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WEEK ONE ISSUE #2

WEEK ONE

Catch Lance Zierlein from 6 to 10 am daily,alongside John Granato. Listen to John Harris on

the Sean and John show, with Sean Pendergastshow 3 to 7 PM daily. www.1560thegame.com

AViewfomteSideline

Opening Weekend is HERE!!For months weve waited for the opening of the collegefootball season. Its been almost eight months since we were

blessed by CFBs Big Three - OUs Trophy Sam Bradford,Floridas Tim Tebow and Texas Colt McCoy. But, that time isbehind us and were ready to kick off the 2009 season, with acomplete slate. The Road to Pasadena begins...NOW!

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WEEK ONE

Oregon (0-0) vs. Boise State (0-0)

2009 Schedule9/3 @ Boise St.

9/12 Purdue9/19 Utah9/26 Cal

10/3 Washington State10/10 @ UCLA

10/24 @ Washington10/31 USC

11/7 @ Stanford11/14 Arizona State

11/21 @ Arizona12/3 Oregon State

Projected Starting Lineups

OffenseQB #2 Jeremiah Masoli

RB #9 LeGarrette BlountWR #91 Rory CavilleWR #23 Jeff Maehl

WR #19 Jamere HollandTE #83 Ed Dickson

LT #69 Bo ThranLG #77 Carson YorkC #54 Jordan HolmesRG #79 Mark AsperRT #68 C.E Kaiser

DefenseDE #39 Will TukuafuDE #58 Kenny RoweDT #90 Blake FerrasDT #88 Brandon Bair

MLB #55 Casey MatthewsSLB #11 Eddie Pleasant

WLB #35 Spencer Paysinger

S #37 Talmadge Jackson IIIS #2 TJ WardCB #6 Walter Thurmond III

CB #17 Willie Gasper

Boise State - 34 vs. Oregon - 27

September 3, 2009 - ESPN 9:15 PM CST

2009 Schedule9/3 Oregon

9/12 Miami (OH)9/18 @ Fresno St

9/26 @ Bowling Green10/3 UC Davis10/14 @ Tulsa

10/24 @ Hawaii10/31 San Jose State

11/6 @ La. Tech11/14 Idaho

11/20 @ Utah State11/27 Nevada

12/5 New Mexico St.Projected Starting Lineups

OffenseQB #11 Kellen Moore

RB #27 Jeremy Avery OR#6 DJ Harper

FB #40 Richie BrockelWR #2 Austin PettisWR #4 Titus Young

TE #85 Tommy GallardaLT #72 Matt Slater

LG #59 Will LawrenceC #66 Thomas Byrd

RG #62 Kevin SapienRT #54 Michael Ames

DefenseDE #98 Ryan Winterswyk

DT #90 Billy WinnNT #97 Chase BakerSE #96 Jarrell Root

WLB #36 Aaron TevisMLB #52 Derrell Acrey

NB #17 Winston Venable

S #8 George IlokaS #23 Jeron JohnsonCB #1 Kyle Wilson

CB #13 Brandyn Thompson

R 2008 Ranking

280.1 ypg- 2nd Run Offense 152.3 ypg - 54th

204.8 ypg- 67th Pass Offense 288.5 ypg - 13th

484.9 ypg- 7th Total Offense 440.9 ypg - 18th

41.9 ppg- 7th Scoring Offense 37.6 ppg - 12th

119.4 ypg- 23rd Run Defense 118.0 ypg - 22nd

270.2 ypg- 11th Pass Defense 190.2 ypg - 34th

389.6 ypg- 82nd Total Defense 308.2 ypg - 20th

28.2 ppg- 78th Scoring Defense 12.6 ppg - 3rd

Keys to the GameNo Johnson, No Problem - In most situations, when a squadloses one of its all-timers, said team struggles. Not only isthat not the case for Boise State, the loss of Ian Johnsoncould make this team even better. Jeremy Avery and D.JHarper are as explosive a pair of backs as youre going tofind anywhere in the nation. The dimension of speed,excessive speed, will help the Bronco O stretch defenseshorizontally. The Broncos were 54th in the nation inrushing last year, but with these two flyboys, theres a goodchance, the Broncos will be a top 20 rush unit. OregonsLBs and DBs have seen speed, especially in the Pac-10, but

the Oregon D couldnt handle the Kellen Moore passinggame last year. And, now theres more? Yes, speed.

Blount Trauma - Although LeGarrette Blount had a fewoff-season issues, the power back is the one weapon thatcan present serious issues for the quick, but small,defensive front. Hes the one guy who can keep the Broncooffense out of the end zone, even off the field. His ability topound the ball in the fourth quarter will keep the Oregonoffense on the field. The problem is that the Ducks cant fall

behind by three touchdowns as they did last year. If theystay ahead, hell dominate the third and fourth quarter.

Weapons of Mass Destruction - Oregon safety TJ Ward and

Boise State safety Jeron Johnson are two of the hardesthitters in the nation. In fact, Johnson might be one of themost hated players in all of Eugene after a couple of latehits on Oregon ball carriers in 2008. Either way, thephysical presence in the middle of the field for both teamsaffects where each offense wants to, and can, be successful.

Conclusion - I just dont like taking the visiting team out on the blue turf. The Broncos havent lost a regular season homegame since Sept. 2001. Moore should start his sophomore campaign with a 300 yard/2 TD performance and a BSU win.

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Virginia Tech (0-0) vs. Alabama (0-0)

R 2008 Ranking

174.4 ypg- 35th Run Offense 184.6 ypg - 30th

129.1 ypg- 111st Pass Offense 171.1 ypg - 97th

303.4 ypg- 103rd Total Offense 355.8 ypg - 63rd

22.1 ppg- 90th Scoring Offense 30.1 ppg - 35th

104.4 ypg- 14th Run Defense 74.1 ypg - 2nd

175.0 ypg- 16th Pass Defense 189.4 ypg - 30th

279.4 ypg- 7th Total Defense 263.5 ypg - 3rd

16.7 ppg- 9th Scoring Defense 14.3 ppg - 7th

2009 Schedule9/5 Alabama(ATL)

9/12 Marshall9/19 Nebraska

9/26 Miami10/3 @ Duke

1010 Boston College10/17 @ Georgia Tech

10/29 UNC (Th.)

