College Football Top 25 Capsules: No. 9 Iowa set to open highly anticipated season
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — The buzz has been building for this season at Iowa since the day the Hawkeyes waltzed out of south Florida with their first BCS win.
For coach Kirk Ferentz, this is the year he's been building toward since he arrived in Iowa City over a decade ago.
The Hawkeyes have been on a roll since the end of 2008, winning 15 of their last 17 games after a two-and-a-half year lull to vault back onto the national radar.
Now, it appears anything is possible for resurgent Iowa.
The ninth-ranked Hawkeyes return 15 starters from the team that beat Georgia Tech in the Orange Bowl in January, and they'll take their highest preseason ranking since 1988 into Saturday's opener against FCS opponent Eastern Illinois.
From a mental standpoint, Ferentz believes his players are ready for all that lies ahead.
"The signs of people thinking right have been there. Going back to January, overall, the focus seems to be there," said Ferentz, who Thursday reached a deal on an extension through 2020 that will also make him the Big Ten's highest-paid coach.
But before Iowa can worry about the likes of Penn State, Wisconsin and Ohio State, it'll have to take care of business against the Panthers.
Sounds like a dress rehearsal, right? Well, not for Iowa.
One needs only to roll back the tape to the 2009 opener to remember that hardly anything comes easy for the Hawkeyes.
Iowa stumbled out of the gates, and a Northern Iowa playing in midseason form and not the least bit intimated by their FBS neighbors lined up for a 40-yard field goal that would have ruined the Hawkeyes season before it ever began. Iowa blocked the kick — and the next one, an NCAA first — and escaped with a 17-16 win that felt like a loss.
But that result was an anomaly in recent years for the Hawkeyes, who have won nine straight openers by an average of 31.5 points.
Eastern Illinois isn't a pushover, though, at least not by FCS standards. The Panthers have reached the playoffs seven times in the last 10 years and have posted four wins over FBS teams, all from the Mid-American Conference.
But the Hawkeyes are the highest ranked opponent Eastern Illinois has ever faced, and the Panthers don't have a quarterback who's taken a Division I snap. Redshirt sophomore Brandon Large won the job, and he'll be playing behind a line with three new starters.
That's a recipe for disaster against Iowa's defensive line, which many consider the nation's best. What might be worse for Eastern Illinois is that they'll be facing a team who's grown rather tired of hearing about its near-disaster against Northern Iowa.
"We weren't prepared, and they were a pretty good team. We may have underestimated them," Iowa wide receiver Marvin McNutt said. "We want to come out and make sure our main focus is to get win number one instead of thinking of week two."
Iowa has issues of it's own, but none appear to be troubling just yet. Running back Jewel Hampton and defensive end Broderick Binns are suspended for the opener, and promising sophomore running back Brandon Wegher left the program for personal reasons last month and isn't expected back anytime soon.
Starting cornerback Shaun Prater is nursing a hamstring injury and might not play, either.
History suggests that none of that should be a problem on Saturday.
The opener is instead expected to be a celebration of all things Iowa, including the annual "FryFest" event named for former coach Hayden Fry and a reunion of the 1985 Rose Bowl team — the last group of Hawkeyes ranked higher than this one in the preseason.
Many believe this year's Iowa team has the ingredients in place for a backslapping reunion of their own 25 years from now. But Ferentz, who's had some highly ranked teams stumble and some overlooked ones surprise, knows better than to start comparing the 2010 Hawkeyes to anyone just yet.
"There are so many steps along the way and so many things that have to happen. That team got it done and mastered it, and that's a challenge that's ahead for us," Ferentz said.
It's Darron Thomas time for the No. 11 Ducks
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Darron Thomas seems to have it easy, making his debut as Oregon's starting quarterback at home and with the No. 11 Ducks heavily favored.
But it's quite the contrary.
When Thomas takes the field on Saturday against New Mexico, all eyes will be on whether the sophomore can lift Oregon out of the Jeremiah Masoli debacle and whether coach Chip Kelly did right in choosing him to start over senior Nate Costa.
Thomas' response? Bring it on.
"It's a good thing, because now you're in the spotlight," he said. "I'm happy for it. It's good not to be in the back. I'm prepared for it and ready to go."
Thomas played in five games as a true freshman in 2008, completing 16 of 33 passes for 268 yards and three touchdowns. Called upon when Oregon was hit by a slew of injuries, Thomas came close to leading the Ducks on a come-from-behind victory against Boise State that season. Thomas then redshirted the 2009 season.
Masoli led Oregon to a 10-3 record, the Pac-10 championship and a Rose Bowl berth last season. He was a possible Heisman Trophy candidate before his dramatic fall from grace.
Masoli was accused in the theft of a pair of laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity house in January. He was suspended for this season after pleading guilty to a burglary charge, but was later stopped by police for a traffic violation and marijuana was found in the car.
As a result, Kelly kicked him off the team.
Masoli was at first turned down by the NCAA to play as a walk-on this season at Mississippi, but won his appeal on Friday.
The loss left Oregon without a clear starter. Thomas competed for the job against Costa throughout fall camp, before edging him in a scrimmage last week. While Costa is more of a traditional passer, Thomas is more of a threat on the ground, more in the mold of Dennis Dixon.
Adding to the pressure on Saturday will be the absence of running back LaMichael James, who is serving a one-game suspension after pleading guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge stemming from an altercation with an ex-girlfriend.
