Fixing the top 40

Like in corporate America, 2009 is the time to get lean in college football. We've got the downsizing plan to remake big-time football -- and our ruthless redistricting will cut both ways.

Monday

• Pat Forde: To have and have not
  Big-time college football deserves a new look. And we've got the redistricting plan.
• SportsNation: Which 40 teams would you pick?

Tuesday

• Mock draft: Natural selection
  Pat Forde, Ivan Maisel and Mark Schlabach drafted 40 teams to create a new Division I-A. Find out which teams made the cut.
• Bruce Feldman: Draft hits and misses
  Bruce Feldman takes a look at some clear omissions and some serious leaps made during the mock draft.

Wednesday

• Bear Bryant Conference
  With a combined 23 national championships, the Bear Bryant Conference is ruled by powerhouses and tradition.
• Knute Rockne Conference
  Old-time football -- bruising rushing attacks and black-and-blue defenses -- will win the day in the Knute Rockne Conference.

Thursday

• Bud Wilkinson Conference
  Heated rivalries -- and a new tiebreaker rule -- give the Bud Wilkinson Conference an immediate buzz.
• John McKay Conference
  The John McKay Conference is a blend of scrappiness and can-do. And once again, USC rises to the top.

Friday

• Mark Schlabach: Fact of fiction
  The fact is that our fantasy college football world mirrors the reality of 2009. Even in make-believe, Florida looks good.
• Schlabach: Opportunity knocks
  If you've been stewing for days because your school wasn't selected for our fantasy Gordon Gekko Subdivision, there's still hope for teams in the Tom Joad Subdivision.
• Bruce Feldman: Five for 2014
  Who are the teams that could crack the Gekko top 40 list in five years? The list might surprise you.