in a system that will take advantage of his natural talents, with a coach who knows how to bring out the absolute best in his QBs, and I’m predicting he will absolutely tear it up in 2011.

Finally, I should touch on Auburn here. I understand that preseason polls are a necessity, because you have to start some time, so why not make it at the beginning of the season. If you must have polls (which, let’s face it, we must), then it makes sense that you must have preseason polls. And it makes sense that the defending national champion should at least be given the benefit of the doubt to be kept somewhere in the Top 25 at the start of the next year. But not this year. Auburn has 6 starters back from last year’s title team. SIX! Three on offense. Three on defense. No Cam Newton. No Nick Fairley. Hell, no nobody. They lost 31 letterman, which is barely less than how many they return (38). They have exactly ONE senior starter on defense. This team isn’t a bad team — in fact, by all accounts they are quite talented. They are just unfathomably young and inexperienced. It will not be pretty. They will lose. A lot. They will get beaten badly by teams looking to exact revenge for all the close wins the Tigers pulled out last year. I repeat: it will not be pretty. So put them in at #23 in the preseason poll if you must, I suppose that only seems fair for the defending champs. But don’t expect them to stay there long.

Oh yeah, one more thing:

Pac-12 North

1. Oregon Ducks (11-1, 8-1)

2. Stanford Cardinals (8-4, 6-3)

3. Oregon State Beavers (7-5, 5-4)

4. Washington Huskies (6-6, 4-5)

5. California Golden Bears (3-9, 2-7)

6. Washington State Cougars (2-10, 0-9)

Pac-12 South

1. USC Trojans (11-1, 9-0)

2. Utah Utes (9-3, 7-2)

3. UCLA Bruins (7-5, 5-4)

4. Arizona State Sun Devils (7-5, 5-4)

5. Colorado Buffaloes (3-10, 2-7)

6. Arizona Wildcats (3-9, 2-7)

Pac-12 Championship

Oregon over Utah

Pac-12 Bowl Games

USC → BOWL INELIGIBLE

Oregon Ducks → Rose Bowl (Jan. 2, 5:00pm — Pasadena, CA)

Utah Utes → Alamo Bowl (Dec. 29, 9:00pm — San Antonio, CA)

Stanford Cardinal → Holiday Bowl (Dec. 28, 8:00pm — San Diego, CA)

UCLA Bruins → Sun Bowl (Dec. 31, 2:00pm — El Paso, TX)

Arizona State Sun Devils → Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 22, 8:00pm — Las Vegas, NV)

Oregon State Beavers → Fight Hunger Bowl (Dec. 31, 3:30pm — San Francisco, CA)

Washington Huskies → New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 17, 2:00pm — Albuquerque, NM)

It’s unfortunate USC is still bowl ineligible in 2011 because with their inclusion, I think the Pac-12 might get two teams into BCS bowl games. I’m calling for Oregon’s only loss to come at the hands of the Trojans (as I did last year as well), and while I think Stanford, Utah, UCLA and Arizona State will all be very solid teams, I don’t see them as elite. That could all change after we actually play a couple of games and see how everyone looks, but that’s what I’m saying right now.

The Pac-12 is in for a solid, but not spectacular year in its first edition after expansion. Last year was a banner year for the league, even though they beat the hell out of each other and Arizona State got screwed out of a bowl bid, they proved that they belonged in the conversation for best teams in the country. I think this year might be a small step back for the league, but it would be hard not to after a year like 2010.

ACC Atlantic

1. Florida State Seminoles (10-2, 7-1)

2. Clemson Tigers (9-3, 6-2)

3. Boston College Eagles (7-5, 4-4)

4. Wake Forest Demon Deacons (5-7, 3-5)

5. NC State Wolfpack (6-6, 2-6)

6. Maryland Terrapins (2-10, 0-8)

ACC Coastal

1. Virginia Tech (12-0, 8-0)

2. Miami (FL) Hurricanes (10-2, 6-2)

3. Virginia Cavaliers (7-5, 5-3)

4. Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets (7-5, 4-4)

5. North Carolina Tar Heels (7-5, 3-5)

6. Duke Blue Devils (2-10, 0-8)

ACC Championship Game

Florida State over Virginia Tech

ACC Bowl Games

Florida State Seminoles → Orange Bowl (Jan. 4, 8:30pm — Miami, FL)

Virginia Tech Hokies → Sugar Bowl (Jan. 3, 8:30pm — New Orleans, LA)

Miami Hurricanes → Chick-Fil-A Bowl (Dec. 31, 7:30pm — Atlanta, GA)

Clemson Tigers → Champs Sports Bowl (Dec. 28, 8:00pm — San Diego, CA)

Virginia Cavaliers → Sun Bowl (Dec. 31, 2:00pm — El Paso, TX)

Boston College Eagles → Belk Bowl (Dec. 27, 8:00pm — Charlotte, NC)

Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets → Music City Bowl (Dec. 30, 6:40pm — Nashville, TN)

North Carolina Tar Heels → Independence Bowl (Dec. 26, 5:00pm — Shreveport, LA)

NC State Wolfpack → Military Bowl (Dec. 28, 4:30pm — Washington, DC)

I think both Florida State and Virginia Tech have the talent and the schedules to contend for not only the ACC title, but possibly a National Championship as well. I was very tempted to go with FSU running the table, but recent history against Miami (that game is ALWAYS an upset, take it to the bank) and against the Gators (something tells me UF will spoil the party for the Noles) has me worried.