Last season James rushed for a team-high 1,546 yards, setting a new record for freshmen in the Pac-10. He averaged 6.7 yards and added 14 TDs to earn the league's freshman of the year.
Fellow sophomore Kenjon Barner will start in James' place on Saturday. Also a return specialist, Barner had 1,553 all-purpose yards last season.
By all accounts, Barner had a productive fall camp. Oregon coach Chip Kelly says he is "just scratching the surface of what he can be."
But even with the few uncertainties — new QB, no star running back — Oregon remains a force, selected to repeat as Pac-10 champions this season.
"It's back in business and we're ready to go for New Mexico," Thomas said. "I'm ready for it to be an exciting day on Saturday."
In contrast, the Lobos aren't feeling a whole lot of pressure. New Mexico went 1-11 last season as the team dealt with its own off-field troubles, including then-first year coach Mike Locksley's altercation with a former assistant.
Now, like Oregon, the Lobos are eager to move forward.
"When you play a team like Oregon and they're ranked No. 11 in the country, there's really no pressure on us," Locksley said. "I think it's going to be to our benefit to go up there, play loose, have fun, take some opportunities and take advantage of some opportunities against a real good team."
New Mexico, which has a spread offense similar to Oregon's, will start sophomore B.R. Holbrook at quarterback. He leads a group dominated by fellow sophomores, who lack experience but will likely gain it considerably on Saturday. The Lobos have a 4-3 defense led by Carmen Messina, who led the nation with 162 tackles last season.
New Mexico is 7-43 against ranked opponents. But the last time they played a Pac-10 opponent, they beat Arizona 36-28 in 2008.
"As I told our team, we realize the challenge the reigning Pac-10 champions present us, but we also know that we have to make them beat us," Locksley said. "We need to do the things that we've talked about since January to ensure that we make a Pac-10 champion team like Oregon beat us and not help them."
-- Anne M. Peterson
Oregon RB James eager for fresh start
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — The past year has been both amazing and awful — and everything in between — for LaMichael James.
Last season the running back was thrust into a starting role for the Ducks as a redshirt freshman and surpassed all expectations. Then in the offseason, he was arrested and wound up pleading guilty to a charge stemming from an altercation with his ex-girlfriend.
As a result of the trouble, James will now sit out No. 11 Oregon's opener Saturday against New Mexico at Autzen Stadium. Despite the punishment, he is still excited about the new season and the fresh start.
"You have to feel confident," he said. "I feel like if you go out and practice hard and you feel confident, then the games are easy."
Even though James won't play opening week, he is still part of the conversation when it comes to the nation's top running backs, joining the likes of West Virginia's Noel Devine, Pittsburgh's Dion Lewis and Jacquizz Rodgers from up the road at Oregon State in challenging reigning Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram of Alabama this season.
Last year as a freshman, James was expecting a limited role with the Ducks behind starter LeGarrette Blount. That all changed following the opener.
Blount punched Boise State defensive end Byron Hout in the aftermath of Oregon's 19-8 loss to the Broncos on national television. Chip Kelly, barely into his first season as the Ducks' head coach, responded by suspending Blount for the season.
Blount eventually earned his way back onto the team by meeting certain conditions that Kelly had set down, but James won the nod as starter in the interim and flourished.
It was an impressive debut for the redshirt freshman. Among the highlights was his 183 yards rushing in Oregon's 47-20 upset over then-No. 5 USC on Halloween night.
James wound up with a team-high 1,546 yards rushing, setting a new record for freshmen in the Pac-10 Conference. He averaged 6.7 yards a carry and added 14 touchdowns to earn the league's Freshman of the Year award.
Oregon went 10-3 and earned its first trip to the Rose Bowl since 1995 before James went into the offseason as a celebrity in Eugene. Considered a good kid, it was a shock when he was suddenly arrested on domestic violence charges on Feb. 17.
According to police, James got into an argument with an ex-girlfriend which turned physical. The woman claimed he grabbed her by her neck and shoved her to the ground.
James spent two days in jail. He eventually pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor harassment charge and Kelly suspended him from the opener.
The Ducks were further tainted in the offseason when quarterback Jeremiah Masoli, a potential Heisman Trophy candidate, pleaded guilty to second-degree burglary connected to the theft of a couple of laptops and a guitar from a campus fraternity house.
Kelly suspended Masoli for the season but later dismissed him from the team when he was stopped for a traffic violation with marijuana in his car. Masoli won an appeal with the NCAA Friday to play his final season of eligibility at Mississippi.
James was succinct about wanting to put his past in the past.
"I'm never going to live that day again in my life," he said. "I've just got to move on."
Amid the drama, James worked on his game by joining Oregon's track and field team, albeit on a limited basis, as a sprinter. James, a Texas state champion in the 100 meters when he was in high school, came in fifth in the event at this year's Pac-10 championships.
When fall camp opened, James said that before the events that transpired in the offseason, he simply didn't fully understand the responsibility of his position.
"You're in a fishbowl. Either you're at the top and everybody's waiting for you to fall, or you're at the bottom and everybody's waiting for you to screw up," he said.
James will finally get to play in Oregon's game at Tennessee on Sept. 11, sharing the bulk of the rushing duties with fellow sophomore Kenjon Barner. Both James and Barner thrive in Kelly's spread-option offense, which will likely feature frequent two-back sets this season.
Barner will start in James' place on Saturday.
As a result of his success last season, James said he's ready for the fact that he's no longer a surprise.
"I know a lot of great players around the conference and a lot of great players around the nation, and they're great players but if they don't win games it really doesn't mean anything," he said. "I want to go out and win games."
