It's late July, Big 12 Media Days are right around the corner. Everyone is doing their preseason awards, so I figure I'd join in as well. I'm breaking down my Big 12 thoughts into four parts as we count down to Big 12 Media Days. Part One discusses power rankings, projected standings, and projected bowl berths. Part Two will go up tomorrow, and dive a little more in depth of Part One by going through the schedules by teams (so you can see how I arrived at the final conclusions). In Part Three I will unveil my Clone Chronicles Preseason All-Big 12 Team, and other award winners. Part 4 I will provide a list of fearless predictions, along with updating my Top 25 Preseason Team. Check back between today and Monday

The "official" Clone Chronicles Preseason Big 12 Power Rankings:

1. Oklahoma
2. Texas A&M
3. Texas
4. Nebraska
5. Missouri
6. Texas Tech
7. Iowa State
8. Colorado
9. Kansas State
10. Oklahoma State
11. Baylor
12. Kansas

A couple of quick notes here: Texas Tech is really hard to pinpoint, because I have no idea how Tuberville is going to handle the talent he has on the team. I've also heard of a USC player or two wanting to transfer fo CU, because they could do so without having to sit out. If CU is able to pick up a couple of impact guys, they could catapult up a little.  I think in general 6-10 could be ordered however you want. I'm also not huge on Baylor like everyone else seems to be, and I think people are overrating Kansas to no end for this year. Remember, this is based on power as in who would beat who, no so much on how I think the standings will end (which is on the next page)

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What's up everyone? Many apologizes for having gone dark for about a week. Definitley was not planned, but I did some packing, and moving, and basically it took more time and energy than I had anticipated.

Regardless, I've got a few things to talk about!

45 Days until Kickoff! Can you believe it?! It's still hard to imagine, but it's happening for sure. I've got a lot to talk about to preview, not only ISU's season, but also the Big 12 too. On a personal level, I'm big into predictions, projections, and all of that, so I can't wait to dig in and talk about it. I've done the necessary research and we'll get it going soon.

I can't believe the Royce White haters. I don't care what the rankings say, I really believe that talent-wise, that this guy has the upside to be one of the best we've seen at ISU. He's aggressive, and more physical than some of the fineese guys we've seen in the past. There just aren't a slew of Elite Character AND Elite Talent types of guys. Heck, I think we were pretty fortunate to land one in Brackins. Especially when you consider that we couldn't land one that was the hometown guy!

 In order to get high level talent at Iowa State, you may have to pick up a guy with a less than perfect background. In reality most of us are like that. Something to remember is that this guy was 18 and made some mistakes. I'm all for letting the guy prove that he's learned from those mistakes. I am guessing that there's a high correlation between the group of people that thought Greg McDermott was awesome AND these Royce White haters.

Coaches are making 6 and 7 figures, with the expectations to win. And when you're expected to win, you sometimes have to take some risks with bringing in players. I can't think of a worst-case scenario that has a long term effect on ISU, but I can think of a best-case scenario that has a longer term effect on ISU.

I still haven't played NCAA Football 2011. I've heard it's awesome and I'm jealous. I've secured an Xbox 360 from a friend. Now I've got to get a hold of the game. If you've played it, I honestly want to know how it is, and if it's much different from past years.

Lastly, I've gotta give props to this thread. It has given me some of the funniest reading I've done at least a month or so. I especially love the MNC prediction for 2015: http://www.cyclonefanatic.com/forum/football/96346-how-long-before-we-can-expect-competitive-win-game-vs-ut-ou.html

If I was running Cyclonefanatic, I'd ban some of these guys without hesitation (unless they were under the age of 15 or so). I firmly believe that somebody can be too stupid to be involved in a community, and removing said people improves your community.

On the flip side, as not being involved over there, I enjoy these kinds of posts, and am looking forward to another football season if for nothing else, reading a slew of threads similar to these!