As for Virginia Tech, they have a lot of things pointing in their favor this year. Their schedule is patty-cake easy until they get later into the season, by which time they should have gained valuable experience and built some real momentum. They also have a huge, athletic, dual-threat quarterback who’s stepping into his first year as a starter. No, not Cam Newton — I’m talking about Logan Thomas, although a lot of people have already made the comparison to the now-Panthers QB.

I’ll admit that I was basically 50/50 when it came time to pick the winner of the ACC title game and ended up going with FSU simply because otherwise I would have had five teams going undefeated heading into bowl season and that would have just been a mess. On top of that, I realized the incredibly slim chances that scenario actually had of playing out, so I figured what the heck I’ll make it a little easier on myself and have VA Tech lose the championship game. But I believe either one of these teams could make a serious push for a run at the BCS National Championship game in the Superdome.

A couple other notes – Clemson is very talented, and I’m going to stick with my initial picks for Miami because A) they are still incredibly talented and B) many of the suspensions are for the season opener only, which they should handle easily. I’ll admit I’m very nervous about pegging the Canes for 10-2 with all the attention and controversy that’s been looming over that program in the past few weeks, but I’ll at least wait until after the first game or two to see who’s actually going to play in 2011 and how they look. Finally, Maryland might be a shocker to see in the basement after going 9-4 and coming very close to playing in the ACC title game last year. Well let me tell you this – I was in DC last fall, and Maryland was the luckiest team in the country last year. Seriously. There is such a thing as karma, and it’s about to swing back the other way on the Terps — hard. On top of that, they have a new coach, and first-year head coaches rarely fare well. The Terps are going down this year. Mark my words.

FBS Independents

1. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (12-0)

2. BYU Cougars (7-5)

3. Navy Midshipmen (6-6)

4. Army Black Knights (4-8)

Independents Bowl Games

Notre Dame Fighting Irish → BCS National Championship (Jan. 9, 8:30pm — New Orleans, LA)

BYU Cougars → Armed Forces Bowl* (Dec. 30, 12:00pm — Dallas, TX) *BYU has already committed to the Armed Forces Bowl, if they are bowl eligible in 2011

Navy Midshipmen → Military Bowl* (Dec. 28, 4:30pm — Washington, DC) *Navy has already committed to the Military Bowl, if they are bowl eligible in 2011

Like I said, I’m putting myself out there this year betting hard on Brian Kelly in his second year in South Bend. Coaches in general, and Kelly in particular, have a reputation for major improvement in the second year of a program. Throw in the fact that ND returns almost everyone from last year’s solid team, along with a very good crop of incoming players, and a manageable schedule and I like the Irish to run the table. And you know what that means. Keep checking back on my blog to find out who I have them facing in the BCS National Championship Game.

So someone from the Big East will get to a BCS game in 2011 – by default. Who’s that going to be? My answer might surprise you.

Big East Conference

1. South Florida Bulls (9-3, 6-1)

2. Pittsburgh Panthers (9-3, 6-1)

3. West Virginia Mountaineers (9-3, 5-2)

4. Cincinnati Bearcats (7-5, 4-3)

5. Rutgers Scarlet Knights (7-5, 3-4)

6. Connecticut Huskies (7-5, 3-4)

7. Louisville Cardinals (4-8, 1-6)

8. Syracuse Orange (2-10, 0-7)

Big East Bowl Games

South Florida Bulls → Orange Bowl (Jan. 4, 8:30pm — Miami, FL)

Pittsburgh Panthers → Champs Sports Bowl (Dec. 29, 5:30pm — Orlando, FL)

West Virginia Mountaineers → Belk Bowl (Dec. 27, 8:00pm — Charlotte, NC)

Cincinnati Bearcats → Liberty Bowl (Dec. 31, 3:30pm — Memphis, TN)

Rutgers Scarlet Knights → Pinstripe Bowl (Dec. 30, 3:20pm — Bronx, NY)

Connecticut Huskies → St. Petersburg Bowl (Dec. 20, 8:00pm — St. Petersburg, FL)

I’m liking the USF Bulls this year. Their head coach, Skip Holtz, is fantastic, and they have a lot of talent. WVU and Pitt might be even more talented, but they are also both experiencing a coaching change in 2011 and normally that means struggles. Any of those three teams could easily walk away with the title when all is said and done, but the coaching experience is making me lean towards USF. Again, I think USF, Pitt and WVU will all be very good teams in 2011, but should they get in to a BCS game at 9-3 like I’m predicting they will be? Probably not.

