Oklahoma’s No. 1, Bama No. 2 in AP poll

NEW YORK (AP)—Oklahoma, where the No. 1 ranking rests again.

The Sooners sit atop the AP Top 25 on Sunday after the first upset-filled weekend of the season gave the media poll a powerful shake. Alabama was both a mover and a shaker, as the Crimson Tide rose to No. 2 after a surprising 41-30 pounding of Georgia.

Previously top-ranked Southern California lost at Oregon State to set the tone for a weekend that brought back memories of the topsy-turvy 2007 season.

On Saturday, two more top-five teams fell. Florida was stunned at home by Mississippi, 31-30. Georgia, which started the season No. 1, was down 31 points by halftime to Alabama and never recovered.

Overall, nine ranked teams lost, six to unranked foes.

The last time such a shake-up occurred? One year ago, when in the last week of September three of the top-five teams fell and seven ranked teams lost to unranked opponents.

“I think we talked (Friday) that anyone can beat anyone on any given Saturday, and that’s why you’ve got to come out and you’ve got to play on edge, full tilt every game because if not, someone’s liable to come in and beat you,” Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford said after the Sooners’ 35-10 victory over TCU on Saturday.

Oklahoma is No. 1 for the 96th time in the history of the AP poll, breaking a tie with Notre Dame for the most ever. The last time the Sooners were No. 1 was 2003, when they were atop the polls all season before losing the Big 12 title game to Kansas State.

Oklahoma received 43 of a possible 65 first-place votes and 1,599 points.

Alabama’s impressive performance jumped the Tide six spots. Alabama hasn’t been ranked this high since it was No. 2 for the first eight polls of the 1993 season.

The Tide received 21 first-place votes and 1,565 points.

LSU is No. 3, moving up two spots. No. 4 Missouri, which received a first-place vote, and No. 5 Texas also moved up two places and left the top five under the control of the Big 12 (three teams) and Southeastern Conference (two).

Penn State moved up six spots to No. 6 after its 38-24 victory against Illinois.

Texas Tech was idle, but took advantage of the attrition in the top 10 to move up to No. 7. BYU is eighth, USC dropped eight spots to No. 9 and South Florida is No. 10.

In the USA Today coaches’ poll, Oklahoma was No. 1, but LSU was No. 2, followed by Missouri, Alabama and Texas. In the Harris, poll which came out for the first time this season Sunday and is used in the BCS standings, Oklahoma was No. 1, followed by LSU, Alabama, Missouri and Texas.

Georgia and Florida each dropped eight spots in the AP poll. The Bulldogs are No. 11 and Florida is No. 12, followed by fellow SEC rival Auburn at 13th.

No. 14 Ohio State is followed by Utah, Kansas, Boise State and Wisconsin, which dropped nine spots after blowing a 19-point lead and losing to Michigan 27-25.

No. 19 Vanderbilt and Virginia Tech, which moved back into the rankings with 35-30 win at Nebraska, rounded out the top 20.

No. 21 Oklahoma State is ranked for the first time since 2004.

Fresno State, Oregon, Connecticut and Wake Forest, which was upset 24-17 at home by Navy, are the final five. UConn is in the rankings for the first time this season.

Clemson, Illinois, East Carolina, which lost its second straight game, and TCU all fell out of the rankings.

Oregon 27, USC 21

CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP)—It had been 41 years since Oregon State knocked off a No. 1 team.
Freshman Jacquizz Rodgers helped the Beavers pull off another stunner—and Southern California was the victim again. Rodgers ran for 186 yards and two touchdowns, and Oregon State built a 21-point first-half lead before capitalizing on a late turnover and upsetting the Trojans 27-21 on Thursday night.

Beavers fans, clad in orange, rushed the field when the clock ran out after the 25-point underdogs shook up college football with a victory over the team that was expected to roll right through its conference straight to the national championship game.
“I think we made a statement, like we can come out and beat anybody on any given day. It’s not always the best team that wins on a day. It’s who plays hard,” Rodgers said.

The Beavers (2-2, 1-1 Pacific-10) also upset USC at Reser Stadium in 2006, when the Trojans were ranked third. The team’s lone victory over a No. 1 team came in 1967, when Oregon State beat the O.J. Simpson-led Trojans 3-0. USC quarterback Mark Sanchez’s pass was intercepted by safety Greg Laybourn on the 30 with less than 3 minutes to play. Laybourn ran the ball back 28 yards to put Oregon State on the 2, and Rodgers ran in the final 2 yards to make it 27-14.
Fans carried Laybourn on their shoulders after the game.
Sanchez hit Patrick Turner with a 14-yard scoring pass with 1:19 left, but time ran out on the Trojans (2-1, 0-1). “I’m beside myself,” USC coach Pete Carroll said. “They didn’t hide what they were doing, they just did it. We couldn’t stop it. We couldn’t tackle.” Rodgers’ rushing yards were the most by a Trojans opponent since Vince Young ran for 200 for Texas in the BCS national championship game in 2006.