11/5 @ East Car. (Th.)11/14 @ Maryland

11/21 NC State11/28 @ UVA

Projected Starting Lineups

OffenseQB #5 Tyrod Taylor

RB #34 Ryan WilliamsFB #42 Kenny JeffersonWR #29 Xavier BoyceWR #19 Danny CoaleTE #8 Greg Boone

T #77 Ed WangG #70 Sergio RenderC #60 Beau Warren

G #68 Jaymes BrooksT #62 Blake DeChristopher

DefenseDE #6 Jason WorildsDE #47 Nekos Brown

DT #95 Cordarrow ThompsonDT #91 John Graves

LB #52 Barquell RiversLB #26 Cody GrimmLB #36 Jake Johnson

S #24 Dorian PorchS #17 Kam ChancellorCB #22 Stephan Virgil

CB #21 Rashad Carmichael

Alabama - 21 vs. Virginia Tech - 13

September 5, 2009 - ABC 7:00 PM CST

2009 Schedule9/5 Va. Tech(ATL)

9/12 FIU9/19 North Texas

9/26 Arkansas10/3 @ Kentucky10/10 @ Ole Miss

10/17 South Carolina10/24 Tennessee

11/7 LSU11/14 @ Miss. State11/21 Chattanooga

11/27 @ Auburn (FRI)

Projected Starting Lineups

OffenseQB #12 Greg McElroyRB #22 Mark Ingram

FB/TE #17 Brad SmelleyWR #8 Julio Jones

WR #4 Marquise MazeTE #84 Colin Peek

LT #77 James CarpenterLG #78 Mike JohnsonC #73 William VlachosRG #75 Barrett JonesRT #79 Drew Davis

DefenseDE #97 Lorenzo Washington

DE #96 Luther DavisNT #62 Terrence CodyLB #13 Cory Reamer

LB #30 Donta HightowerLB #25 Rolando McClain

LB #32 Eryk Anders

S #27 Justin WoodallS #4 Mark BarronCB #28 Javier Arenas

CB #3 Kareem Jackson

Keys to the GameHashing it out- Last year, the Crimson Tide lost two gamesthe entire season - Florida and Utah. The common thread

between the two teams was the fact that each offenseexcelled with plays outside the hashes. In moving theoffense outside the hashes, both teams took away thestrength of the Alabama D - its middle with Terrence Codyat nose and Rolando McClain at linebacker. Why is thatsignificant for this game? The Virginia Tech offense is atraditional-between-the-tackles power O that has troublepushing teams boundary to boundary. Thats great news forBamas defense - VT playing the game inside the hashes.

The Hammer - Once the Tide coaching staff made theconcerted effort to cut down on the passing game and relymore on the power run game, Bama became a 12 win team.RB Glen Coffee was a wonderful running back for the Tide,and although he ran with power, he wasnt the hammer.That was Mark Ingram. He proved last season, in a backuprole, that hes a load to tackle. Now, that he should get 15 to20 carries a game, hes an unwanted sight for most defenseslate in the game. When this guy gets rolling, hell pound onVirginia Techs defense incessantly and wear them out bythe fourth quarter.

The Other Ocho - Every team across America has some form

of the Wildcat offense. But, no team has ever put a TE at theWildcat QB position like V Tech did with TE Greg Boone.His arrival in the Wildcat was the perfect tonic last seasonfor a team struggling on offense. I dont know if well seehim in the Wildcat in this one, but hes a 287 pound beastwho has good hands and can get open against linebackers.Hes going to be a key for sure on Saturday night.

Conclusion - I just dont think Virginia Tech can run its normal, conservative offense and win. Alabama is content getting ina slugfest for 12 rounds and surviving. Virginia Tech isnt scared of a fight, but itll wear out by the 4th in a UA win.

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September 5, 2009NBC 2:30 PM CSTIf youve listened closely enough since the Hawaii Bowl

win over the Hawaii Warriors, youve heard the rumblecoming loud and clear from Touchdown Jesus.

This is Notre Dames year. This is the year that the 3-92007 season isforgotten. This isthe year losses tomighty Syracuse(yes, thats tonguein cheek) go up insmoke. This is the

year for ten winsand a return to dominance. Now, it might be redemptiontime in South Bend, but dont tell Chris Ault and theNevada Wolf Pack who may be the second best team theIrish face all season long.

Nevada QB Colin Kaepernick was a 2,000/1,000 QB lastseason and is one of most talented dual threatquarterbacks in the nation. Hes a long striding runner

who doesnt wow you with his speed, but he consistentlygets away from the defense. The Irish defense may needto use linebacker spies to make sure Kaepernick doesnt

get loose on the perimeter where hes as dangerousthrowing as hesrunning.

The Irish offenseis the key, as usual.With QB JimmyClausen throwingthe ball downfieldto WR Michael Floyd, Golden Tate and TE KyleRudolph, the Wolf Pack cant stop them. If the Irish geta lead, then Kaepernick has to throw the ball to get backin the game. Once Nevada is one dimensional, its over.

GEORGIA VS. OKLAHOMA STATE VEGAS SAYS: OK. STATE -4.5

PREDICTION: OKLAHOMA STATE - 34 VS. GEORGIA - 24

I truly believe when teams are relatively evenly matched, emotion and fire always win out. Playing athome with a huge red and black chip on its shoulder, OSU wont, and cant, lose. The Triplets - ZacRobinson, Hunter and Bryant - will show the nation how tough its going to be to stop them.

Notre Dame Players to WatchQB #7 Jimmy ClausenC #55 Eric OlsenDT #9 Ethan JohnsonS #28 Kyle McCarthy

NEVADA VS. NOTRE DAME VEGAS SAYS: NOTRE DAME -14

PREDICTION: NOTRE DAME - 35 VS. NEVADA - 24

This is the perfect opening game for the Irish, yet its also the trickiest opponent with which to openthe season. Irish fans not familiar with Nevada will think this should be a blowout. Whereas it wontbe a blowout, the Nevada defense (91st in total D in 2008) isnt stout enough to stop ND offensively.

