Heisman frontrunners:

1. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida

2. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame

3. Colt McCoy, QB, Texas

4. Tony Pike, QB, Cincinnati

5. Todd Reesing, QB, Kansas

Best Coach: Chip Kelly, Oregon.  The season was only a few hours old when it appeared LeGarrette Blount would tear the Oregon Ducks locker room apart and disrupt Kelly’s rookie coaching season.  The Oregon head ball coach acted quickly and decisively booting Blount off the team and leading an us against the world charge.  They’ve been outstanding since then, including a 42-3 tattooing of the then-undefeated Top 5 Cal Bears.  If Kelly’s Ducks can take out USC they will get some serious consideration for the BCS National Championship game.

Best Game: Miami 38, Florida State 34.  A dropped pass on the game’s final play vaulted Miami to victory and provided tremendous momentum for the season, which started with a 3-1 record, all against ranked teams.  The ‘Canes seem to be on their way back and the schedule lines up perfectly for a run at a BCS at-large berth.  That hasn’t happened since January, 2004.

Most Surprising Team: Alabama. After losing a ton of talent including their all everything OT Andre Smith and starting QB John Parker Wilson, most expected Alabama to be good, but not great.  The truth is they’ve been better than great, mauling Virginia Tech in the opener and dismantling Ole Miss, who was ranked in the preseason Top 10.  They have a week off before hosting LSU and barring a stunning turn of events, should return to the SEC Championship game undefeated with a chance to win it all in Pasadena.

Most Disappointing Team: Cal Bears.  This was their season with Heisman frontrunner, RB Jahvid Best, returning.  The schedule was challenging, but manageable with the conference favorite, USC, coming to Berkeley.  The season is on life support and needs substantial improvement from the defense and QB Kevin Riley to keep from imploding any further.

Surprise of the season: The lack of a “true” Heisman favorite.  With Tebow, McCoy and Oklahoma QB Sam Bradford all returning, it appeared to be a three-way duel for the award.  Then Bradford was hurt, Tebow was good, but not great and McCoy has been unimpressive – at least in the media’s eyes.  This year seems a lot like 2001, where Nebraska QB Eric Crouch won the award, more as a lifetime achievement than anything he did that season.  If 2009 unfolds in the same manner, look for Florida QB Tim Tebow to hoist the award on December 12th.

Most Memorable Moment: “Tebow being Tebow.”  After being knocked out of the game against Kentucky and suffering a concussion, Tebow returned and in one of his most memorable games, led the Gators to a 13-3 victory over LSU at Tiger Stadium in Death Valley.

Questions that were answered in the first half:

1. Will Florida State contend for the ACC Championship? Simply put, no.  This season could end up being Bowden’s last.

2. Why does the Big East and ACC still receive automatic berths into the BCS? These conferences have been stout early on, with Virginia Tech, Georgia Tech, Miami, Cincinnati, Pitt, West Virginia and others all in contention at the halfway point.

3. Who is the most likely BCS buster (BYU, TCU, Boise State, etc.)? Houston jumped to the front of the pack on the season’s second weekend after defeating Oklahoma State in Stillwater.  But the cream always rises to the top eventually and with the pair of Cougars (Houston & BYU) falling by the wayside, Boise State and TCU look to be leading the way.  Barring a late-season upset (which nearly happened Wednesday night), look for Boise to reach the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and “bust” the BCS yet again.

4. What will Lane Kiffin do next? He’s certainly not stayed completely away from controversy, but the Vols appear to be on the right track especially in light of last weekend’s 45-19 destruction of Georgia.  He went on to promise his players they would never lose again to Georgia as long as he was there.  In the 1990s, the SEC was all about Tennessee and Florida in the SEC East with Georgia not reaching the title game until the game’s 11th year.  Clearly, Kiffin wants history to repeat itself.

Questions that still need answers:

1. How good is Notre Dame (and Charlie Weis)?

2. Will two undefeated SEC teams play a “national semifinal” in the SEC Championship game?

3. Can a one loss team get into the National Championship (Oregon, Virginia Tech, USC, etc.) or will two undefeated squads play for it all?