-- Anne M. Peterson
No. 12 Wisconsin ready to run against UNLV
MADISON, Wis. (AP) — New UNLV coach Bobby Hauck laughed before answering the question of just exactly how a team might stop No. 12 Wisconsin's power running attack featuring junior standout John Clay.
"John Clay, their running back, was league MVP on offense, they've got All-Americans on the left side of their offensive line," Hauck said. "I don't think shutting Wisconsin down in terms of their run game really ... "
Is realistic? Possible? Feasible? Hauck paused.
"We watched all of their film from a year ago and nobody stops them much," the coach finally said. "That being said, we're going to try."
It's a stiff first test on Saturday night for the former Montana coach who inherited one of the worst run defenses in the country, one that gave up 220.6 yards per game a year ago. Hauck said when he walked into his first team meeting he asked, "Where are all the big guys?"
They'll be lining up across from the Rebels.
Clay will run behind an offensive line that averages 323 pounds and includes standout left tackle Gabe Carimi and left guard John Moffitt.
"One thing you'll never accuse our offense of is being cute," Wisconsin coach Bret Bielema said. "We can bypass that one pretty quickly."
Clay himself might be the biggest question mark, since he had had both ankles surgically repaired in the offseason. If the 255-pound back slows down, sophomore Montee Ball and freshman James White will get carries, too. Clay hasn't had more than a dozen carries in the Badgers' scrimmages and acknowledges it takes some more time to prepare with his ankles.
"There's a little bit (of pain), just the beginning, just getting my ankles warmed up and ready to run," he said. "I just want to prove to everybody and show everybody that I'm ready."
Hauck said the game can't be a measuring stick for how far their defense has come in camp because Wisconsin's running game is elite. Hauck is bringing his own tough style to UNLV after taking Montana to three FCS championship appearances in seven years. UNLV hasn't had a winning record or been to a bowl game since 2000.
"The dangerous thing about teams getting new coaches is it can be a breath of fresh air," Moffitt said. "They can be renewed and it could be tough. You can't take it lightly — it's their first game, a home game, a big game."
Hauck made his first big decision by giving the starting quarterback nod to Mike Clausen over Omar Clayton, though he expects both will play. Clausen had primarily been the backup to Clayton each of the previous two years.
Still, he's realistic about the few advantages his Rebels will have.
"We don't have to travel," he quipped.
Still, Wisconsin has a history of tough and strange games in Las Vegas, losing in 1987. The Badgers won a close game in 2007 and had the lights go out at Sam Boyd Stadium in a 27-7 win in 2002 that was called off midway through the fourth quarter.
Daytime temperatures are expected to be around 105 degrees, with the lower 80s expected for the evening kickoff. Wisconsin turned up the thermostat in their indoor practice facility during a practice this week, but it felt more like a steam room at a gym than searing desert heat.
"You can't prepare for it, we've just got to go in and be mentally ready," Clay said.
While the city is known as a place where your fortunes can change in an instant, Bielema will make sure his Badgers stay focused on the game.
He's allowing the players a short, guided tour of the Strip — about 45 minutes — before heading to the team hotel and staying put. Former coach Barry Alvarez let one of his teams eat at a casino buffet on one of the previous trips there.
"I'm not that bold," Bielema said.
Moffitt is more interested in relaxing in his room following the long plane flight. He's going to skip the foray into Las Vegas, where he knows what can happen if one lingers too long.
"It's a quick tour, then back to reality," he said. "I definitely want to experience Vegas at some point in my life — after college. I'll probably end up broke."
-- Colin Fly
No. 16 GaTech favored against SCarolina State
ATLANTA (AP) — Paul Johnson didn't know what to expect when making his debut as Georgia Tech's coach in 2008.
As it turned out, Johnson inherited some pretty good talent from former coach Chan Gailey, including four players — Demaryius Thomas, Jonathan Dwyer, Derrick Morgan and Morgan Burnett — who helped lead the Yellow Jackets to the 2009 ACC championship before entering the 2010 NFL draft as juniors.
Some Georgia Tech fans may be wary of the possibility of a dropoff from last year's 11-3 finish entering Saturday's opener against South Carolina State. After all, Thomas, Dwyer, Morgan and Burnett led the team in receiving, rushing, sacks and interceptions, respectively.
Johnson sounded anything but wary as he compared his No. 16 Georgia Tech team with the 2008 team.
"We're a lot better football team. A lot," Johnson said this week. "I had no idea two years ago ... what we were going to see. I've got a pretty good idea, I think, what we'll see on Saturday.
"But I've got to see it."
Johnson may need more than one game to have his beliefs about his team confirmed. It may be difficult to evaluate the Yellow Jackets based on the opener, even though South Carolina State is an elite FCS team.
South Carolina State finished 10-2 last year and won the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference championship before losing to Appalachian State in the FCS playoffs.
"Certainly they have some guys who could play at Georgia Tech, I don't think there's any doubt about that," Johnson said.
"The more tape I watch, the more impressed I am with them. I think they've got a good plan. They've got some really good individual players and they play well together as a team. I'm sure they're coming in here with a mindset they're coming in here to get a win in Atlanta."
Two Atlantic Coast Conference teams, Virginia and Duke, lost to FCS teams — William & Mary and Richmond, respectively — a year ago.