September 5, 2009ABC 2:30 PM CSTCLICK ON LINK FOR JH/LZ PODCASThttp://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=8377457 -603

Its been two long years since these two have taken thefield against one another. The Cowboys flew to Georgia

with a load of hype,ready to shock theSEC world. Uh,

well, that didnthappen. Georgiaput a hurtin onthe Cowboys thattheyve been

feeling for the lasttwo years.

The Cowboys, ironically, have even higher expectations

than they did in 2007, but this matchup is in Stillwater.And, that, my friends, changes everything. The Cowboyshave dealt with the embarrassment of that loss for a

while and theyre determined to not let this happen

again. Especially at home. The main question iswhether Georgia is going to be able to handle the rungame haymaker that OSU is going to throw at them. ForOklahoma State, the key is to not fall in love entirely

with WR Dez Bryant down the field. Now, its got tostretch the field with the great WR, but it has to makeits living with RB Kendall Hunter 20 to 25 times. WhenUGA got hit inthe face lastseason, itstruggled badly.

UGA QB Joe Coxis an experienced

winner - he didntlose a game at Charlotte Independence HS, but Stillwaterisnt Charlotte and OSU isnt Providence Day HS. He

needs some help from the run game to have a chance tohit the 30+ point mark - to have a chance to win. But,Caleb King and Carlton Thomas arent KnowshonMoreno. And, that could eliminate UGAs shot at a win.

Nevada Players to WatchQB #10 Colin KaepernickRB #34 Vai TauaRB #7 Luke LippincottDE #99 Kevin Basped

Georgia Players to WatchQB #14 Joe CoxWR #8 AJ GreenDT #95 Jeff OwensLB #35 Rennie Curran

OSU Players to WatchQB #11 Zac RobinsonRB #24 Kendall HunterWR #1 Dez BryantLB #20 Andre Sexton

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September 5, 2009ESPN 6:00 PM CSTAlthough there arent a ton of games on the week oneslate that truly trigger the meter, the OU-BYU matchupis an intriguing one. The MWC is one of the six bestconferences in the nation, but itll take another huge win

over a BCS power to truly get peoples attention. BYUcan carry themantle for theconference with ahuge upset overOU. The twoteams are meetingup in the newCowboys Stadium

and the ball figuresto be in the air for most of the day with two of the bestpassing quarterbacks in the nation - OUs Trophy, aka,Sam Bradford and BYUs Max Hall.

The key to the game though is whether BYU can handlethe running game of Oklahoma. With four new startersand a completely revamped OL, the Sooners must spendmore time on the ground, running Chris Brown andDeMarco Murray(if healthy). The Cougars are not the1985 Bears against the run, more of a bend-but-not-breakunit, if you will. As such, expect to see a ton of Brownand Murray. Whenthat happens, TEJermaine Greshamwill be a big factoragainst the BYUD

BYU will controlthe ball with theshort passing game, so the Sooners cant allow Hall to sitand get comfortable in the pocket. If he does, hell pickapart any defense, even a great D like this.

MIAMI VS. FLORIDA STATE VEGAS SAYS: FLORIDA STATE -4.5

BYU VS. OKLAHOMA VEGAS SAYS: OKLAHOMA -21.5

PREDICTION: OKLAHOMA - 41 VS. BYU - 27

Many think that BYU will be the MWCs best team this season, but I dont think the Vegas insidersagree given the -21.5 number up on the board. Either way, the Sooners will up-tempo BYUs defenseright out of the building in the second half winning by two touchdowns, not three.

September 7, 2009ESPN 7:00 PM CSTMan, just saying the words...Miami vs. FSU. Oh, thatssweet. The moments come flying into view. Wide Right

I, II and III. The 1988 FSU debacle. Michael Barrowshit on Tamarick Vanover. Stanford Jennings hit onRoscoe Parrish. The OB. The Doak. Michael Irvin in

1987. Charlie Wardin 1993. What aseries this has beenover the pastcouple of decades.

This one, as it hasbeen since 2004,has conference

connotations, butbeyond that, its a rough way to start the season. Dontexpect a repeat of last years point-a-minute scoring fest.Not in the first game of the season. Remember all ofthose Labor Day slugfests in the mid 2000s? U-G-L-Y!

On paper, Miami looked to have a nice offensive balancewith QB Jacory Harris throwing and RB Graig Cooperrunning. But, with Cooper injured, the onus on movingthe Hurricanes offense falls squarely on Harris. The FSU

defense has major holes to fill, but I dont think theMiami offense will be able to account for FSUs lack ofexperience. Although Miami OC Mark Whipple (BrownU Class of 1979) is a

wonderfuloffensive mind, hecant turn this unitinto the 2002offense just yet.

The key forFlorida State isrunning behind one of the best guards in the nation

Rodney Hudson. The youthful FSU OL has transformedinto an experienced bunch that must open holes for theFSU running backs. If FSU rushes for 135 yards or more,the Seminoles will be in great shape to win this game.

Miami Players to WatchQB #12 Jacory HarrisLT #64 Jason FoxLB #31 Sean SpenceDT #99 Marcus Forston

Florida St. Players to WatchQB #7 Christian PonderLG #62 Rodney HudsonLB #36 Dekoda WatsonCB #21 Patrick Robinson

OU Players to WatchQB #14 Sam BradfordRB #7 DeMarco MurrayDT #93 Gerald McCoyCB #2 Brian Jackson

BYU Players to WatchQB #15 Max HallRB #45 Harvey UngaTE #32 Dennis PittaDE #84 Jan Jorgensen

PREDICTION: FLORIDA STATE - 21 VS. MIAMI - 14

This one wont be pretty in the slightest. An early game in Tallahassee will be hot. Itll be intense.Itll be hard hitting. And, it could be ugly as most early season games are. But, at home, FSU willhave a decided advantage if it can run the ball and Miami cant. That advantage will lead to a win.

