I think that may have been my longest Mid-Atlantic Bias post yet. There’s a little housecleaning I need to do:

1.) I have a job now. A real one. Every day. Money. The whole thing (Berthiaume).
2.) I’m not technically supposed to have a blog.
3.) Rather than keep up this overwrought “Will I post/Won’t I post” nonsense, here’s what I’m going to do: Post when I feel like it. Check back periodically to see if I’ve written anything. Feel free to continue to send me ideas and stuff. I’d love to do this everyday, but it’s just not happening and I would hate to say I was going to disband The Bias. Plus, my next post is my 100th. Got to hit that milestone.

Let’s do some college football preview, shall we:

Big 10

-This breakdown, at least at the top, is very easy. I do not foresee a scenario whereby the Ohio State University does not win this conference. They may lose a game. That’s not the issue. The issue is that there is no other team in this conference that can even approach how loaded Ohio State is. This is the best Ohio State team of my lifetime. And that’s saying something. Find a position where they’re not loaded. They have the best offensive lineman in the conference (Alex Boone), the running back (Heisman candidate Beanie Wells), the best linebacker (James Laurenitis), and the best corner back (Malcolm Jenkins). They also have a really good quarterback (Todd Boeckman), a great Freshman backup (Terrelle Pryor), great wideouts (Hartline and Robeskie…both Brian). And the best coach in the conference. They also have 6 punters on their roster for what that’s worth (which is nothing besides the anomaly of it).

If I need to talk about another team with a chance (there’s none) I’m going to take Illinois. They lose Rashard Mendenhall in the backfield but gain an extra year of experience from Juice Williams. They might beat Ohio State, as they did last year (it’s in Champaign this year). It won’t matter.

Final Breakdown:
1.) Ohio State
2.) Illinois
3.) Wisconsin
4.) Penn State
5.) Purdue
6.) Indiana
7.) Michigan State
8.) Michigan
9.) Iowa
10.) Northwestern
11.) Minnesota

Game of the Year: 10/25 Illinois @ Wisconsin (A battle for a Rose Bowl berth will likely be at stake ( In that they’ll be battling for 2nd).
Player of the Year: James Laurenitis (LB/Ohio State)

Big 12

-Ah, the best conference in college football. “WHAT?” you say. What about the SEC. Yea, yea, yea. The SEC is ridiculously good. However, I think that 3, count ’em 3! teams from the Big 12 can win the National Championship this year. The pundits complain that there is no defense played in this conference and perhaps that’s true. But there is no other conference that can boast about offense quite like the Big 12. At quarterback alone you have Heisman candidates Chase Daniel (Missouri), Graham Harrell (Texas Tech), and Sam Bradford (Oklahoma) in addition to Texas Junior Colt McCoy (a freshman sensation looking to bounce back from an up and down 2007 year), Kansas phenom Todd Reesing, and Oklahoma State riser Zac Robinson. Oh, and then there’s the guy who I’ve heard is a potential 1st overall pick in next year’s NFL Draft, Kansas State QB Josh Freeman (compares favorably to JaMarcus Russell).

The 3 teams that I think can win the National Title (and the one that I think will) are Missouri, Oklahoma, and Texas Tech (no, I’m serious). Missouri and Oklahoma were close last year. Texas Tech will be better than you think. Like, undefeated when they play at Oklahoma on November 22. They’re toughest game prior to that will be a November 1st matchup in Lubbock against McCoy and Longhorns. This year’s Texas Tech team is different from year’s past for one reason: They have a defense this year. They’re bringing back 8 starters from a year ago as well as a number of star transfers. They will contend.

The other key game on the schedule is the Big 12 title game. I don’t think Missouri will lose a regular season game (sorry SE Missouri State, Buffalo, Baylor, Nevada, and Iowa State). Their toughest test will come in this weekend’s most important non-conference game against the Illinois Fightin’ Illini in St. Louis.

The Breakdown:

North:
1.) Missouri
2.) Kansas State
3.) Kansas
4.) Colorado
5.) Nebraska
6.) Iowa State

South:
1.) Oklahoma
2.) Texas Tech
3.) Texas
4.) Oklahoma State
5.) Texas A&M
6.) Baylor

Game of the Year: Texas Tech @ Oklahoma (11/22)
Player of the Year: Chase Daniel (QB/Missouri)

The Pac-10 and SEC to come later this week (hopefully Wednesday). I’m going to tomorrow’s Dodgers/Nats game, sitting in the third row in left field with a Red Sox shirt on, and booing like a son of gun. Should be fun.