OK guys and gals, get out your favorite college team colors and jerseys or an old lettermen insignia as this is the time of year that has those of us who are passionate about college football ready for the start of a new season. The 2010 season officially kicks off with an opening round of games starting on Thursday night. Whether or not if you enjoy big time college football or cheering for one of the smaller schools, if you are like me you will enjoy a host of games to choose from. Since I am a fan and blogger of college football I intend to be glued to my TV for most of Saturday afternoon.

For local teams Sac St. and U.C. Davis they will look to impress more people other than their dedicated fans this Saturday. While both teams will be on the road, Sac St. at Stanford and U.C. Davis at Cal, administrators and coaches of both schools could have a lot on their mind other than the game. Now let me take you back here for a second so you can better understand why this weekend and season is so important for the local teams. After an unusual off-season of events that saw a number of schools switching or talking of leaving conferences, realignment became the buzz word of the day. Realignment talk kept the college football heads on such as ESPN's College Football Live animated about the reality that we may have entered the mega super conference era, however cooler heads prevailed when it was all said and done.Despite some conference movement and not the implosion of a geographic shift across the college football landscape there will be a new address for as the Pac-10 added Utah and Colorado to its league. The Mountain West Conference added Fresno St., Boise St., and Nevada-Reno out of the Western Athletic Conference. News of those shifts led to a 24th hour move by BYU late Wednesday to leave the Mountain West by going the way of independence in football and join the West Coast Conference in all other sports. 

Now what does all of this mean for Sac St. and U.C. Davis, well both schools could be auditioning this season for spots to join the WAC, a conference which could be on its last legs if any more defectors jump ship. Currently there are eight teams remaining in the WAC which also includes San Jose St, yes that San Jose St which is heading to Alabama this weekend to face the defending national champions and No.1 ranked Crimson Tide. If one or both schools are invited to join the WAC, the move could offer the type of resources and funding which will increase the campus profile of all other sports including their academic programs. It’s a chance for Sac St and U.C. Davis to get their names out there nationally among the big time schools well at least among the mid major brands. In a time when so many colleges across the country are cash strapped and facing deep budget cuts schools such Sac St and U.C. Davis better look to showcase what they can do among better competition if they want to survive the changing course of college football.

Now let me get to some early preseason predictions and item news about 2010 college football.

Do I give either U.C. Davis or Sac St a chance this weekend to win, in a word no.

Watch out for Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck this season as the red-shirt sophomore could be one of the top picks in the 2011 NFL draft.

San Jose St is collecting a million dollar pay day for what will amount to be a slaughter in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.

Notre Dame starts a new season with new head coach in Brian Kelly, however Irish fans don’t expect much more than a 7-8 win season.

Florida starts life in the post-Tim Tebow era.

Reigning Heisman winner and Jr. Mark Ingram of Alabama won't become a two-time winner 

USC begins the season in the first of a 3-year probation period, the Trojans won’t go be able to go to a bowl game until 2012 so don’t expect much here, and oh by the way their new head coach is Lane Kiffin.

Speaking of Kiffin, can Tennessee the program to which he left win 5-6 games this season?

Oregon fans lost their all-everything QB Jeremiah Masoli for all the wrong reasons, however they still should come out as the Pac-10 champion and a return trip to the Rose Bowl.

Masoli is appealing a NCAA decision that all but killed his hopes to play this season after leaving Oregon as a graduate student for Ole Miss.

Why does it seem that all of the big time schools are all pulling for Va Tech versus Boise St this Monday night? Boise hopes to crash the BCS title party this season.

My BCS title game prediction, a repeat of the 06 title game with Florida and Ohio St and the Gators coming out on top of course.