As of 3:45 pm today...IT'S GO TIME. The Trib takes a look at the four main storylines to watch as camp starts.
On his blog, Dave Matter finishes his Top 25 and makes an overall prediction I think most here will like.
* NCG: USC (No. 1/Pac-10 champ) vs. Missouri (No. 2/Big 12 champ)
One-loss Tigers hold off two-loss Florida in final BCS standings.* Rose: Ohio State (Big Ten champ) vs. Georgia (at-large)
Rose gets its Big Ten team and nabs Bulldogs with first at-large pick.* Fiesta: Oklahoma (at-large) vs. BYU (at-large)
Sooners face another BCS-buster in third straight Fiesta.* Sugar: Florida (SEC champ) vs. Wisconsin (at-large)
* Orange: Clemson (ACC champ) vs. South Florida (Big East champ)
Not crazy about putting Badgers here, but who else is there?
Bulls, who play in Tampa, gets to actually play in South Florida.
SMQ's finished his Top 25 as well. OU (#3) is among The Cream, Mizzou (#7) is on The Short List, Texas (#12) and Texas Tech (#15) are among The Dreamers, Nebraska (#21), Kansas (#24) and Oklahoma State (#25) are among The Wildcards. Gotta love that the Big 12 has 7 of the Top 25 overall there, huh?
No replication for Mizzou in 2008. Nope.
Could Mizzou replicate its 12-2 season of a year ago? The No. 4 final national ranking?
“I hope we don’t replicate it,” said Daniel, the Missouri senior quarterback picked as the preseason Big 12 Conference’s offensive player of the year. “Because then we’d lose in the Big 12 Championship game.
“We don’t want to replicate it.
No, the Tigers — who this afternoon gather for opening practice — want to beat Oklahoma this time. They want to carry the No. 1 national ranking earned last year by beating Kansas for the Big 12 North title right past the Sooners — or anybody else in the Big 12 Championship game in Kansas City — and on into the national championship game.
“I want to play in Florida,” Daniel said.
The coming season’s national championship game will be played at the Orange Bowl.
Judging by most of the preseason polls, prognosticators think Missouri will have that chance.
Also from the Star: Sean Weatherspoon's a confident man.
Speaking of Weatherspoon, the Post-Dispatch's Jeremy Rutherford takes a look at the defense and how it wants a piece of the spotlight for itself.
ESPNs Tim Griffin takes a look at the Big 12's Top WRs. Bet you can guess who #1 and #2 are, huh? He also looks at the conference's top clutch players.
Finally, today's recruiting links: 4-star CA RB/waterbug Daniel Jenkins is just about ready to set up his official visits, and he suggests that Mizzou will get one of them (though it's not entirely clear if he has a Mizzou offer...I believe he doesn't). Meanwhile, 4-star TX WR Emory Blake has cut his list to 7, and Mizzou's still in good shape. He says we're recruiting him as a WR or RB, as he apparently looks good with the ball in his hands, one way or another.