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COLLEGE FOOTBALL WEEKEND

WEEK ONE

PREDICTIONS ON ALL D1A GAMES THIS WEEKEND -TV GAMES IN RED

Thursday September 3rd

South Carolina at NC State6 PM ESPN- State is much improved over last year and they have QB Russell Wilson -NC State -24 vs. South Carolina - 20

Troy at Bowling Green- Troy is just too athletic, keep an eye on DE Brandon Lang. Hes got 1st round ability-Troy - 23 vs.Bowling Green - 21

Villanova at Temple- If this one was hoops, people might care. Regardless, Temple coach Al Golden is one of the bright youngstars in coaching-Temple - 23 vs. Villanova - 13

Coastal Carolina at Kent State- In a Flash... -Kent State - 27 vs. Coastal Carolina - 10

North Texas at Ball State 6:30 PM ESPNU- Ball State will rely on the running game of MiQuale Lewis, with no Nate Davis oncampus -Ball State - 42 vs. North Texas - 21

North Dakota State at Iowa State- The Paul Rhoads era had better start with a bang and with offensive coordinator and formerRice offensive coordinator Tom Herman, QB Austen Arnaud should light it up -Iowa State - 38 vs. NDSU- 14

Eastern Kentucky vs. Indiana 7 PM Big Ten Network- Indiana should be solid defensively, led by DE Greg Middleton whomust rebound and have a great season -IU- 31 vs. EKU- 10

Utah State at Utah 8 PM MTN- Utah may not have the firepower it did last year under Brian Johnson, but the defense is stillone of the best in the nation -Utah - 35 vs. Utah State - 12

Friday September 4th

Tulsa at Tulane 7 PM ESPN- Tulane will have to run to win and keep Tulsa off the field. Unfortunately, theres not enoughAndre Anderson to beat this potent Tulsa squad -Tulsa - 51 vs. Tulane - 35

Central Arkansas at Hawaii- Hawaii wont lose the opener to a DII team - expect the Warriors to rebound from theembarrassing loss to Notre Dame last bowl season with a resounding win -Hawaii- 51 vs. CAU- 21

Saturday September 5thTowson at Northwestern 11 am Big Ten Network- Northwestern QB Mike Kafka is more runner than passer, so expect a 350

yard rushing day for the Cats against the overmatched Tigers of Towson -Northwestern - 49 vs. Towson - 17

Montana State at Michigan State 11 am Big Ten Network- The Spartans will audition Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol, but itwont matter much with Montana State coming to town -Michigan State - 34 vs. Montana State - 10

Appalachian State at East Carolina- With Armanti Edwards, the Mountaineers had a chance, but without him, itll be a bitdicey. The ECU defense is one of the more underrated units in the nation and wont be tested -ECU- 31 vs. ASU- 10

Minnesota at Syracuse 11 am ESPN2- One of the more intriguing opening day games. We get our first look at Syracuse QBGreg Paulus, former Duke point guard. I dont know if I should have a tea in honor of Mr. TeaBag under center. With WR EricDecker back, the Gophers should win a close one -Minnesota - 31 vs. Syracuse - 27

Kentucky at Miami U 11 am ESPNU- Kentucky could be a major surprise in the SEC this year with Mike Hartline undercenter, alongside a solid defense, led by CB Trevard Lindley-Kentucky - 34 vs. Miami U- 24

Navy at Ohio State 11 am ESPN- With a week to prepare for the option, Id worry about this a little bit for Ohio State. Withthe entire summer to prepare, Im not. Terrelle Pryor will have his way with a smaller Navy D -Ohio State - 42 vs. Navy - 10

Akron at Penn State 11 am Big Ten Network- The offense should have little trouble with the Zips. QB Daryll Clark shouldhave a big three quarters, if he even gets that far -Penn State - 42 vs. Akron - 10

Liberty at West Virginia 11 ESPN360- Honestly? Really? Does anyone think that these two teams playing one another is a

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WEEK ONE

PREDICTIONS ON ALL D1A GAMES THIS WEEKEND -TV GAMES IN RED

Saturday September 5th (CONTD)

good idea-West Virginia - 54 vs. Liberty - 3

Toledo at Purdue 11 am Big Ten Network- This is an interesting one. Im not sure if the Boilers can handle stopping 55 170 lb.

Eugene Jarvis, but then again, Purdue head coach Danny Hope cant lose his first game -Purdue - 31 vs. Toledo - 24

Northern Iowa at Iowa 11:05 am Big Ten Network- Iowa will need to find a running back now that Jewel Hampton is out.Regardless, No. Iowa doesnt have the firepower to knock off the Hawkeyes in Iowa City-Iowa - 38 vs. Northern Iowa - 10

Western Kentucky at Tennessee 11:20 am ESPN360- The Lane Kiffin era begins and it had better begin with a win. Lose toWestern Kentucky and its going to be a rough day/week/month/year for Mr. Kiffin -Tennessee - 27 vs. Western Kentucky - 3

Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech 12 PM ESPN360- No Ryan Perrilloux? Shocking, right? Either way, Perrillouxs presencewasnt worth a hill of beans last year. Itll be just as ugly this year -Georgia Tech - 51 vs. Jacksonville State - 10

Youngstown State at Pittsburgh- Pittsburgh shouldnt have a tough time with the Penguins, but it could struggle offensively asit might all season long-Pittsburgh - 28 vs. Youngstown State - 13

Northeastern at Boston College- The Eagles have so many issues - Dominique Davis, Mark Herzlich are just two of them - butNortheastern cant match the Eagles score for score, even with a youthful BC offense -Boston College - 23 vs. Northeastern - 10

Nicholls State at Air Force- Air Force runs the flex/spread/wishbone option to a T, but could struggle slightly with a solid groupof athletes at NSU. Altitude will hurt Nicholls late as the Falcons pull away in the 2nd half-Air Force - 31 vs. NSU- 13