What questions do you have about the season’s second act?  Please leave them in the questions below.

Following Boise State’s victory over the Ducks, a lineman for the Broncos clearly said something to Blount that set him off. LeGarrette then sucker punched the player, hit his own teammates, went after fans and had to be dragged off the field by coaches and police. It was clearly one of the more disgraceful scenes I’ve witnessed at a football game in a long, long time.

Maybe if Blount (who had promised to deliver a “butt whipping”) had used some of that intensity during the game, he might have rushed for more than -5 yards. As it is, he disgraced himself, the University of Oregon and College Football.

I’m sure this isn’t how new head coach Chip Kelly envisioned his first game. He needs to get control of Blount and his team before this season spirals out of control.

What should happen to Blount with respect to a suspension? Will charges be pressed by the player, fans or police?

Chip Kelly and the Pac-10, you are on the clock.

1. Tim Tebow’s last stand.  Love the Gators or hate the Gators, you have to respect Tim Tebow and what he has brought to the game, on and off the field.  In covering football for more than 15 seasons, Tebow is the most impressive athlete I can recall.  He clearly elevates the players around him and looks to raise up individuals through his personal ministry.  Whether at the ESPY awards, SEC Media Days or other events, Tebow is often the subject of criticism and cynicism.  As for me, I’m going to enjoy getting the opportunity to watch potentially the most decorated college football player of all time – for his final season.

2. Best Heisman Race ever.  Never has there been so much talent returning in a Heisman campaign, with two previous winners vying to become only the second player to win multiple Heisman trophies (Ohio State’s Archie Griffin was the first).  Meanwhile, Texas QB Colt McCoy will look to seize the trophy from previous winners Tim Tebow (2007) and Sam Bradford (2008).  There are other Heisman trophy candidates, but they are all playing catch up to the Big 3.

3. Dominance of the Big XII South: The Big XII South is reminiscent of the SEC East during the 1990s when Florida, Tennessee and Georgia were the perennial top three with the Gators and Volunteers battling it out on and off the field to determine who would play for the SEC Championship in Atlanta.  This almost appears neighborly based on what has been happening in the Big XII South as of late.  Close games, routs, recruiting wars, Texas and Oklahoma lobbying in the national media last season for a spot in the Big XII and BCS National Championship game.  Meanwhile, just like Georgia in the SEC East, Oklahoma State’s program is on the rise and they will compete heavily to make this something more than a two horse race.  The best part of all?  It doesn’t look like the intensity of the Big XII South will be slowing down anytime soon.

4. Legitimate threat to USC’s reign.  Without question, USC is one of the best college football jobs in America and Pete Carroll has taken advantage of that, winning the Pac-10 conference championship each of the last eight seasons.  2009 could be a different story, though.  With the early departure of Mark Sanchez, freshman Matt Barkley takes over for the Trojans at quarterback while the offseason brought the departures of both coordinators.  Meanwhile Oregon and Cal appear to have the teams needed to challenge for supremacy on the West Coast..  USC has an NCAA record seven straight 11+ win seasons and they haven’t lost a game outside of their conference since they played Texas in the Rose Bowl in 2005.    Is their reign over, or will they continue to “fight on”?

5. Lee Corso.  I’ve enjoyed Lee Corso for years as a commentator on ESPN’s College Gameday and always found him to be gracious whenever I’ve interviewed or stopped to chat with him.  It’s been a challenging offseason for Lee, who at 77 years old suffered a stroke following the 2008 season.  He’s been working hard to recover and will be back in the booth to kick off the 2009 college football campaign.  Now more than ever, I’m going to enjoy hearing Lee’s analysis, perspectives and his “not so fast, my friend” phrase.

How about you?  What’s the storyline you’re following and going to savor during this college football season?

But what games – in and out of conference – will have the biggest impact on the perception of the national media, the BCS standings and who plays for the BCS National Championship this season?

Here’s the MrBCS.com Top 10 College Football games for 2009.

September 3rd: Oregon at Boise State. It won’t take long for it to feel like mid-season with these two BCS contenders facing off on opening night. Last year in Eugene, the Ducks fell to Boise State in what some Oregon players called “an embarassment.” They get to do somethig about it on Thursday night. Boise State can, and likely will, make the BCS as an at-large without this win. Oregon will not. This one is huge for the Ducks.