Rodgers’ brother James had six catches for 36 yards and two scores for Oregon State. Lyle Moevao completed 18 of 26 passes for 167 yards and two scores. “They came out and competed,” Oregon State coach Mike Riley said of his team. “We were respectful, but not in awe.” USC tailback Joe McKnight rushed for just 10 yards against the Beavers, after gaining 105 yards in the Trojans’ 35-3 victory over Ohio State. Sanchez completed 18 of 29 passes for 227 yards and three scores, with the one crucial interception. “Not our sharpest tonight—everybody, every position. There’s not need to point fingers,” Sanchez said. “I’m as guilty as anyone else. I threw an interception—costly late in the game.” McKnight took the loss upon himself.
“I didn’t make the plays. Fumbled the ball, Dropped a pass,” he said. “You can’t blame anybody else but me.”
The game opened with drama, as USC safety Taylor Mays was called for a personal foul on James Rodgers on an 8-yard touchdown reception.
Carroll asked that the score be reviewed, because it did not look as if the ball had crossed the line. The touchdown stood, giving the Beavers a 7-0 lead.
The Beavers more than held their own through the first half, with the Trojans appearing confused about how to handle Jacquizz Rodgers, who is just 5-foot-7 and 185 pounds. He somehow pushed through USC’s defensive line for a 2-yard touchdown run to make it 14-0.
His big brother saw the end zone again before halftime. Moevao’s pass was nearly intercepted by USC cornerback Kevin Thomas, but the ball was tipped into the hands of James Rodgers to make it 21-0.
USC answered on its first series of the second half with Sanchez’s 26-yard scoring pass to Ronald Johnson.
Sanchez found wide-open receiver Damien Williams, who sprinted down the sideline—and narrowly avoided Laybourn’s efforts to push him out of bounds— to narrow it to 21-14 with 2:56 left in the third quarter.
The Beavers squandered a chance to add to the lead midway through the fourth when they tried for a field goal, but Sean Sehnem’s 41-yard attempt was blocked.
The Beavers opened this season with two losses, at Stanford and Penn State, before returning home for a victory over Hawaii.
Despite their struggles, the Beavers had seen steady growth on offense and the emergence of Jacquizz Rodgers, who went into the game against the Trojans as the nation’s leading freshman rusher with 87.7 yards per game.
“For whatever reason we just couldn’t tackle him,” Carroll said. “We’d hit him in the backfield and he’d keep bouncing. Him hiding behind the line of scrimmage was very effective. We had troubles with it all day.”
USC had shown little vulnerability in victories at Virginia and then at home against then-No. 5 Buckeyes. But Carroll noted earlier in the week that the familiarity of Pac-10 play posed a danger.
The Beavers certainly seemed to have the Trojans figured out, holding them to 313 yards total offense. Stafon Johnson was USC’s leading rusher with 48 yards. Williams had six catches for 94 yards.
“The reality of the Pac-10 is obvious,” Carroll said after the game.
USC was without cornerback Shareece Wright, who will miss several games due to a hairline vertebra fracture suffered in the Ohio State game.
Carroll had said Wright was being disciplined after being charged with felony resisting a police officer earlier this month, but would have played against Oregon State had he been cleared medically.
USC has lost three of its last four games in Corvallis.

LSU wins past Auburn

AUBURN, Ala. (AP)—LSU made the final big play, and as usual that’s what settled the annual down-to-the-wire clash with Auburn.

This time the winning connection wasn’t Flynn-to-Byrd, but Lee-to-LaFell.

Jarrett Lee and Brandon LaFell hooked up on an 18-yard touchdown pass with 1:03 left to lift No. 6 LSU to yet another dramatic comeback win over No. 10 Auburn, 26-21 Saturday in an SEC West showdown that once again produced a fantastic finish and wild momentum swings.

The last five meetings have been decided by a collective 19 points in a rivalry that has produced more than drama. The winner has gone to the SEC championship game in six of the last eight seasons.

And last year Matt Flynn’s last-second TD pass to Demetrius Byrd helped propel LSU to a national title.

“We expected such a battle when we came here,” LSU coach Les Miles said. “I thought they showed great poise. To be tested away and be tested by a very, very capable opponent and answering that test is just what this team needed.”

The only major difference in this one was the road team came out on top. The last eight games in the series had gone to the home team. LSU (3-0, 1-0 Southeastern Conference) also snapped Auburn’s streak of six consecutive victories at Jordan-Hare Stadium against Top 10 teams.

Lee took over for an injured Andrew Hatch in the third quarter and produced a series of big plays to make up for a lousy start for LSU. Lee missed his first five throws, with an interception returned by defensive end Gabe McKenzie for a touchdown.

Auburn (3-1, 1-1) moved to LSU’s 47 on the final drive, with help from Rahim Alem’s roughing the passer penalty. Alem atoned with a sack of Chris Todd to recoup the 15-yard loss.

Todd’s desperation fourth-and-25 pass to Rod Smith came up short of the first down.

Byrd came up big again for LSU. He pulled in a 22-yard halfback pass from Keiland Williams on the final play of the third quarter for a 17-14 lead. Miles said the coaches installed that play in practice this week.

“It just happened to be the right time for that play,” said Miles, who also had successfully converted an onside kick after LSU’s first TD. “We needed a fast score.”