"We haven't talked about FCS or FBS; we just have talked about South Carolina State," Johnson said. "We just have to worry about Georgia Tech, and we know if we don't go out and play well they are very capable of beating us. Hopefully we will go out and play our A game. Hopefully that will be good enough."
South Carolina State lost at South Carolina 38-14 last season. Then-No. 23 Clemson beat the Bulldogs 54-0 in 2008.
"This is the fourth straight year that we have played a major school," said South Carolina State coach Buddy Pough. "I'd like to think we have made some strides."
Johnson said South Carolina State "has kind of dominated their conference the last few years."
"You don't win 20 games in the past two years without having some good players and knowing what you are doing," Johnson said. "They have a good program, so we are preparing for this no different than any game we have ever prepared for."
South Carolina State is led by senior Malcolm Long, who passed for more than 2,500 yards last year. The offensive line returns every starter, but the Bulldogs lost their top three receivers and Will Ford, the MEAC's all-time leading career rusher with 4,660 yards.
Georgia Tech also is led by a senior quarterback. The school this week unveiled a website to promote Joshua Nesbitt as a Heisman Trophy candidate. Nesbitt, who often keeps the ball on short-yardage and fourth-down plays, ran for 18 touchdowns in 2009.
Anthony Allen will take over from Dwyer as the lead runner in Johnson's spread option offense. Allen averaged almost 10 yards per carry a year ago and could thrive in his first opportunity to be the top threat.
This will be the debut of new defensive coordinator Al Groh's 3-4 scheme at Georgia Tech. Groh, fired as Virginia's coach last year, was hired to revamp a Georgia Tech defense that gave up 30 or more points in six games last season, including a 30-24 home loss to in-state rival Georgia to end the regular season.
Johnson fired former defensive coordinator Dave Wommack after the Yellow Jackets' 24-14 Orange Bowl loss to Iowa.
"We won't know about our defense probably until we've played two or three games," Johnson said. "I think they're excited. I think they'll fly around. The big thing to me is can they not have a lot of (missed) mental assignments. Will they continue to play hard?"
-- Charles Odum
Finally game time for eager Hogs
FAYETtEVILLE, Ark. (AP) — For months, the Arkansas Razorbacks have embraced the expectations that they will make a no-excuses run at their first Southeastern Conference championship.
Now that the season is finally here, the No. 17 Hogs can barely contain their eagerness. So what if this weekend's opener is against what could be an overmatched Tennessee Tech team?
"You can call it what you want. This is a game for us," defensive coordinator Willy Robinson said. "This is not a tuneup game. This is a game."
Ever since quarterback Ryan Mallett announced he was passing on the NFL and staying at Arkansas, the Razorbacks have been wondering if the stars might be aligning. The preseason ranking is their highest since 1990, when they still played in the Southwest Conference, so it's understandable that these players don't want to waste any opportunity to show they're worthy of such high hopes.
Their first chance is Saturday night against the Golden Eagles of the Football Championship Subdivision.
In 2007, the Razorbacks entered the season amid lofty expectations thanks to running backs Darren McFadden and Felix Jones, but that team was coming off a tumultuous offseason and a portion of the fan base had already turned on then-coach Houston Nutt. The mood is much different now, with Bobby Petrino entering his third season at the helm and Mallett a legitimate Heisman Trophy contender.
"I think we're anxious, ready to work after coming out here in this heat every day," offensive lineman DeMarcus Love said. "The whole state is ready to see what this offense is all about. I think a lot of people are ready to showcase their skills as a unit, and we're just ready to get this thing going."
Arkansas went 8-5 last season, scoring 40 or more points seven times. Mallett seemed to rewrite the school record book on a weekly basis and finished with 30 touchdown passes and only seven interceptions. Wide receivers Joe Adams, Greg Childs and Jarius Wright all return, as does tight end D.J. Williams.
If there's a question mark, it's the defense, which might explain Robinson's feistiness. Although the Razorbacks will be expected to win easily the opener, they could use a dominant defensive performance to ward off any doubts about their ability to beat No. 23 Georgia and top-ranked Alabama later this month. Arkansas lost to both those teams last year and gave up 87 points in the process.
Tennessee Tech, of the Ohio Valley Conference, opens the season at Arkansas and No. 6 TCU, and coach Watson Brown figures both teams will be as good as advertised.
"These two teams we're playing back to back could be in the national championship," Brown said. "They're capable of being there at the end, in my opinion. What I want my kids to do is enjoy the moment, but play good."
Tre Lamb is listed as Tennessee Tech's starter at quarterback, although Brown indicated more than one player will likely take snaps for the Golden Eagles.
For the Razorbacks, Mallett has received rave reviews during preseason camp after a broken foot in February shook up his offseason.
"Ryan's had a very good camp. I've been very impressed with, missing that much time, how quickly he got right back to his accuracy," Petrino said. "Every day we go out there in practice, he makes a couple throws that you're amazed at."
In 2008, Petrino began his Arkansas career against Western Illinois in a game the Razorbacks were favored to win. They barely came away with a 28-24 victory, but a lot has changed since then.
"There's a huge difference (in confidence)," Williams said. "Not necessarily on a cocky level, but just confidence in knowing the offense and how things operate.
"We have veterans on the field. That brings experience, and you just don't know how important experience is until you have it."
-- Noah Trister
Two teams with a lot to prove in opening game
ATLANTA (AP) — Boy, talk about two teams with something to prove.
For LSU, three years removed from winning a national championship, a prime-time showcase against North Carolina provides a chance to start reclaiming its status as a big hitter in a college football world now dominated by two of its chief rivals.