Portland State at Oregon State- The Rodgers brothers arent about to let the Beavers half-step for the opener. With both guyshealthy, it wont really matter whos taking snaps under center -Oregon State- 51 vs. Portland State - 13

Weber State at Wyoming - Wow, this one has me captivated. Yeah, thats a shout-out to the one and only Chompers -Wyoming-34 vs. Weber State - 13

San Jose State at USC- SJSU cant beat USC, it just wont happen, but with a true freshman starting QB for USC, it might forcethe Trojans to rely more on the talented stable of USC running backs. And, thats not a good thing for SJSU -USC - 49 vs. SJSU-

20

Western Michigan at Michigan- The Wolverines have lost their last two openers - one to Appalachian State and last years toUtah. I dont like this opener at all for Michigan, but RichRods squad CANT lose this one. More desperation than anything else,especially with the rotate-a-QB whirlybird hell have going on Saturday-Michigan - 27 vs. Western Michigan - 24

Baylor at Wake Forest 2:30 PM ESPN360- The Bears are much improved over last year and with QB Robert Griffin, theyregoing to make some tremendous waves in the Big 12. But, with experienced QB Riley Skinner still in Winston-Salem, Im taking theDemon Deacons to win a close one -Wake Forest- 23 vs. Baylor- 20

Jackson State at Mississippi State 2:30 PM ESPNU- The Dan Mullen era begins in Starkville and it should mean a win over aD1AA school. But, then again, it was Mississippi State that lost to D1AA Maine a few years ago. Dont worry MSU fans, Mullen

wont let it happen this year - Mississippi State- 31 vs. Jackson State - 14

Missouri vs. Illinois in St. Louis 2:40 PM ESPN- With Juice Williams pitching and Arrelious Benn catching, Im rolling thedice with an inconsistent, but highly athletic Illini squad. Keep an eye on Mizzous #12 Sean Weatherspoon, one of the bestdefensive players in the nation. Too bad he cant play both ways. -Illinois - 38 vs. Missouri- 31

Rice at UAB- This year, the Blazers have the experienced signal caller Joe Webb, who was a 2,000/1,000 QB last year (passing for2k and rushing for 1k). If the Blazers dont shoot themselves in the foot, theyve got more experienced talent than Rice at this point.But, UAB cant and wont stay away from the mistakes and Rice can move the ball on anyone, regardless of what QB is under center.-Rice - 34 vs. UAB - 31

Southern Illinois at Marshall- Marshall has an experienced offensive line with RB Darius Marshall as the bell cow of theoffense. Riding Marshall is the right thing to do against a D1AA power. -Marshall- 31 vs. SIU- 21

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PREDICTIONS ON ALL D1A GAMES THIS WEEKEND -TV GAMES IN RED

Saturday September 5th (CONTD)

Northwestern State at Houston- The Cougs have as powerful an offense as any school in the state of Texas. With four

receivers , each of which could catch 60 passes this season, and RB Bryce Beall in his second year, Houston wont have any hiccupsagainst the likes of NW State. QB Case Keenum starts his dark horse Heisman campaign with a 400 yard, 4 touchdown day-Houston - 63 vs. NW State - 14

Citadel at North Carolina- The Tar Heels are one of the teams with a ton of expectations this season after an 8-win season in2008. Citadel will be notch number one on UNCs belt. -North Carolina - 45 vs. Citadel- 12

MTSU at Clemson- Clemson was so over-hyped last year entering the 2008 campaign, but this year, theyve really got a shot to bea nine win team. I love CJ Spiller at RB and youll see the beginning of the Kyle Parker era at Clemson. Its going to be a good one.-Clemson - 38 vs. MTSU- 10

William & Mary at Virginia- W&M is a solid D1AA program, but UVA should take care of business. -Virginia - 34 vs. W&M-21

Samford at UCF- Another D1A-D1AA matchup, this one in Orlando, where head coach George OLeary is trying to leave 2008 inthe rear view mirror. A win over Samford is at least a nice start. WR #5 Rocky Ross should have a great final season for UCF,starting with a strong game against Samford. -UCF- 34 vs. Samford- 14good idea-West Virginia - 54 vs. Liberty - 3

La. Tech at Auburn 6 PM ESPNU- Auburn is one of those schools flying under the radar this season with a new coach GeneChizik and perhaps most importantly Gus Malzahn as offensive coordinator. The up-tempo scheme that Malzahn brought to Tulsalast season may not be Auburn fans cup of tea, but if it works, they wont care. It should on this day against a decent La. Tech teamthat went to a bowl last year. -Auburn - 35 vs. La. Tech - 17

Missouri State at Arkansas 6 PM ESPN360- Im so pumped for year one of the Ryan Mallett era at Arkansas. The 67 245pound gunslinger has one of the best arms in the game and has one of the best minds in the game molding him, head coach BobbyPetrino. The Hogs should have little trouble with Missouri State -Arkansas - 51 vs. Missouri State - 21

Charleston Southern at Florida 6 PM FSN/ESPN 360- The spread is 73 for this one. 73?!? Thats only if Tim Tebow andcompany were to play for three quarters. Theyll only play one and a half. Tebow will be in street clothes by the third quarter, while

John Brantley leads the Gators to a big second half. -Florida - 72 vs. Charleston Southern - 7

Wofford at South Florida- USF will win the game, but what Im most interested in seeing is whether USF can find a runningback. Both Mike Ford and Jamar Taylor are out with injuries, putting more pressure on home-run hitter Moise Plancher. QB MattGrothe wont get much time, but should shred the Wofford secondary nonetheless -USF- 41 vs. Wofford- 14

Richmond at Duke- If Duke has truly taken the next step or is ready to take the next step, it cant lose to a D1AA school. Theproblem so to speak is that the Spiders are damn good. How about defending D1AA champs with 16 returning starters good? This

will be a four quarter game with a close finish, but the Blue Devils will get a narrow win at home -Duke - 27 vs. Richmond- 24