Colt David added a 32-yard field goal with 8:27 left and set LSU’s career record for points scored by a kicker.

Todd and Auburn’s offense kept the team alive. He hit Robert Dunn for a 15-yard touchdown pass with 6:40 left on third-and-9 to give Auburn a 21-20 lead. It was set up by a 58-yard heave to Tim Hawthorne when Todd rolled left, turned around and saw Hawthorne running free near the right sideline.

Lee, who had been platooning with Hatch, was 4-for-4 on the winning drive for 43 yards.

“We had the ballgame,” Tuberville said. “We had the lead, we lost it; we had the lead again, we lost it. We’ve got a disappointed bunch of guys in the locker room. We felt like the way we played at times, we should have won it. They made a few more plays than we did.”

It was the first major test for the defending national champions, who opened with wins over Appalachian State and North Texas.

Once again, LSU passed. And ran, too.

Charles Scott rushed for 132 tackle-breaking yards against an Auburn defense that was virtually untouchable in a 3-2 win at Mississippi State last weekend but appeared to weaken under the 233-pounder’s barrage.

LSU had never had a 100-yard rusher at Jordan-Hare.

Lee was 11-for-22 for 182 yards and two touchdowns, including a 39-yarder to Chris Mitchell in the third. LSU gained 284 of its 389 yards in the second half.

“In the first half, receivers were getting open and the offensive line was blocking,” Lee said. “I was just making poor decisions. I knew I would get back in and I knew when the opportunity came back, I had to make the right decisions.

“I just felt comfortable out there.”

Scott said LSU players at halftime felt they would pull it out.

“I know we had no doubt,” he said. “We knew it would be like this, we knew it would be a four-quarter game and we were ready to play.”

Todd had his most productive game as Auburn’s starter, going 17-for-32 for 250 yards. The junior college transfer was intercepted twice by Chris Hawkins.

“It was real exciting. There’s nothing like it,” Todd said. “The adrenaline rush, playing on that stage was awesome. You’d like to win, but it came down to the end, and those are the type of games you like to play in.”

Auburn’s Ben Tate was held to 45 yards on 19 carries. Fellow tailback Brad Lester left with a right leg injury in the third quarter, but Tuberville said he could have returned.

McKenzie had returned an interception 24 yards for a touchdown in the second quarter for a 14-3 lead.

Hatch was only 2-for-6 for 16 yards for LSU, but ran for 51 yards. He looked wobbly after his final run and was helped off the field after going to the ground while trying to walk to LSU’s sideline.

“We think he’ll be fine,” Miles said. “He had his neck yanked and it kind of stung.”

Tressel: RB Wells now doubtful for USC game

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said Thursday it is doubtful that starting tailback Chris “Beanie” Wells will play Saturday night against No. 1 Southern California.

Tressel said there was lingering soreness for Wells in his right foot after he worked out on Wednesday night. Wells did not practice with the team Thursday morning just before it departed for Los Angeles.

“We were hoping he’d wake up this morning and feel even better than yesterday,” Tressel said shortly before boarding the team bus to the airport. “But it didn’t happen. We’ll see from here.”

Wells injured his right foot in the fifth-ranked Buckeyes’ opener against Youngstown State, did not play last week against Ohio and has not had contact in partial practices this week. He flew with the team on Thursday afternoon.

Tressel did not rule out the possibility of the junior seeing action, but did not sound optimistic.

“Beanie practiced about 20 carries yesterday, and maybe 20 percent of the practice,” Tressel said. “We didn’t have him work today. He had more soreness this morning than we had hoped for. A late afternoon practice followed by a morning practice, we’re hoping that’s a little bit of the reason why. So we’ll just have to play it by ear.”

Co-offensive coordinator Jim Bollman said after Wednesday night’s practice that Wells was about 75 percent healthy.

“The chances of him being 100 percent are not high, I would think,” Bollman said. “That would be a miraculous recovery.”

Ohio State is a 10 1/2 -point underdog against the Trojans in the first meeting between the teams in 18 years. USC has won its last seven meetings with Big Ten teams, by an average margin of 27.8 points.

With Wells out of last week’s come-from-behind 26-14 victory over 33 1/2 -point underdog Ohio, redshirt freshman Dan Herron, sophomore Brandon Saine and senior Maurice Wells handled the load at tailback. They have also been seeing most of the action in practice this week, with Wells working out on Monday and Tuesday on his own away from his teammates under the supervision of team trainers.

Tressel said the three backups would share the job of replacing Wells, who rushing for 1,609 yards and 15 touchdowns last season and was considered a top Heisman Trophy prospect this season.

“I would call it more by committee,” he said. “Now if someone starts really feeling it, no matter who that is, you would (play them). But we’re pleased with all those guys.”

Tressel said team doctors, trainers and the coaching staff would monitor Wells’ condition and then consult with him before ruling on whether he will play in the game at the Coliseum.

He said the Buckeyes’ playbook would not be severely hampered by Wells’ absence. But he did say that it still might come as a shock to Wells’ teammates if he cannot play in a game of this magnitude.