September 5th: Virginia Tech vs. Alabama (Atlanta). Last year, Alabama used this game with Clemson to get their season off to a fast start, eventually running their record to 12-0. The Hokies, who lost their starting running back Darren Evans, will look to do the same and can clear their most significant hurdle between them and the BCS Championship game by emerging victorious at the Georgia Dome.

September 12th: USC at Ohio State. Will it be rout #2 for the Trojans or redemption for the Buckeyes? The winner of this one takes a big, big step in the polls and BCS rankings with a victory in Columbus.

October 3rd: USC at Cal. Will USC’s championship dominance come to an end or will another Pac-10 power emerge in 2009? This game couldn’t come at a worse time for the Bears who will be coming off an emotional road game at Oregon the week before.

October 10th: Florida at LSU. The last time these two teams played in Baton Rouge, the Bengal Tigers won by converting an amazing 5 of 5 fourth downs, all in the 4th quarter. Look for LSU to provide the biggest road test for the Gators in 2009. This one is not for the faint of heart.

October 10th: Alabama at Ole Miss. Houston Nutt always had his teams at Arkansas playing their best when their backs were up against the wall. How will the Rebels fare in their biggest test of the season? The winner of this game will likely play for the SEC Championship.

October 17th: Texas vs. Oklahoma (Dallas). Don’t plan anything on this Saturday. The 2009 Red River Rivalry will be one for the ages. In addition to two top five teams facing off, this one is juiced by the bad blood following the Longhorns exclusion from the Big XII and BCS title game despite having defeated the Sooners 45-35 in 2008. You won’t want to miss this one.

October 31st: USC at Oregon. If the Trojans survive the trip to Berkeley against Cal, this is their last stop between an undefeated season and a shot at the BCS National Championship.

November 7th: Ohio State at Penn State. The belief here is that the undefeated Nittany Lions will be facing a one-loss Buckeyes squad. This should be Joe Paterno’s biggest challenge to another undefeated season. Should the Buckeyes win, look for the Rose Bowl to deal either USC or Ohio State to another BCS game to avoid a rematch of September 12th.

November 28th: Oklahoma State at Oklahoma. Just when you think the Sooners have wrapped up the (fill in the blank here) the OSU Cowboys seem to disrupt the party. If Oklahoma State can defeat the Georgia Bulldogs on opening weekend, they could be in line for a BCS at-large berth -or more – with a victory here.

One final point to consider. If there are more than two undefeated teams (Florida, Penn State, USC and Texas/Oklahoma), who will be shut out? MrBCS.com believes the storyline of the Gators will be too much to ignore, especially given their current poll position. As for their opponent? Look for it to be the Texas Longhorns (provided they are undefeated) or the USC Trojans. If multiple undefeated teams exist again this season, it should really get the momentum recharged for a playoff and plus one plan.

What do you think? Is there a game you’re especially excited about this season?

On that day, Rich Rodriguez broke West Virginia’s heart when he decided to take the head coaching job at the University of Michigan.  Today, the Michigan faithful are thinking Coach Rodriguez is nothing but a heartbreaker.  Huge settlements with his previous employer, the worst season in school history, ending a 33-year bowl streak, constant controversy and now this.

On Sunday, several current and former Wolverine players alleged that the current coaching staff violated NCAA rules by exceeding mandated limits on time that can be spent on football related activities – both during the season and off-season.

Let me be clear, none of the recent allegations of extended workout schedules have been proven – yet.  Michigan has already announced an investigation into the matter and has reached out to the Big Ten and the NCAA.  You can be certain this proud program does not like being associated with this type of behavior and will do everything possible to clear its name – or bring the violators to light.

Let’s presume, for a moment, that the allegations ARE accurate.  Here’s three thoughts I have:

1. Integrity. The winningest program in College Football history has never – I repeat – NEVER been guilty of major NCAA violations for its football program.  You can’t accomplish that without players and coaches who conduct themselves with integrity and a high degree of character.  Say this for the Wolverines; Even if the coaches have lost their way, Michigan still has a number of student-athletes who maintain this tradition of integrity.  Without them, this issue never would have come to light.

