With the season finally, mercifully starting this week, the time has come for my annual conference predictions.

Unlike last season, this year features a pretty clear front-runner in every conference.

With that said, let’s get to it.

ACC
Atlantic Division: If Clemson doesn’t win the division and conference this year Tommy Bowden should resign on the spot. No team in the conference features more experience and talent heading into the season.

That being said, this is Clemson we’re talking about.

Wake Forest has a very good shot at unseating the Tigers and winning their second conference title in three years (did you ever think you’d read that?). They get the Tigers at home on a Thursday night in October.

Florida State is a longshot contender in the
division.

Coastal Division: There’s not a team — other than maybe Auburn — that I’m less confident about winning a division than Virginia Tech, but the Hokies are by far the best team in the Coastal.

That being said, they really aren’t very good, and since they take a trip to North Carolina in September the Tar Heels might have an outside shot at taking the division.

ACC Champion: Clemson, but don’t hold me to it.

Big East
This is a two-horse race in 2008, but one horse is more like Secretariat while the other might be more of a Big Brown.
West Virginia and South Florida are the only two that can win the Big East this season, and they’ll have a chance to decide it on the field on Dec. 6.

Considering we’re talking about a Florida team going to cold weather in December, I’ll give the edge to the Mountaineers.

Big East Champion: West Virginia

Big Ten
There probably hasn’t been as much of a sure thing for a conference champion (non-USC, 2003-2007 division) since Florida State back when it was dominating the ACC.

Ohio State is way, way better than everyone else in the conference, and probably will be for at least one more year after this.

Everyone else is just playing for second, although Wisconsin might have the best shot at an upset when they host the Buckeyes on Oct. 4.

Big Ten Champion: Ohio State

Big 12
North Division: Missouri is the class of the North at the moment, with numerous starters, including ace quarterback Chase Daniel, returning from last year’s 12-2 team.

Kansas will still be good, but they face more than one team with a pulse this season.

South Division: If Oklahoma isn’t in the national title game (barring them getting left out in an Auburn-like scenario) then Bob Stoops should resign.

The Sooners are stacked in 2008, and should run roughshod over everyone other than maybe Texas Tech, who has an outside shot at winning the division.

Big 12 Champion: Oklahoma

Pac-10
I hope the West Coasters enjoyed their one year of competitive balance, because that breath of fresh air is officially over.

USC, even with its numerous question marks, is the class of the league once again.

Arizona State will be good, but is in no way ready to compete with the Trojans, and Oregon and California will take a slight step back.

Pac-10 Champion: USC

SEC
Eastern Division: Even with its murderous schedule, Georgia should be able to navigate the murky waters of the nation’s toughest conference.

That’s not to say the Bulldogs won’t lose a game. They probably will. But the Dawgs are better than their main competition — the Florida Gators.

Tennessee and South Carolina should pose an interesting race for third.

Western Division: A team with as many question marks as Auburn wouldn’t generally be regarded as a division favorite in the SEC, but they have a lot of things working in their favor.

The Tigers have a boatload of returning starters, a new offense that should only get better as the season goes along and they get their biggest challenger, LSU, at home early in the season.

By November, LSU will be scary good. When the Bayou Bengals travel to the Plains, they won’t be.

Alabama is a year or two away, Mississippi State isn’t as good as you think, Ole Miss will be competitive, but not that competitive, and Arkansas will be terrible.

SEC Champion: Georgia

Online
Starting Wednesday, get detailed conference and bowl projections, along with weekly picks on my blog at oanow.com.

Next Week
We go to regular-season mode, with a review of the first week of games.

Tim Cottrell is sports designer of the Opelika-Auburn News. He will write a weekly column on college football during the season. You can also read him on the O-A Sports Blog at oanow.com. He can be reached at 737-2511 or .