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Date/Time/TV Bowl Site Matchup Saturday Dec. 19 2 :30 pm ET ESPN New Mexico Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Albuquerque, NM University Stadium Wyoming vs. Fresno State Saturday Dec. 19 8:00 pm ET ESPN St. Petersburg Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks St. Petersburg, FL Tropicana Field Rutgers vs. Central Florida Sunday Dec. 20 8:00 pm ET ESPN R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks New Orleans, LA Louisiana Superdome Southern Miss vs. Middle Tenn St Tuesday Dec. 22 8:00 pm ET ESPN MAACO Bowl Las Vegas Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Las Vegas, NV Sam Boyd Stadium BYU vs. Oregon State Wednesday Dec. 23 8:00 pm ET ESPN San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium Utah vs. Cal Thursday Dec. 24 8:00 pm ET ESPN Sheraton Hawai'i Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Honolulu, HI Aloha Stadium SMU vs. Nevada Saturday Dec. 26 4:30 pm ET ESPN Meineke Car Care Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Charlotte, NC Bank of America Stadium North Carolina vs. Pitt Saturday Dec. 26 5 :00 pm ET ESPN Little Caesars Pizza Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Detroit, MI Ford Field Ohio U vs. Marshall Saturday Dec. 26 8:00 pm ET ESPN Emerald Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks San Francisco, CA AT&T Park Boston College vs. USC Sunday Dec. 27 8:15 pm ET ESPN Gaylord Hotels Music City Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Nashville, TN LP Field Clemson vs. Kentucky Monday Dec. 28 5:00 pm ET ESPN AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Shreveport, LA Independence Stadium Texas A&M vs. Georgia Tuesday Dec. 29 4:30 pm ET ESPN EagleBank Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Washington, DC RFK Stadium Temple vs. UCLA Tuesday Dec. 29 8:00 pm ET ESPN Champs Sports Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Orlando, FL Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium Miami vs. Wisconsin Wednesday Dec. 30 4:30 pm ET ESPN Roady's Humanitarian Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Boise, ID Bronco Stadium Bowling Green vs. Idaho Wednesday Dec. 30 8:00 pm ET ESPN Pacific Life Holiday Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks San Diego, CA Qualcomm Stadium Nebraska vs. Arizona Thursday Dec. 31 2:00 pm ET NFL Network Texas Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Houston, TX Reliant Stadium Missouri vs. Navy Thursday Dec. 31 Time TBA ESPN Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Fort Worth, TX Amon G. Carter Stadium Air Force vs. Houston Thursday Dec. 31 12:00 pm ET CBS Brut Sun Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks El Paso, TX Sun Bowl Stadium Stanford vs. Oklahoma Thursday Dec. 31 5:30 pm ET NFL Network Insight Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Tempe, AZ Sun Devil Stadium Minnesota vs. Iowa State Thursday Dec. 31 7:30 pm ET ESPN Chick-fil-A Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Atlanta, GA Georgia Dome Virginia Tech vs. Tennessee Friday Jan. 1 11:00 am ET ESPN Outback Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Tampa, FL Raymond James Stadium Auburn vs. Northwestern Friday Jan. 1 1:00 pm ET CBS Konica Minolta Gator Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Jacksonville, FL Jacksonville Municipal Stadium FSU vs. West Virginia Friday Jan. 1 1:00 pm ET ABC Capital One Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Orlando, FL Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium Penn State vs. LSU Friday Jan. 1 5:00 pm ET ABC Rose Bowl presented by Citi Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl Ohio State vs. Oregon Friday Jan. 1 8:30 pm ET FOX Allstate Sugar Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks New Orleans, LA Superdome Florida vs. Cincinnati Saturday Jan. 2 12:00 pm ET ESPN2 International Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Toronto, Canada Rogers Centre South Florida vs. Northern Illinois Saturday Jan. 2 2 :00 pm ET ESPN PapaJohns.com Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Birmingham, AL Legion Field Connecticut vs. South Carolina Saturday Jan. 2 2:00 pm ET FOX AT&T Cotton Bowl Classic Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Arlington, TX Cowboys Stadium Oklahoma State vs. Ole Miss Saturday Jan. 2 5:30 pm ET ESPN AutoZone Liberty Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Memphis, TN Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium East Carolina vs. Arkansas Saturday Jan. 2 9 :00 pm ET ESPN Valero Alamo Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks San Antonio, TX Alamodome Michigan State vs. Texas Tech Monday Jan. 4 8:00 pm ET FOX Tostitos Fiesta Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Glendale, AZ University of Phoenix Stadium TCU vs. Boise State Tuesday Jan. 5 8:00 pm ET FOX FedEx Orange Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Miami, FL Dolphin Stadium Georgia Tech vs. Iowa Wednesday Jan. 6 7 :00 pm ET ESPN GMAC Bowl Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Mobile, AL Ladd Peebles Stadium Troy vs. Central Michigan Thursday Jan. 7 8:00 pm ET ABC BCS National Championship Game Bowl Tickets Flights + Hotels Odds & Picks Pasadena, CA Rose Bowl Alabama vs. Texas

