• We told you they were the best, and now we back it up. There's the top of the polls and the Heisman finalists, and if you needed another measure of how thoroughly the SEC and Big 12 dominated the media mind this season, check the AP's all-America team: Not including specialists, a full two-thirds of the 22 first-teamers are from one of those two conferences, including 9 of 11 on the first-team offense (all but running backs Shonn Greene and Javon Ringer, who carried the bell for the Big Ten along with three defenders, Penn State defensive end Aaron Maybin and Buckeyes James Laurinaitis and Malcolm Jenkins). The SEC had eight on the first team; the Big 12 had six. The ACC and Big East: Zero. USC: Two. The rest of the Pac-10: Zero. Real quickly, I'm looking at my Athlon from the summer and count at least 28 on one of their three all-America teams that made one of the three AP team released Tuesday.

On the entire first team, there were two players, Tennessee safety Eric Berry and Wake Forest cornerback Alphonso Smith, from a team that's not either a) playing in a Jan. 1 or BCS game or b) Was playing for a BCS bid in the last three weeks of the regular season and finished in the top-25, i.e. from teams that had important games on national television within the final month of the season. Half of the second team selections fall under this category. I guess the writers can't vote for what they can't see.

• So that explains it. Finally, finally, we get the real story behind Michigan's worst season in 80 years -- it's all Scott Shafer's fault, as the deposed defensive coordinator told reporters on his way out Tuesday:

"Bottom line is, I take full responsibility for the demise of the Michigan program," Shafer, 41, said by phone Tuesday afternoon. "I accept all the responsibility."

That's it then. The 108th-ranked passing offense, 109th-ranked total offense, 98th-ranked scoring offense, 10-point effort in the loss to Toledo, seven-point effort in the blowout loss at Ohio State? That's on the defensive coordinator. The unique circumstances that left the Wolverines stuck with Steven Threet and Nick Sheridan at quarterback? Scott Shafer's fault. Okay, everyone, back to four more decades of uninterrupted success.

From Shafer's perspective, I'm not sure what school now will be able to justify hiring the self-described Man Who Destroyed Michigan Football, but at the top of the early list to fill his shoes is ex-Southern Miss coordinator Jay Hopson, who spent this season as the Wolverines' linebackers coach. My unique perspective on Hopson's tenure at my alma mater from 2005-07 is "Meh." As a coach, he's just a guy -- a highly stressed guy, if he takes over the dire situation in Ann Arbor, but not exactly a prodigy to date.

• One last time for the road. In polar opposite coordinator news, Dan Mullen will be in the booth for Florida in the mythical championship game, though he's spent the last week and will spend next week going full-time as the new boss at Mississippi State before rejoining the Gators after Christmas. Even Urban Meyer laughed at the question of whether Mullen will "give 100 percent," because "of course he's not. He's got a job to do." But he also thinks Mullen gives Florida the best chance to beat Oklahoma and stay in the same rhythm that Tim Tebow's known for the last three years. And Meyer calls the plays, anyway.

Favorite to replace Mullen: Gregg Brandon, Meyer's old offensive coordinator and successor at Bowling Green, from whence he was fired a few weeks ago. And as for Meyer's "dream job": It's Notre Dame and Florida. Just calm down, guys. There's room for all of you in Urban's dreams.

Quickly ... Ohio State's Nathan Williams, who last admitted to shoplifting on behalf of a friend, pled not guilty on Tuesday. ... Does Dan Hawkins think Colorado fans won't remember his early prediction for 2009? ... South Carolina's leading tackler, Emanuel Cook, is academically ineligible for the Outback Bowl and will probably declare for the draft. ... Maybe Jim Tressel should spend Christmas boning up on the all-Big 12 team. ... Charlotte's Car Car Bowl sells out for North Carolina's date with West Virginia. ... Southern Miss has requested additional tickets for the New Orleans Bowl. ... The Des Moines Register writes its second "coaching search" article in as many days without listing a single name as a potential successor to Gene Chizik. ... If coaches can't attend high school all-star games, what's the point? ... And Miami must be the first bowl team in history to name a kicker its MVP.