Big 12 and SEC.
NORMAN — It is unclear what the on-the-field product of the game-for-which-there-is-not-yet-a-name will be.

Indeed, all we really know is the Big 12 and SEC plan to play a game on Jan. 1, 2015 (and on every Jan. 1, thereafter) that will include each conference’s champion, unless those champions are tied up in a national championship game or playoff.

It has been pointed out, perhaps, that college football’s two best and most important conferences may have Rose Bowl envy, for neither the Pac-12 nor Big 10 champ ever seems to get stuck playing a lousy Connecticut team in Pasadena.

It has also been asked, roll-out hoopla notwithstanding, just how exactly will this new game-for-which-there-is-not-yet-a-name be all that different than the Cotton Bowl the last several years?

That game has matched the second-choice Big 12 team against the third- or fourth-choice SEC team, a scenario that could well play out in the new game after a new four-team playoff has laid claim to two or three Big 12 or SEC programs.

The observations are not wrong and yet they miss the point, because the bigger point is not the game that’s being created. Not really. The big point is the once-again changing landscape of college football and who’s changing it.
more:
http://normantranscript.com/sports/x32751768/Big-12-SEC-deal-breaks-the-mold

Penn State removed their Joe Paterno statue. A real shame he was more interested in protecting the institution instead of the children but Joe wasn't the only one that failed them.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA on Monday hit Penn State with a $60 million fine, banned the football team from bowl games for four years and vacated all of its wins from 1998 to 2011 in the wake of the university's child sex abuse scandal.

At a morning news conference, NCAA president Mark Emmert said Penn State will lose 10 football scholarships initially and gradually be reduced by another 10, dropping their total to 65 for the 2013-14 school year.

The $60 million in fines will go toward a fund for victims of child abuse. Penn State also will be placed on probation for five years.

I know, definitely a shame that the top brass at the university seemed to care more about their storied football program than Sandusky's victims.

How's Fresno State going to do this year, Gina? Who did they get to replace Pat Hill as their head coach?

From what I've read in Fresno's paper, they got projected to finish 3rd in the conference they moved into - Mountain West.

The coach they replaced Hill with is Tim DeRuyter, he was Texas A&M's former Defensive Coordinator/Interim Head Coach. They (Texas A&M) made it to a bowl game that I had every intention watching to see what his coaching style is like but I forgot to tune in when it was televised.

That said, I'm pretty hopeful that they'll do well this season.

Now I gotta say that I do feel a little sorry for the Atlanta Falcons though - they hired Hill to be their Offensive Line coach.

Well PSU is trying to begin anew. And trying to start all over again. As hopefully they can let bygones be bygones. But easier said then done. A new era and a new beginning.

ESPN preseason top 10.

1. USC
2. LSU
3. Alabama
4. Oregon
5. Oklahoma
6. Georgia
7. Florida St.
8. South Carolina
9. Arkansas
10. Michigan

Georgia isn't that good but they have an easy schedule. They could lose to Missouri early because they have a lot of players on suspension. Memo to the university: Never drug test your players right after spring break.

I agree about Georgia, they'll fall pretty fast. LOL LOL On the drug testing.

Graham Spanier might have been ousted from his post at the helm of Penn State over the sex-abuse scandal that engulfed the university, but it seems he’s found a backup employer: the American taxpayer.
...
But who’s he working for? The CIA? Homeland Security? Or maybe just a dull consulting firm with a government contract?

“I have no idea,”says his lawyer, Peter Vaira. “We know the work is in security and he’s prohibited from disclosing which agency or agencies he’s working for.”

Coaches preseason top 10. (no USC, hummm)

1 Alabama
2 LSU
3 Oklahoma State
4 Oregon
5 Arkansas
6 Boise State
7 Stanford
8 South Carolina
9 Michigan
10 Michigan State

Based on that preseason poll, it looks like 'Bama will be having a good team. Is that the case Guy, or did they lose a lot of talent to the draft?

Hi Calicow.

Both, 'Bama lost a lot of good people but they have a lot of talent, so...we'll see. The defense is probably weaker this year.

Some think LSU is out for blood - because of last year - and will beat Alabama this year. I think very possible, also Michigan will be a challenge as will be Arkansas and of course the cross-state rival Auburn is always a hard game.

On Thursday, August 2nd 2012 1:00 pm, guytwo wrote:

Coaches preseason top 10. (no USC, hummm) 1 Alabama 2 LSU 3 Oklahoma State 4 Oregon 5 Arkansas 6 Boise State 7 Stanford 8 South Carolina 9 Michigan 10 Michigan State

Is USC still on suspension? If so, probably why they weren't on the list.