The 2009 college football season will be capped by exciting college football bowl games, including the 2009 Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California, the 2009 Fiesta Bowl in Phoenix, Arizona, the 2009 Sugar Bowl in New Orleans, Louisiana, the 2009 Orange Bowl in Miami, Florida and the 2009 BCS National Championship Game in Pasadena, CA.

The best college football teams from the major conferences, including the Big10 conference, Big 12 conference, Pac 10 conference, ACC conference, Big East conference, SEC conference, and Mountain West conference will face off in college football bowl games throughout December and into January.

If you're looking for updated matchups, odds, insights, betting lines and online wagering for the college football bowl games, please be sure to try BangTheBook.com.

Officials from both schools said Wednesday they are discussing the possibility of playing their state rival in a neutral-site game in Atlanta to kick off the 2011 season.

Georgia Tech, which is scheduled to host the Bulldogs that year under the normal home-and-home format, would not give up a game at Bobby Dodd Stadium, said athletic director Dan Radakovich.

Instead, the talks involve taking a one-year break in the schools' season-ending routine for the chance to face each other in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game at the 70,000-seat Georgia Dome.

The biggest sticking point could be the makeup of Georgia's 2011 schedule. If the Bulldogs have their season-ending home game with the Yellow Jackets shifted to the first game of the season, the team would finish their season with three straight road games.

Let me say this... I love the Chick-Fil-A Kickoff Classic and the ACC-SEC matchups, but... I really don't like the idea of moving a rivalry game to a neutral field if the tradition is home-and-home. It would suck to move Clemson-South Carolina or Florida-Florida State to a neutral field, so... don't.

I also don't agree with taking regular matchups and moving them. I'd much rather see the game continue to pair matchups that we don't normally see, such as FSU-Georgia, Clemson-Auburn, Florida-Virginia Tech, Alabama-Miami, Tennessee-North Carolina or other interesting possibilities.

Officials from the SEC have already confirmed their participation to The Birmingham News. Under the terms, the Gator will get "at least" the sixth pick of bowl-eligible SEC teams. The pick position could vary on a year-to-year basis, but more details would be announced once the Big 10 announces its bowl agreements next week.

The Gator Bowl is also in final talks to become part of a broadcast deal with ESPN, leaving CBS, in a move that could signal the end of the exclusive broadcast window that has been previously negotiated for the Capital One Bowl.

With the Cotton Bowl moving to January 2nd, the result of the Gator Bowl agreement means that all three non-BCS games on New Years Day will feature SEC vs Big 10 matchups.

With the end of the ACC / Big East relationship in the Gator Bowl, the ACC and Big East have signed an agreement with the Champs Bowl which will essentially recreates the conferences past Gator relationship in Orlando.

Under the terms to begin with the 2010 season, the ACC will send its #3 selection to the Champs Bowl to face the Big East's #2 selection or Notre Dame. The Champs can select Notre Dame once over the four year agreement if the Irish have seven wins and are within two wins of the #2 Big East school.

