The college football season is still three months away, but here’s a story you can expect to see everywhere in previews everywhere: The demise of dynasties such as Notre Dame, Nebraska, Miami and Florida State. None of them will be ranked in the preseason Top 25, and it is certainly an odd feeling to see them all rebuilding at the same time. Feel free to toss Michigan there if you feel compelled to do so. A prospective intern named Parrish collected his thoughts on this, and they are after the jump.

Does anyone remember the last time Notre Dame, Nebraska, Miami and Florida State all had back-to-back poor seasons? Yeah, neither do I. The age of a true dynasty is long gone as there has not been a legit back-to-back BCS title winner since it was created 10 years ago (before you start, spare me USC fans).

The Free Shoes era is dead, although Jenn Sterger and her assets are helping to soften that blow. Florida State and Nebraska have been hit the hardest since dominance in the 90’s, and both have sunk into mediocrity. Florida State, Miami and Nebraska used to win 80 percent of their games; now that number is in the low 60’s while perennially bad teams like Kansas and Rutgers have caught up. There was a time when the notion of Navy beating Notre Dame was as foreign to college football fans as restraint was to Catholic priests. These truly are trying times to be a fan of the old guard.

West Virginia, South Florida and Boise State have become household names. South Florida didn’t even exist until 1997. This is the equivalent of you getting kicked out of the club only to see your moron cousin in the VIP room making it rain. Permanent cellar-dwellers like Kansas and Wake Forest are defeating Nebraska and Florida State. Hell, Boise State, Utah and West Virginia have more combined BCS wins (four) than Florida State, Michigan, Nebraska and Notre Dame put together (three).

To fans of the dominant teams from the 90s ,this is the equivalent of Poland invading Germany and then beating their ass during Oktoberfest. Or the French beating anyone at anything. It is simply not supposed to happen.

We all know that the cutting of the scholarship limits by 20 (105 to 85) has meant the world to smaller schools. In the early 90’s it was common place for teams like Nebraska and Florida State to stock up talent by taking would-be starters away from smaller schools only to fill out their bench, that all changed in 1991. However, this only means something if there are good coaches to take advantage of that rule. Universities have realized that there is so much money to be made off of football that investing in coaches and facilities makes too much sense. Oil tycoon T. Boone Pickens’ $168 million gift to Oklahoma State’s athletic program will do more than 20 extra scholarships ever could. Look at the money that Phil Knight is putting into Oregon’s program. Teams like Nebraska and Florida State will find it increasingly difficult to compete for top notch coaches and world class facilities when teams like Oregon and Oklahoma State can bank on donations that total well over $100 million.

Louisville was paying Bobby Douchebag nearly $3 million to be their coach. That is more than 12 NFL coaches, while Iowa’s Kirk Ferentz pulls in $3.3 million each year. That would put him in the top 10 in the NFL. Yes, the same Ferentz that has led Iowa to a 19-18 record over the last 3 years. If you are a good coach you can make some serious coin without the horrible grind of the NFL. Saint Nick Saban left the NFL for a guaranteed $36 million from Alabama. Yes, I know batshit crazy Alabama fans can be difficult to deal with, but they can’t be worse than dealing with Al Davis or Dan Snyder.

On one hand you have 20-hour days with no chance at a life outside of football, and on the other you have weeks where you can only practice for 20 hours in total and you can still make millions. To some (Carroll and Stoops) it seems like a no brainer, but to others (Butch Davis, Steve Spurrier) the lure of NFL glory is too strong. Now that universities have realized how much money there is to be made on college football the era of major program dynasties (championships make dynasties, not 10 win seasons) may never come back.