“Our guys have seen that we’ve practiced for quite some time without him,” Tressel said. “I suppose maybe when you get to the realization that, OK, maybe he won’t play, then perhaps there’s a ‘Man!’ type of thing. But we’ve got to go (on).”

Ohio State 26, Ohio 14

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP)—Beanie Wells didn’t play. The Ohio Bobcats sure did.

Lightly regarded even in the Mid-American Conference, Ohio put a scare into No. 3 Ohio State before the Buckeyes righted things in the fourth quarter and went on to win 26-14 Saturday.

With star tailback Chris Wells sidelined by a foot injury, the Buckeyes (2-0) struggled to move the ball until Brandon Saine’s short plunge on the third play of the final quarter finally put them on top and Ray Small added some breathing room with a late 69-yard punt return.

This was not the tuneup the Buckeyes needed before traveling next week to meet No. 1 Southern California.

Ohio (0-2) had five costly turnovers—two in the fourth quarter—to help its bigger, badder neighbors escape.

Wells, mentioned as a Heisman Trophy hopeful after gaining 1,600 yards a year ago, injured his right foot a week ago in a 43-0 rout of Youngstown State. He watched the game from the sidelines while three players got his carries.

A week after a capacity crowd sat in stunned silence when Wells was injured, they were again quieted, this time by Ohio’s inspired play. Ohio State had not lost to an in-state foe since a 7-6 setback to Oberlin in 1921—a string of 36 victories, most of them lopsided.

Ohio, which wore T-shirts with “O-S-Who?” on them during its Friday walkthrough, led 7-6 at the half, 14-6 midway through the third quarter and 14-12 heading into the fourth.

Maybe the Buckeyes were looking ahead to next week’s showdown. Maybe they were missing Wells. Or maybe the Bobcats had their number, at least for three quarters.

And Ohio did it without its starting quarterback. Theo Scott was brought to his knees by a hit late in the first quarter and was replaced by Boo Jackson. Scott had an injured shoulder and did not return.

Jackson did just enough to bedevil the Buckeyes, completing 9 of 25 passes for 86 yards with three interceptions and rushing for 55 yards on seven carries.

Had the Bobcats pulled it off, the only comparable upset of a Big Ten team might have been Appalachian State’s astonishing victory over Michigan in 2007 at The Big House.

With Ohio State trailing 7-6 in the third quarter, Ohio drove to the Ohio State 34 and punted, with Matt Schulte’s kick downed at the 6. Three plays later, center Jim Cordle’s snap was 3 feet over quarterback Todd Boeckman’s head and flew into the end zone. Boeckman lost the handle, the ball slipping to his feet where it was recovered by defensive end Curtis Myers. Barrett May’s extra-point kick made it 14-6.

After the ensuing kickoff, the Buckeyes put together their first extended drive of the day, capped by Dan Herron jutting off tackle for a 2-yard touchdown. But the Buckeyes capped that with a mistake. After Tressel passed on a tying 2-point conversion try, 29-year-old kicker Ryan Pretorius missed the kick wide left.

The Bobcats then began to falter. Ohio State was forced to punt, but returner Mark Parson was hit by the Buckeyes’ Shaun Lane and fumbled, with Lane falling on the ball as it tumbled out of bounds at the 25. The play was confirmed on video review.

Six plays later, the Buckeyes were back in the end zone—and back in the lead. Saine carried on the final three plays covering 14 yards, including the 2-yard TD run, and Pretorius converted for a 19-14 lead.

Small then sailed 69 yards with under 6 minutes left to essentially end the threat.

The Buckeyes sputtered on offense all day, netting just 272 yards. Boeckman was 16-for-26 passing for 110 yards, but was sacked three times. Herron had 50 yards on 12 carries, Maurice Wells 48 on nine and Saine 15 on five in place of Beanie Wells.

The Bobcats, who lost 21-20 at Wyoming in the opener, led 7-3 after Donte Harden slalomed 15 yards through the defense for a score midway through the second quarter. Ohio State was largely anemic on offense, mustering just two Pretorius field goals until late in the third quarter.

LSU-Troy game postponed - Damage to Tiger Stadium

BATON ROUGE, La. (AP)—LSU has postponed its football game against Troy after Hurricane Gustav rolled through Louisiana this week.
A person with direct knowledge of athletic scheduling at LSU told The Associated Press the Tigers’ game versus the Trojans will be played Nov. 15. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the team had not been formally notified yet.
LSU has scheduled a press conference for 3 p.m. EDT.
LSU’s football team met at the Tigers’ on-campus training center Tuesday afternoon, then went ahead with practice.
Gustav caused some damage at Tiger Stadium, including broken glass and torn awnings over club seats. Debris littered the stands and playing field.