With the Gator Bowl now aligned with SEC, the Independence Bowl finds itself as odd-man out in the SEC bowl mix after 15 years with the conference. Instead, the Independence Bowl will look to sign a new bowl matchup between the ACC and Mountain West.

For an explanation for why the computers are hating on Florida see his writeup for the current week.

Bold indicates the highest ranked teams from automatic qualifying(AQ) conferences, a strike represent additional teams from the SEC and Big 12. Teams vying for a final AQ awarded to the highest ranked team from a conference without an AQ if at least one makes the final top 12 are in italics. The remaining teams (including those in italics not selected) are fighting for the last remaining BCS openings. Gaps represent large differences in the BCS standigns.

1) USC 0.8727

2) Texas 0.7882
3) Alabama 0.7870
4) Florida 0.7540

5) LSU 0.6655
6) California 0.6460
7) Boise State 0.6097
8) Penn State 0.5992
9) BYU 0.5987

10) Ole Miss 0.5240

11) Ohio State 0.4332
12) Oklahoma 0.4050
13) Georgia Tech 0.3727
14) TCU 0.3651
===BCS Eligibility Line===
15) Utah 0.3505
16) Virginia Tech 0.3500

17) Oklahoma State 0.2552
18) North Carolina 0.2460
19) Nebraska 0.2176
20) Cincinnati 0.1979
===Watch Line===
21) Houston 0.1880
22) Georgia 0.1697
23) Miami(FL) 0.1467
24) Missouri 0.1375
25) Pittsburgh 0.1284

As usual the Big 12 and SEC dominate the standings with 5 teams each, many near the top.

Currently three teams from outside the BCS AQ conferences have crossed the #14 ranking needed to become BCS eligible. Two have made it into the top 10. A total of five are present in the top 25. This all suggests that a robust push by the MWC, WAC and C-USA to earn their AQ is underway.

If BYU wins this week against FSU they should take the lead from Boise State and hold it until they lose a game.

California (or USC) and Ohio State (or Penn State) are the only obstacles blocking the BCS from being forced to take a second team from outside the six AQ conferences. Virginia Tech and North Carolina are on deck to fill any vacancies, despite the media bombardment directed at the ACC so far this year.

The ACC certainly is not looking to be as even across the board as it was last year. If they are, it will be serious trouble for them.

The Big East also advanced further into the standings with Cincinnati entering the watch list and Pittsburgh joining them in the top 25, reflecting a strong early performance against mostly outmatched opponents. This week should be a good barometer of how good the Big East really is. Have we all really forgotten 2006 and 2007 already?

The highest ranked team from each BCS conference is in bold. Remaining teams from the SEC and Big 12 are in italics, as a second team from each should be expected. BYU, Boise State, TCU and Utah are in contention for the final automatic qualification (as long as at least one finishes in the top 12). The remaining teams are fighting for the lone remaining BCS slot. Gaps represent large seperations in rankings.

1) FLorida
2) USC
3) Texas
2) Alabama

5) Oklahoma State
6) Ohio State
7) Penn State

8) BYU
9) Boise State
10) California
11) LSU
12) Mississippi
13) Oklahoma

14) TCU
=== BCS Eligibility Line ===
15) Utah
16) Virginia Tech
17) Georgia Tech

18) Georgia
19) Missouri
20) Cincinnati
=== BCS Watch List ===
21) Miami (FL)
22) Nebraska
23) Notre Dame
24) Texas Tech
25) North Carolina

BYU at #9 this early, with a win over a top 15 team and 2 teams left in the top 20, is looking like a far better chance at the championship game than any team from outside the BCS has seen. The fact that TCU and Utah are not far behind indicates the MWC has drawn significant credibility in the BCS formula. CSU and Air Force also got some points towards the bottom of the listing.

Boise State has to hope Oregon turns things around this season. No other WAC or MAC team is earning any BCS points, and other than UC Davis this is all Boise State has remaining. Unlike BYU, Boise State does not have a schedule that will prevent significant numbers of teams from passing them in the standigns as the year goes on.

