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• Vote: GameDay Pick 'Em | Heisman Watch | SportsNation Top 25
• Vote on big topics: Charlie Weis' future | Auburn at Georgia
• Blogger chat wraps: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Others
• More wraps: Mark Schlabach | Pat Forde | Mel Kiper | Ivan Maisel | Bruce Feldman
• Special guests: Brad Edwards | Boise State cornerback Kyle Wilson

It won't be an easy weekend for BCS Cinderellas, even though they're all playing at home. Cincinnati faces No. 25 West Virginia, TCU gets the pressure of GameDay and No. 16 Utah, and Boise State deals with a surprising 7-3 Idaho (and a visiting AD who doesn't like to fly on planes with Broncos markings).

USC fans still have BCS hope, but know their team can't lose again. Boise State, Cincinnati and Iowa fans wonder what more their teams can do, besides pray for a loss by one of the top 3.

Now that Ohio State has two losses SportsNation thinks Ohio State is using Terrelle Pryor incorrectly. Fans, however, still think Sam Bradford is a first-round pick.

Florida State kicked off Week 8 with a needed win, and Alabama, Florida and Texas face opponents they shouldn't overlook.

• Vote: "GameDay" Pick 'Em | Heisman Watch | SportsNation Top 25
• Vote on big games: Tennessee at Alabama | Texas at Missouri
• Blogger chat wraps: ACC | Big 12 | Big East | Big Ten | Pac-10 | SEC | Others
• Other wraps: Brad Edwards | Bruce Feldman | Ivan Maisel | Pat Forde | Mark Schlabach

“

Mark Ingram is a good reason for [Alabama's] passing to be less of a factor. Wait until next year for any shot of a Vols upset.

” -- Beano Cook

“

I pick Florida to win this game, but to be seen as legitimately No. 1, the Gators should win convincingly, even more so than against Arkansas.

” -- IdahoanTyke

“

My ranking: 1. Iowa; 2. Florida; 3. Alabama; 4. Texas; 5. Virginia Tech; 6. TCU; 7. Boise State; 8. USC; 9. Oregon; 10. LSU.

” -- CheezusCrust

• Fan blogger predictions for Week 8: nunyabiz81 | jodiemeeks23ppat54 | dfpsports | IdahoanTyke | codywin25 | gbirkem2 | utesfan2 | Sportsguru6

Do you have something to say about sports? Then say it! From NBA and NHL season previews to Jerry Jones rants, Top 25 lists and whatever else crosses your idle mind, ESPN gives you the space to say what you need to say.

Engage other fans by commenting on stories, blogging on your profile and uploading photos. Your contributions to the community could be featured on SportsNation.

Below are some examples of Dallas sports fans just like you.

Fan blogs

Rest and relaxation:
"Anybody actually wondering why Texas is ranked above Alabama needs simply look at the same schedule that you might use to bolster your argument: no voter in their right mind is going to risk putting Bama over Texas when the Tide will probably be quelled at either Ole Miss, LSU, or for sure against Florida in a title game." -- AustinBrando

The one-point season
"OU has consistently choked on the big stage in recent years. The only saving grace is in the fact Stoops has been able to get OU into these big games. However, that means nothing if we only deliver a disappointing egg every time we get to the big game." -- espnb12s

Photo galleries

Say cheese, Dallas! Have a great photo of yourself cheering at a 'Boys game or posing at your tailgate? Post it to your profile and share it with other fans.

Message boards

Can't talk enough about your teams? ESPN message boards are the place for you.

Pros: Cowboys | Mavericks | Rangers | Stars
Colleges: Oklahoma | Oklahoma State | TCU | Texas | Texas A&M | Texas Tech | UTA

Widgets

ESPN Widgets are portable applications that you can place on Facebook, Myspace, your iGoogle home page and many of the other most popular sites on the Internet. Stay up-to-date with breaking stories and the latest scores and stats on your favorite teams.