College Football Preview

THURSDAY'S GAMES August 28
UTEP at Buffalo, 7p.m.
The buzz: This has some intrigue. UTEP should contend in Conference USA, while Buffalo – under third-year coach Turner Gill – is expected to do the same in the MAC. The line: Buffalo by 3.| The pick: UTEP 27-24.
Northeastern at Ball State, 7 p.m.
The buzz: This game against a I-AA foe should get Ball State off to a good start. The Cardinals are looking for their first back-to-back winning seasons since 1995-96. The line: No line. | The pick: Ball State 45-17.
Eastern Illinois at Central Michigan , 7 p.m.
The buzz: Eastern Illinois has qualified for the I-AA playoffs six times this decade. Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour is trying to do what no I-A player ever has: put together back-to-back seasons of 3,000 passing yards and 1,000 rushing yards. The line: No line. | The pick: Central Michigan 38-20.
Eastern Kentucky at Cincinnati, 7:30 p.m.
The buzz: Eastern Kentucky annually is one of the best teams in Division I-AA. Cincy's quarterback situation isn't the best, and the Bearcats also need a tailback to emerge. But the defense is solid. The line: No line. | The pick: Cincinnati 27-14.
Indiana State at Eastern Michigan, 7 p.m.
The buzz: Indiana State is … well, the Sycamores are awful. They have won just 17 games this decade and only one in the past three seasons. You read that right: Indiana State has won one game the past three seasons. The line: No line. | The pick: Eastern Michigan 38-13.
Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech , 7:30 p.m.
The buzz: New coach Paul Johnson unveils his triple-option offense at Georgia Tech. Jacksonville State unveils quarterback Ryan Perrilloux, who was booted out of LSU earlier this year for numerous transgressions. The line: No line. | The pick: Georgia Tech 31-14.
Charleston Southern at Miami , 7:30 p.m.
The buzz: The Hurricanes christen their new home field – Dolphin Stadium – with a game against the I-AA Buccaneers. UM will be without starting quarterback Robert Marve, who has been suspended. It won't matter. The line: No line. | The pick: Miami 33-7.
Troy at Middle Tennessee , 7:30 p.m., Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast
The buzz: Troy plays five of its first six and seven of its first nine games on the road. Troy has a rebuilt offense, missing key players and coordinator Tony Franklin (now at Auburn). The line: Troy by 6.5. | The pick: Troy 20-10.
Vanderbilt at Miami University, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
The buzz: Vandy has some issues on offense, and Miami – which returns 17 starters – looks to be one of the best three or four teams in the MAC. An historic aside: This is the first-ever high-definition broadcast on ESPNU. The line: Miami by 3.5. | The pick: Miami 24-17.
Hofstra at Connecticut , 7:30 p.m., Altitude
The buzz: UConn coach Randy Edsall has bad memories about the last time these teams met; Hofstra rolled 56-17 in 1999 in Edsall's first game as Huskies coach. The line: No line. | The pick: Connecticut 31-10.
N.C. State at South Carolina, 8 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: This is the 56th meeting between border rivals N.C. State and South Carolina but the first since 1999, which came in Lou Holtz's first game as Gamecocks coach. There are concerns about both quarterbacks. The line: South Carolina by 14. | The pick: South Carolina 27-17.
Wake Forest at Baylor , 8 p.m., Fox Sports Net
The buzz: A few seasons ago, this would've been a matchup of a small, church-affiliated ACC bottom-feeder against a small, church-affiliated Big 12 bottom-feeder. Alas, Wake Forest actually is good now. The line: Wake Forest by 12. | The pick: Wake Forest 35-17.
South Dakota State at Iowa State, 8 p.m., Fox College Sports
The buzz: This is just the 27th night game in history at Iowa State. The Cyclones have lost the past three, including a loss to a I-AA team (Northern Iowa) last season. The line: No line. | The pick: Iowa State 23-17.
Oregon State at Stanford, 9 p.m., ESPN2
The buzz: This is one of two conference games in the Pac-10 this weekend. Oregon State has an all-new starting front seven on defense, but can Stanford's offense take advantage? Stanford goes on the road for four of its next five games. The line: Oregon State by 3. | The pick: Oregon State 21-20.
FRIDAY'S GAMES August 29
Temple at Army , 7 p.m., ESPN Classic
The buzz: Temple hasn't won its opener since 2002. It's worse for Army, which hasn't won an opener since 1996. The line: Temple by 7. | The pick: Temple 30-21.
SMU at Rice, 8 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: June Jones makes his debut as SMU's coach. Expect a lot of balls in the air. Our over-under on the number of combined running plays: 35. The line: Rice by 3.5. | The pick: SMU 41-38.
SATURDAY'S GAMES August 30
Western Kentucky at Indiana , noon, Big Ten Network
The buzz: This is the first of four "Big Six" opponents for Western Kentucky, which is in its final season as a transitional member of Division I-A. Western will have some success running the ball, but can it slow IU quarterback Kellen Lewis? The line: Indiana by 20.5. | The pick: Indiana 40-24.
Virginia Tech vs. East Carolina in Charlotte, noon, ESPN