Mountain West Conference

1. Boise State Broncos (12-0, 7-0)

2. Air Force Falcons (10-2, 6-1)

3. TCU Horned Frogs (10-2, 5-2)

4. San Diego State Aztecs (8-4, 4-3)

5. Colorado State Rams (7-5, 3-4)

6. Wyoming Cowboys (4-8, 1-6)

7. New Mexico Lobos (3-9, 1-6)

8. UNLV Rebels (2-10, 1-6)

MWC Bowl Games

Boise State Broncos → Fiesta Bowl (Jan. 2, 8:30pm — Glendale, AZ)

Air Force Falcons → Las Vegas Bowl (Dec. 22, 8pm — Las Vegas, NV)

TCU Horned Frogs → Independence Bowl (Dec. 26, 5pm — Shreveport, LA)

San Diego State Aztecs → Poinsettia Bowl (Dec. 21, 8pm — San Diego, CA)

Colorado State Rams → New Mexico Bowl (Dec. 17, 2pm — Albuquerque, NM)

It’s almost becoming a boring pick to predict Boise State to go undefeated every year, but I think they’ll win a close one in the opener over Georgia in Atlanta (no easy feat). I don’t think this year’s squad would hold a candle to last year’s, but the schedule is hugely in their favor, and this is a vastly depleted TCU team (just 8 returning starters, only 3 on offense).For the record, I will still argue till I’m blue in the face that last year’s Boise State team could have gone toe-to-toe with any other team in the country. They had arguably the best college quarterback in the country in Kellen Moore (I don’t care how he projects to the NFL), two NFL receivers, a fantastic offensive line, two very good running backs, and one of the most aggressive defenses in the country. That defensive line mauled people last year. That team was championship-caliber, and losing a fluke game in OT against a bitter rival on the road because your kicker choked TWICE on chip-shots does not mean they were a fluke all along and not really one of the top teams in the country. They were. Period. Anyone who watches college football and can take a step back to analyze it objectively would admit that. OK, rant over.

Getting back to TCU, if they had played Air Force at the end of the year, I would have liked them to lose only to Boise State and take 2nd in the conference. Unfortunately, they get a very talented and experienced Falcons team on the road in Week 2. So early in the season, I like the experience over the fresh faces in TCU uniforms, even though they will almost undoubtedly be more talented overall than their Falcons counterparts. If TCU can pull off that ‘upset’ it will set up a huge showdown against Boise State on Nov. 12 in Boise. Again, having to go on the road makes it much more difficult, as Boise is practically invincible on that blue turf. I like BSU to go undefeated, but due to some interesting circumstances that I’m predicting in 2012 (more on that later), they will once again be shut out of a chance to play for the national title. I think you’ll be excited to see who I have them facing in the Fiesta Bowl, however… Keep checking back for posts in the next 24 hours to find out my predictions for the rest of the college football world and all my bowl matchups laid out. For now, off to work. Till next time…

So with that being said, check out my predictions for C-USA this year. You might be surprised to see where I’ve got the Southern Miss Golden Eagles finishing… They are perennially one of my secret favorite teams, and I’m not exactly sure why, but I’m really liking them this year. Read on.

C-USA East

1. Southern Miss Golden Eagles (13-0, 8-0)

2. East Carolina Pirates (6-6, 6-2)

3. UCF Knights (6-6, 4-4)

4. Marshall Thundering Herd (3-9, 3-5)

5. UAB Blazers (3-9, 2-6)

6. Memphis Tigers (2-10, 1-7)

C-USA West

1. Tulsa Golden Hurricane (8-5, 7-1)

2. Houston Cougars (10-2, 7-1)

3. SMU Mustangs (8-4, 6-2)

4. Rice Owls (3-9, 3-5)

5. Tulane Green Wave (2-11, 1-7)

6. UTEP Miners (2-10, 0-8)

C-USA Championship Game

Southern Miss over Tulsa

C-USA Bowl Games

Southern Miss Golden Eagles → Liberty Bowl (Dec. 31, 3:30pm — Memphis, TN)

Houston Cougars → Armed Forces Bowl (Dec. 30, 12pm — Dallas, TX)

Tulsa Golden Hurricane → St. Petersburg Bowl (Dec. 20, 8pm — St. Petersburg, FL)

SMU Mustangs → TicketCity Bowl (Jan 2, 12pm — Dallas, TX)

East Carolina Pirates → Hawaii Bowl (Dec. 24, 8pm — Honolulu, HI)

UCF Knights → New Orleans Bowl (Dec. 17, 9pm — New Orleans, LA)

Clearly, I’m riding extremely high on Southern Miss this year. They have a very talented team and an extremely favorable schedule. I think Houston will have the best offense in the conference, and might even prove to be the best overall team, but until they prove that they have solved their defensive issues, I’m not sure they can win a shootout against Tulsa and that’s why I have the Golden Hurricane in the championship game against the Golden Eagles.