That's nothing compared to what's on the line for the Tar Heels, who have been rocked by a series of embarrassing revelations and may have trouble just fielding a complete team for Saturday night's opener at the Georgia Dome.
"All the kids who are in this program came here because they wanted to play in big games," North Carolina coach Butch Davis said. "They're certainly going to get their opportunity."
Just not the ones the No. 18 Tar Heels were counting on against No. 21 LSU.
Davis' team is in disarray, assured of being without at least a dozen players — many of them key starters and future NFLers — because of an ongoing NCAA investigation into, well, a little bit of everything.
Who's been getting a little too cozy with agents? Who's been getting a little too much help from tutors? Every day seemed to bring another dose of bad news for the Tar Heels.
On Friday, the hammer fell. The school announced that six players were ineligible for the opener for violating school rules, NCAA rules or both. Six others won't play, either, because of their possible ties to the NCAA probe.
These weren't just any players, either.
A once-fearsome defense likely will be without five pro prospects: tackle Marvin Austin, end Robert Quinn, safety Deunta Williams, and cornerbacks Kedric Burney and Charles Brown. Two other first-teamers, safety Da'Norris Searcy and end Michael McAdoo, won't play either.
Williams and linebackers Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter didn't travel with the team as the school conferred with the NCAA on their status. Sturdivant and Carter were later cleared and were traveling to Atlanta on Friday night. However, Williams remains sidelined because the NCAA wanted more information before ruling on his status.
The offense fared a little better in the fallout, but not by much. North Carolina won't have its top receiver, Greg Little, nor its two leading runners, Shaun Draughn and Ryan Houston.
So much for all those high hopes at North Carolina, which appeared to have the talent to make a serious run at its first Atlantic Coast Conference championship since 1980.
A defiant Davis vowed to press on with whoever was left.
"These kids, I like the way that they've practiced," he said. "I know that it has put them to a challenge, for guys to assume roles that maybe they haven't played before. But the kids are pretty resilient, and they're excited about playing. Some of the guys who are going to play maybe bigger roles than they thought they were going to play, they're equally as excited."
LSU has its own concerns.
The Tigers finished No. 1 during the 2007 season, but coach Les Miles is feeling some heat after his team lost eight Southeastern Conference games over the last two years. Fellow SEC schools Florida and Alabama took over the lead roles, divvying up the last two national titles.
The defending champion Crimson Tide starts this season ranked No. 1, while the Gators — even without Tim Tebow — are fourth in The Associated Press poll.
That's the sort of company LSU wants to be keeping.
"We had an emotional meeting last week," linebacker Kelvin Sheppard said. "We all realize that everybody is looking down on us."
Excuse the Tigers is they haven't spent much time fretting over North Carolina's problems.
"We're taking care of our business and our football team," Miles said. "I don't care which 11 show up. I'm not taking attendance. I expect them to have 11 good guys."
Miles is counting on his team to start quickly and really be hitting its stride by the time it faces the meat of its schedule: Florida, Alabama and up-and-comer Arkansas.
"I like where we're at. I like how this team looks. It's a fast-paced, get-after-you team," Miles said. "This team has a real ambition and a real want. There is a youthful enthusiasm."
Much of the focus is on quarterback Jordan Jefferson, who was sacked 34 times last year and often struggled to read coverages and make decisive calls. He's worked hard in the offseason to overcome those deficiencies, and Miles is expecting significant improvement.
The junior knows he must bring some stability to his crucial position, a mess at LSU ever since JaMarcus Russell led the Tigers to their championship.
"I'll probably be a little nervous at the beginning of the game, but once I find that rhythm, everything's gone," Jefferson said. "I wouldn't judge after one performance, because I have a whole season to look forward to, and it can only get better throughout the whole season."
North Carolina can only hope its season gets better.
It sure can't get much worse.
"It's obviously horrible timing," quarterback T.J. Yates said. "But once we get on the plane going to Atlanta, we'll know who's going to be playing and who's not. Hopefully we'll be focused by then."
-- Paul Newberry
Frosh QBs highlight YSU-PSU season opener
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — It's tough enough being the first true freshman quarterback to start a season opener for coach Joe Paterno at Penn State, a distinction Robert Bolden will carry into Saturday's game against Youngstown State.
Now try being a freshman quarterback playing against Penn State— at Beaver Stadium, no less.
Welcome to your collegiate debut, Kurt Hess.
"It's Joe Paterno," said Hess, the Penguins' redshirt freshman quarterback. "He's always been known for his tough, hard-nosed defense."
All eyes, though, will be focused on the player — or players — calling the offense for the 19th-ranked Nittany Lions.
Bolden barely beat out returning sophomores Matt McGloin and Kevin Newsome for the starting nod in a decision so tough Paterno didn't make it until Wednesday night.
A Hall of Famer entering his 45th year as head coach is handing at least the first series of what may be a toned-down "spread HD" attack to a freshman who just enrolled in school over the summer. With a team possessing a decisive edge in talent, Paterno still should easily get career win No. 395 — the most among major college coaches.
Still, he's been wary all week of putting too much pressure on any of his quarterback candidates, and will likely play all three Saturday. Bolden has been tabbed "1A" on the depth chart, with McGloin as "1B" and Newsome "1C."
"We are confident all three quarterbacks are ready to go and hope to give them an opportunity to play until we settle on the one that gives us the best chance to win," Paterno said in a statement this week announcing Bolden as the starter.