The buzz: The Hokies slogged past ECU 17-7 in last season's opener. ECU's defense is going to keep the Pirates in the game. If ECU can find someone to run the ball, this one will be mighty interesting. The line: Virginia Tech by 9.5. | The pick: Virginia Tech 20-14.
Syracuse at Northwestern , noon, ESPN2
The buzz: This looks to be a make-or-break season for Syracuse coach Greg Robinson. Northwestern has a good shot at a bowl – assuming it wins this. The line: Northwestern by 11.5. | The pick: Northwestern 35-20.
Youngstown State at Ohio State , noon, Big Ten Network
The buzz: Connections No. 1 – Ohio State coach Jim Tressel is a former coach at Youngtown State (1986-2000) The line: No line. | The pick: Ohio State 45-7.
Coastal Carolina at Penn State , noon, Big Ten Network
The buzz: Connections No. 2 – Coastal Carolina AD Warren "Moose" Koegel is a former Penn State co-captain who played on the Nittany Lions' undefeated 1968 and '69 teams. The line: No line. | The pick: Penn State 42-0.
Maine at Iowa , noon, Big Ten Network
The buzz: Connections No. 3 – Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz is a former coach at Maine (1990-92) . The line: No line. | The pick: Iowa 35-15.
Akron at Wisconsin , noon, Big Ten Network
The buzz: Akron doesn't exactly have a great history against Big Ten schools – the Zips' last victory over a Big Ten foe came in 1894 (12-6 over Ohio State behind the coaching of – seriously – John Heisman). This is one of 13 Big Ten-MAC games this season. The line: Wisconsin by 26.5. | The pick: Wisconsin 38-10.
Bowling Green at Pittsburgh , noon, ESPNU
The buzz: Big things are expected from Pitt this season, but this is a dangerous opener. Bowling Green returns 16 starters and is especially potent on offense. The Panthers have to show they've improved their passing attack. The line: Pitt by 13. | The pick: Pitt 27-21.
Hawaii at Florida , 12:30 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: Florida has won 38 of its past 39 openers, and this will be 39 of 40. Hawaii is opening its season on the road for just the fifth time in the past 32 seasons. The line: Florida by 35. | The pick: Florida 49-21.
Georgia Southern at Georgia , 12:30 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: Even Erk Russell's miracle water from beautiful Eagle Creek wouldn't be enough to lift Georgia Southern to an upset. The line: No line. | The pick: Georgia 45-14.
Ohio U. at Wyoming, 2 p.m., The mtn.
The buzz: Hey, there's nothing like a season-opener pitting a MAC team against a Mountain West team, huh? Wyoming won by one last season at Ohio. The line: Wyoming by 11. | The pick: Wyoming 26-21.
Southern Utah at Air Force, 2 p.m.
The buzz: Division I-AA Southern Utah was 0-11 last season and has lost 18 in a row. An aside: Southern Utah is nicknamed the Thunderbirds, which is the name of a famed Air Force squadron. The line: No line. | The pick: Air Force 41-13.
USC at Virginia , 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: The Trojans head east to open the season. UVa is going to have trouble with USC's speed. And with USC's defensive front seven. And with USC's secondary. And with USC's tailbacks. Heck, UVa is in trouble. The line: USC by 19.5. | The pick: USC 27-3.
Utah at Michigan , 3:30 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN2
The buzz: The Rich Rodriguez era opens at Michigan. Utah's defense is the key to the Utes' upset hopes. The line: Michigan by 3.5. | The pick: Michigan 24-21.
Oklahoma State at Washington State , 3:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net
The buzz: This is one of three Big 12/Pac-10 matchups this season, and Washington State is involved in two of them (the Cougars also play Baylor). The line: Oklahoma State by 7. | The pick: Oklahoma State 34-30.
Villanova at West Virginia , 3:30 p.m., Altitude/ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: This would be a big-time Big East matchup during basketball season. Alas, it's football. Villanova has opened against a I-A foe in each of the past three seasons and lost by an average of 23 points per game. The line: No line. | The pick: West Virginia 45-13.
Towson at Navy, 3:30 p.m., CBS College Sports
The buzz: You want to impress your friends? Correctly spell the name of Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada. Actually, he is expected to miss this game, but it shouldn't matter to the Midshipmen. The line: No line. | The pick: Navy 29-14.
Delaware at Maryland , 3:45 p.m., ESPNU
The buzz: Maybe Delaware will get an emotional lift from Joe Biden being the Democratic vice presidential candidate. Biden was a running back on the Blue Hens' 1961 freshman team. The line: No line. | The pick: Maryland 24-16.
Tulsa at UAB , 4 p.m.
The buzz: Last season, Tulsa became the first team in Division I-A history to have a 5,000-yard passer, a 1,000-yard rusher and three 1,000-yard receivers. Starting the season against defenseless UAB will get the Golden Hurricane off to a good start as they attempt to match those numbers. The line: Tulsa by 13.5. | The pick: Tulsa 48-28.
Illinois State at Marshall , 4:30 p.m
The buzz: This looks like a make-or-break season for Herd coach Mark Snyder. Opening the season with a loss to the I-AA Redbirds would not be a good thing. The line: No line. | The pick: Marshall 23-10.
