The 2012 college football season is here! WHOO-HOO!!! Let’s get this preview going before I get TOO excited…
(Note: this pertains to the major SIX conferences – sorry Boise State)
Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Division
- Florida State
- Clemson
- NC State
- Wake Forest
- Maryland
- Boston College
Coastal Division
- Virginia Tech
- UNC
- Virginia
- Georgia Tech
- Miami
- Duke
Conference Champion: Florida State
Notes: A lot of people bang on the ACC for being such a soft conference that does not get it done in BCS bowl games and against major out-of-conference opponents. I’ll agree with the last half of that statement, I do not think for a second that the ACC is weak. It is one of the more balanced conferences in terms of parity in college football. It may not be as rugged as the SEC and Big 12, but I would definitely put the ACC up there with the top-heavy Pac-12 and the slow-ass Big Ten. Speaking of which…
Big Ten
Legends
- Michigan
- Michigan State
- Nebraska
- Northwestern
- Iowa
- Minnesota
Leaders
- Wisconsin
- Ohio State
- Purdue
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Penn State
Conference Champ: Michigan
Notes: I think whoever wins the Michigan-Michigan State rivalry game in the middle of the season will win the Big Ten. No one in the Leaders division can stand up to either of those teams. And the Legends division is stacked – except for Minnesota. By the way, has the Big Ten changed those corny-ass division names yet?
Big 12
- Oklahoma
- West Virginia
- TCU
- Texas
- Kansas State
- Oklahoma State
- Baylor
- Kansas
- Iowa State
- Texas Tech
Conference Champ: Oklahoma
Notes: This will be an exciting year for the Big 12 with West Virginia and TCU coming into the fold. I think West Virginia will threaten Oklahoma for the conference title. Texas will be much-improved, especially on defense – but it will not be enough.
Big East
- Louisville
- Cincinnati
- Pittsburgh
- South Florida
- Connecticut
- Temple
- Syracuse
- Rutgers
Conference Champ: Louisville
Notes: Normally I would say “who gives a fuck?”, but I guess I should give the Big East the respect it deserves. Louisville will be stacked and returns its stud starting QB from last season. Cincinnati poses the biggest threat to Louisville, while Pitt will look to make a little noise before moving to the ACC next season. Meanwhile Temple and Connecticut will… oh who am I kidding – who gives a fuck?
Pacific-12
North
- Oregon
- Stanford
- Washington
- Cal
- Washington State
- Oregon State
South
- USC
- Utah
- Arizona
- UCLA
- Arizona State
- Colorado
Conference Champ: USC
Notes: USC and Oregon are the class of this conference, and it’s not even close. Sure Stanford can play and Utah should be much-improved, but let’s not kid ourselves here. This is a top-heavy conference and both USC and Oregon should face little resistance on their way to their conference title game clash. However, I am happy as hell to see Mike Leach back on the sidelines at Washington State. If Leach could recruit top talent to Lubbock, Texas of all places, then he should be fine in Pullman, Washington.
Southeastern Conference, aka “The Beast”
East
- Georgia
- South Carolina
- Florida
- Missouri
- Tennessee
- Vanderbilt
- Kentucky
West
- Alabama
- LSU
- Arkansas
- Auburn
- Texas A&M
- Ole Miss
- Mississippi State
Conference Champ: Alabama
Notes: Talking about saving the best for last. The SEC is far and away the best college football conference in the country. Alabama is, as always, stacked thanks to the recruiting savvy that coach Nick Saban possesses. LSU will not be as hurt as you’d think with the Honey Badger in the secondary. LSU reportedly has a kid who is as good as – if not better than – the Honey Badger in coverage, though not as much the playmaker. Georgia should be much improved and South Carolina will be a factor in the East. Missouri will do better than Texas A&M in its first year in the SEC.
National Championship Game: Alabama over Florida State
Categories: college football, sports story
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