Pros: Rangers
Colleges: Big 12 football | Mountain West football | Big 12 men's basketball | Mountain West men's basketball | Southland Conference men's basketball

Sports Passport

Chronicle all the sports venues and events you've attended (good and bad). We make it easy by providing a calendar with the games. You add the notes and pictures and rate the experience. Start tracking your games

Carrying Minnesota didn't help Walter Mondale much (add that reference to the Herschel Walker post, throw in some Cure and you've got yourself a retro day in SportsNation), but carrying in Minnesota may prove to be the launching pad for Jahvid Best's Heisman run.

Combined with USC's loss at Washington, which presumably puts Cal in the Pac-10 driver's seat, Best earned a lot of eyeballs with five touchdowns and 131 rushing yards on the road against the Golden Gophers.

And once again, under the guise of a reality check, a look at how SportsNation's Heisman top five looked at this point in the season two years ago.

1. Andre Woodson, QB, Kentucky
2. Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
3. Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
4. Tim Tebow, QB, Florida
5. Brian Brohm, QB, Louisville

• ESPN.com Heisman Watch: Best picks up six first-place votes to climb to No. 2.
• Your Heisman Watch: Do you have anyone ahead of Tim Tebow and Colt McCoy?
• Tuesday's Chats: Pat Forde, 2 p.m. ET | Big 12 blogger Tim Griffin, 3 p.m. ET

“

Take Tebow out of the top 5. I don't care who replaces him, but Tebow doesn't deserve it yet. What a boring, not impressive in any way performance against a lame Tenn. team.

” -- callitirishdominance

“

JAKE LOCKER. MOST YARDS IN THE PAC 10 AGAINST 2 TOP 10 TEAMS IN THE NATION. JAKE LOCKER NEEDS TO BE IN THE HUNT AT LEAST. VOTE JAKE LOCKER!!!!!!!!!

” -- fastdawgr

Michelle Beadle and Colin Cowherd always shake hands before stepping on the set of "SportsNation" TV.

Argue the hot topics of the day and vote on the biggest stories from the world of sports. The show airs on ESPNEWS at 4 p.m. and ESPN2 at midnight ET.

Note: Broadcast voting results as of this afternoon (ET).

Would you let Shaq spank you on your birthday?
In a hands-on interview, Shaq administered the birthday spanking for radio host "Money" from the "Petros & Money Show."

Should LeGarrette Blount be kicked off the Oregon football team?
Replays of the Oregon running back's punching Boise State linebacker Byron Hout after the Ducks' loss will be shown all season.

Are the Eagles too consumed with Michael Vick?
He'll be eligible in Week 3. In his final preseason game, Vick ran for a 2-yard touchdown, was sacked four times, lost a fumble and was intercepted.

Should Oklahoma State and Georgia shake hands before their football game?
The Cowboys won't have a team handshake with the Bulldogs, citing concerns about incidents that might erupt during the display of sportsmanship.

What do you think of Tiger Woods' criticism of Ernie Els?
Els said he had a three-year plan for dethroning Tiger but hasn't won in his past 41 tournaments. Tiger said his opponent hasn't worked hard enough.

What is "SportsNation" TV, and how do you make your voice heard? Read about the new ESPN show that features fan opinions with calls, tweets, polls, rankers and more.

Mel Kiper Jr. and Todd McShay stopped by SportsCenter Thursday to talk about this year's crop of college quarterbacks not named Tim Tebow. Listening to them roll through the options, it certainly seems like next year's NFL draft is going to be a lot of fun, particularly if Jevan Snead elects to head to the league. But loaded quarterback classes are tricky things, and the next John Elway can quickly become the next Tim Couch or Akili Smith.

Anyway, if the gurus of the gridiron are around, there's no point in us wasting a lot of words introducing them. Nobody pays to see the opening act for Coldplay.

