ESPN College Football

Today concludes "Coaches you love to hate" week at ESPN.com, and we'll conclude it with your take. Who gets your blood boiling?

Here's what you wrote.

Matt in Wrightsville, N.C., wrote: Rich Rod. It pains me to go into detail: WVU had the best team in 2008 and lost in a game that WVU fans shall not speak of. This team was roughly 30 point underdogs and Rich Rod didn't prep for this game because his head was in Michigan as he already made up his mind (he already contacted a real estate agent in Ann Arbor obviously without anyone knowing at WVU). Loyalty is something WV residents hold higher than most and Rich Rod proclamed his loyality for his alma mater earlier in the year because he was a Mountaineer "For a long, long time". WVU probably would have won the national championship as they destroyed a heavily favored, and #3, Oklahoma in the Fiesta Bowl behind the late Bill Stewart... Ohh yeah after his departure WVU immeditely dropped out of the Julio Jones and Terrelle Pryor recruiting picture (On the bright side we got Gino Smith).

Brad in Manhattan, Kan., asked: I know he is no longer in our conference but I can not stand Bo Pelini. His arrogant persona and his on and off the field tirades drive me insane. I love watching him lose and will forever cheer against him and any time he is affiliated with. The fit he threw at Snyder after the pounding K state gave Nebraska definitely does not help one bit. Especially considering he has done the same thing to other teams that he was complaining about. The guy is a clown

Joey Machak in Herndon, Va., asked: Once a Mountaineer, always a Mountaineer.... except you Rodriguez.

Sayres in Hershey, Pa., wrote: I hate Rich Rod. He ruined my 20th birthday on December 1, 2007. It should have been the happiest day of my Mountaineer life, but as we all know it didn't quite turn out that way. All we had to do was beat Pitt... PITT!!!

Steve in Phoenix, Ariz., wrote: My blood boils when I see Bob Stoops get that cry baby look on his face when a call goes against him. This is especially true when the replay shows an obvious Oklahoma penalty. He looks as if he is going to cry and starts yelling at the referee as if it's possible that his "super star" loaded team could never do anything wrong. Truth be told, he kicks the snot out of K-state every year and it's frustrating but he looks like a two year old. His brother does the same thing. It will be double cry baby faces this year in the big 12.

Lucien in Omaha, Neb., wrote: I hope that ISU can win a Big 12 championship if only to beat Gene Chizik in the new Champions Bowl. Anyone who says one day that they are fully entrenched in Ames then three days later bolts for "greener pastures" has no integrity.

Aaron in Owasso, Okla., wrote: How can anyone say Bob Stoops get their bloodboiling??? Stoops has consistantly been a great role model, he always puts family first and never puts up with players crap. He's not afraid to make tough decistion i.e. Rhett Bomar. Bob Stoops changed a culture of poor character coaches like Switzer to a stand up program.

Jordan in Chanute, Kan., wrote: Charlie Weiss... This guy thinks (or has implied) that he will beat K-State this year... Really? He can consider it a blessing if the Cats and Snyder dont embarrass him with another 38 or 52 point drubbing. With the game at Snyder Stadium I predict 59-3, I'll give there kicker a little credit

Jerry in Ames, Iowa, wrote: Snyder. I respect the crap out of him for how well he can coach and teaching fundamentals and taking ksu to levels that no one thought was possible, but when he makes comments about how theyre in the big 12 and should get all nonconference games at home or how he wanted farmageddon to stay in kansas city every other year rotating between manhattan and arrowhead i started hating him

Richard in Orlando, Fla., wrote: Tommy Tuberville...the defensive genius who has had 2 top 25 recruiting classes makes my blood boil. Most will say he fought injuries. I will say Tuberville lost the top strength and conditioning coach in all of college football in Bennie Wylie who could have prevented some of these injuries. Couple that with the 4th defensive coordinator in his short tenure and I will present you a coach who just doesn't have it anymore.

Hunter in Waco, Texas, wrote: GUY MORRIS. His best player during his tenure was probably Daniel Sepulveda...a punter. Thank the Lord things have changed.

PDXKSUFAN in Portland, Ore., wrote: Coach I hated: Remember when Rick Neuheisel roamed the Big 8/12 sidelines? He was a coach that everyone loved to hate. His sweater-vests, his smug grin, his deadly recruiting, his cocky attitude, sarcastic wit, and his winning teams (at first anyway). He is the only coach that I remember LOVING to beat.