Florida Atlantic at Nebraska- The Huskers are a big favorite for this one, but many people think that FAU will be fighting for aSun Belt title. Sun Belt, Sun Schmelt - the Huskers will take care of business, but not in a manner that will please the legion ofNebraska fans on Saturday-Nebraska - 35 vs. FAU- 21

U Conn at Ohio- Im not completely sure what to expect from the Huskies this year. But, the running game should still be strongwith Andre Dixon and Jordan Todman at running back, U Conn should take care of business in Athens -U Conn - 28 vs. Ohio - 21

New Mexico at Texas A&M- The Aggies took it on the chin in last years opener against Arkansas State, but should be animproved squad. They took care of business against New Mexico in Albequerque last season and should do so again, behind the passcatch combination of Jerrod Johnson to Jeff Fuller/Ryan Tannehill . Keep an eye on whether TAMUs defense has improved as ittries to stop a new, high-tempo Lobo offensive attack -Texas A&M- 31 vs. New Mexico - 21

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WEEK ONE

PREDICTIONS ON ALL D1A GAMES THIS WEEKEND -TV GAMES IN RED

Saturday September 5th (CONTD)

ULM at Texas- Texas is as good as any team in the nation. The New Orleans Saints could be coming with the Warhawks to DKRand it wouldnt matter in the slightest. Texas QB Colt McCoy will make the most of his two and a half quarters of play, with a trio oftouchdown tosses and a TD run for good measure -Texas - 54 vs. ULM- 10

Northern Illinois at Wisconsin 6 PM Big Ten Network- No one really got to see the real John Clay last season, but as THEback in the Wisconsin running game this year, he could have a huge season. And, it starts against the Huskies solid defense. Clayshould have 125 yards and a couple of touchdowns to get the Big Tens attention. -Wisconsin - 35 vs. NIU- 14

Southern at ULL- ULL returns all five starting offensive linemen from last season, but they dont have much experience undercenter and at running back. It wont hurt them in this one, but down the road it could be a tough go if a QB doesnt emerge -ULL -31 vs. Southern - 10

Army at Eastern Michigan- This is not an easy opener for Eastern Michigan in the slightest. New Head coach Ron English isfacing an Army team with a new head coach (Rich Ellerson) and a new bag of tricks, especially with the Desert Swarm scheme ondefense. Armys offense is still a shade behind and thatll be the difference - a win for English in the opener -EMU- 27 vs. Army -21

Northern Colorado at Kansas- Okay, so Mark Mangino once coached with Bill Snyder, but it doesnt mean he has to follow hisscheduling practices. Either way, its a huge blowout in favor of the Jayhawks. -Kansas - 63 vs. UNC - 7

Alcorn State at Southern Miss- The Golden Eagles should breeze through this one, no matter if WR DeAndre Brown is healthyenough to give it a go or not. -USM- 51 vs. Alcorn State - 13

North Dakota at Texas Tech- Tech should have little trouble taking care of business against UND, but regardless, QB TaylorPotts gets his first meaningful action under center and his progress is paramount for this team this season. The Red Raiders willneed him to shine quickly, given the Sept. 19th trip to Texas and Sept. 26th trip to Houston -Texas Tech - 54 vs. UND - 14

Miss. Valley State vs. Arkansas State- Unless Jerry Rice shows up, this could be a real snoozer. The Red Wolves are thought tobe one of the contenders for a Sun Belt championship, so they better come out of the chute in a solid way against MVSU -

Arkansas State- 49 vs. MVSU- 13

U Mass at Kansas State- So, do you say the Bill Snyder era is starting or re-starting at Kansas State? Either way, the Wildcatsshould win, but it wont be pretty, at least not this season -Kansas State - 31 vs. U Mass - 17

San Diego State at UCLA- Theres no good reason why these two teams are not in a bowl game every single year. The RickNeuheisel era started with a whimper and a lot of injuries, but in 2009, the Bruins have some solid defensive talent to get excitedabout. SDSU? Not so much, at least not this season. -UCLA - 28 vs. San Diego State - 14

Indiana State at Louisville 6:30 PM ESPN360- As a late 1970s hoops matchup, this would be a must see game. As a late2000s football matchup, uh, not so much. -Louisville - 41 vs. Indiana State - 7

Western Carolina at Vanderbilt 6:30 PM ESPN360- Vanderbilt is doing something it hasnt done since, well, I cant thinkback that far - starting a season after a previous seasons bowl win. That experience was worth its weight in bowl season practices.With a defense that still will knock your block off, the Dores should cruise in this one -Vandy - 35 vs. WCU- 7

Idaho at New Mexico State 7 PM ESPN360-

A WAC game in the opener? Wow. That should make this one a little bit moreexciting than the D1A/D1AA matchups that are dominating the landscape in week one. New Mexico State will squeak by inDeWayne Walkers debut as NMSU head coach -NMSU- 21 vs. Idaho - 20

Stanford at Washington State-Stanford is a hot team in many peoples eyes this season and the insertion of former five starQB Andrew Luck into the starting lineup did nothing to diminish the white hot glare on the team on the Farm. This is a perfectspot for Luck to get his feet wet at the same time facing a defense that is one of the worst in the nation -Stanford- 42 vs.Washington State - 21

SFA at SMU- The second year of the June Jones experiment holds a ton of promise, especially with the number of offensive skillplayers returning. QB Bo Levi Mitchell will hook up with his talented WR for four TDs in a SMU win.-SMU- 42 vs. SFA - 21

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WEEK ONE

PREDICTIONS ON ALL D1A GAMES THIS WEEKEND -TV GAMES IN RED

Saturday September 5th (CONTD)

Central Michigan at Arizona- Boy, what a matchup for Arizona. Expectations after last season have got to be through the roofyet again, even with the number of personnel losses for UA. Then, on top of that, the Wildcats get a visit from one of the mostdangerous offenses in the nation, led by QB Dan Lefevour and WR Antonio Brown -Arizona - 34 vs. CMU- 31