2. This is bad.  It’s one thing when you have a coach from another University, a member of the media or even a former player say something negative about you.  But when it’s players from your current team who are speaking out against your practices, it’s only a matter of time before everything else falls apart.  Based on where this report came from, you have to wonder: Has Rodriguez lost his team even before the season starts?

3. This could get worse.  In 1999, University of Alabama coach Mike DuBose admitted to having an affair with a secretary, then promptly went out and won the SEC Championship.  All was forgotten until a year later, when a slumping season cost him his job.  At this point, it’s unlikely that Coach Rodriguez would lose his job days before the season starts.  A quick glance at Michigan’s schedule suggests a worst-case record for this season would be 6-6, while turning in another season like what he had in 2008 (3-9) would certainly be the last straw.  If these allegations are true, would 6-6 (or even 10-2) be good enough to save his job?

What do you think?  Is Coach Rod living on borrowed time or will all be forgiven in Ann Arbor?

To put into perspective how dominant these three were in the balloting last season, they garnered more than 90% of all votes and Tim Tebow, who received the most first place votes, finished third.

Is it a forgone conclusion one of these three will win? Absolutely not. That’s the beauty of college football. With that in mind, here’s five guys who could be holding the most prestigious award in college football on December 12th.

Jevan Snead, QB, Mississippi. Remember, this is the QB who originally committed to Florida and then was neck and neck with Colt McCoy for the starting job when he was a freshman. Ole Miss is the only team in the SEC West who hasn’t made it to the SEC Championship game in Atlanta. With a light road schedule (Alabama, Arkansas, Tennessee and LSU all come to Oxford), the Rebels could piece together a big season and get to the conference championship game. If that happens, expect Snead to get plenty of press. Should they defeat Florida, expect him to finish in the top two at the ceremony in New York.

Eric Berry, Safety, Tennessee. My sister-in-law (a UT alum) still talks about 1997 and what a travesty it was when Michigan’s Charles Woodson won the Heisman trophy instead of Peyton Manning. Berry is the best player on defense in the SEC – and perhaps the best in the country. The Vols have launched a full press campaign touting Berry’s candidacy, but the question remains whether he can make enough big plays to capture the attention of the country or if he’ll be lost in a mediocre campaign for the Vols.

Jahvid Best, RB, California. The question of whether or not Jahvid Best will win the Heisman comes down to two dates, September 26th and October 3rd. On those Saturdays, he plays at Oregon and hosts USC, respectively. When you haven’t been to the Rose Bowl since the 50′s and your current league champion has won the Pac-10 title eight straight seasons, history isn’t on your side. One thing that is? The Bears close the season at Stanford and at Washington, so big numbers should be plentiful. Although he led the league in rushing last season, Best was at his worst against big time opponents – averaging 45 yards/game. He’ll need a big season – and two big games – to make the final field for the Heisman.

Terrelle Pryor, QB, Ohio State. Last season against USC, Pryor showed us all what he could do once he relieved Todd Boeckman. He provided a spark for the Buckeyes and never relinquished the starting job last season. With that 35-3 pasting by the Trojans fresh in our minds, Pryor could catapult the Buckeyes into the BCS National Championship mix – and him into the Heisman conversation – with a win against USC on September 12th. Should they win against USC, the only other hurdle between them and the title game is November 7th at Penn State.

Zac Robinson, QB, Oklahoma State. Passing for more than 3,000 yards, rushing for 560 more and accounting for 33 touchdowns would be a great season anywhere, unless you happen to be in the Big XII South. Robinson has helped attract a great deal of talent to Stillwater and all the pieces are in place for a run at the conference championship. The Cowboys get the Longhorns at home on October 31st (the end of a brutal four game stretch for Texas which has them playing Colorado, Oklahoma in Dallas and at Missouri in the previous three weeks), and could catch Mack Brown and company at just the right time. Robinson also gets to compete head to head with two of the Big 3 returning Heisman candidates – the only player on this list with that opportunity. Combine that with a showcase game week one against SEC power Georgia, and Robinson could win more than just the Big XII South this season.

