The brackets are out, and now you are sitting in front of a computer screen or with a pencil and a printed version of your bracket trying to figure out who to pick.
One of the best things about the NCAA Tournament is we get introduced to some great players and great stories. That includes stars we will see playing in the NBA one day as well as those mid-major studs who you may not have heard of before.
March Madness is one of the few events that truly connects the past with the present and future. As every new tournament begins, each team feels the validation of a good season but also has visions of making a huge statement in the dance.
NCAA Tournament history is filled with great performances that for a few weeks in March captivate us and place players into the national spotlight. Yet for every Danny Manning, Steve Nash, or Steph Curry who go on to big things at the next level, there are guys whose stars shined brightest during March Madness.
This past weekend, the NCAA displayed its preliminary bracket, which consisted of the top four seeds in the four brackets. There were zero mid-major schools among the 16 selected.
It may seem like the dog days of the college hoops season, but while the weather is cold outside, the play is heating up on the hardwood. Conference season is going strong, and we've already had some big games go down with a bunch more the rest of the way.
With the college football season ending with a walk-off touchdown pass in overtime by a backup freshman quarterback, it's time to turn our college madness focus from the gridiron to the hardwood.
When we get to the New Year's Six bowl games, we are seeing the best of the best. Not only do they include the two bowl games that comprise the first round of the College Football Playoff — this year, the Rose and Sugar Bowls — but four other bowls that match up the best of the best.
The Sugar Bowl is second only to the Rose Bowl in age and one of the most revered bowl games in college football. Played in the Deep South where football is king and in one of the biggest event cities in the world, it continually makes the Sugar Bowl one of the must-see games on many people's bucket lists.
The Auburn-Central Florida game will mark the 50th matchup in Peach Bowl history, and what a history it has been. There have been so many close games featuring some of the best programs and players over the last half-century.
The Cotton Bowl is one of the oldest and tradition-rich games of the bowl season. For over 70 years the game was held in the actual Cotton Bowl, which has held NFL championships and World Cup games, before moving into the Dallas Cowboys' majestic AT&T Stadium.
With those pre-Christmas bowls out of the way, you begin to see some of the better teams get their shots on the big stage — big-name teams with big-name players.
I know what everyone says as they watch all those pre-Christmas bowl games: Who are these guys? Who are these teams? Look at all those empty seats. There's too many bowl games.
Bowl season is upon us yet again, which brings to mind the pageantry and history these games bring to college football. Whether it is the majestic setting of the Rose Bowl on New Year's Day or the sheer size of the Louisiana Superdome for the Sugar Bowl, each bowl offers its own style for players and fans to enjoy.
So here we are: championship week. Sure, there are some regular-season games happening (mainly in the Sun Belt, independents and a rescheduled Florida State-Louisiana Monroe tilt), but this is all about the nine conference championship games. There are a couple are de facto playoff games in their own right.
We are close to the announcement of the 81st Heisman Trophy winner, and whomever wins will be in an exclusive and famous club. Heisman Trophy winner is a title that follows you for your entire football career and the rest of your life. However, winning college football's biggest prize does not portend what kind of NFL career you will have.
Cupcake week pretty much gave us nothing but a chance for the top teams to stretch their legs a bit before heading into rivalry week/Thanksgiving and the conference championship games.
Week 11 went a long way to sorting out the College Football Playoff picture — or maybe it didn't. No. 1 Georgia was demolished at Auburn. No. 3 Notre Dame looked overwhelmed at Miami.
There is now a blurry line between what is a mid-major and a power team. When George Mason crashed the Final Four in 2006 it ushered in an era where everyone believed it could make it there.
The 2017-2018 college hoops season is here, and it should be a doozy. Veteran teams like Michigan State and Arizona are back to take another run at a championship.
Some huge happenings went down in Week 10 of the college football season. Ohio State and Penn State both lost, nearly ending their College Football Playoff hopes.
Week 9 was chaotic. Ohio State made a frantic comeback to topple Penn State. Iowa State took out another big name as the Cyclones upset TCU. South Florida, Washington State and Michigan State got beaten.
With college basketball tipping off, there are a lot of coaches out there champing at the bit to get their teams off to good starts. Some hope for championships or tournament appearances.
The college hoops season is upon us, and we are set to watch a new set of stars join some of the returning studs for what should be an interesting season.
As we pass the halfway point of the season and approach Halloween, there has been so much to digest in the 2017 college football season and much to look forward to. The best teams are starting to separate from the pack while some teams that had big hopes this season are watching their years spiral out of control.