He was a little worried, too, about Youngstown State, because there wasn't much useful tape to scout the new-look Penguins. Eric Wolford is making his head-coaching debut after recent assistant jobs at South Carolina and Illinois.
New offensive coordinator Shane Montgomery was the coordinator at Akron. Penn State cornerback D'Anton Lynn said the defense is studying old films of Illinois and Akron to at least try to figure out the coaches' tendencies.
"So we're expecting them to spread it out. ... But in saying that we really don't know," Lynn said. "It will be kind of useless to watch their film from last year because it's a completely different style."
What probably won't change is the Nittany Lions defense, which should have too much athleticism to overwhelm the lower-division Penguins. Penn State will unveil a new starting linebacking corps in Nate Stupar, Chris Colasanti and Bani Gbadyu eager to prove they can replace last year's terrific trio of Sean Lee, Josh Hull and Navorro Bowman.
"The thing with Penn State is they're basically a Top 25 team year in and year out," Wolford said. "Always top 10 on defense. ... They're called Linebacker U for a reason."
The Nittany Lions also want to avoid injuries while tuning up their schemes and young quarterbacks with a much tougher game awaiting in Week 2: top-ranked Alabama in Tuscaloosa.
The Penguins hope they're not too confused by what could be a loud, season-opening crowd to be able to put on a respectable performance. And for Hess and Wolford, they'll get to say they made their respective debuts against Paterno.
"It an honor," Wolford said. "I probably wouldn't want to have it any other way, really, going against one of the legends in college football."
-- Genaro C. Armas
Newton set to debut as No. 22 Auburn's QB
AUBURN, Ala. (AP) — Quarterback Cameron Newton has been the talk of Auburn since his arrival on campus. He's big, he's mobile and he's a skilled leader who can direct Gus Malzahn's offense to even bigger numbers.
That's the buzz, at least.
Really, the 22nd-ranked Tigers' fans get their first glimpse of what Newton can do with both his arms and his legs Saturday night when Arkansas State visits to open the season.
Closed practices and a limited arsenal in the spring game have left Newton something of a mystery to Auburn fans. Of course, there's always some of that to any quarterback who hasn't started in front of 80,000 or so fans.
"Until you actually get to see somebody in the heat of the battle, there's some questions that we'll learn after the first few games after we get to know each other even better going through those times," offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn said. "And he's got a good handle of the offense, but I really expect him each week to get a better grip and a better grasp as we go."
Newton has waited for this chance since signing with Florida out of high school. He spent last season at a Texas junior college before landing back in the Southeastern Conference, then learned Malzahn's system well enough in the spring to claim the starting job.
"I wouldn't say I'm overconfident, but I'm confident in every single aspect of the game the coaches have put forth to learn, whether personnel or plays," Newton said. "So I'm confident in all cylinders of the game plan."
This could be a nice first test. Arkansas State has ranked first or second in the Sun Belt in total defense four years running and returns 10 defensive starters, including preseason league player of the year Bryan Hall on the line.
The Red Wolves face a new-look backfield, with Mario Fannin shifting from a hybrid running back/receiver position to the Tigers' starting tailback. Highly touted freshman Michael Dyer also could make his debut.
Arkansas State will unveil an uptempo offense under new coordinator Hugh Freeze that bears some semblance to Malzahn's system. That means both defenses have experience practicing against that type of attack.
"We get an opportunity to see a lot of the stuff they do like our offense," Red Wolves coach Steve Roberts said. "Some of the plays are very similar, but there are a lot of things that aren't similar that we do that Auburn has not done."
Both teams have new starting tailbacks. Auburn's Fannin replaces NFL second-round pick Ben Tate, and has played diverse roles for the Tigers.
Running backs coach Curtis Luper has already predicted a 1,000-yard season for Fannin.
"It's a good feeling, being able to suit up your senior season and being in a position that you really wanted to play since you got here," Fannin said. "Now is the time to just show everybody that you can fulfill that position."
Arkansas State's Derek Lawson was slowed by injury last season and managed just 244 yards, a year after gaining 685. He takes over for Reggie Arnold.
"Derek is certainly a weapon for our football team," Roberts said. "He has been very patient and did not have the type of year he would have liked to have had last year because of injury.
"He played in every game, but wasn't full speed. He is full speed now and we are certainly excited about his role as starting running back for our football team."
For Auburn, the game marks the return of starting safeties Aairon Savage and Zac Etheridge from injuries. Savage hasn't played the past two seasons.
-- John Zenor
No. 23 Georgia unveils new defense in opener
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Coach Mark Richt understands that most Georgia fans expect a decisive win over Louisiana-Lafayette.
That's not the message Richt is giving his Bulldogs before Saturday's season opener.
"I know Louisiana-Lafayette is coming in to beat a Top 25 team and make their reputation at the expense of us," Richt said. "Our guys understand that. It's been rare that we weren't pretty jacked up and excited to play an opening game, so I think that helps a lot."
Georgia is coming off a substandard 8-5 season. The last game played at Sanford Stadium was a seven-point loss to Kentucky, one of several disappointments that led Richt to fire his good friend, defensive coordinator Willie Martinez, and two other defensive assistants.
Under new coordinator Todd Grantham, the Bulldogs will debut a 3-4 scheme that must create more takeaways. Georgia had only 12 last season.
"We have to focus on getting turnovers and getting our great offensive players back on the field because they'll make plays," free safety Baccari Rambo said. "Our coaches have stressed that to us. Coach Grantham is aggressive on play-calling, and we'll do things and force the quarterback to throw bad balls and help us do what we need to do."