Buffalo at UTEP 8 PM CBS CSTV- Buffalo shocked the Miners last year in Buffalo, but this isnt near being the same Buffaloteam. QB Drew Willy graduated and just last week star RB James Starks hurt his shoulder and is out for the season. It probably

wouldnt matter anyway as QB Trevor Vittatoe should have a field day against the Bulls secondary/defense -UTEP - 42 vs. Buffalo -27

Idaho State at Arizona State - The Sun Devils were an embarrassing bunch last season after a ton of preseason hype came theirway in 2008. Idaho State wont stand in the way of redemption. At least in week one -Arizona State - 49 vs. ISU- 14

Maryland at Cal 9 PM ESPN2- In 2008, Cal was ranked going into this matchup against an average Maryland team. With thegame at 12 PM EST, the Golden Bears never adjusted and got the stuffing knocked out of them. However, Cal is at home this timeand has the best player on either team - RB Jahvid Best. He should start his Heisman campaign with a solid outing...and a Cal win-Cal- 35 vs. Maryland- 17

UC Davis at Fresno State - UC Davis isnt a team to take lightly, but the Bulldogs wont trip on themselves until the WAC seasonstarts. This should be a systematic cakewalk. -Fresno State - 42 vs. UCD - 17

Sacramento State at UNLV- Wow, um...well...huh...alright, thats all I have to say on that. -UNLV- 38 vs. Sacramento State -10

LSU at Washington 9:30 PM ESPN- Back in the day, this would be a wonderful battle of purples, but in 2009, the Huskies areway out of their league, even with a new head coach Steve Sarkisian. I want to see Washington do well, soon, but the LSU opener isas tough a way to open the season as possible. The Tigers need to get a solid performance from QB Jordan Jefferson to prepare forthe SEC slate. They should get it. -LSU- 42 vs. Washington - 14

Sunday September 6th

Ole Miss at Memphis 2:30 PM ESPN- Perhaps no team in college football has as high expectations vs. last season as Ole Miss.

But, then again, a win at Florida, six straight wins to close the season and a Cotton Bowl win over Texas Tech will do that for aprogram. Ole Miss must prove it can stop RB Curtis Steele and get the Memphis offense off the field. It should. -Ole Miss - 35 vs.

Memphis - 21

Colorado State at Colorado 6 PM FSN- There isnt one thing screaming at me in this game, one way or another. ColoradoState has to replace RB Gartrell Johnson, while CU must replace the entire 2008 season. At home, the Buffs should get enoughfrom QB Cody Hawkins to get win number one -Colorado - 28 vs. CSU- 21

Monday September 7th

Cincinnati at Rutgers 3 PM ESPN- The 2008 Big East Champs are ready to defend their title, but theyre going to have to do itin the toughest way possible. Only three defenders return from last years physical, nasty unit, while the offense still has some

growing pains to overcome. Not only that, they travel to Rutgers for a monster of a first game. Rutgers must replace QB Mike Teel,WRs Tiquan Underwood and Kenny Britt, but the defense is still rock solid, led by LB Ryan DImperio. At home in Big East play,

the Scarlet Knights are tough. Too tough for UC in this one. -Rutgers - 28 vs. UC - 24

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WEEK ONE

FANTASY NEWS AND NOTES1. I just can't bring myself to get excited about Matt Casselas QB of the Chiefs. Besides having one fewer target tothrow to this year with Tony Gonzalez gone, the Chiefs seem way too unsettled on offense for me to be buy intoCassel having a good year fantasy-wise. However,I think he's a decent QB2 option as his plays in a below averagedivision defensively and the Chiefs will be behind plenty this season.

2. I saw that Matthew Berryfrom ESPN's fantasy division isn't as high on DeAngelo Williams as I am, but withJonathan Stewart sitting out almost the entire preseason with an achilles problem, I think DeAngelo Williams has a

chance for a monster season that could land him in the top 3 RB spots by the end of the year. Williams has the typeof frame and balance that lends itself to being successful near the goal line and he has a chance to be a huge factor inthe passing game as well.

3. If you haven't had your fantasy draft yet, I'll will warn you in advance that you will see a run on tight ends in the 4thround that may extend into the 5th round.The good news is that if you choose to wait on the tight end position, youshould still be able to pick up a pretty good TE within the last three rounds of your draft. Zach Miller, HeathMiller and even Kellen Winslowwere around in rounds 14, 12 and 12 respectively.

4. I always look for "safe" players within the first four rounds of a fantasy draft and not only is Michael Turner "safe",but so is Roddy White and Matt Ryan.The Falcons offense is only going to be better this year and Matt Ryan isunlikely to experience a sophomore jinx because he had experience throughout college in a pro-style offense and he'sproven to be a very poised decision maker in the pocket who knows that White will get open most of the game soRyan's numbers and White's numbers will both be stronger than last year.

5. If you are trying to figure out the RB situation in New England you are wasting your time. Sure Belichick likes

veterans so Fred Taylor will probably figurein, but he's not going to get a huge number of carries and he won't bethe guy who gets redzone touches. Maroneyhas the most talent on the team, but he's in the doghouse and SammyMorris figures to get the TDs around the endzone. Look for the RB situation in New England to be fluidthroughout the season and you'll basically have to guess right from week to week if you want to rely on one of them

NFL NEWS AND NOTES1. Al Davis loves him some big and some fast and that is why you could shelve your notions ofJustin Fargas or MichaelBushbeing the lead horse this year in the Raiders RB stable. While one agent told me that his client (a defensive player)believes that Fargas is actually the most complete back of the group, look for Darren McFaddento get his shot to totethe rock this year.Al Davis isn't paying McFadden to be only a bit player once again this year so I expect the former Hogto get plenty of touches this year for the silver and black.

2. After watching the San Diego vs. Atlanta game last weekend, I came away very impressed with what I saw from Falcons

rookie DT Peria Jerryand second year DE Kroy Biermannin terms of their energy and athleticism.The Falconsoffense, as noted in the fantasy section, is coming along, but HC Mike Smithis a defensive guy and he wants to build hisdefense quickly and that means utilizing the energy of guys like Jerry and Biermann. Biermann is a great athlete who has ajarring punch on tackles when rushing the passer and he has a terrific motor.Jerry does a great job of utilizing his handsand was able to disengage and chase plays throughout the game.The Falcons are going to be Super Bowl contenders bynext season, mark my words.