With four teams from outside the BCS conferences already in the top 15, and 2 in the top 10, I think we can assume at least one will make it in this year. It appears that Penn State (or Ohio State) and California (or USC) are the only impediments currently foiling a second such team from securing a BCS berth. The ACC is down. but not completely out here and Notre Dame is lurking just outside at #23

The Big East has emerged in the top 25, with Cincinnati breaking into the top 20.

To participate, visit this page at 8:00pm Eastern on Monday, September 7th, just before the FSU-Miami game and stick around until... whenever we shut off the lights.

Or - if you're so inclined - chime in via Twitter by including the hashtag #fanblogslive in your tweets!

See you on Monday night for the live blog!

Unlike Boise State's personal foul against Oregon in 2008, this hit was legit. Oklahoma has vulnerable to a delayed blitz from the right side LB all night long, allowing him to repeatedly run untouched to the QB. The ground caused the injury.

Bradford will likely miss 2-4 weeks. Idaho State and Tulsa should be manageable. Will Oklahoma be able to face Miami(FL) if he is out for three weeks? They would face a Baylor team that beat Wake Forest if he misses 4 games.

All of these games, and the final drives of the BYU game, would be strongly in Oklahoma's court with Bradford. Without him, and the questionable play of the offensive line, things are not as certain.

Hopefully the inexperienced offensive line finds answers and Bradford can return for the much anticipated Red River Shoot Out.

An early season loss is not an end to Oklahoma's BCS National Championship hopes. They will have plenty of time to climb back to the top spots. Another loss would require a 2007 level cluster at the top of the standings to get them in. Without Bradford the next few wins may be more difficult than originally anticipated.

Conner proposes combining the eight football schools of the Big East with the twelve schools of the ACC, creating the largest conference to "control the entire East Coast's TV markets, rule the world in basketball with crazy competition and paydays in football and basketball?"

With logistics in mind, let's pull out a map here...oh yes: you could have a four divisions of five: You could put, say, UConn, Boston College, Rutgers, Syracuse and Maryland in one division; Pitt, West Virginia, Cincinnati, Wake Forest and say Louisville in another; Virginia, Virginia Tech, Duke, North Carolina and N.C. State in one and then group Clemson, Georgia Tech, South Florida, Miami and Florida State together?

How's the scheduling work?

Well, you would play the other four teams from your division, play another division and one team from the other two for a total of 10 league games and then schedule two non-conference games.

In the realm of crazy ideas, I've heard crazier.

If the ACC folks aren't interested, Connor suggests walking this idea to the Big 10 and adding Notre Dame to form a 20-team superconference, but I see that as the less likely scenario, actually.

If you could rewrite the BCS eligibility to ensure the superconference maintains its two guaranteed spots (BE spot & ACC spot) as well as permit up to two additional schools (as the BE & ACC can already have two each), then you might be on to something.

Anybody up for a Big East / ACC Superconference?

The results? Well... pretty interesting, unless you're a Texas, Penn State, Florida, or Ole Miss fan. But - then again - if you're a Texas, Penn State, Florida, or Ole Miss fan, you probably already know that your non-con sucks this year.

Some highlights:

Florida: D+
Sept. 5: vs. Charleston Southern, F
Sept. 12: vs. Troy, D+
Nov. 21: vs. Florida International, D-
Nov. 28: vs. Florida State, B-

Oklahoma: C+
Sept. 5: vs. BYU (In Arlington, Texas), B
Sept. 12: vs. Idaho State, F
Sept. 19: vs. Tulsa, C
Oct. 3: at Miami, B

Texas: D-
Sept. 5: vs. UL-Monroe, F
Sept. 12: at Wyoming, D
Sept. 26: vs. UTEP, D+
Nov. 7: vs. UCF, D

Ohio State: C
Sept. 5: vs. Navy, C-
Sept. 12: vs. USC, A+
Sept. 19: vs. Toledo (at Cleveland), D
Oct. 31: vs. New Mexico St., D