Earlier today, we looked at the pay for athletic directors around the league, but what about the men up top?

USA Today researched and released the pay for each conference commissioner, and former Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe earned $1.7 million in 2010 after receiving a 70 percent raise.

He was relieved of his duties in fall 2011.

Here's how he ranked among his peers:

• Larry Scott, Pac-12: $1.9 million
• Jim Delany, Big Ten: $1.8 million
• Beebe: $1.7 million
• John Swofford, ACC: $1.5 million
• Mike Slive, SEC: $1 million
• John Marinatto, Big East: $600,000

The Big 12 has since moved on from Beebe, and no salary information was available for interim commissioner Chuck Neinas.

In USA Today's survey of athletic director salaries, new commissioner Bob Bowlsby's salary was unavailable, because Stanford is a private institution.

Either way, I'd expect the first-time commissioner to easily clear a seven-digit salary in his new gig.

For reference, Texas AD DeLoss Dodds made just under 1.1 million last year. Not exactly helping that whole "Texas runs the Big 12" perception if he makes more than the Big 12 commish, no?

USA Today released its annual survey of athletic director salaries, noting that they're rising almost as fast as coaching salaries. How did the Big 12 stack up?

Here's how they ranked:

• DeLoss Dodds, Texas: $1,095,756
• Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma: $975,000
• Bill Byrne, Texas A&M: $690,000
• Mike Alden, Missouri: $659,775
• Kirby Hocutt, Texas Tech: $580,000
• Jamie Pollard, Iowa State: $450,000
• Sheahon Zenger, Kansas: $450,000
• Ian McCaw, Baylor: $423,449
• John Currie, Kansas State: $412,500
• Mike Holder, Oklahoma State: $387,560

I kept old Big 12 schools in this list because they were in the Big 12 when these numbers were taken.

For the new schools?

• Oliver Luck, West Virginia: $405,600
• TCU's Chris Del Conte was paid $115,639 for a partial-year salary. He took over in October 2009, and his full salary was not available on public tax returns.

The most surprising name on the list was Mike Holder, who is at the bottom of the list, despite holding the position since 2005. Oklahoma State's not exactly starved for money these days, either.

Kansas State's John Currie is a newcomer to the job, and a first-time athletic director who has helped K-State become the most profitable athletic department in the country. You've got to expect a raise is coming his way, even though he had a high-profile gaffe when hoops coach Frank Martin exited stage right all the way to South Carolina.

Not surprising to see Texas and OU at the top, but that's a pretty big gap between Dodds, Castiglione and the rest of the league, especially now that Missouri and Texas A&M are gone.

Dodds is only the fourth-highest paid AD, behind Vanderbilt, Florida and Louisville's athletic directors.

What else stuck out to you?

Guess what, suddenly you're 60 years old, wandering toothless and alone in a post-apocalyptic wasteland!

• A year ago, the Big 12 was being left for dead. Now, it holds in its hands the fates of the Big East and ACC, writes Matt Hayes of Sporting News.
• Yahoo! Sports' Pat Forde has a series of humorous realignment emails from administration in this piece of historical fiction.
• Texas' newest quarterback commit wants to be the next Vince Young.
• As realignment spins, new Kansas coach Charlie Weis doesn't have to worry about uncertainty, writes Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star.
• Tommy Tuberville's business associate has been indicted, but Tuberville was not listed on the indictment.
• Skip Holtz's son -- and, thus, Lou Holtz's grandson -- is walking on with the Texas Longhorns, reports Greg Auman of the Tampa Bay Times.
• Charlie Weis is changing things at KU, but he doesn't like the term "change of culture," writes Kevin Haskin of the Topeka Capital-Journal.
• Just when you thought the State Fair of Texas couldn't get any more delicious ...

The web was abuzz after what sounded like a slip of the tongue by TCU AD Chris Del Conte at an event in Lubbock on Wednesday.

A report surfaced that Del Conte confirmed -- albeit accidentally -- that Florida State, Clemson and Miami had interest in joining the Big 12 while answering a question from an interviewer.

Del Conte spoke with the Fort Worth Star-Telegram later in the day and clarified his comments.