Turner Gill, Buffalo.  This guy was a hot commodity during the offseason as he interviewed for multiple jobs including the head ball coach at Auburn and Syracuse.  Auburn Alum Charles Barkley was so infuriated with the Tigers’ non-choice of Gill that he accused his school of racism.  I believe Buffalo will have another strong year and – this time – Gill will be hired by a major college program.

Charlie Weiss, Notre Dame.  After taking the Irish to a BCS bowl game in his first two seasons, Weiss and company have struggled mightily, but appear close to turning it around.  The administration at ND left him flapping in the wind during the offseason, likely as the gauged Urban Meyer’s interest in attending, which now appears to be non-existent based on Florida’s recent $4M commitment to him.  Odds say that Weiss stays with a BCS season, is gone with a poor campaign, but what about a middle of the road effort in 2009?  Stay tuned.

Bobby Bowden, Florida State.  Head coach in waiting Jimbo Fisher is ready to take the reins (and the administration is probably ready to let him after all the controversy this offseason).  Bowden says he wants to win one more BCS National Championship before he retires.  They should be setup for a run in 2010 with a little more experience and some guy named Tebow moving onto the NFL.  With the recent scandals, should FSU struggle in 2009, will he get that chance?

Steve Kragthorpe, Louisville.  No one expected this type of drop off following Bobby Petrino’s departure to the NFL.  This is a make or break season for the Cardinals.  With the Pitino controversy, the athletic administration needs a good news story.  This is not it.

Lane Kiffin, Tennessee.  No story would be complete on this topic without talking about Public Enemy #1 in the SEC.  He’s softened a little bit as the season draws closer, but spent the offseason generating ire and rancor from fellow SEC schools by accusing them of cheating, insulting their coaching staff – the list goes on and on.  Kiffin will get this turned around quickly, but some conference teams will give him a good shot while the Vols are down.

Tommy Tuberville, Phil Fulmer & Tommy Bowden former coaches.  When you talk about the competitive nature of college football, these three should be the face of it.  Tuberville and Fulmer had tremendous championship seasons in the SEC and are dismissed after a down year.  Bowden underperformed with high expectations last season and Clemson and was gone.  With this talent pool waiting in the wings, every coach on the hot seat has a much smaller margin for error.  Don’t be surprised to see Fulmer at Louisville and Tuberville at Texas A&M in 2010.  As for Bowden, expect him to follow the example of his younger brother (Terry) and return to the small school scene.

What about you?  What coaching stories are you most interested in keeping your eye on for 2009?

Today, the Associated Press released their initial 2009 poll.  As expected, the Florida Gators are the favorites to win their second straight BCS National Championship trophy – and third in four years.

But that’s not the only story from today’s poll.  Here’s a couple of my thoughts after seeing the initial version.  Feel free to let me know yours below.

1. If Florida does not win the National Championship it will be the biggest surprise since….ever.  In today’s poll, the Gators are the most overwhelming favorite in the history of the poll.  To put this into perspective, not even when Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush and company returned to defend their BCS Championship did they receive this level of confidence from the voters.

2. It’s a matter of who, not if, a non-BCS team will make it into a BCS game.  One of the provisions of the BCS Selection Criteria is that if a non-BCS team finishes the year ranked higher than the champion of an automatic qualifying conference (ACC, SEC, Big 12, etc.), they automatically receive a bid.  Interestingly enough, four non-BCS teams (Boise State, TCU, Utah & BYU) are all ranked higher than ANY team in the Big East.  The top vote getter from the Big East was Pittsburgh, who came in at 28th.

3. Mike Gundy from Oklahoma State really has a lot of people thinking highly about his program.  Their ranking at #9 is the highest in nearly a quarter century, back when the Cowboys had Thurman Thomas in the backfield.  The only downside for Gundy is he might have a great season and still finish as the third best team – in his division.

4. Charlie Weis has people thinking he is getting closer to waking up the echoes at Notre Dame.  The Fighting Irish entered the rankings for the first time in nearly three years – since the end of the 2006 season.