Alabama: C
Sept. 5: vs. Virginia Tech (at Atlanta), A
Sept. 12: vs. Florida International, D-
Sept. 19: vs. North Texas, D
Nov. 21: vs. Chattanooga, F

Virginia Tech: B
Sept. 5: vs. Alabama (at Atlanta), A
Sept. 12: vs. Marshall, D
Sept. 19: vs. Nebraska, B+
Nov. 5: at East Carolina, B-

Florida State: B-
Sept. 12: vs. Jacksonville State, F
Sept. 19: at BYU, B
Sept. 26: vs. South Florida, C+
Nov. 28: at Florida, A

LSU: D
Sept. 5: at Washington, D
Sept. 19: vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, D-
Oct. 31: vs. Tulane, D-
Nov. 14: Louisiana Tech, D

Utah: D+
Sept. 3: vs. Utah State, D-
Sept. 12: at San Jose State, D
Sept. 19: at Oregon, B+
Sept. 26: vs. Louisville, D+

Just a side note: Why the hell is FSU considered a contender this year? Heh....

Check out the full grades at CBS Sportsline.

1. Florida (53)
2. Texas (4)
3. Oklahoma (1)
4. Southern California (1)
5. Alabama
6. Ohio State
7. Virginia Tech
8. Penn State
9. LSU
10. Mississippi
11. Oklahoma State
12. California
13. Georgia
14. Oregon
15. Georgia Tech
16. Boise State
17. TCU
18. Utah
19. Florida State
20. North Carolina
21. Iowa
22. Nebraska
23. Notre Dame
24. Brigham Young
25. Oregon State

Others receiving votes (with 2008 records):
Kansas (8-5) 138; Michigan State (9-4) 136; Texas Tech (11-2) 114; Cincinnati (11-3) 90; Pittsburgh (9-4) 64; West Virginia (9-4) 55; Rutgers (8-5) 51; Miami (Fla.) (7-6) 46; Missouri (10-4) 44; Illinois (5-7) 38; Clemson (7-6) 30; South Carolina (7-6) 18; UCLA (4-8) 14; Auburn (5-7) 12; Nevada (7-6) 11; South Florida (8-5) 11; Kentucky (7-6) 9; North Carolina State (6-7) 7; Arkansas (5-7) 6; Wisconsin (7-6) 6; Northwestern (9-4) 5; Southern Mississippi (7-6) 4; Wake Forest (8-5) 4; Arizona (8-5) 3; Boston College (9-5) 3; Central Michigan (8-5) 3; East Carolina (9-5) 3; Colorado (5-7) 2; Maryland (8-5) 2; Navy (8-5) 2; Tennessee (5-7) 2; Houston (8-5) 1; Michigan (3-9) 1; Minnesota (7-6) 1; Troy (8-5) 1.

I know what you're thinking? Where's the ritual preseason vote for Duke? I have no idea. Although South Carolina coach Steve Spurrier is voting this year in the coaches poll, he did not cast his annual vote for the Blue Devils. Perhaps the uproar of blaming his assistant for snubbing Tim Tebow hit a little too close to home.

And not to beat a dead horse, but I *hate* preseason polls. They are *not* accurate indicators of success. Case in point? Last year's preseason coaches poll failed to rank 14 of the 25 teams in final season coaches poll. That's right. The 2008 preseason coaches poll failed to rank 56% of the teams in the 2008 final poll.

So... if you like you're football indicators with a 44% accuracy, then - by all means - go nuts over this one.

The contract between the Gator Bowl and the Big East is in its final season, and the new Big East commissioner expects changes.

"We want an exclusive deal," Marinatto said, "and we've remained firm. And if (a deal) is not going to be with the Gator Bowl, then it will be with someone else."

Gator Bowl President Rick Catlett called the Big East's position "disappointing" but made clear that the hybrid model is in the best interest of fans and the bowl game, for now.

The Gator Bowl, which picks the third in the ACC selection, has traditionally chosen first from the bowl-eligible pool of Big East teams, but the bowl is making it known that it would like a future agreement with the SEC.