This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

If it's in the game, it's in the game. For real! Today is one of the best days of the year, when EA Sports NCAA Football 2011 hits shelves, with college football fans across the nation buying it. I remember back a few years ago, when I was a student still, I went at midnight, went home, put that game in, and played it all night! I know some people out there are probably heading to bed after pulling an all-nighter on it last night!

For the rest of us who have jobs early in the morning, don't have a midnight store in our area, or just like to sleep. We'll be getting the game this afternoon.

If you still need to order it, you can do it by clicking any of the links on this page (the EA logo at the top of this post is a link to the EA site), and you'll get directed to purchasing the game.

This is also going to serve as an open thread for those of you that have purchased the game, played the demo, etc. I'd love to know your take on the game. From all accounts thus far, this 2011 version is a step up from previous years, and will be a ton of fun to play.

Being able to be a part of this campaign with EA Sports was amazing, and thanks to those of you that participated.  I honestly would not have been down with an endorsement like this unless it's a product I supported 100%. I've been purchasing this game for the past 10 years or so, and it's a must-buy on my list every summer.

Congrats to Jordan for winning a copy of the game, and I hope all of you can find a way to purchase this game. It is really a fun time. Plus if you buy now, you can get a couple of seasons in on your dynasty before the real football season starts.

I'll close with a message from our sponsor:

When you go to particular school or grow up a around college football you are more than just a fan. It’s who you are. We thought we could leverage this pride in your roots and show that ‘where you come from’ is more than just a statement about geography. By positioning NCAA Football 11 as a game that understands this pride and is authentic to these traditions, the takeaway should be that anything that is in college football is in NCAA Football11.

And this doesn’t just include game play (though that’s a huge part of it). It’s rivals and mascots; it’s legends and stories. It’s those things that are at the very fabric of the game itself. Of course the game is great this year as well. With authentic entrances, mascots and specific offenses for each team the term "where I come from" takes on a much larger meaning. While playing NCAA Football 11 is ultimately a great sports sim, it should also give you a sense of the pride and emotion one has for being a fan of a team they will never not be a part of.

Get the game, and have a blast!

This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

I've read some fan expecatations, and they are all over the place. I'll keep it short because I was hoping to delve into this more, as I continue to research our opponents. I also like to simulate (in my mind) the Big 12 week by week, so that I can come up with records for teams that are feasible.

But I'll put it like this. It's going to be a hard season. Possibly brutal. But in short, I think those that are picking Northern Illinois over ISU are just hating. Northern Illinois will be a good mid-major, but come on. Every year we go through this exercise, and every year some punks try to say teams like Northern Illinois, North Dakota State, etc., are going to win. It may be a close game, as the first game of the year is usually sloppy, but a night game at home, and a fired up crowd will result in a win.

I'm also not all that impressed with Utah. They will be solid, but they're beatable too. Everyone should reserve judgement on Texas Tech until we see if Tubberville utilizes the offense properly. I think it's possible to get 6 wins again, but realistically I'm thinking 4-5 wins out of Northern Illinois, UNI, K-State, Utah, Texas Tech, CU, K-State, and Iowa if we get overlooked. Even though it's a probable loss, I have a hard time thinking Nebraska will be better this year than last year to be honest. It's really hard to get a feel for any of the North teams, and about half of the South teams in my mind. What I really want to see is us being respectable. With this many upperclassmen, you want to start seeing meaningful wins, but the schedule is just really stacked against a team that just isn't on the same level right now.

No matter what happens, if they play hard, never say die, and give it all they got, do it the Paul Rhoads way, it'll be a successful season in my mind. Building a program takes some time, and if we get to a bowl game, great, if not, not a shocker to me.

What about you guys? What are you hoping for? I'm definitley going to revisit, as I'm finishing researching the teams. This is just a gut feel in early July on what I'm thinking.

This concludes our discussions. Please get your comments in by 5pm Central Time if possible. Tonight, I'll announce the winner of the game, and tomorrow we'll have an open thread for those of you that purchased NCAA Football 2011!