Del Conte told the Star-Telegram he was not substantiating the rumors. The radio host interjected Miami into the group of schools rumored to be mulling a move to the Big 12. Del Conte said he was just referring to the rumors when he mentioned that Miami and others were interested in joining during the breakfast gathering, which came after the radio interview.

"If you listen to the radio interview my comments were in reference to where [the Big 12] was a year ago and now we’re being talked about by all these schools,” Del Conte said. “It’s gratifying because a year ago we were talking about the Big 12 not being around. It’s just a remarkable the transformation in less than a year. That’s all I was addressing."

It seemed pretty obvious to me that Del Conte was just talking on Wednesday, not confirming any rumor, but you knew a storm was coming when the comments first surfaced.

Del Conte also told the Telegram that no one from the Big 12 contacted him or told him to retract his comments.

No harm. No foul. Time to move on with this one.

If I wanted to run a monkey hotel, I'd install a banana buffet.

• Does the recent Big 12-SEC partnership inspire some buyer's remorse at Mizzou? Sam Mellinger of the Kansas City Star examines the issue.
• Texas AD DeLoss Dodds is against expansion, but openly courted Notre Dame, writes Brett McMurphy of CBSSports.
• The Big East and ACC had their chance and missed it. The Big 12-SEC deal has shut the window on the lesser conferences, writes Dan Wetzel of Yahoo! Sports.
• Recent suspensions bring about a comparison to Bob Stoops' first team at Oklahoma, writes Jason Kersey of The Oklahoman.
• Florida State was supposed to save the ACC. When it moves to the Big 12, it will kill the ACC, writes Gregg Doyel of CBSSports.com.
• TCU players had a big impact on a local eight-year-old boy's life.
• KU running back James Sims entered into a diversion agreement for his OWI arrest earlier this spring.
• Here's an update on Iowa State's brand-new facility.
• Is a KU offensive lineman commit angling to move to BYU?
• Don Williams of the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal introduces you to the newest Red Raider, Baylen Brown.
• Gina Mizell of the Oklahoman breaks down Tracy Moore's assault on the record book.
• K-State AD John Currie talks a bit more about the Big 12-SEC bowl game that will begin at the end of the 2014 season.
• OSU DT Christian Littlehead was arrested for public intoxication, his second arrest in six months.
• Iowa State receiver Albert Gary was sentenced after a robbery incident, and four teammates were with him during the arrest.
• What about a scheduling alliance with the SEC for the Big 12? Berry Tramel of the Oklahoman pitches the idea.

We're taking a look at the coaches that fans love to hate this week on the college football blog network.

What about you? Which coaches (your own or rival) get you fired up? Why do you hate them? What have they done to make that the case?

Let us know here.

It can be a current coach or someone from throughout history. We'll take it all and run your responses later this week.

I've stepped out for a couple days for an extended wedding weekend (not mine) in the Sooner state, but I'll be back in the blog saddle on Wednesday.

There will be posts throughout the day today and on Tuesday until I make my triumphant return. See you all again soon.

And, perhaps ... Jimbo Fisher?

Thanks for all your mail this week. Here's where you can reach me if you've got more to say. On to your emails!

Justin in Austin, Texas, wrote: I'm sure I am not alone in disagreeing with your OOC Rankings by team (aside from OU, no team with an FCS opponent should be above those without one), but you are certainly right in the idea that this year's OOC schedule as a whole is pretty weak. With that said, what do you think the overall record will be for the Big 12? Care to take the time and break down what you think are the most likely losses?

David Ubben: Yeah, I see your point, but I don't think you can simply move a team below because it's playing an FCS team. You've got to take into account the top games on the schedule, too. The Big 12 went 33-5 in nonconference games last year, and very well could improve on that in 2012. Missouri and Texas A&M suffered two of those five losses last year, to Arizona State and Arkansas. To the second part of your question, here are the five games the league's most likely to lose in 2012:

• 1. Kansas at Northern Illinois: KU will still be finding its footing, and Northern Illinois' stabilized a solid program. On the road, too? KU needed some late-game heroics to win this one in 2011, but don't be surprised if the Jayhawks are an underdog.
• 2. Iowa State at Iowa: The Cyclones sprung a triple-overtime upset to give Paul Rhoads his first win over the Hawkeyes, but ISU hasn't won in Iowa City since 2002. At least ISU gets to keep the one-year redone version of the Cy-Hawk trophy either way.
• 3. Oklahoma State at Arizona: OSU will be finding itself on offense, too, and ask Missouri how early season trips out west go, even for good teams. Has Wes Lunt ever seen a 3-3-5? Better study up.
• 4. Miami at Kansas State: Miami is still growing under Al Golden, but the Hurricanes will be good enough to win this one. If they do, it'll be the first sign that the 2011 surprise was a whole lot of fool's gold.
• 5. TCU at SMU: SMU loses J.J. McDermott, who beat TCU in Fort Worth in overtime last year in a game SMU dominated. Ever heard of Garrett Gilbert? He might be the guy lining up across the Frogs this year.