"We have had a lot of conversations with the SEC," Catlett said. "It's a natural tie-in. We sit in their geographic footprint. We would very much like to be a part of the SEC's bowl picks. The problem is they've got some awfully good partners."

While the Gator Bowl would be a nice fit for the SEC, the current arrangement with ABC and the Capital One Bowl guarantees that no other SEC team will play in their early afternoon time slot (which is shared by the Gator Bowl) on New Year's Day. The Gator is not interested in moving its time slot, so a new arrangement would be required before the bowl could select an SEC team.

So is the Gator barking up the wrong tree? Maybe not. The Gator Bowl's gestures to the SEC come during the exact time that the Capital One Bowl is negotiating with ABC... who - by the way - just signed a huge deal with the SEC.

The Gator is hoping it's prime television slot and $2.5 million payout will prompt the SEC to work on its behalf, provided the bowl can pick within the first five slots of the conference.

In other words, stay tuned. This might get interesting.

But the Gator Bowl isn't putting all it's eggs in one basket. It has also held talks with the ACC, Big 10 and Big 12 conferences in hopes of reaching a long-term arrangement for the Jacksonville game.

Two sources said the eight-team Big East would consider adding a ninth member by exploring whether there was interest on behalf of Maryland to jump from the ACC, and for Boston College to rejoin the league.

Both seem a little far-fetched on the surface, but Maryland always has played Big East schools, and the balance of power in the ACC is in the south. And Boston College is learning that life in the ACC, where it has no natural rivals, isn't all it's cracked up to be.

A little far-fetched? The Smoking Musket breaks it down.

Hahahahahahahaha. No, really. Why either one of these schools would ever leave their nice home with a warm bed in the ACC to join or rejoin the Big East is beyond me. Despite the conference's recent struggles, they are making more money and getting far more TV exposure in the ACC than they ever could in the BE. And what about the basketball schools? "Hey DePaul, thanks for letting our old guard pad their tournament resume's against you for a few years, but we think the conference needs to make a more concerted effort to constrain itself to one time zone. Have fun in the Horizon league." Yes, we would all love to see BC, Maryland, Penn State and Notre Dame join the BE for all sports, but we would also all love to see Megan Fox lying in our bed in nothing but a Noel Devine jersey when we get home from work. Neither is going to happen any time soon. That being said, if either happened, I would definitely have to change my pants.

Not sure if the changing pants reference is a Big East or Megan Fox callback, but I digress....

Obviously the new Big East commish is trying to shake things up. Good for him, but... I think we need to come back down to reality.

For all the knocks on the ACC for not having a recent contender for a BCS title, you cannot fault the business acumen of the conference. The ACC is in a position to renegotiate both its HIGHLY lucrative basketball television contracts AND football contracts - at the same time - next season. The likely outcome is a huge increase in revenues as the conference looks to bundle its offerings for a big payday. (Maybe not SEC big, but keep in mind that the ACC was already making $260 million... just on the football side.) In other words, there's no financial incentive to leave the ACC right now.

Does BC want to return to the Big East and cut travel expenses? I'll split on that. No, to the Big East and yes, to cutting expenses. Talk has already surfaced among the ACC presidents to realign the conference as ACC North and ACC South. That move alone would save BC a pretty penny. Perception of a problem (as opposed to an actual "problem") resolved.

I can't fault the Big East for trying. Heck... maybe they should try swapping Maryland for... say... South Florida. Or dishing Rutgers to the ACC. I'm sure the Swofford would love to have a foot hold in the New York TV markets.

Or... if you really want to get serious, Big East, go knocking for FSU, Miami and Virginia Tech. If you're going to dream... DREAM BIG! (Hey... that could be the slogan!)

But... seriously... silly season is over. It's August. No more fantasy talk, Big East. Let's play some damn football.

To wet your whistle, here's a few ideas:

Tennessee vs Virginia Tech at Bristol Motor Speedway
You can pretty much bank on 170,000+ fans piling into BIS for this game. The high banking in the stands would provide great lines of sight for nearly every seat. Don't even get me started about the tailgating.