Appalachian State at LSU , 5 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: Can lightning strike twice? No. The line: No line. | The pick: LSU 31-14.
TCU at New Mexico , 6 p.m., Versus
The buzz: It might be Week One, but this is a huge Mountain West contest. On paper, this game is between the third- and fourth-best teams in the league. The line: TCU by 6.5. | The pick: TCU 24-20.
Northern Iowa at BYU, 6 p.m., The mtn.
The buzz: This one has a bit of intrigue. Northern Iowa was 12-1 last season and is ranked fourth in Division I-AA. One thing to consider: UNI's pass defense was mediocre last season. The line: No line. | The pick: BYU 37-21.
McNeese State at North Carolina , 6 p.m.
The buzz: McNeese State was the No. 2 seed in last season's I-AA playoffs but was upset in the first round. UNC has 19 starters back, with the offense the question heading into the season. The line: No line. | The pick: North Carolina 28-17.
South Carolina State at UCF , 6 p.m.
The buzz: UCF's offense has some holes, and this will not be a good gauge as to whether those holes have been patched. The line: No line. | The pick: UCF 34-14.
Mississippi State at Louisiana Tech , 6:45 p.m., ESPN2
The buzz: Mississippi State is entering the season with expectations for the first time in a while, which proves Sylvester Croom is doing a good job. Mississippi State is the first SEC team to ever play Tech on its home field. The line: Mississippi State by 8. | The pick: Mississippi State 24-17.
Northern Illinois at Minnesota , 7 p.m., Big Ten Network
The buzz: Minnesota has some issues, yes, but the Golden Gophers aren't near bad enough to lose to one of the worst teams in the MAC. … At least we don't think so. The line: Minnesota by 8.5. | The pick: Minnesota 35-23.
Louisiana-Monroe at Auburn , 7 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: ULM beat Alabama last season. Can the Warhawks beat another SEC team this week? No. The line: Auburn by 26. | The pick: Auburn 30-7.
Memphis at Ole Miss , 7 p.m.
The buzz: The Houston Nutt era begins in Oxford. The past four games have been decided by a total of 16 points. The line: Ole Miss by 7.5. | The pick: Ole Miss 28-24.
Florida International at Kansas , 7 p.m.
The buzz: The hounds open the season in Lawrence. This is the dog of the week. KU beat FIU by 52 last season. The line: Kansas by 36. | The pick: Kansas 45-10.
Florida Atlantic at Texas , 7 p.m.
The buzz: FAU coach Howard Schnellenberger has called out Texas for a lack of toughness. One thing's for sure: Talented FAU quarterback Rusty Smith is going to fill the air with footballs against a rebuilt Texas secondary. The line: Texas by 24. | The pick: Texas 35-23.
Louisiana-Lafayette at Southern Miss , 7 p.m.
The buzz: This is the first game for new Southern Miss coach Larry Fedora. Having an all-new defensive front has to make him a bit uneasy, given that ULL quarterback Michael Desormeaux and tailback Tyrell Fenroy both rushed for 1,000 yards last season. The line: Southern Miss by 10.5. | The pick: Southern Miss 28-20.
Western Michigan at Nebraska , 7 p.m.
The buzz: Western Michigan returns all 11 starters on defense. But it's Nebraska's defense that will take center stage under new coach Bo Pelini. You can bet WMU quarterback Tim Hiller will throw it often. The line: Nebraska by 14. | The pick: Nebraska 35-23.
Chattanooga at Oklahoma , 7 p.m.
The buzz: In the past 20 seasons, Chattanooga – which has had just four winning seasons in the past 20 years – is 0-19 vs. Division I-A foes, losing those games by an average margin of 34 points per game. Only one of those games was decided by fewer than 14 points. The line: No line. | The pick: Oklahoma 56-7.
Arkansas State at Texas A&M , 7 p.m
The buzz: A&M has a new coach in Mike Sherman, replacing Dennis Franchione. Arkansas State has a new nickname in Red Wolves, replacing Indians The line: Texas A&M by 19. | The pick: Texas A&M 28-13.
Eastern Washington at Texas Tech , 7 p.m.
The buzz: This is one of two games against I-AA opponents for Texas Tech this season. The Red Raiders are one of four "Big Six" schools (the others are ACC members Clemson, Florida State and Georgia Tech) playing two I-AA foes. The line: No line. | The pick: Texas Tech 61-17.
James Madison at Duke , 7 p.m.
The buzz: The David Cutcliffe era begins at Duke with a game against a tough Division I-AA foe ranked in the top 10 of two preseason polls. This is one of five games this weekend matching ACC teams against I-AA opponents. The line: No line. | The pick: Duke 28-21.
Western Illinois at Arkansas , 7 p.m.
The buzz: The Bobby Petrino era begins at Arkansas with a game against a so-so Division I-AA foe. This game features two of the more distinctive nicknames: the Razorbacks of Arkansas and the Leathernecks of Western Illinois. The line: No line. | The pick: Arkansas 38-13.
Southern at Houston , 7 p.m.
The buzz: This is the first game for new Houston coach Kevin Sumlin. Southern is a solid I-AA program, but the Jaguars are rebuilding and the Cougars should roll. The line: No line. | The pick: Houston 38-13.
North Texas at Kansas State , 7:05 p.m.
The buzz: This is one of four games this weekend matching Big 12 and Sun Belt teams. What do you want to bet the Big 12 goes 4-0? The line: Kansas State by 25.5. | The pick: Kansas State 45-21.