This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

If you've been reading me for a bit, you probably know I like lists. I eat them up. I love bullet points, coming up with top 5s, debating them all day long, etc. So because it's Friday, and I know people can only handle so much of my wordiness, I'm going in list mode here.

Below are the Top 5 moments that I personally experienced as an ISU fan.

5.

What could have been! The mystery of the unknown still bothers me at times! I remember barley being a frosh, in my dorm room, watching that game with my roommate. It was so crazy, and we were yelling at the TV long after the game was over!

4.

Kind of an obvious choice here, but this video really shows that kind of guy we have running the show at ISU. People draw the McCarney comparisons all the time. I just hope that whatever happens in the future, things end better for Rhoads than it did for Mac. The game itself was the last time I was screaming at the TV constantly and it turned out to be all good. Too many times I saw the losing end. There I was, in my apartment, alone for most of the day. ISU got lucky, but it's better to be lucky than good sometimes.

3.

Funniest experience ever. Being at that game was hilarious. SO GLAD someone caught all of this on tape! One of the highs in a season of many lows and disappointments

2.

It's so fun to win, when nobody expects you to.

1.

Single most fun play I saw at ISU. Everytime I watch that play, it reminds me of my freshmen year, and my entire college experience.

Honorable mention goes to the 2007 Culbertson FG to beat Iowa 15-12, Iowa State beating K-State in 2004, and Iowa State knocking Nebraska out of the Top 25 in 2002, as my Cornhusker friend was in attendance watching the game. I'm sure Brent Curvey's 65 yard fumble return against Baylor in 2004 would be there too, if I would have seen it!

What about you? What takes the cake? We'll take a break from this series over the weekend, and on Monday, we'll talk about expectations for 2010.

This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

Favorite Cyclones of all time. For me, in order to even be considered, you gotta go above the job description, on or off the field. We get to see a lot of guys come and go, but it's those certain few that stick in your mind. Outside the obvious choice of Wallace, I'm going to talk about another guy that I really appreciated, and that's Shawn Moorehead.

He's the kind of guy I think of when I think about inspiration, even moreso than Jesse Smith.

Moorehead initially walked on at ISU, earned some clock in 2004, before finally being the starter in 2005 and 2005 at end. The guy worked hard, got it done in the classroom, earned a scholarship, and has the most all-time sacks in ISU history. I'm not going to act like he didn't play alongside some talented guys like Curvey, Parker, Leaders, Berryman (for at least a bit), etc., but the guy still had to make it happen. I'm not saying he was the best linemen in the history, but he's a guy who exemplified what we love about sports. We love it when guys have a chip on their shoulder, work hard, and achieve more than anyone thought was possible. People talk about Jesse Smith a lot, and he gets some props, but I think too many forget about Moorehead. Dude was playing D-1 football, getting academic all-america honors, and majoring in Mechanical Engineering.

I just remember those days when I was in school, watching the Cyclones, and a sack was something that actually happened. We've had such a shortage of defensive line productivity the past few years, it's made me appreciate the good ones we had in the trenches over the years. The early 2000s was very kind to good defensive line play, and hopefully we can reverse the trend.

If I had to continue a list of favorite Cyclones, it would have to also include Seneca, Hobbs, Billups, Dobbins, Danielson, , Reggie Stephens, Tony Yelk, and Mike Brandtner. If LJ and A-Rob continue to do their thing, they'll enter the club as well. Time will only tell.

Who are your favorite Cyclones of all time? Anyone you especially like that nobody really talks about anymore?

Tomorrow we're going to talk about our most memorable moments as Cyclone fans. Should be interesting

This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011

Tailgating. How can anyone talk about college football and NOT talk about tailgating? For many, it's a rite of passage, a religion if you will. Outside of a handful of NFL teams, it's probably the one big difference between college football and the NFL. Sure, there's tailgating at some NFL games, but it doesn't get anywhere near the level it does for college football.For a lot of people here, especially college students, they do the tailgating and don't even bother going to the game.

