MAKE PLAYS

You know, I really can't help but get excited.

Sure, it's the end of August, and today is that traditionally abhorred day for students throughout the world: the first day of classes. If I wasn't so used to the sinking feeling, I'd be nauseous right now.

Besides the depressing feeling, the frenzy of fall forces another fix down my throat: the approaching excitement of the autumn sports season. Outside of March, it's literally impossible to get more fired up for any event involving a round leather object.

Pigskin winds are swirling, baseball playoff races are rounding the last turns, and even the "other" football has received a swift kick in the pants from one of the world's most beautiful people.

Also, Roger Federer will try to keep pace with Tiger, who always seems to scrounge up another major while his bud runs his yearly gamut of Grand Slams.

Even couch potato coaches like myself have spent the last few weeks drawing up draft boards to try to take home the championship in one of our 45 fantasy football leagues. If only the Eagles could play in dozens of divisions at once...

So yeah, it happens the exact same way every year, but we still get surprised. We still love talking about the seemingly impossible occurrences of years past and hope we can come somewhere close in the next few months. Hey, if we get anything even close to this unbelievable rant from a Michigan State radio host (from which our blog draws its name) this college football season, the Daily Collegian sports staff will be shouting lines obnoxiously for another calendar year.

So while we will be putting out great exclusive content and breaking news on the Nittany Lion football team on our brand-new Footblog, this will be a place to touch on some of the other Penn State sports and whatever we find interesting or off-beat from the national sports scene. Hopefully, we'll be able to let you know exactly what Mikey V. thinks of his beloved Spartans this year, too.

It's gonna be a wild ride. Glad you're on board.

-Joseph Dolan

Yeah, yeah. How exactly DO we know what the top 10 teams in the country are when none of them have actually played yet? Don't get bent up over HOW, just be glad we can.

Now, we present to you MAKE PLAYS's preseason college football top 10, as compiled by a thorough polling of two experts.

1. USC (2 first place votes)

Get used to this.

2. West Virginia

Surprising? Sure, everyone knows they can run. But can they stop others from running, too? Our guess is that it won't matter.

3. LSU

Matt Flynn has stepped up in a big spot before, humiliating Miami 40-3 in the 2006 Peach Bowl when JaMarcus Russell, this season's No. 1 draft pick, couldn't play. A fun game to watch? When the Tigers travel Nov. 3 to Tuscaloosa to take on former head coach Nick Saban and Alabama. Rest assured the Crimson Tide faithful would love to screw up LSU's title chances.

4. Texas

If any headline writers dub Colt McCoy "The Real McCoy" again, they should be fired. End of story.

5. Michigan

The maize and blue will be tested early. Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State all roll into the Big House in September. Biggest advantage for the Wolverines? Oregon, Notre Dame and Penn State all roll into the Big House in September. No particularly daunting road challenges until they travel to Michigan State and Wisconsin in November. Even Ohio State travels to Ann Arbor.

6. Louisville

New coach Steve Kragthorpe inherits a team that may be the only bump in West Virginia's bid for the Bayou. Oh, and Brian Brohm is a stud.

7. Florida

Tim Tebow will get the chance to throw a ridiculous jump pass on every drive now!

8. Virginia Tech

"America's Team" certainly looks like the cream of the ACC crop, which actually managed to lose quality with the addition of teams.

9. Wisconsin

Wisconsin's string of unspectacular but smart quarterbacks continues with the promotion of Tyler Donovan to replace John Stocco. He'll do the same thing Stocco did: hand the ball to P.J. Hill. The defense isn't too shabby either.

10. California

This team is fun to watch. We think the Golden Bears are a little underhyped this year, after 2006 preseason hype was washed away after they got shellacked by Tennessee in Week 1. They can return the favor this year.

Until next week. Enjoy this weekend's games.