SEC commissioner Mike Slive is a shrewd businessman, but he's not alone.

College football is loaded with individuals who wield a lot of power and they aren't afraid to use it when they need to.

Do you think Nick Saban doesn't cash a few chips when he needs to?

It's not limited to coaches and executives either.

There are some players who also have the gravitas to make an impact, even if it's just for one season.

So who are the 25 most influential people in college football right now? Let's see.

25. Oliver Luck

The father of Andrew Luck would probably have been happy to sit back and let his son get all of the headlines.

But Oliver Luck also had a job to do as West Virginia's Director of Athletics, and he navigated the Mountaineers through the conference realignment nightmare this fall.

Now he's promising everyone in the state that WVU won't be in the Big East as of July 1.

Luck is definitely making a name for himself and it has nothing to do with Andrew.

24. Paul Finebaum

Paul Finebaum, a radio personality in the South, may be one of the most hated media folks out there, but he's on top of his game talking about the SEC and college football.

He gets big-time guests, but most people tune in to see which of the regular callers will be on that day.

Finebaum can move the needle, and college football fans love to tune in for his show.

23. T. Boone Pickens

T. Boone Pickens is Phil Knight-lite (you'll read about Knight later), basically because he doesn't make Oklahoma State wear a different uniform every game.

Pickens has pumped a lot of money into the Oklahoma State athletic coffers and he expects results.

Mike Gundy has delivered back-to-back banner years for the Cowboys, but you have to think the perfectionist that Pickens is that he's still smarting over that loss to Iowa State.

Big-time prep stars are catered to when they make their official visits to campuses across the nation. But do they really look at what makes a campus great?

Sure, a great game-day environment, a packed stadium and a tailgate party to-die-for are important.

So are the coaching staff, playing time and facilities.

But do they care about the beauty of the overall campus or the social life in and around the campus? Maybe, but it probably doesn't play a huge factor in their decision.

If they did care, this would be their cheat sheet in learning about the 50 best campuses in college football.

50. Southern Mississippi

Southern Mississippi's football history is rich and highlighted with upsets of major programs throughout the years.

The Golden Eagles can compete with the big boys when it comes to campus amenities.

The Hattiesburg campus is attractive and has 180 buildings packed on the 300 acres that Brett Favre once roamed.

49. South Florida

The University of South Florida has a number of campuses located across the state, but the many attractions around Tampa make it a popular location.

The region has a lot of big-time concerts and other entertainment options to make it very attractive to 18-year-olds.

48. California

Cal-Berkeley has a great academic reputation, but it is also meticulous and serene campus.

Two branches of Strawberry Creek flow into campus, and there are trees that date back to the late 1800s.

South Hall, one of two original buildings still standing, was erected in 1873.

Now that's the type of history that translates into a great on-campus lore.

To read the rest, go to the original article on Bleacher Report.

Ray Perkins can relate to what Penn State's Bill O'Brien is going through.

Not too long after Perkins took over as Alabama's head coach in 1983, legendary coach Paul "Bear" Bryant died.

Perkins went 32-15-1 in four seasons, but he was never able to get out of the shadow of Bryant. No one ever wants to replace a legend.

Now O'Brien is faced with taking over for college football's winningest coach Joe Paterno, who died Sunday, Jan. 22, almost 29 years to the day Bryant passed.

Perkins told the Altoona Mirror in September 2010 that no one will ever replace Paterno. "There's no one can replace Coach Bryant. And there's no one can replace Joe Paterno," Perkins said. "There's going to be somebody to follow him someday [as] I merely followed Coach Bryant."

So O'Brien is merely the first of many who will likely follow Paterno.

For about five years now I have defended the ACC.

I've told family and friends that an ACC team was going to step up and become a serious national contender.

Clearly I have been wrong.

Ever since the ACC expanded the first time with Boston College, Miami and Virginia Tech, it's like the conference has been the most dysfunctional of any of the BCS conferences.

So why should 2012 be any different?

I don't think I can give you a good reason. But there are still going to be some good matchups that are worth watching.

Maybe this is the year FSU lives up to its potential or Clemson doesn't have a meltdown.

Here are the 20 best ACC games in 2012.

20. Clemson at Boston College

Boston College's 2011 was a complete train wreck and Frank Spaziani's job will be on the line this season.

So will the Eagles rally for their embattled coach or just bail on him in 2012?

If BC can win its home games next year, then the Eagles could become a bowl team again.

Clemson is one of the more talented teams in the ACC, so it's important for them to not let a game like this get away if they want to be a serious contender in 2012.

Early prediction: Clemson 38-17

19. Virginia Tech at Boston College

Here's another game at Boston College and the Eagles will get another shot at knocking off one of the ACC's top programs.

Boston College will need to figure out a way to stop quarterback Logan Thomas and Bud Foster's defense will put a lot of pressure on the Eagles' offense.

Quarterback Chase Rettig should be better in 2012 and if he can find enough playmakers around him, he could lead BC to an upset or two next season.