Army vs Navy on the National Mall in Washington DC
The crowd would be obscenely large - a boon for the service academies - but the seating would be less than ideal. With satellite screens set up, you could easily attract 300,000+ fans for the game.

Texas vs Southern Cal at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City
Bringing two of the nation's landmark teams to Mexico City would be a boon to college football, in general. The stadium had "only" 103,000 in attendance the last time the NFL was in town, but the capacity would likely be closer to 115,000 without upteen million NFL cameras in the way.

Illinois vs Northwestern at Wrigley Field
The NCAA has outlawed the "offensive" 'Sweet Sioux Tomahawk' trophy, so the Illini & Wildcats are getting a new trophy in 2009, so why not feature the game in a legendary venue? It might be the only way you get me to an Illini game, after all.

Auburn vs Alabama at Talladega Superspeedway
Can you imagine a crowd of 165,000 at the Iron Bowl? Boom!

Florida vs Notre Dame at Wembley Stadium in London
You know that Florida fans would be up for a chance to finally beat the Irish and Notre Dame fans, well, they're everywhere. The Brits love coming to Florida... so I'm thinking 105,000 for this one.

Alright, guys... whatchya got?

This article raised some interesting prospects for 2009, but the title of this thread is one that I have been pondering for some time.

Is the ACC significantly under rated?

While the SEC fans complain about the troubles of playing so many good teams week in and week out, the reality is this argument was better applied to the ACC in 2008. 11 of the 12 teams went between 5-3 and 3-5 in conference play. That is the definition of any team can beat any other team in any week.

The ACC had 8 teams in contention for their conference title with 2 weeks left in the season and placed a record 10 teams in a bowl game.

The biggest issue with the ACC last year was not their lack of strength but their over abundance of it. 2 teams went undefeated out of conference and 8 teams went 3-1 out of conference, including bottom dweller Duke. The remaining 2 split their OOC games.

They split the season 6-6 with the SEC and beat the mighty Big 12 4 out of 5. Notre Dame and Navy combined for a 1-4 record against the ACC. While the Big East did score a 4-3 lead over the ACC, one can hardly argue the ACC performed well in their out of conference by picking on smaller conference teams.

For the ACC to succeed two or three teams are going to have to raise themselves above the fray. This will require raising themselves above some of the most competitive and under rated teams in the nation.

If such a team can be found in the ACC in 2009 you are looking at the 2009 national champion. Now, is that team Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Boston College, FSU, Maryland, Clemson, Wake Forest, North Carolina or Miami(FL)?

Pick any 6 or 7 of those and add in another top 25 out of conference game or two and ask yourself, does my team's schedule really compare this year, regardless of what the other 4 games are?

[tip on Rose Bowl link: OU_Ron]

This would be welcome news on many levels. First, it would signify that the Rose Bowl is moving away from a PAC 10 vs Big 10 match up and more of the East coast-West coast concept they originally embraced. It also suggests that a conference champion may be a better value than the second team from any conference from a tradition stand point.

An East coast-West coast focus would allow the Rose Bowl to maintain a sense of identity in the midst of or as a part of an improved post season structure.

The Rose Bowl would be guaranteed two conference champions, unless the PAC 10 or Big 10 both go to the title game or one goes and no at large champion is available.

That, and this greatly increases the odds of Utah becoming the first team since the BCS was created to win all five BCS bowls (Oklahoma is the only team to have been to all five, winning two).

Teams at least 2 two or appearing in at least 3 different BCS bowls since the end of the 1998 regular season:

Team: BCS Bowls won (Been to but lost)

Miami (FL): Sugar, Rose, Orange (Fiesta)
Oklahoma: Orange, Rose (Sugar, Fiesta, NCG)
Florida: Orange, NCG (Sugar)
Ohio State: Sugar, Fiesta (NCG)
LSU: Sugar, NCG
USC: Orange, Rose
Texas: Rose, Fiesta
West Virginia: Sugar, Fiesta
Utah: Fiesta, Sugar
FSU: Sugar (Fiesta, Orange)