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DoDoDo the Gundy in Tulsa wrote: I am the biggest Cowboy fan on your wonderful Blog, but I got into an OU argument with a guy at the bar last night. He said Mack Brown was a better coach than Bob Stoops because of recruiting. Again, don't know why I keep sticking up for OU, but you have to give credit where it is due. So, I told him he was crazy. What do you think David?

DU: Yeah, no question about it. Bob Stoops is unquestionably a better coach than Mack Brown. There's no question that Texas and Oklahoma have been the two best programs in the history of the Big 12, but Oklahoma's the school with seven Big 12 titles to Texas' two. Granted, Texas played for a national title in both of those seasons (2005, 2009), but Oklahoma's played for a national title four times since 2000.

Recruiting is also easier for Texas. That's not to say it's difficult for OU, but more kids from Texas grow up wanting to be Longhorns than Sooners. Such is life as the flagship of a state like Texas.

Brown's streak of 10-win seasons is remarkable, but you can't discount the program's recent fall, either. To me, there's no debate. Stoops tops Brown.

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Pablo in Lubbock, Texas, wrote: Still hating on TTU..... Thus you only post in big print negative stuff most of the time.Yet TTU had a major media day with 3 recruits. Stormy Butler and Darren Dotson scholarship guys along with believe it or not Tuby's son as a preferred walkon

DU: Yes, I'm positively brutal to the Red Raiders. Outside of links, you won't find much coverage of commitments on the Big 12 blog. There's simply too many to warrant a post for every one. If it's one of the nation's top recruits or an interesting situation, I'll post about it, but other than that, you won't see many commitments get a full post on the blog.

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Klocke in Athens, Ga., wrote: What is more likely? FSU/Clemson are actually considering joining the Big 12 OR that over the past two years, sports writers have become addicted to filling summer columns with realignment speculation? I don't even remember what you guys used to write about in the offseason before the past two summers, but now I read everyday. Well played, hype-machine.

DU: Ha, well, in our defense, Klocke, it's been a lot more than talk these past two years. The Big 12 lost two teams in 2010 and two more in 2011 before adding TCU and West Virginia. It'd be one thing if nothing ever happened, but these reports are a lot more than media rumormongering.

So, the chances of us filing summer columns without realignment speculation is pretty much nil. Florida State is still a possibility for the Big 12, though the two sides still have reportedly not discussed a partnership.

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Matt Rob in Pittsburgh wrote: David; Holy moly, I just read your post on Big 12 nonconference schedules. Quite a list of cupcakes and guaranteed wins.As a WVU fan, I thought this year's nonconf sched was weak (especially compared to last year's), but good gravy, it's like a murderer's row compared to most teams. Although, true be told, the conference schedule will be absolutely brutal, so maybe it is for the best.

DU: Yeah, it's a delicate balance. I think some schools definitely took a second look at how they scheduled once the Big 12 added a ninth conference game. There's no question that West Virginia is in that group. If the Big 12 had eight games or WVU is still in the Big East, the Mountaineers are probably still playing Florida State. They already went out and suited up against LSU last season. They're not shy.

With that ninth game, though, I think you're going to see more Big 12 teams back off scheduling tough games out of conference. That's especially true among teams who aren't exactly guaranteed a bowl game every year. For schools like Texas and Oklahoma and West Virginia, too, they need those strong out of conference games to state their case at the end of the season. But for others who won't be making cases for a BCS playoff? Where's the payoff?

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Holland Humphrey in Kansas City, Mo., wrote: Ubbs: Were you really born in 1957? In your blog about FSU (and if they match-up in the big 12) you say FSU last played TCU in 1965 and you were 8 years old. Surely you are joking because you look about 30 to me.

