ESPN College Football

Posted by ESPN.com's Tim Griffin

My friends joke with me about how possessive I get about my "college football bible" that I carry everywhere in my work satchel.

But after losing one Phil Steele several years ago, I learned my lesson. The first thing I do is put my name is big block letters on the inside page. And I usually buy two copies, one for my office and one for carrying around.

So you can imagine my excitement the other day when a crisp 2009 copy arrived at my mailbox. My wife said I was more thrilled about that delivery than our little boy was when he got his train set for his birthday last year.

But I digress. The reason why I and so many others utilize Phil Steele is because he's right more often than not in his predictions. If you don't believe it, look at the cover. In big block letters, Phil trumpets the fact that he's been "the most accurate preseason magazine in the last 10 years!"

Who am I to doubt him?

I quickly thumbed through the national stuff and found Steele's predictions for the Big 12 this season.

Here are his predictions for this season, along with the bowl matchup he's picking for each school. Several will open some eyes.

North Division

1. Nebraska (Holiday Bowl vs. California)

T2. Colorado (Independence Bowl vs. Auburn)

T2. Kansas State (Insight Bowl vs. Wisconsin)

4. Kansas (Alamo Bowl vs. Michigan State)

5. Missouri

6. Iowa State

South Division

1. Texas (BCS title game vs. Florida)

2. Oklahoma (Fiesta Bowl vs. Boise State)

3. Oklahoma State (Cotton Bowl vs. LSU)

4. Texas Tech (Sun Bowl vs. UCLA)

5. Baylor (Texas Bowl vs. Navy)

6. Texas A&M

Among the Big 12 players that Steele picked on his All-America team include Kendall Hunter, Dez Bryant and Russell Okung of Oklahoma State, Jermaine Gresham and Gerald McCoy of Oklahoma, Sean Weatherspoon of Missouri and Sergio Kindle of Texas. Bryant was chosen twice, both as a first-team All-American at wide receiver and a punt returner.

And here is Steele's choices for All-Big 12 first team:

QB Sam Bradford, Oklahoma

RB Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State

RB DeMarco Murray, Oklahoma

WR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State

WR Dezmon Briscoe, Kansas

WR Jordan Shipley, Texas

TE Jermaine Gresham, Oklahoma

T Russell Okung, Oklahoma State

T Trent Williams, Oklahoma

G Brandon Carter, Texas Tech

G Kurtis Gregory, Missouri

C Chris Hall, Texas

DE McKinner Dixon, Texas Tech

DT Gerald McCoy, Oklahoma

DT Ndamukong Suh, Nebraska

DE Jeremy Beal, Oklahoma

LB Joe Pawelek, Baylor

LB Sean Weatherspoon, Missouri

LB Travis Lewis, Oklahoma

LB Sergio Kindle, Texas

CB Cha'pelle Brown, Colorado

CB Dominique Franks, Oklahoma

SS Darrell Stuckey, Kansas

FS Jordan Lake, Baylor

K Alex Henery, Nebraska

P Derek Epperson, Baylor

KR Perrish Cox, Oklahoma State

PR Dez Bryant, Oklahoma State 

Needless to say there's all kinds of other information available. And it will be hitting newsstands across the entire Big 12 readership area by June 9.