It would help if the Eagles could establish a running game against the Hokies.

Until a team from another conference really challenges the SEC in the BCS National Championship, you have to wonder which Southeastern Conference team will win it all in 2012.

USC seems to be the favorite right now to challenge the SEC for supremacy, but the Trojans might have to run the table to get consideration for the title game.

With the SEC increasing its membership from 12 to 14 next season, it's unclear if that will hurt or help the conference in its quest for a seventh consecutive BCS title.

It's not like Texas A&M or Missouri are considered contenders, but who should be considered the top five teams that will bring another title to the SEC?

Alabama

Alabama may be losing a number of key players to the NFL, but the Crimson Tide have something every other program in the nation does not: Nick Saban.

You don't think Saban makes a big impact in a game? Just look at how the Tide played in winning their second BCS title in three seasons.

Quarterback A.J. McCarron developed into a solid player and gained a serious amount of confidence in beating LSU.

For everyone worried about the loss of Trent Richardson, all you had to see was how well Eddie Lacy ran the ball in the title game.

Alabama's toughest task will be replacing all of that talent on defense that will be playing on Sundays next fall.

South Carolina

South Carolina should have running back Marcus Lattimore back from a knee injury, and quarterback Connor Shaw is now an experienced leader.

Steve Spurrier had one of his finest seasons as a coach, and if he can get the Gamecocks to play that way again in 2012, South Carolina could be a surprise team.

South Carolina's defense will be able to play with the best in the SEC.

The Gamecocks won't play Alabama during the regular season, but they will get Georgia (Oct. 6), LSU (Oct. 13), Florida (Oct. 20) and Arkansas (Nov. 10), as well as SEC newcomer Missouri on Sept. 22. Carolina will also face rival Clemson in the season finale on Nov. 24.

Boston College's Frank Spaziani needs a win more than he needs a hug.

And he's not alone.

Even before national signing day and spring practice, there are at least 10 coaches who need a big 2012 to save their current jobs.

Some may actually pull it off, but it's not going to be easy.

Spaziani has made some changes on his staff, but will that be enough to have a better 2012?

Derek Dooley, Tennessee

Derek Dooley got the Tennessee job by default.

Once Lane Kiffin bolted for USC, the Volunteers were looking for someone with SEC pedigree and a cleaner reputation.

Enter Derek Dooley, son of legendary Georgia coach Vince Dooley.

Dooley is in the third year of a six-year contract that pays him $1.8 million per season.

How has he repaid Tennessee? With 11 wins in 25 games. Dooley won just 17 of 37 games at Louisiana Tech before landing the job in Knoxville.

WVU's overtime victory over Cincinnati on Saturday was exciting, but my favorite moment was at halftime.

Enjoy the video (courtesy of Blue & Gold News) as the 2012 Discover Orange Bowl champs are honored.

Also, is there any coach in America cooler than Dana Holgorsen? I think not.

If you had never heard of Terrance Ganaway before the Valero Alamo Bowl, I'll bet you do now.

That's of course if you stayed up late into the night to watch him.

A great bowl performance can make any player gain more name recognition. But can it help a player improve his draft stock?

Well, an impressive game certainly can't hurt.

Here are 25 players who definitely improved their standing going into the draft.

Justin Blackmon, Oklahoma State

It's not like Justin Blackmon needed a big game, as he's a sure-fire first-rounder and more than likely the top wide receiver.

But if a GM or coach didn't believe Blackmon can be a game changer, then his performance in the Fiesta Bowl sent a clear message of what he can bring to a team.

When Oklahoma State needed someone to make a play after falling behind Stanford 14-0, Blackmon tried to fire his teammates up on the sideline.

Then, he went back onto the field and caught a short pass and raced 43 yards for a touchdown. On the very next possession, he caught another Brandon Weeden pass and cruised past the Cardinal defenders for a 67-yard score.

There are programs who would just love to crack the final Associated Press rankings.

Then there are those who only care if they are in the Top 10, and another elite group who feel the season isn't a success unless they are a Top-5 team.

With a few media voters picking LSU and Oklahoma State No. 1 on their final ballot, that gives you a glimpse into why some programs may feel slighted by the final rankings.

Here are six who have a gripe.

Houston Cougars

Houston was on the verge of playing in a BCS bowl when it was upset by Southern Miss in the Conference USA Championship.

The Golden Eagles won 11 games, so the loss shouldn't have hurt Houston as much as it did.

The Cougars came out blazing against Penn State in the TicketCity Bowl and should have easily finished higher than No. 18 with a 13-1 record.

Phil and Tom are keeping it a little shorter than normal, but that doesn't mean we have shortchanged anyone—especially the BCS National Championship game.

Was Alabama's 21-0 victory over LSU the most boring game ever? See what we think. How about Nick Saban? Is he the greatest coach ever?

We mix in a little Penn State coaching hire just to make sure there is some variety this week.