DU: Oh, readers. The number of emails I got with a similar sentiment made me very sad. I hoped we'd understood each other's senses of humor better by now.

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Carson in Fort Worth, Texas, wrote: Hey David, TCU fan here. I've been reading about how you think the players in the DFW metroplex could put TCU on par with some of the league powers, and I've got to agree with all that you have said. My question is, how long do you think it takes TCU to start pulling in the majority of top talent from DFW, and how long will it be before the Frogs win their first conference championship in the Big 12?

DU: Glad you feel that way, Carson. I also feel like you feel a certain fondness for purple, as well. It all comes down to if TCU can win consistently in the Big 12. Not necessarily win big, but win like Oklahoma State did before last year. Nine wins or so consistently. That's going to offer some feeling to recruits that they can be the guys who put TCU over the top. I'd expect the Frogs to win a Big 12 title within the next five years.

The days of the Rose Bowl being the bowl of bowls could soon be coming to an end now that the SEC and the Big 12 have agreed on a five-year bowl partnership.

The new deal, announced Friday, will have the champions of the Big 12 and SEC meet in a New Year's Day bowl game annually beginning with the 2014 season. So while it won’t have the tradition of the Rose Bowl, it’ll have the viewers and it’ll have the popularity.

We’re seeing more and more how power is truly the most important component in college football, and this is a great example. Soon, we’ll have the two best BCS conferences going at it in their own special bowl competing with the beloved Rose Bowl.

We’re joined on the SEC blog by Big 12 blogger David Ubben to get his thoughts on what this means for the Big 12. We’re gentlemen down here in SEC country, so we’ll let him go first:

David Ubben: Rose Bowl, we love you. Not as much as Jim Delany does, but I'm not sure anyone can stake that claim. Anyway, it's time to face an unfortunate truth: You've been one-upped. The unnamed, unplaced bowl partnership between the Big 12 and SEC won't have the same level of tradition, but it will feature better teams. That's a powerful draw.
The BCS has played 14 national title games since its birth. The Big 12 or SEC have participated in 12 of them. Teams from the league have met in the game twice.

Now, they'll have another big stage to showcase their top teams. If a Big 12 or SEC champion is in the four-team playoff that will likely begin in the 2014 season, the next-best team will fill their place in the annual game. Deciding who plays in that game is up to each conference. The nation's two best conferences will get a much-needed opportunity to face one another on the field and test the hotly debated offense vs. defense theories on the field annually. The nation's college football fans were robbed of that when Oklahoma State was squeezed out of the national title game for SEC West second-place finisher Alabama. This year, the SEC and Big 12 only play once, when eight-win Texas travels to face two-win Ole Miss in September. Not exactly must-see TV.

This will be.

It assures the Big 12 a place at the adults' table of college football, further extending the distance between college football's top four leagues -- the SEC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Big Ten, in that order -- and the ACC and Big East. The ACC and Big East have the Orange Bowl, but any game like the SEC and Big 12 put together will pale in comparison when it comes to TV ratings and more importantly, TV money.

Only a few months ago, the Big 12 had eight teams, with half the league considering a move to the Pac-12 and the conference on life support. Things are looking very different now. It's about to sign a giant television deal, likely extending the grant of rights into the next decade and assuring stability at least through then, and probably beyond.

Tired of getting stuck playing Boise State and UConn in everything to lose, nothing to gain BCS bowl matchups? Seven-time Big 12 champion Oklahoma won't have to worry about that anymore, and even if the Sooners are in the forthcoming national championship playoff, the next-best Big 12 team will have a quality opponent to prove itself against.

Another plus for the Big 12? The Cotton Bowl's odds of getting into the BCS as it stood were minimal. Now? It's still in flux, but does anyone want to bet against Jerry Jones and his wallet to get this game in his Dallas palace at some point? That's a big game in the Big 12 footprint, something that's never happened on the BCS bowl stage.

How will this affect Florida State, too? News has surely reached Tallahassee by now, and the Florida State spear-toting brass have to be wondering how much this factors into their wandering eye toward the Big 12. Is the ACC the place to be?

We'll find out soon, but on Jan. 1, 2015, there will be only one place to be.

This game.

Edward Aschoff: I couldn’t agree more with pretty much everything you said. There’s no question that both of these leagues have dominated the BCS since its first year in 1998. The conferences have been left out of the national championship just twice in the last 14 years and the SEC has participated in -- and won -- eight. The Big 12 has won two of its seven appearances.

