Dennis Dodd, you've messed up. This is a downright sane, rational Big 12 North preview you've put together...now we know that you really can be a decent writer when you want to be...which will be all the more frustrating the next time you write an insane piece of drivel.
Gabe Dearmond's Powered Up column returns, and he brings up a pretty interesting point:
To be honest—and if Blaine is reading this I don't think it's going to be much of a surprise to him—Gabbert is the biggest reason most are predicting the Tigers to have a down year. It's not really offensive to him. He just has one problem: He's not Chase Daniel.
Now, first of all, that's kind of ironic. I mean, Chase Daniel was downgraded his entire life because he wasn't Blaine Gabbert. By that, I mean he wasn't 6-foot-5, 230 pounds with a rifle attached to his right shoulder. Now, the Tigers have that guy that you look at and think, "NFL quarterback," and he's the reason Missouri isn't supposed to be any good.
And while we're talking PowerMizzou, here are a couple of basketball recruiting links. First, Chaminade's Bradley Beal is tiring of recruiting and would like to make a decision, but considering how he's been rumored a heavy Kansas (or maybe Florida) lean for a while, the longer he drags this out, the better it is for Mizzou's slim chances. Beal's kinda like a big deal, having just been ranked #7 in the Rivals 2011 rankings. Oh yeah, and for PM subscribers, be sure to check on the big-time visitor Mizzou secretly hostd this week...
The esteemed Senator Blutarsky has put together a solid set of quotes on the latest BCS hearings and rumblings...which, even though I'm all for a playoff, has gotten pretty damn tiresome knowing that not even the pro-playoff people have anybody's true best interests in mind...
Dave Matter has begun his previews of the rest of the country...first up, ACC and Conference USA. For the record, here are my BTBS projections for those two conferences...
ACC
Atlantic
Clemson 9-3 (6-2) - Gator Bowl
Boston College 9-3 (6-2) - Champs Sports Bowl
Florida State 8-4 (6-2) - Emerald Bowl
Wake Forest 8-4 (4-4) - Music City Bowl
N.C. State 7-5 (3-5) - Meineke Car Care Bowl
Maryland 4-8 (2-6)
Coastal
Georgia Tech 10-2 (7-1) - Orange Bowl
Virginia Tech 10-2 (7-1) - Chick-Fil-A Bowl
Miami-FL 6-6 (4-4) - GMAC Bowl
North Carolina 5-7 (2-6)
Virginia 3-9 (1-7)
Duke 2-10 (0-8)
ACC Championship
Georgia Tech > Clemson
Conference USA
East
Southern Miss 10-2 (8-0) - Liberty Bowl
Marshall 7-5 (5-3) - New Orleans Bowl
Central Florida 6-6 (4-4)
East Carolina 5-7 (4-4)
Memphis 1-11 (0-8)
West
Tulsa 9-3 (7-1) - Armed Forces Bowl
UTEP 8-4 (6-2) - Hawaii Bowl
Houston 6-6 (5-3) - St. Petersburg Bowl
SMU 6-6 (4-4) - Papajohns.com Bowl
Rice 2-10 (1-7)
Tulane 2-10 (0-8)
CUSA Championship
Southern Miss > Tulsa
Finally, a hearty congrats to Mike Alden, this year's Kiwanis Don Faurot Sports Person of the Year Award winner.