Looking at the college football landscape, its obvious that something's up.

Appalachian State stuns Michigan.  This past weekend, 40-point undergo beats 2nd ranked USC.  Add to that the list of college basketball upsets on the men's and women's side witnessed during the past few months, and you can tell that the playing fields (and courts) have been getting more and more level.

The big question is, "Why"?  What is causing this rash of parity to hit the NCAA at all levels and in all sports?

Many point to technology as the reason many programs are now able to compete with their once formidable rivals in the recruiting arena.  Technology, it is argued, is helping to level the playing field when it comes to attracting great recruits to schools that don't have the history or tradition as some of the traditional powerhouse schools.

The Sporting News points out this fact in their most recent issue:

"With only 85 scholarships available per team, the best teams can't stockpile talent the way they could in good old days of Bear Bryant's Alabama dynasty and the Ten Year War between Bo Schembechler's Michigan Wolverines and Woody Hayes' Ohio State Buckeyes.

Increased television coverage, streaming internet video, and satellite coverage helps recruiting, too. On Saturday, North Texas and Louisiana-Lafayette could be watched with a satellite dish. There were probably more cameraman and announcers than fans in the stadium but, nonetheless, the Mean Green and Ragin' Cajuns could be seen from coast to coast by future major college football players."

The other key component to this leveling of the playing field is the computer and Internet technology that is available to almost every coach at every level in every sport.  Recruiting technology leader Front Rush is an example of innovative software designed specifically for a coach's college recruiting needs while being inexpensive and easy to learn and use. 

"Tools like our web-based recruiting management software really helps college coaches do their job of getting a prospect interested in their program so much more efficiently and easily," says Leidy Smith, President of Front Rush.  "And because our pricing makes sense for basically any program's budget, we're seeing clients who are from smaller programs being able to compete at the same level technologically as some of the big powerhouse programs."  Because of that, adds Leidy, their recruiting tool is helping college coaches at all levels with their recruiting and contact management.

What does this all mean as we look into the future of where recruiting technology is going in college sports? 

"I think you'll see college coaches continue to be creative in how they use the newest technology that grabs a kid's attention," says Dan Tudor, author of two best selling books on recruiting for college coaches.  "The NCAA recently banned text messaging, but coaches will find the next hot technology trend to use in their recruitment of great prospects.  Technology is advancing at such a rapid pace, within a year or two you'll see a whole new set of recruiting tools hitting the desks of savvy college coaches."

When it does, look for increased parity - and more "upsets" - in the future throughout college athletics.