SEC commissioner Mike Slive has just about everything he wants in his conference, but he hasn’t had the Rose Bowl. Sure, all those national championship trophies are nice, but an annual game like the Rose Bowl commands respect. The game that the Big Ten and Pac-12 covet so much, and is watched by millions annually, will now get a major run for its money. While they’ll be played in different time slots, there’s no question that this will turn into the ultimate popularity contest. If you could sense that Big Ten-SEC tension before, just wait. Now, the SEC will be looking down on the Big Ten and picking at the game it holds so dear. Don’t think that didn’t cross the commissioner’s mind when he was thinking about this deal.

The SEC has truly been front and center in the college football world for the past six years with its 6-0 record in BCS championships, and now it will pursue a game it thinks can have the gusto of the Rose. This is a great opportunity for the SEC to build another fine tradition for the country’s top college football conference. And fans/the media want to see more of these matchups. For the most part, we're all deprived of them during the regular season, so here's a chance for us to win something as well. These two conferences need to play more. The best should always play the best, and as David said, we can finally settle the whole offense-defense debate.

This also means that more SEC teams have the chance to play in a primetime, marquee matchup in January. If this had been in place last season, Arkansas, which certainly had a BCS-caliber team, would have played in a BCS-like bowl, since Alabama and LSU met in the title game. The Cotton Bowl got the matchup this game would have received, but it would have been on a much grander scale and much more attention would have been paid to it. Oh, and much more money would have come out of it.

It would likely help the SEC this year too, as there could be as many as five teams jockeying for BCS position. Imagine if the four-team playoff took place this season? You might have two more SEC teams fighting for a chance at a national championship, meaning this game would give No. 3 a chance strut its stuff in front of its own grand audience.

There’s no question that with a four-team playoff, the SEC will have more opportunities to put teams in the national championship, continuing its dominance. Now, Slive has helped to ensure that a high-caliber team left out of the championship hunt will still play in a game that will command the type of attention that comes with a BCS bowl.

Colleague Mark Schlabach uncorked his post-spring top 25 on Friday, which included six Big 12 teams. Here's a look at how he slotted them.

1. LSU
2. USC
3. Alabama
4. Oregon
5. Georgia
6. Oklahoma
7. FSU
8. West Virginia
9. Michigan
10. South Carolina
11. Michigan State
12. Stanford
13. Arkansas
14. TCU
15. Wisconsin
16. Clemson
17. Ohio State
18. Kansas State
19. Texas
20. Florida
21. Washington
22. Oklahoma State
23. Virginia Tech
24. Nebraska
25. Georgia Tech

A few thoughts:

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Peter G. Aiken/Getty ImagesWith an experienced QB in Landry Jones, Oklahoma looks primed for a successful 2012 season.
• It's crazy to me just how different OU feels this year from last year, and yet, it's only five spots lower in the preseason. Last year's band of Sooners was as loaded as any we've seen in a long time (Can I mention the 2009 team without getting punched?), but was obviously undone by a rough night against Texas Tech and injuries. This year's team doesn't feel like a juggernaut, but it's solid, and looking around at the teams below it, Oklahoma's right where it belongs. These Sooners aren't as scary as some, but they're fully capable of winning big in 2012.
• I like where West Virginia's slotted. I had the Mountaineers at No. 11 on my pre-spring top 25, but I wanted to move them up a few spots after seeing them up close. No. 8 is about right. How the defense handles the Big 12 will decide how successful WVU is in Big 12 play. I've got zero questions about the offense, outside of wanting to see some more consistency in Year 2 under Dana Holgorsen.
• TCU's right where it should be, too. There doesn't seem to be a lot of disagreement on the Frogs this offseason. I had them at No. 14. Our ESPN experts poll had them at an average of 14. There they are again on Schlabach's ballot.
• Meanwhile, poor K-State. Folks are all over the map on these guys. Phil Steele had K-State well outside his top 25, and you could certainly talk me into that. You could also talk me into K-State as a top-10 team, too. I had it at No. 10 on my poll, but I'm not going to begrudge anyone for putting K-State at No. 18. That's probably about where it will land, maybe a little lower. I'm just higher on the SnyderCats than most.
• Meanwhile, I'm sort of talking myself into Texas the more I see and read about the team. The defense legitimately will be terrifying. The numbers won't show it in the Big 12, but at season's end, I predict Texas will have a legit claim as the nation's best defense. Just absolutely loaded. The offense will be better, but how much better? Let me get a look at the new David Ash in action before I commit one way or the other on the Horns. For now, anything between 15-25 is reasonable. UT deserves a top-25 spot for sure, though.
• My biggest beef is on Oklahoma State. The Cowboys lose Brandon Weeden, Justin Blackmon and Josh Cooper. Those are huge losses. There's no denying that. However, OSU brings back just about everyone else, outside of safety Markelle Martin, who was a big hitter, but left me wanting a whole lot in terms of his cover skills. He's a loss in leadership, but OSU can replace him on the field. I'm definitely higher on OSU than most. I'd put them inside the top 20 for sure, even with a true freshman at QB.

