Badger Bits: Football, football. Football? Football.

And suddenly, the world is a bit brighter.

It's not Badger football, and it may not even be good football, but it's football all right. Small fast guys and big slow guys looking to hit and/or evade something and everything. It'll look as sophisticated as ever tonight, coming off a long hiatus. It is and it isn't, and by the end of the season you will be much more attuned to the one or two brutish interactions that can define success on any particular play. Invariably, your well-being will hinge on these interactions. It doesn't seem healthy. It isn't healthy. But there's a reason you hitched your emotions to forces you can't control. Presumably it's fun.

For now, though, I'll be more than happy to soak in the long view. This may be the only time I see Marcus Lattimore play all season. One of the undercards is bound to be crazy (I'm looking at you Eastern Michigan vs. Ball State) and Washington State vs. BYU should be fun because Mike Leach.

College football is here, and after an offseason talking about how bad it is--the myth of amateurism, the corporate influence, the inequality of the postseason, the terrifying realities of hegemony--we suddenly realize that the game will be played as it has and always will be played. The landscape wouldn't be so bad if the game wasn't so good.

I can't wait.

Links after the jump:

The investigation into Montee Ball's attackers is still ongoing despite the arrest of three men Wednesday.

Ball among leaders in a preseason Heisman straw poll.

Bret Bielema is bad at math, but also makes the fair point that comparing Danny O'Brien and Russell Wilson is kind of unfair.

Bielema also talks to Adam Rittenberg and reveals, among other things, that O'Brien actually has a pretty nice set of wheels on him.

Vonte Jackson is set to redshirt for the 2012 season. Good move.

The new regulations on helmets popping off are bound to decide a game this season.

New kickoff rules, meanwhile, should help a Wisconsin unit that scary bad in coverage last season.

Wisconsin places five players on ESPN's preseason All-Big Ten offense and defense.

Kyle French has a leg-up in competition for field goal duties.

Uh, so this is the dumbest thing you've read all offseason.

OTE gives Illinois and Purdue a pep talk.

OTE on "Sweet Caroline" and other things that should be banned from B1G stadiums.

Wrapping up: Poor, poor Danny O'Brien. This sounds like a nightmare.