Boston College vs. Kent State in Cleveland, 7:30 p.m., ESPNU
The buzz: Kent State has the nation's leading returning rusher in Eugene Jarvis, but he'll be going against a defense that usually is excellent against the run. Worth watching is how new BC quarterback Chris Crane fares as he steps into the giant shoes left by Matt Ryan. The line: BC by 9.5. | The pick: BC 21-10.
UT-Martin at South Florida , 7:30 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: USF – which is ranked in the preseason for the first time in program history – is 11-0 in home openers, winning by an average of 28.4 points per game. The line: No line. | The pick: USF 45-14.
Alabama vs. Clemson in Atlanta, 8 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: Nothing like a good early season showdown to get the juices flowing. A Clemson loss in this one and the whispers – "Clemson is overrated again" – will become shouts. The line: Clemson by 4.5. | The pick: Clemson 27-17.
Michigan State at California , 8 p.m., ABC regional/ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: An intriguing intersectional matchup between teams who harbor New Year's Day bowl hopes. All eyes will be on California's rebuilt offense. The line: California by 5. | The pick: Cal 28-24.
UC Davis at San Jose State, 8 p.m.
The buzz: San Jose State has won 12 of its past 14 home games, but is opening a season at home for just the fifth time in the past 21 seasons. Both teams have new starting quarterbacks, so it may take a while for the offenses to get going. The line: No line. | The pick: San Jose State 24-13.
Idaho State at Boise State , 8 p.m., ESPN GamePlan
The buzz: These in-state "rivals" last met in 2003, when Boise State won by 62. This is the debut for new Boise quarterback Kellen Moore, a redshirt freshman. It's the first time in school history a freshman will open a season as the starting quarterback. The line: No line. | The pick: Boise State 48-10.
Illinois vs. Missouri in St. Louis, 8:30 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: This is just the 22nd meeting in the series, which needs to be an annual event in St. Louis. Mizzou is ranked sixth in The Associated Press preseason poll, the highest preseason ranking in school history. The line: Missouri by 9. | The pick: Missouri 31-24.
Grambling at Nevada , 9 p.m.
The buzz: Grambling rolled to a 32-3 win in the teams' only meeting, in 1972, behind coach Eddie Robinson. Things should be different this season. The line: No line. | The pick: Nevada 38-16.
Cal Poly at San Diego State, 9:30 p.m.
The buzz: Cal Poly, which is No. 14 in the Division I-AA poll, upset the Aztecs in San Diego in 2006. If that happens again this season, you have to wonder about the job security for SDSU coach Chuck Long. The line: No line. | The pick: San Diego State 23-17.
Utah State at UNLV , 10 p.m.
The buzz: These teams met in the opener last season, with UNLV winning by seven. But UNLV ended last season on an eight-game losing streak. The line: UNLV by 12.5. | The pick: UNLV 31-17.
Idaho at Arizona , 10 p.m.
The buzz: Idaho enters the season on a 10-game losing streak. This will be No. 11. The Vandals' pass defense was woeful last season, which has to make Arizona quarterback Willie Tuitama happy. The line: Arizona by 27. | The pick: Arizona 48-17.
Northern Arizona at Arizona State, 10 p.m., Fox Sports Net Arizona
The buzz: This will be the 37th meeting, and Arizona State has a narrow 18-14-4 lead. But if this is close, something is wrong with the Sun Devils. The line: No line. | The pick: Arizona State 42-14.
Washington at Oregon , 10 p.m., Fox Sports Net
The buzz: This is the 101st meeting in this rivalry. This is a make-or-break season for Huskies coach Tyrone Willingham, and the first three games are against Oregon, BYU and Oklahoma. Oregon, meanwhile, will be without starting quarterback Nate Costa for eight to 10 weeks. The Ducks also are breaking in a new tailback. The line: Oregon by 13.5. | The pick: Oregon 31-21.
SUNDAY'S GAMES
Kentucky at Louisville, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: This will be just the 21st meeting between the teams. UK has a lot of rebuilding to do on offense, but all the pressure is on Louisville - which needs to prove last season was an aberration. The line: Louisville by 3.5. | The pick: Louisville 28-20.
Colorado State vs. Colorado in Denver, 7:30 p.m., Fox Sports Net
The buzz: Each of the past four meetings in this rivalry have been decided by four or fewer points. The Buffs won by three in OT last season. The line: Colorado by 11. | The pick: Colorado 35-26.
MONDAY'S GAMES September 1
Fresno State at Rutgers , 4:30 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: Fresno State has hopes of being a BCS "interloper" this season, but those dreams end if the Bulldogs lose this one. This is the first game of the post-Ray Rice era for Rutgers. The line: Rutgers by 5. | The pick: Fresno State 20-17.
Tennessee at UCLA , 8 p.m., ESPN
The buzz: The last game of the first weekend should be a good one. New UCLA coach Rick Neuheisel already is down to his third-string quarterback, and his offense looks to be a mess. The Bruins' defense is another story, and that unit could make things difficult for new Vols quarterback Jonathan Crompton. The line: Tennessee by 7.5. | The pick: Tennessee 24-10.