The champions of the Big 12 and SEC conferences will meet in a bowl game annually, sources have told ESPN.com.

The agreement will begin with the 2014 season, with the champions of each conference meeting provided that neither team is in the BCS national championship game.

An announcement is set for noon ET later today.

For more on this story, go here.

All nonconference schedules are not created equal. Some schedule ambitiously. Others prefer to pay for wins. To each his own. We'll be keeping track either way.

Some games were cancelled, others were late fill-ins. Here's how it stands, from most to least difficult.

1. Oklahoma -- at UTEP, Florida A&M, Notre Dame

The Sooners can't help that Notre Dame can't get its act together, but the storied program will visit Norman in October. Oklahoma also had to put together a last-minute game to kick off its season, traveling to El Paso to face the Miners, who went 5-7 in 2011. Florida A&M is an FCS opponent, but won't be bringing its band. The gap between the Sooners' schedule difficulty and everyone else's isn't very wide this year. The saddest truth? Oklahoma's game vs. Notre Dame is the only game featuring a Big 12 vs. a team in the ESPN preseason Top 25.

2. Iowa State -- Tulsa, at Iowa, Western Illinois

Western Illinois is dreadful, but traveling to Iowa City for a rivalry game won't be easy. That's especially true after ISU knocked off the 7-6 Hawkeyes in Ames in triple overtime last year. Tulsa lost star QB G.J. Kinne, but the Golden Hurricane have established themselves as a solid program.

3. West Virginia -- Marshall, James Madison (in Landover, Md.), Maryland

West Virginia's the only team playing an FCS team on a neutral field, but a rivalry game vs. 7-6 Marshall to open the season should be fun. Maryland was awful in 2011, going just 2-10 under Randy Edsall and lost QB Danny O'Brien. At this point, we should realize the harsh truth: The Big 12 nonconference schedule is pretty sad this year. West Virginia canceled a scheduled game vs. Florida State to make room for the Big 12 schedule.

4. Oklahoma State -- Savannah State, at Arizona, Louisiana-Lafayette

OSU will brave a trip to Tucson to face a brand-new Rich Rodriguez team. Louisiana-Lafayette is a little underrated and went 9-4 last year.

5. TCU -- Grambling, Virginia, at SMU

TCU gets points for going on the road against June Jones' SMU team, who beat TCU in Fort Worth in overtime last season. Virginia was 8-5 last season and growing under Mike London, but Grambling will be a dip into the FCS pool.

6. Texas -- Wyoming, New Mexico, at Ole Miss

Texas' schedule looks decent, but it's not too difficult. New Mexico was dreadful under Mike Locksley, and will try to rebuild under Bob Davie. Wyoming is underrated and playing well under former Mizzou OC Dave Christensen; the Cowboys went 8-5 last season. The Longhorns are the only Big 12 team playing an SEC team this year, but Ole Miss didn't win a conference game last year and has a new coach in Hugh Freeze.

7. Kansas State -- Missouri State, Miami, North Texas

Missouri State is an FCS team without its starting QB, and K-State will get to see a familiar face in former Iowa State coach Dan McCarney at North Texas. He's a new coach, though, and UNT went 5-7 last year. Miami's a big name, but the Hurricanes went just 6-6 last season and are still growing under Al Golden. K-State is the only Big 12 team playing every nonconference game in its home stadium.