• Rankings: Put together your own "Big Board" of college quarterbacks for 2009

Just a couple of more weeks until we get to shelve the gridiron soap operas and start talking about football games that actually matter. All right, so we'll still have the soap operas, but balance is the secret to life.

Mel Kiper Jr. stopped by chat, and if you want his take on Brett Favre's return, check out the transcript (as per normal with Mel, he doesn't pull any punches). But the guru also whet our appetites for one of the opening week's best college games.

Tim (MN)

Do you think that UGA is overscheduling?

Mel Kiper

I wouldn't say overscheduled. They've had a history of playing great on the road. They've gone to some venues and won. They don't fear road games. I don't think they beat Oklahoma State. I think OSU is versatile and talented. They have a great OL. I think OSU's defense is better than advertised. Overscheduled? Well, you have to play in the SEC. If you're a quality team, you have to beat OSU. This will be a team that's on the improve over the course of the season. They have Tennessee Nov. 7. And you always have to play Georgia Tech at the end of the year. Arizona State is at home. I think OSU will be ranked in the top 3-5 early on, especially if they beat Georgia, so losing to OSU is not that bad. Georgia went 10-3 last year; this year I say they go 8-4 in the regular season. Full transcript.

• Rankings: What's your predicted order of finish in the Big 12 this season?

ESPN.com's college football writers and bloggers will be going conference by conference in the coming weeks to preview the season ahead, and we're looking for your rankings along the way. Things get started with the Big 12, where blogger Tim Griffin has some Cowboys and Cornhuskers as the most likely spoilers in the Oklahoma-Texas race.

1. Texas
2. Oklahoma
3. Oklahoma State
4. Nebraska
5. Kansas
6. Texas Tech
Check out Griffin's complete Big 12 rankings.

• Chat: Griffin takes your Big 12 questions at 2 p.m. ET.

• Rankings: How will the Big 12 look from top to bottom this season?

When it comes to Big 12 opening acts, SportsNation wouldn't mind being in Austin to watch Texas seek revenge against Texas Tech. Voters also like Texas A&M more than Baylor or Colorado when it comes to a revival among the conference's downtrodden members.

But come on, this is the Big 12, and that means only one thing to many: Oct. 17 in Dallas.

So with two months to kill before Oklahoma and Texas meet on the field, we decided to waste some time and stoke the fires from Norman to Austin with a pair of endlessly arguable questions for the two teams. Not surprisingly, we found a Nation divided.

• SN's take: 57 percent say Bob Stoops' spread tougher than Barry Switzer's wishbone.
• SN's take: 52 percent say Vince Young a better Texas quarterback than Colt McCoy.

Meanwhile, as Big 12 blogger Tim Griffin recounted recently, Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops thinks the Red River Rivalry between his Sooners and Texas still has room to grow. Earlier this summer, SportsNation rated it as the best rivalry in college football, but considering that there are still several schools SportsNation hates way more than Oklahoma and Texas, Stoops may have a point. One can only aspire to be despised as much as Ohio State (whose fans now don't know whether to feel offended or complimented).

• SN's take: 60 percent say Nebraska won't regain elite status before 2020.
• SN's take: 52 percent think Bill Snyder is the best coach in Kansas.
• SN's take: 53 percent contend Georgia at OSU isn't best Big 12 nonconference game.
• Vote: What's your take on some of these Big 12 preseason questions?
• Groups: HOOK EM !! | BIG 12 TWELVE COUNTRY | The Red River Rivalry

“

I think the OU Texas game is going to be the best this year! One down but good O-line and one down D-line but good . The best backfield vs one of the best secondaries. Gonna be fun!

” -- jtstavern

“

I love this [OU-Texas] rivalry, of all my teams this is my favorite. It was rough those years OU owned us, but I can appreciate how Texas hung in there with Mack and now the rivalry is widely regarded as one of the biggest again. I was sooo tired of the Michigan/OSU hype

” -- bigtravatx