OPEN THREAD, FIRST SHIFT

It feels like the season just started yesterday. There was so much promise then - maybe this was Georgia's year, maybe Clemson was finally going to take the next step, maybe Oregon was going to prove all the stereotypes wrong. As usual, we have seen many dreams end. No Baylor national championship, no perfect season for Louisville.

But the death of one dream is the birth of another. Michigan State is likely going to the Rose Bowl for the first time in 25 years. Arizona State might join them, their first appearance in 17 years. UNLV is going to a bowl for the first time in 13. The rebounds for Auburn and Missouri, whatever magic Duke has worked, the end of Southern Miss's losing streak.

And it's all almost over. We'll still have the bowls, but those glorious frenetic Saturdays, where you spend hours flipping from game to game, screaming at the refs, or the defenses, or the kickers, or the fans (or the absence of fans), those will be gone after today.

Until next year, of course. And then maybe it'll be the year for Georgia, or Clemson, or Oregon. And maybe not.

This is your first open thread. Thanks for being awesome all year, commentariat. A thousand drinks to you.