Blogpoll Roundtable: Summer Magazines

Roundtable time again. In this addition, the bloggers are giving their thoughts on preseason magazines and the overrated and underrated teams of 2006. Check out The Ciskie Blog to see what other bloggers had to say. My answers are below.

Which preseason college football magazine is your favorite?

While I have major complaints with all of them, I think Steele does the best job. My biggest problem is that I follow a mid-level team…intensely. And rarely do any of these mags dedicate anytime to BC, include BC players or units in their “unit rankings” or even include anything I don’t already know about BC. I understand that the business angle of putting all your resources into covering the marquee teams. It is just that as a fan of an “others receiving votes” team it can be a letdown. I can only imagine what it is like when your team is not in a BCS conference.

One other thing on the magazines, I didn’t buy the Sporting News version this year, but I love their catty anonymous quotes from other coaches. Only in college football will you see that sort of stuff.

What team is being supremely overrated in the preseason rankings?

Maybe I am missing something, but why are people so high on Clemson? Tommy B. has shown the Tom O’Brien like ability to plateau around 7 or 8 wins, but I don’t think he is ready to win the conference -- not with a new quarterback. They’ve softened their out of conference schedule, but the slate still includes Spurrier and games at FSU, at VTech and at BC. I say they are a borderline Top 25 team, not a conference champion.

Turn the tables. Who is underrated?

Navy. They have an experienced team and a manageable schedule. I think they might end up with seven, possibly eight, wins.

Which conference will be the best in 2006?

While all the majors conferences seem pretty even, I think the Big XII might be the best. Two heavyweights in Texas and Oklahoma. An always dangerous Texas Tech. An emerging Nebraska. KU’s D and Hawkins in Boulder. It should be an interesting season.

Which "non-BCS" conference will be the best in 2006? Which non-BCS conference team will have the best season?

I have really no idea. I am still digesting the preseason mags and trying to make sense of it all. Forgive my bias, it is just that I only turn my attention to the “non-BCS” teams when it comes time for BC to play one of them in a Bowl game.

Let's get your first read on this one...who will win the H*i*m*n? Oh, by the way, players whose last names begin with the letter "Q" are ineligible.

Despite the restrictions I will go with Brady Quinn. I think he'll put up huge numbers...gigantic numbers...“I can’t believe they scored 40 again” type numbers. If their defense is somewhat decent, the Irish should finish in the Top 5 and make his Heisman a slamdunk.