I thought you might have added that part...

The Big10 and PAC12 have the Rose Bowl.  The SEC and Big12 have locked into another bowl.  That leaves the ACC, BigEast, and the smaller conferences.  With the Playoff format, the traditional bowls might not be getting the same BCS teams, so it makes sense to look beyond the BigEast.  And while we all know that ND sucks and is overrated, they fill stadiums and bring fans.

Those are some surprising numbers.  Richt should be better than than.

The Big12 is a good BB conference, and Mizzou won it last year.  While they might not be up to Kentucky standards, they should give the rest of us a run for the money.

Alabama State does send players to the NFL, maybe 22 total over the years.  I also think that a lot of schools didn't want this criminal.

I watched a bit of Mizzou football last night on ESPNU's best 25 games from 2011.  They were playing Arizona State early in the season.  What I took away from the game is that Mizzou does not have a great offensive line.  Bama will be all over their QB.

Bama still has one of the best teams in the SEC.  I think it will come down to the LSU game.  No way the powers-that-be let another Bama v. LSU championship game happen.

LSU returns a great defense.  The question is their offense.  They will have to pass more, and better, to have a chance against Alabama, because Bama's offense will be improved, even without MFBATR.

If it's between ND and the Big East, the Orange Bowl with choose ND.

I agree.  More chances for the SEC not to get left out, and with the SEC in the playoff, other conferences should continue to lose.

The coaches' poll is a joke, and it was a joke to use it in the BCS formula.  SEC schools last year had LSU and Bama 1 and 2, Big12 schools (except TA&M and Mizzou) had LSU 1, OKst 2 and Bama around 6.  Many coaches admit being too busy coaching to fill out their polls themselves, and they only know the teams they play against.  And the AP poll has terrible bias, always overrating OK, ND, USC and other schools outside of the SEC, and failing to consider strength of schedule for the little guys.  These differences might not disappear with a committee, and we likely still will have teams crying foul, but 4 is still better than 2 for the SEC.

I wouldn't give Michigan even 17.  More like 35 to 0.  Michigan managed maybe 160 yards of offense in the Sugar Bowl against VT's defense.

Bateman may be too good, and needed, to keep that red shirt on him this season.

Bama wins easily against Michigan precisely because of Mr #2 Excitement.  Robinson was under 50% completion ratio is 6 games last year, and he is not tall enough to effectively find passing lanes.  Without a passing lane, he pretty much shot put the football last year to his receivers, the best of which has graduated.  While Michigan's OL is pretty good, containing Robinson, and having a LB key on the run, should keep Michigan behind the 50 yard line for most of the game.

Still, the list looks pretty lame to me.  The Honey Badger?

We knew it was happening, though it is surprising to see this guy being so public with his demands.  He sounds like a character issue -- all the hype has gone to his head -- and Bama is probably better off without him.  Saban isn't going to engage in this type of deal-making; he has more talented guys wanting to come to Bama than he has spots for already.  While this safety teammate seems credible, coaches who engage in this type of dealmaking do so at their own risk.