Cajuns quarterback Chris Masson runs an offense that was efficient in the red zone last year, converting 89 percent of its opportunities, and strong on third down at 42.4 percent.
Masson's experienced receiving corps includes Marlin Miller, one of three seniors who combined with three juniors to catch 111 passes for 1,093 yards and six touchdowns. Louisiana-Lafayette lost three starters on the offensive line.
Grantham's system is built around using the speed of his linebackers to control gaps. Inside linebacker Marcus Dowtin is the leading returning tackler, but he was beaten out of a starting job by Christian Robinson.
Akeem Dent retained a starting job at the other inside spot despite missing considerable practice time with toe surgery in late July. Justin Houston, who had a team high 7.5 sacks and 15 tackles for minus yardage last year, and Justin Gamble start on the outside.
Georgia's three-man front is a rotation that consists of ends Brandon Wood, Abry Jones, Demarcus Dobbs and Kiante Tripp and nose tackles DeAngelo Tyson, Justin Anderson and Kwame Geathers.
Tyson had hoped to work mostly at end, but Grantham wants him inside.
"You can never be comfortable because there's always room to learn, but right now I feel a little bit of comfort knowing the system and knowing we can play fast," Tyson said. "At first there was a lot of stuff to learn, but the coaches that we have are great teachers. When you have great teachers you become a great learner."
Georgia's offensive line returns all five starters, which should help inexperienced quarterback Aaron Murray. The redshirt freshman will play in a game for the first time since helping his Tampa, Fla., high school win a 2008 state title.
"There's great communication out there, which is really reassuring when you get to the line of scrimmage and they're all saying the same thing and are all on the same page." Murray said of his linemen. "It's great to have those five guys in front of me."
Louisiana-Lafayette had 16 interceptions last year, and the Ragin' Cajuns went 6-2 when forcing at least two turnovers. Cornerbacks Orkeys Auriene and Bill Bentley return after combining for five interceptions and 11 pass breakups.
Regardless that few people expect his team to win, Cajuns coach Rickey Bustle believes the 92,000 fans at Sanford Stadium will bring out the best in his team.
"Our players love playing these teams," Bustle said. "It's a great challenge for us. People keep saying we are playing Georgia. They are playing us, too. It's just not us playing Georgia. We are looking forward to the game. These games are 'map games,' as I call it sometimes. You win one of these and you're on the map."
-- George Henry
Samford visits Fla. State to kick off Fisher era
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Jimbo Fisher starts his new job against an old employer.
Fisher's first game as Florida State's head coach begins at noon Saturday when the 20th-ranked Seminoles host lower-division Samford, the school Fisher played for in 1987 and then coached at another five seasons.
The 44-year-old Fisher takes over for coaching icon Bobby Bowden, who was forced out at Florida State after a third 7-6 season in a four-year span that included a run of embarrassing losses to archrival Florida.
Bowden, who graduated from the Birmingham-based Samford when it was Howard College, will not be on hand to see his successor and former assistant debut. Bowden was scheduled for a book signing Friday in Tallahassee to promote his latest book.
-- Brent Kallestad
WVU RB Noel Devine ready for senior year
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. (AP) — Noel Devine stayed in school just for this.
Rather than take a chance on the NFL draft last April, Devine is returning for one final season in which he believes "the sky is the limit."
Liftoff starts Saturday when No. 25 West Virginia plays Coastal Carolina from the Championship Subdivision in Morgantown.
Coastal Carolina coach David Bennett wishes Devine had taken the money and run to the NFL. Bennett calls Devine "lightning" and says his players might only be able to slow Devine down some.
-- John Raby
Elsewhere
AP source: Investigators subpoena UNC's Austin
Investigators from the North Carolina Secretary of State's office have subpoenaed Tar Heels defensive tackle Marvin Austin, a person familiar with the situation said Friday.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Austin is one of 13 players who did not travel with the 18th-ranked Tar Heels to Atlanta for Saturday's opener against No. 21 LSU because of an NCAA probe.
Secretary of State Elaine Marshall's office is reviewing whether North Carolina's sports agents laws have been broken in the wake of the NCAA investigation into the school's football program.
The NCAA probe initially focused on whether Austin and receiver Greg Little got improper benefits from agents and has now expanded to possible academic violations.
George Jeter, a spokesman for the Secretary of State's office, declined to comment on the subpoena.
"All I can say is it's an active, ongoing inquiry at this time," he said.
Earlier Friday, the school said it had declared Austin, defensive ends Robert Quinn and Michael McAdoo, cornerbacks Kendric Burney and cornerback Charles Brown, and receiver Greg Little ineligible "for violating school and/or NCAA rules."
Another six players — top tailbacks Shaun Draughn and Ryan Houston; safeties Brian Gupton, Da'Norris Searcy and Jonathan Smith; and defensive end Linwan Euwell — are being held out of the game during the investigation.
North Carolina also said three other players — linebackers Quan Sturdivant and Bruce Carter, and safety Deunta Williams — didn't travel with the team as the school conferred with the NCAA on their status. Sturdivant and Carter were later cleared and were traveling to Atlanta on Friday night. However, Williams remains sidelined because the NCAA wanted more information before ruling on his status.
The news means the Tar Heels will be without at least six starters from a defense that ranked among the nation's best last season, including their entire secondary.
