Premature E-Speculation: Talking About the 2012 College Football Season

Arkansas is a mystery wrapped in a riddle shrouded in curiosity this season.  I'll be curious to see how Arkansas rebounds this season compared to Louisville in 2007.  I was watching a program last night, and they talked about what a huge void Petrino leaves when he's gone.

It is interesting that UofL followed with Kragthorpe, and Arkansas is following with John L. Smith.  I suspect that Smith is a better head coach, but neither of them are as all-commanding as Petrino, and ultimately that's what last night's panel was discussing.  This could wind up to be an awful year for the Razorbacks (who I was hoping would make the SEC West most interesting).

I really look forward to a team from any other conference except the SEC winning the MNC this year, but I hope it's not USC.  I never hope for these kids to get injured, but USC has an incredible team with little depth or supporting players.  It would make that team more interesting if they were forced to play with reserves.  At the end of the day, I get joy from seeing Lane Kiffin unhappy.  I hope Notre Dame doesn't win it all, either, but I don't think they have a real shot.  And I really wouldn't mind if it was Michigan.

The LSU-Alabama championship game still leaves a bad taste in my mouth.  The BCS could have handled that better.

I think the SEC East is kind of awkward without a strong Florida.  It's funny that Mark Richt was on the hot seat the last couple years, but now he's expected to win the SEC East all over again.  We'll see if that changes with Isiah Crowell being dismissed from his team.  I wouldn't be surprised to see South Carolina steal it again, too.

I don't know how I feel about West Virginia this season.  I've always kind of rooted for them in football (unless they play UofL).  I think that started back in the season where they HAD to beat Rutgers so Louisville went to the Orange Bowl, and then I pulled for them when they played and beat Oklahoma in their BCS game the next season.  And I like what Dana Holgorsen contributes to that team.  But now they're in a new conference with TCU, and I kind of like Oklahoma State in the Big XII (which was really the Big VIII last season, and is the Big X this season).  I don't know if them dominating that conference would help or hinder Louisville's move to the Big XII.  I still pull for us to go to the ACC.  I think that's a better fit for the Cardinals.

My hope for Louisville is that they leave the dying Big East sooner than later.  I wouldn't mind if we play in that conference into the 2013 season, only because I want them to demolish Boise State (who I can't ever imagine liking).

I'm going to go into this season with a love/hate for Wisconsin (more hate this year because Bret Bielema is a meat headed sh!t sack), Michigan State (same old over-achievers), and of course ~ugh~ Michigan (which I want to pronounce with an Italian inflection like "Meecheegan").  I just flat-out dislike Penn State this year for obvious reasons.  And Illinois.  They're only good for upsetting teams, but never at the right times.

I just learned about some of the Big XII rivalries and their implications on the conference's Wikipedia page.  Those of us that enjoy college football have heard of the Red River Rivalry (Oklahoma - Texas), and maybe the Bedlam Series (Oklahoma - Oklahoma State) and Border War (Kansas - Missouri), but some of these others really make the Big Ten's rivalry games not as nerdy:

Baylor - Texas Tech:  Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Shootout

Iowa State - Kansas State:  Farmageddon (seriously)

Kansas - Kansas State:  Sunflower Showdown

Baylor - Texas A&M:  Battle of the Brazos

Texas - Kansas State:  winner receives the Golden Lasso trophy

Iowa State - Missouri:  winner receives the Telephone Trophy

Missouri - Oklahoma:  winner receives the Peace Pipe Trophy

I've bought about 7 magazines dedicated to college football so far this summer.  I've scanned and read them well enough.  Here are some simple, feckless predictions:

My preseason conference picks are as follows:

Big Ten Leaders:  Wisconsin (Ohio State can't participate in post season)

Big Ten Legends:  Michigan

SEC West:  Alabama

SEC East:  Georgia*

Big XII:  Oklahoma 

ACC:  Florida State

Big East:  Louisville

Which teams will I be pulling for?

Big Ten:  Ohio State

SEC East:  Florida

SEC West:  LSU and I'll want to watch Texas A&M, and I'll pull for Auburn if I'm watching with Dr. Pat

Big XII:  Oklahoma State (and to a lesser extent West Virginia, TCU)

ACC:  Clemson, I guess

Big East:  Louisville

And, finally, here are some more Kentucky Football billboard edits: