Preview the FBS Conferences

College Football season is finally around the corner.

Let's take a preview of the FBS conferences.

ACC
This race has to be mainly between Virginia Tech who should be preseason Top 10 and Florida State who should be preseason Top 20. The best part, it won't be settled on the field until it really matters because these teams aren't scheduled to face each other in 2009. For the Seminoles, they're going to have to rely on the quarterback play of Christian Ponder. Ponder's one of the best pro-prospects if he can solve his problems in college and gain some consistency.
We can't leave out Georgia Tech who should also be Top 20. They added some depth at receiver and Josh Nesbitt has proven he can throw the ball. If the Yellow Jackets continue to dominate with the triple-option and nobody can stop them, let them run away with the conference, but they didn't last year.
Miami, Clemson, and NC State are big sleepers in the ACC. Clemson's Wily Korn could emerge as the best QB in the conference, but NC State has proven Russell Wilson at the helm, and Miami is going with sophomore Jacory Harris as the full-time starter this year.
However, Tyrod Taylor is now in full control of Virginia Tech's offense this year with Sean Glennon gone. The ACC's leading rusher Darren Evans is coming back as a sophomore and don't forget about the defense and special teams. That's what separates Virginia Tech from the other teams: defense and special teams. Kam Chancellor is back at safety instead of entering the NFL Draft which is huge for the D and you can't really beat "Beamer Ball". I'm putting it out there now: Virginia Tech will win it's third straight ACC Championship in 2009.

Big 12
How can I go against Texas? Not because no one loves them more than me, but because they're simply the best in the Big 12. Ask anyone to name the Top 5 QB's in the Big 12 and they'll say it in this order: Colt McCoy, Sam Bradford, Zac Robinson, Todd Reesing, Robert Griffin.
Oklahoma is going to be a challenge but the Red River Rivalry will renew on October 17. This might be tricky though, because this year it's the first conference game for Texas and the one that has all the national title implications on it. Given what Texas returns, and what OU lost, Texas wins by a bigger margin than last year's 45-35.
The Big 12 is going to again have 3 teams in the Top 10 this year (even though last year it was 4 with Texas Tech included). Oklahoma State is going to take a run at the Big 12 South though. Last year they nearly upset Texas, and they have that game at home this year. The trouble is they have to travel to Norman to face Oklahoma this year. OSU might have the most dynamic offense with the Big Three of Robinson, Dez Bryant, and Kendall Hunter but Texas is coming in with a full reminder of last season and I'm putting it out there now: Texas will win the Big 12 and the 2009 National Championship.

Big East
So Pat White is gone. That's all they ever used to talk about in the Big East was two guys, just these two guys: Pat White and LeSean McCoy. Which one are they going to talk about this year? Neither. They're both gone. White's a Dolphin and McCoy's an Eagle. They've swam and flown out of the messy Big East. Hell, the Mountain West is better than the Big East yet the Big East still has an automatic BCS-bid. Don't get me started on the BCS. It's garbage.
At least the Big East can focus on one guy who deserves some attention now and that's South Florida's Quarterback Matt Grothe. This year, he will break Pat White's record for most all-purpose yards in conference history and people are still going to say, whatever Pat White's the greatest of the decade. West Virginia's going to be a good competitive team with Jarrett Brown at QB and Noel Devine still running the ball, but they really do lack coaching. Bill Stewart's a nice guy, but he's not a football coach. Pittsburgh is going to put its two cents in but let's hope they don't lose to Bowling Green again, that was horrendous...oh wait, they don't have to play Bowling Green this year?..sighs of relief in Pittsburgh.
Cincinnati might be a team to look out for, but they just lost too much to the NFL. Look at South Florida. Defensive End George Selvie opted out of the NFL to come back for his senior season. I always said I loved Pat White and I loved West Virginia, but I've always been a fan of Matt Grothe and South Florida too. We'll see if the Bulls are for real and can take over the Big East this season when they travel to Tallahassee against Florida State on Sept. 26. That'll be USF's biggest challenge, and what a surprise, it's a non-conference game that's the biggest challenge. Someone (South Florida) please step up in the Big East this year because this conference disgusts me, but I'm putting it out there now: South Florida will step up as the Big East Conference Champion.

Big Ten
Big Ten football is boring, but Terrelle Pryor's bringing some excitement to it this year. Let the Heisman Watch begin, Pryor could potentially be the second sophomore to win the most prestigious award.
This conference is all about Ohio State and Penn State. These two teams played a hard nosed game last year that the Nittany Lions won 13-6, but they're gonna need a lot more offense if they expect to outscore Pryor's Buckeyes. Why do I say 'outscore'? Because you're not going to stop him. I'm putting it there now: Ohio State will get a rematch with USC in the Rose Bowl...and win it.