3. Green Bay Packers RB Ryan Grant took some heat last year because he was such a non-factor early in the season, buthe was one of the most productive backs over the second half of the season and the Packers believe he is set for a hugeseason. When you think about it, that makes sense.The Packers have a solid offensive line and Aaron Rodgers lookslike he could finally be that Jeff Tedford QB pupil who takes off on the next level. With Rodgers and a cast of talent atWR, the running lanes could be plentiful for Grant.

4. The Texans loss was the Bears gain as defensive line coach, Rod Marinelli, has been a huge hit in Chicago.The Texans

pursued Marinelli before watching the defensive line guru head to Chicago to help the Bears defense get back to the levelwhere they once were under former Bears DC and current Chargers DC Ron Rivera. Marinelli has a way of lighting afire under players that helps them give maximum effort and with the Bears depth on the defensive line, some insiders arethinking big with this marriage.

5.Speaking of the Bears, former Texas Longhorn RB turned DE HenryMeltonhas been a perfect fit for the systemin Chicago but he might not be the same player that Horn fans were used to under Will Muschamp. Muschamp sawpotential in Melton as a pass rusher and asked for him to be part of the defense and Melton made waves on that side of theball.The Bears are now hoping to add weight to Melton's frame and turn him into a 3 -technique (think Cory Redding

who Marinelli converted from DE to DT in Detroit) since they believe his speed will be too much to handle for OL

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WEEK ONE

TEXANS NEWS/NOTES AND THOUGHTS

Four observations from the Texans and Vikings game

You can admit it. 2005 has snuck into your mind, hasn't it? You remember before the 2005 season when there was

playoff talk all around the city of Houston after the Texans finished 7-9 in 2004 after losing the last game of the season

to the lowly Browns. Of course, it turned out that the thumping at the hands of the Browns was a foreshadowing of

what was to come in 2005.

So the Texans finish 8-8 last year and playoff talk has engulfed the city again, but after the last two preseason games the

thoughts of the 2005 letdown (meltdown) might be running through your mind. There won't be a 2-14 season this time,

but a losing season IS a possibility if the Texans don't get into sync on both sides of the ball.

Here are four things LZ saw:

1. The secondary continues to have problems in run support and that can plague a team for an entire season.

The Texans just continue to have DBs take bad angles or miss tackles. Dunta Robinson's return will certainly help, but

the safeties need to step their game up. Eugene Wilson's poor tackle attempt on the screen pass TD to Chester Taylor

was horrible. Tackling in the secondary is one of the most important, but undervalued, characteristics of successfuldefenses.

2. I know that any time I doubt Matt Schaub's durability in print I will get a retort stating that all of Schaub's

injuries have come from hits that probably could have or should have caused him to be injured. What I say to that is

that some players are more durable than others. Sometimes it's just genetics. We saw Schaub limping around yet again

yesterday and if you aren't going into this season worried about Schaub's durability then you haven't watched much

Texans football during the last two seasons.

3. The defensive tackles hung in much better yesterday. While I don't see Cody as a full-time NT, I did think he

did an okay job hanging in against double teams and combo blocks on running plays. While Okoye wasn't much of a

factor against the run, he played with much more fire against the pass and was finding ways to pressure Favre even

though he never got home with a sack. Antonio Smith, on the other hand, has been damn near invisiblethis preseasonand he hasn't been near the factor on pass rushing downs that I was expecting and I think it was his responsibility toshut down the backside on Adrian Peterson's TD run and I don't think he took care of his responsibility.

** UPDATE ** I was at the game and didn't DVR the game so I didn't get to see Peterson's TD in slow-motion like I

wanted until I found it on Youtube and you readers are correct. The mistake on the backside was by Adibi who

basically guessed wrong rather than reading the play and keeping his responsibility. Fred Bennett screwed the pooch

too. That was his lane to fill as well which is one of the reasons that this coaching staff is getting very fed up with

"doesn't correct his mistakes" Fred.

4. I enjoyed the different blitz packages from Frank Bushagainst the Vikes and I was happy to see him utilize

DeMeco with a few run blitzes which should help against the run. Overall, the LBs were much more active this game

than against the Saints and I feel pretty good about how the Texans will rush the passer once Cushing gets back and

they get him incorporated into the blitz packages as well. Stopping the run is my biggest fear.

Texans Podcast - JH and LZ 9/3/2009

http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=8377468 -703

http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=8377468-703http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=8377468-703http://www.divshare.com/flash/playlist?myId=8377468-703

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TEXANS 4-6 DEFENSE?

PUT THE FILM ON, BRO - NFL EDITION

The 1985 Bears and Buddy Ryan made the 4-6 defense famous for many years. Although the 4-6 doesnt permeatemany defenses in the NFL, the Texans have made use of it early in the season. It can be successful as seen below.

IN THE FILM ROOM WITH LANCE ZIERLEIN

In this figure, the defensive tackles and Antonio Smith are lined up over the guards and the centerwhile the SAM and WILL linebackers are on the line of scrimmage.This alignment occupies theoffensive linemen and doesn't allow them to get to the second level and block D. Ryans.

#59

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Here you see the Texans in a "46" defensive alignment. One ofthe ways to recognize this front is to key on the SAM (strong-side LB) as he will be lined up on the line of scrimmage over thetight end as we see in this figure. Hes one-on-one w/TE in man.

As you can see, all of the offensive linemen areoccupied and strong safety D. Barber (#34) is down inthe box as an extra defender and he is the player whothe FB is assigned to block. So that leads us to the nextfigure.

With all the linemen occupied and with the FB isolatedon the strong safety against the 46 front, DeMeco Ryansis able to flow to the ball untouched.The 46 can behigh risk against the pass, but it is one of the toughestdefenses to face for teams who like to run zone plays.