While I realize that ISU isn't quite on the level as most of the SEC, and teams like Wisconsin, I think they do a fine job in the Big 12, probably top 3 in the conference or so, based on what I've heard.

I do enjoy a quality tailgate, but I'm not an expert at it. I really do like it, but I've never quite owed the ideal ride or equipment to really be a leader on the tailgating scene. Typically I'm rolling over to somebody else's tailgate, bringing some of my own food, and doing it up like that.

I'm a man without a tradition. I like to think of tailgating as something that evolves over time, so I evolve with it over time. When you were a freshmen, you're just trying to sneak booze, not get caught by DPS, and trying to talk to some wasted girls. From the looks of it, when you're 50+ AND can afford that six figure RV, you bust that out, along with a carpet and picnic table from outside, you arrive no earlier than 2-3 hours before the game starts, and you spend 90% of your time in the RV. If you're 50+ but are poor, or are a normal person, you are in midlife crisis mode and are doing what you did when you were 18, only now you're macking on your kid's friends. Funny how that all works, huh?

So I'm tradition-less, and to many that's different, possible even sad in their eyes. Instead, I thought I'd talk about my favorite tailgating meal, because you know you gotta eat something before the game.

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This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

Today we continue talking about our fandom. We've discussed why we're all fans of Iowa State, so the next logical step is to talk about our all time favorite team. If you read my post yesterday, you'd be able to guess pretty easily my favorite Iowa State team.

I gotta go with my first love, the 2002 team. As far as ISU goes, this team had a lot to like. Seneca, Danielson, Hobbs, Carstens, and Billups were some of my faves. The season did end in dissapointment, but it was fun for a majority of it.

If I had to go with a second-favorite, it would be the 2004 team. Yeah there were some disappointments, but it's hard to complain about a year when ISU beats Nebraska, and K-State, regardless of how those teams are doing in a particular year. Plus there was the bowl win as well, which put a nice end to the season. There was a lot of youth on that team, as Meyer and Blythe were in their first year, and no one really knew how they would do. Jon Davis, only a sophomore that year, was a very reliable target, an underrated Cyclone in my book. Curvey was just a Soph. as well. Of course having upperclassmen like Dobbins, Hobbs, and Hicks (rushed over 1,000 yards) helped that team a lot, but it was the youth that had me optimistic for the future. 

It was just a fun year. We were coming off an awful year in 2003, and being pleasantly surprised with the success. Yes, the Mizzou game was very tough, but there wasn't a single fan that didn't think we'd be in the North hunt in 2005 as well, and we were (only to be heartbroken yet again). 

But enough about me. I'm curious as to your favorite team. I gotta think with some of you guys being fans for a while that the Peach-Bowl team might be there, along with the 1998 and 2000 teams as well (they would be for me had I been a fan long enough back). Curious to know what you are thinking!

Tomorrow we're going to talk about tailgating traditions.

This is the first part in a series of posts where we will talk about our fandom. Click here for instructions on how to get a chance to win a free copy of NCAA Football 2011. This post is sponsored by EA Sports NCAA Football 2011.

The main topic for today is how we became fans of Iowa State. For me, it was pretty straightforward, as it occurred while I was in college as a freshman in 2002. Before moving from the Twin Cities to Ames, I hadn't been much of a college football fan. I didn't dislike it, but I had a hard time getting into it. When you grow up in a pro market, the college teams, unless they do something great, take a backseat to the pros. If you are into football in Minneapolis, you're probably a Vikings or Packers fan, more-so than a Gophers fan. College sports in pro markets are a niche group.

Anyhow, the summer before enrolling at ISU, I ran into some people in the Twin Cities who were back in town over summer break from ISU. They told me that getting season tickets for football and basketball was a must, and how the community really supports the teams. I decided to go for it, as getting an all sports pass was something like $150-$200, and I wasn't going to let a couple hundred bucks interfere with my collegiate experience, so I went home, and got the tickets.