Pac-10
I gave it away already in the Big Ten segment: USC wins the Pac-10...again. The biggest challenge is going to be Oregon, but I think they're a year away from championship contenders, but that doesn't work out well, because USC is a year away from getting back to prominence. I honestly would give the ball to Matt Barkley if I were the Trojans and say here kid lead us to the promised land. Maybe he'll do great, maybe he'll fail, but I don't think Aaron Corp should be the USC starter. Don't forget that USC lost 9 members of its starting defense too but they return the stud safety Taylor Mays and still have Damian Williams receiving on the offensive side. USC has revamped their defense (not as great as last year, but still among the elite), and they have all the tools on offense if they get good quarterback play. I wouldn't sleep on California or even Arizona, but I'm putting it out there now: that USC definitely wins the Pac-10 and possibly loses the Rose Bowl to Ohio State.

SEC
Okay, mystery solved: it was Steve Spurrier that didn't vote Tim Tebow as preseason 1st Team All-SEC. That news story was maybe the biggest bullshit and suckup ever. The fact that I got a "breaking news" text alert saying one coach didn't vote for Tebow is pathetic. Tebow is good and he is faithful to God, but he is not, by any means, God himself. Call him the greatest college football player in history, it's debatable. But we don't need to treat him like God. It's as if a defender might be sent to hell if he tackles Tebow in the backfield or hits him late, or even stops him short of the marker. It's stupid.
Alabama's going to have a good football team under Nick Saban. Greg McElroy is supposed to step in at QB and he knows Saban's system very well. It'll be as if John Parker Wilson never left (he wasn't that great a leader anyway). 'Bama still has Julio Jones and 9 starters coming back on defense along with return specialist Javier Arenas who's the best in the nation at what he does.
Others don't think so, but I like LSU as a Top 5 team. I saw what they did with Jordan Jefferson at QB last year. They were a whole different team. If that carries over with the roster Les Miles has put together again, LSU could run the table in the Division and play for the SEC title.
We can't forget about Ole Miss either. Jevan Snead is arguably the second best quarterback in the conference and top 5 in the nation. Snead, the transfer from Texas, beat Florida last year, well it was Snead's defense that did the job, but there's no reason why it can't be done again.
But after all that's said, I'm putting it out there now: Tim Tebow will lead the preseason-#1 (by all likelihoods) Florida Gators to the SEC title and the national championship game that will be against the Texas Longhorns.

Non-Automatic BCS Conferences
Mountain West
Yeah, yeah, the Mountain West should be a BCS Conference, but what can we say about the corrupt system. Utah went undefeated last year and beat Alabama in the Sugar Bowl but they lost almost all of their starters. With what they bring back, they're still a top 25 team, but not one that can run the table again.
Brigham Young lost Austin Collie to early entry to the NFL which still leaves heads spinning because he could've gone as a first rounder if he stayed for this season but BYU returns Max Hall who could contend for the Heisman. Not to mention that the Cougars play all the MWC power houses (TCU, Utah, Air Force) at home.
TCU brings back its Top 5 in the nation defense and Andy Dalton at quarterback. Other than their road games at BYU and Clemson, the Horned Frogs have a very likeable easy-going schedule.
TCU wins the Mountain West this year, but because of the schedule, does not make a BCS game

Conference USA
Tulsa is probably going to have a high powered offense again but nobody really plays defense here. Southern Miss is the biggest threat to any team but you can't count out Rice either. But here's what I have to say: Houston with Case Keenum wins the Conference USA Title this year.

MAC
We all remember last year's memorable MAC Championship game between Ball State and Buffalo. Buffalo no longer has the leadership of Drew Willy but they have some big athletes on that squad and Turner Gill is one of the best in the business. Ball State won't contend this year without Nate Davis, he's the only reason they even had a chance last season. Unless Dan LeFeveour can finally put together a big year at Central Michigan, give the conference title to Buffalo again, but I think Central Michigan gets it done this year.

Sun Belt
Troy. We're done. Troy has some big-time NFL prospects on defense and Levi Brown at QB. Let me think hard about what the rest of the conference has...Nothing.

WAC
BOISE STATE. Let's talk BCS Bowl Game when we talk about Boise State. They have the opening night game on September 3rd against Oregon and that'll be the only true test. We'll find out early if this Boise State team is legit and can crash the BCS. I have all the faith in Kellen Moore at Quarterback and the Bronco's stifling defense. Nevada does have Colin Kaepernick with another year of experience under his belt, but he's lost most of his receiving threats. Boise has Nevada at home on November 27 and it should be easy business. Boise State will win the WAC again, but all eyes are on that Oregon matchup.