8. Kansas -- South Dakota State, Rice, at Northern Illinois

KU needs wins badly, and Rice won't be a gimme. The Jayhawks won a barnburner against the MAC champs at Northern Illinois, but that Sept. 22 matchup won't be easy, either. NIU won 11 games in 2011.

9. Baylor -- SMU, Sam Houston State, at Louisiana-Monroe

Yet another Big 12 team who won't be playing against major conference competition in 2012. SMU is a good team, but SHS is an FCS team and Monroe went 4-8 in the Sun Belt.

10. Texas Tech -- Northwestern State, at Texas State, New Mexico

Tech is inexplicably playing at Texas State, who will be in its first year outside the FCS, but that doesn't make the Red Raiders' annual stinker of a nonconference schedule much better. Texas Tech hasn't played a major conference team out of conference since games at NC State and Ole Miss in 2003.

It’s a progressive culture. Most of them travel by zip line.

• One reason Florida State should bolt to the Big 12? For a better schedule, writes Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• The interest from Florida State is a testament to the Big 12's strength, writes Bobby La Gesse of the Ames Tribune.
• The Big 12 should make its move in relation to Florida State. Sean Keeler of Fox Sports explains the positives.
• Florida State's mad at the ACC? The league's downfall is the Seminoles' fault, writes Mike Bianchi of the Orlando Sentinel.
• Former Florida State trustee Derrick Brooks said today on the Tim Brando show the Big 12 reached out to Florida State, not the other way around.
• Charlie Weis is still getting paid by Notre Dame and Kansas, reports Brian Hamilton of the Chicago Tribune. He'll keep collecting checks from the Irish through 2015.
• Texas running back Johnathan Gray's not even on campus yet, but Mack Brown's not mincing words. He'll play, Brown says.
• Mad about the College Football Hall of Fame? It's an organization you can't take seriously, says Berry Tramel of The Oklahoman.
• The move to the SEC was the right one, says former A&M coach Gene Stallings.
• Bruce Feldman of CBSSports.com has 10 pleasant surprises from the spring. Two Big 12 players crack the list.
• Oklahoma made it official on Tuesday: Fresno State receiver Jalen Saunders is coming to Norman.
• Texas AD DeLoss Dodds wants a playoff, but he wants it separate from the bowl games, reports Kirk Bohls of the Austin American-Statesman.
• Matt Tait of the Lawrence Journal-World tries to figure out what KU's depth chart will look like next season.

New Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby doesn't want to see any future expansion in college athletics, but recent events have given him no choice but to put the issue on the Big 12's agenda, as it is on other conferences'.

My opinion," he told USA Today on Tuesday, "is college athletics would be well served by some period of smooth water and not all of the angst and disorganization that goes with moves from one league to another."

We've heard that from the Big 12. Florida State is forcing Bowlsby's hand, though he wouldn't mention the school by name.

"I think the topic of expansion will be on every agenda going forward. But it's on every other conference's agenda going forward, too," Bowlsby told the paper.

Over the weekend, Florida State's chairman of its board of trustees opened up a big ol' can of realignment worms, however, when he offered credence to a long-held rumor rumbling around college sports. Could Florida State leave for the Big 12?

"On behalf of the Board of Trustees I can say that unanimously we would be in favor of seeing what the Big 12 might have to offer. We have to do what is in Florida State's best interest," Andy Haggard told Warchant.com.

So, here we are. After two years of attrition and a role as the hunted, the Big 12 is doing some hunting of its own? Or is it? The league just added TCU and West Virginia for 2012 after Texas A&M and Missouri bolted for the SEC, leaving the Big 12 with eight members. That move was a year after Nebraska and Colorado left the Big 12 for the Big Ten and Pac-12, respectively, costing the conference its namesake. Could Florida State move the Big 12 one step closer to a return to 12 members?

Texas athletic director DeLoss Dodds tamped down some of the discussion, telling the Austin American-Statesman that there was "no traction" to the reports.

He did not add a "yet" on the end of that sentence, but more than a few assumed that was the case. How could the Big 12 and Florida State at least not sit down at a table for an exchange of ideas?

Where does the Big 12 stand right now? Bowlsby's not showing his hand.

"It's all about driving value for the member institutions," Bowlsby said. "There is a case to be made for optimal value being driven by the status quo, and there is a case to be made for some form of expansion. And I'm not prejudging or adopting either side of that right now."

He is, however, discussing it. And while that happens, there won't be many calm waters in college football.