When I moved to Ames in the fall, I still wasn't in the flow with the football season. I didn't even know we were playing Florida State in Kansas City until a couple of days before the game. I was just oblivious to it, and didn't realize that had I planned in advance, I could have gone. Anyhow, I watched on TV, and Seneca Wallace had me hooked. We got off to that great start, beat the Hawks, knocked Nebraska out of the Top 25 (while my NU friend was in attendance), and I just couldn't NOT support the team. I didn't realize 2002 (especially the first half), was an anomaly for the most part. I really thought we'd be really good year in and year out, and most ISU fans were drinking the Kool-Aid there too. I had been a fan ever since that Florida State game and it was firmly solidified when we beat Nebraska. I have never wavered since.

When I reflect back on my first year in college, with trying to figure out what I wanted to study, trying to figure out girls, friendships, etc., sports took the back burner at the time. It really helped that the team was pretty good my first year, or I may not have been on the bandwagon. It sounds bad now, but at the time it was the truth. I know most other students feel that way; just look at their attendance at Men's Basketball games under the McDermott era.

It sounds corny, but if it wasn't for Seneca Wallace, I may not have been as big of an ISU fan as I am now. Over the years I've developed into a diehard. I loved ISU football (and basketball) so much, it's all I wanted to talk about. Unfortunately my friends and family didn't share the same. I got the chance to join, and now manage the site. I really love talking ISU, and this site gives me an outlet to say what I'm feeling along with communicating with other fans.

What about you? How did you become an ISU fan? Were you a student? Did you cheer for the Cyclones in rebellion of your Hawkeye family? I've heard so many stories over the years, but I'd love to hear more!

Earlier today, I put out on the Clone Chronicles twitter that you'd have the opportunity to win a FREE copy of NCAA Football 11, which releases, Tuesday, July 13th. Here's what it's all about, and how you can win that copy of NCAA Football 11.

EA Sports asked us, the SBN college sites, to sponsor a series of posts celebrating fandom in college football. They aren't telling us what to write, or what to say, only wanting us to write about topics that talk get to the core of being a college football fan, or in this case, an ISU Football fan.

The NCAA Football series has always been a must-buy in my book, as it's a ton of fun to play. I know you gamers out there agree with me. I've grown up playing EA Sports games all my life, so doing something in conjunction with them was an opportunity I couldn't pass up.

Staring on Monday, July 5th, until the game releases, I will be writing a series of posts that should bring up some fun discussion about being an ISU Football fan. This series is really about all of us, fans, so I want all of you to participate in this as much as possible, as it'll make it more fun. To make it even more fun and to show that this is all about you guys, I'm going to take a portion of the proceeds this site will receive from EA Sports, and purchase a copy of NCAA Football 11, to give away to a lucky fan.

Here's what you have to do to win a copy of NCAA Football 11:

1. Follow @CloneChronicles on Twitter if you have a Twitter account (if you haven't already).

2. Join the Clone Chronicles Facebook Fanpage if you have Facebook (if you haven't already).

3. Participate in 100% of the series of posts (which starts on Monday, July 5th). You have to give full effort here. One sentence responses aren't going to cut it. You must have all responses in by Monday, July 12th at 5pm CST.

4. Send me a message via Facebook or an email (kieffer.mark@gmail.com), telling me you want to win the game, and what system you'd want it for if you win.

For everyone that does 1-3, your name gets entered into a drawing to win the game. If you win, I'll contact you via Facebook or email, and send you the game after hearing back from you. I know it's a lot of steps, but it's the chance to win a $60 game for free.

Let me know if you have any questions in the comments below. I will post a quick refresher about the series on Monday morning, and shortly after will post the first topic on the series! Football season is 63 days away, and there's no better way to get things started than with NCAA Football 11!