1. I'm sure everybody had preseason predictions for their team. Now that we're a few games in, revise your predictions with your best and worst case scenarios (being reasonable on both sides), and then revising your prediction for the season result.
Oh geez, "10 wins no excuses" ring a bell? Let's just say all of our preseason predictions have been tarred & feathered. Worst case? The Buffaloes don't win a game the rest of the season (and yes, that's still being reasonable). Best case? CU beats Iowa State, Kansas State and Texas A&M and then manages to upset one of either Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma State or Nebraska. I'm going to guess that the Buffs win 2 out of the first group and 1 out of the second to finish 4-8.
2. In 2010, the Big 12 will send it's 7th place team to play in a new bowl game to be played at Yankee Stadium, replacing the Independence Bowl in Shreveport. What's your take on this move? Is it a good move for players? Is it a good move for the conference? Is it a good move for fans?
I think the game will bring the conference some needed exposure as the game is going to have a lot of hype for a bowl featuring the Big 12's 7th team. The players should love being in New York City around the holiday season and the game should be fun to participate in (outside of the cold). For fans, no not really. Have you ever tried to get a hotel in NYC during the holidays? Add that cost to a flight from Big 12 country and you are looking at one expensive trip.
3. Oklahoma is now 2-2, with one of those victories coming against a winless 1-AA team. Will all be well in Soonerland once Sam Bradford returns?
Oklahoma will certainly play better once Bradford returns but it's the improvement of the offensive line that is going to make the difference for the Sooners. OU is down to 2 returning starters on the offense in Trent Williams and Chris Brown and yet they are 2 points away from still being undefeated. There aren't any programs in the country that could handle that kind of attrition and injury any better than Oklahoma is right now.
4. This week, Missouri and Nebraska face off on an ESPN Thursday night broadcast at 8 pm. Last Thursday, Colorado lost to West Virginia. Missouri and Colorado both have played Friday night road games. What's your take on non-Saturday games?
I love them. I am a fan first and foremost and nothing makes me happier than more and more games to watch during the week. Just don't schedule a Friday night game after you play on Sunday. Trust me on that one...
5. It seems everybody is in agreement that the bottom three teams in the North are the bottom three teams in the conference. Is the gap growing, and which of these teams is going to break out of the cellar first. Or is it hopeless?
Yes, the gap is certainly growing. Most thought that Nebraska and Kansas would battle for the conference crown while Missouri took a sizable step back with the losses of Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin, but the Tigers haven't gone anywhere. When you look at the bottom teams in the North which one stands out? Iowa State has a first year coach, Kansas State has a first year coach (well, sort of) and Colorado has.... a coach in his 4th year who boldly called for 10 wins and is trending significantly downward. I don't know that the Wildcats or Cyclones will break out of the cellar before the Buffaloes, but finding out is not something that I look forward to.
6. Rank all of the division 1 football conferences from top to bottom. Not just the BCS conferences (ACC, Big 12, Big 10/11, Big East, Pac 10, SEC), but the others (MAC, Conference USA, WAC, Mountain West, Sun Belt) as well. Who's the strongest conference, and who's the pretender?
1. SEC
2. ACC
3. Big 12
4. Pac 10
5. Big 10
6. MWC
7. Big East
8. CUSA
9. WAC
10. MAC
11. Sun Belt
7. PowerPoll time. Rank 'em 1 to 12 based on who you think would be the victor on a neutral field.
1. Texas Longhorns
2. Kansas Jayhawks
3. Oklahoma Sooners
4. Nebraska Cornhuskers
5. Missouri Tigers
6. Oklahoma State Cowboys
7. Texas Tech Red Raiders
8. Texas A&M Aggies
9. Baylor Bears
10. Kansas State Wildcats
11. Colorado Buffaloes
12. Iowa State Cyclones