"We are disappointed the players' choices have denied them the opportunity to compete alongside their teammates and represent the University of North Carolina," coach Butch Davis said in a statement. "Our coaches and players have a tremendous challenge this weekend, and despite these circumstances, our team will be excited to face LSU."
It's unclear how many games Quinn, McAdoo, Burney, Brown, Little and Austin will miss. The announcement is a massive blow for a program that entered Davis' fourth season in position to contend for an Atlantic Coast Conference championship.
The optimism had been building since January, when Austin, Little, Burney, Sturdivant, Carter and Williams all announced they would return to school for their senior seasons instead of entering the NFL draft.
Little is the team's top receiver, while the rest of that group joined Quinn — a junior widely considered to be a high first-round pick — on a defense that returned nine starters from a unit that ranked among the nation's best last season.
Davis had suspended Austin indefinitely for violating team rules Wednesday.
"We are still working with the NCAA staff to resolve these eligibility issues," athletic director Dick Baddour said in a statement. "The NCAA is focusing on each of their situations on a case-by-case basis. Together we are working to determine their status in as thorough and fair a process as is possible."
There have been similar agent-related NCAA investigations at Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina, with links to a South Beach party attended by players from several schools earlier this year. The Gamecocks have suspended tight end Weslye Saunders for violating unrelated team rules while Crimson Tide defensive end Marcell Dareus has been declared ineligible for two games for accepting nearly $2,000 in improper benefits during two Miami trips.
North Carolina is one of 42 states and the federal government that has laws governing contact between sports agents and amateur college athletes. The state requires agents to register and prohibits them from offering gifts before a contract is signed. Violations can lead to criminal or civil penalties.
In July, Marshall's office sent a letter to the more than 100 agents registered with the state notifying them of the investigation and instructing them not to destroy records. She said then that her office can't punish athletes, but planned to talk to them about their conduct and interaction with agents.
-- Aaron Beard
Ohio State, Miami already thinking showdown
CORAL GABLES, Fla. (AP) — Ohio State and Miami no longer need to pretend otherwise. Marshall and Florida A&M, they were merely warmup acts.
The true early test for the Buckeyes and Hurricanes comes next Saturday — against one another.
Both No. 2 Ohio State and No. 13 Miami opened their season with eerily similar wins Thursday night. Both offenses racked up exactly 45 points, and neither defense allowed a point. Marshall's lone touchdown came on a blocked field goal return, while Florida A&M fell victim to the Hurricanes' first shutout since 2006.
So now, the hype can begin building.
The Hurricanes (1-0) and Buckeyes (1-0) meet Sept. 11 at Columbus, Ohio, the first time they've played since the 2003 Fiesta Bowl where Ohio State denied Miami its second straight national title. And the current sides, although some players were in elementary school when that title game was held, started buzzing about it moments after their respective opening-night routs were in the books.
"It's going to be a more difficult world next week," Ohio State coach Jim Tressel said.
Countered Miami coach Randy Shannon, who wants no part of the obvious comparison between this matchup and the one that decided the national title eight seasons ago: "Games are games, and they go and come. You just have to enjoy the times you play in them and keep moving on."
Whether Shannon likes it or not, this one might carry more weight than just any run-of-the-mill non-conference game.
Ohio State is touted by many as a true national championship contender, while Miami thinks its among the teams that could break into that picture by season's end. While there's virtually an entire season left to be played, whatever happens next Saturday might go a long way toward making either the Buckeyes' or Hurricanes' Bowl Championship Series plans a reality.
"You get the feeling that team feels like they're back on the rise like they were in the early 2000s," said Ohio State linebacker Brian Rolle, who returned an interception for a touchdown against Marshall. "We've got to play our brand of football, and at the end of the game next week we'll be able to assess where we are."
Rolle's name likely is familiar to many Hurricanes fans.
He's from Immokalee, Fla., a Collier County town best known for farming and football. Rolle's favorite team growing up was Miami, and he wanted to play for the Hurricanes at one time. And his cousin, Antrel Rolle, was on the field that night in Arizona when Ohio State beat the Hurricanes 31-24 in double-overtime for the national title.
Maybe ironically, Antrel Rolle was the first Miami player to wrap his arms around cornerback Glenn Sharpe in celebration after the Hurricanes thought they stopped Ohio State on fourth down in the first overtime. Then official Terry Porter's yellow penalty flag sailed into the picture after he called Sharpe for pass interference, the championship game continued, and the Buckeyes eventually prevailed.
"I was a little young, but I remember it," Miami defensive lineman Olivier Vernon said. "It's revenge time. Nobody's forgotten about it. I feel like I was playing that game."
Vernon was just 12 when that Fiesta Bowl took place.
Still, he and the rest of today's Hurricanes are convinced they can hang with the team that won the Rose Bowl last season. And the team Miami eased past Thursday night thinks the same.
Florida A&M coach Joe Taylor faced Miami last season as well, and after his Rattlers took their 45-0 loss Thursday, he said the Hurricanes of 2010 are easily better than the team that finished 9-4 a year ago.
"They're a year older, but it's the same guys," Taylor said. "It's experience. (Quarterback) Jacory Harris is a year older and more mature. Their front group, too, and their receiving corps were rated one of the tops in the country. It's legit. Their running backs are fast. We couldn't catch up with them. And the biggest thing is they're showing some experience."
Which they'll need next weekend, when 105,000 or so fans pack Ohio State's fabled home.
"Now's the time to get in that Miami mode," Brian Rolle said. "We know we're going to play a fast, spicy, swagger team."
-- Tim Reynolds
