ShareThisCapsule previews for Sunday and Labor Day's season-opening college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.
SUNDAY:
TULSA (0-0) at EAST CAROLINA (0-0), 2, ESPN2 .
Favorite: Tulsa by 8.
Coaches: Todd Graham (26-14 in fourth year at Tulsa) and Ruffin McNeal (first year at East Carolina)..
Last Year: Tulsa went 5-7. East Carolina went 9-4.
Series History: Tulsa leads, 5-4.
Last Meeting: East Carolina won, 44-17, last year.
Stats That Matter: In going 13-8 away from home under Graham, Golden Hurricane has averaged 37 points per game. Problem is they've also given up 30 ppg over that span.
Game Facts: Road team has won C-USA game each of last three seasons. In last year's loss at home, UT was held to season-low 266 total yards with four turnovers, three returned by ECU for TDs in fourth quarter. In uneven first season after transferring from Texas, Hurricane QB G.J. Kinne threw 6 ints. over Hurricane's 1-4 finish compared to two in 4-3 start. WR Damaris Johnson (78 catches last year) is go-to target while Trae Johnson made the most with 8 TDs out of 22 catches. Former def. coordinator at Texas Tech, McNeil inherits only 8 starters from Skip Holtz team that went 26-15 and made bowl appearances each of last three seasons, winning C-USA in 2008 and '09. WRs Dwayne Harris (ECU career leader with 167 catches, 83 last year), Darryl Freeney are capable of even bigger numbers in the spread, pass-happy offense McNeil brings from Mike Leach. But only if junior QB Dominique Davis, formerly at Boston College, can get them the ball in space. McNeil will have to work some magic with defense that returns only two starters, CBs Emanuel Davis (69 tackles, 12 passes broken up, 2 ints.), Travis Simmons.
SMU (0-0) at TEXAS TECH (0-0), 3:30, ESPN.
Favorite: Texas Tech by 13.
Coaches: June Jones (9-16 in third year at SMU) and Tommy Tuberville (first year at Texas Tech).
Last Year: SMU went 8-5. Texas Tech went 9-4.
Series History: Texas Tech leads, 29-15.
Last Meeting: Texas Tech won, 43-7, in 2008.
Stat That Matters: Dating back to Southwest Conference in 1989, Red Raiders have beaten Mustangs 13 consecutive times including three wins since 2006 by combined score of 127-19.
Game Facts: On the strength of Mustangs' first winning season since 1997 and 7-game jump from 1-11 in 2008 debut, Jones received two-year contract extension last week. And bigger things are expected this year with 17 starters back including sophomore QB Kyle Padron (school-record 460 yards passing in 45-10 Hawaii Bowl win over Nevada) and WR trio of Aldrick Robinson, Terrance Wilkerson, Cole Beasley (combined 129 catches, 12 TDs last year). Problem is those guys don't play defense, and that's where problem has been vs. Red Raiders who they've given up 1,349 yards passing in last three losses from 2006-08. But that was with former Tech coach Mike Leach's pass-happy spread attack. In successful stays at Ole Miss and Auburn, Tuberville has always relied on defense, with more traditional, two-RB offense to run the ball. That's not really what Raiders' talent on hand is geared to do, especially talented senior QB Taylor Potts (3,440 yards passing, 22 TDs, 13 ints. last year). Tuberville wants 60-40 mix of passing and running, which is a far cry from last year (667 passes thrown, 252 runs by RBs). Only once in Leach's 10 years did Tech defense give up less than 20 points a game compared to four times giving up 26 ppg or more. Tuberville vows to change that, too.
MONDAY:
NAVY (0-0) vs. MARYLAND (0-0), in Baltimore, 4, ESPN.
Favorite: Navy by 7.
Coaches: Ken Niumatalolo (18-10 in third year at Navy) and Ralph Friedgen (66-46 in 10th year at Maryland).
Last Year: Navy went 10-4. Maryland went 2-10.
Series History: Navy leads, 14-6.
Last Meeting: Maryland won, 23-20, in 2005.
Stat That Matters: Since starting 2008 season 6-2, Terrapins have gone 4-13, program's worst stretch since 1997-98 teams went combined 5-17.
Game Facts: Strange for a service academy favored over BCS school. But with 16 wins over BCS schools since 2003 (second most among non-BCS schools) including 35-13 mauling of Missouri in Texas Bowl, Midshipmen have earned the call. Senior QB Ricky Dobbs (2,234 yards total offense last year, 27 TD runs, second in nation, 6 TD passes, 3 ints.) is phenomenal running Navy option attack (fourth in nation in rushing, 280.5 ypg), but will miss RB Marcus Curry, dismissed from team in June. With only two starters back on front seven, defense (18th in nation in scoring last year, 18.3 ppg) could be shaky. Coming off worst season in school history, many were surprised Friedgen wasn't let go, though it was questionable if Maryland had funds to buy out his contract. Four of Terps' losses were by four points or less (then again both wins were by an FG). Offense has talent including RBs Da'Rel Scott, Davin Meggett (combined 763 rushing, 11 TDs), WRs Torrey Smith, Adrian Cannon (combined 105 catches, 9 TDs). But it all hinges on inexperienced junior QB Jamarr Robinson (688 total offense, 2 TD passes in last four games) coming up big. Much-maligned line (110th in nation with 36 sacks allowed, 105th in rushing, 105.7 ypg) also must get better. Defense should benefit from having all summer to prepare for Navy option.
No. 3 BOISE STATE (0-0) vs. No. 10 VIRGINIA TECH (0-0), in Landover, Md., 8, ESPN .
Favorite: Boise State by 2-1/2.
Coaches: Chris Petersen (49-4 in fifth year at Boise State) and Frank Beamer (187-92-2 in 24th year at Va. Tech).
Last Year: Boise State went 14-0. Virginia Tech went 10-3.
Series History: First meeting.
Stat That Matters: Since 2005 Broncos are 4-5 vs. ranked teams while Hokies are 13-10.
Game Facts: Huge game for Broncos (nation's best 14-game winning streak) who would loom as national title-contenders with a win. Superb QB Kellen Moore (26-1 record as starter, second in nation last year in QB rating, 39 TD passes, 3 ints.) could grab early Heisman lead with big performance. Defense returns10 starters but has new coordinator in former def. line coach Pete Kwiatkowski. It also had trouble with run at end of last season (152 ypg over final 6 games compared to 97 ypg in first eight). That could spell trouble vs. physical Hokies, who love to run ball (second in ACC, 14th in nation in rushing in '09, 208.1 ypg) with stable of RBs including sophomore RB Ryan Williams (fifth in nation with school freshman-record 1,655 yards rushing, 21 TDs), junior Darren Evans. After struggling mightily his first two seasons, senior QB Tyrod Taylor came into his own as a passer (led ACC in QB rating, 2,311 passing, 13 TDs, 5 ints.) last year. With only two starters back, Beamer is concerned about front seven on defense (7th in nation in scoring, 15.6 ppg, 24 turnovers forced last year). Beamer's beloved special teams (120 blocked kicks in Beamer's 24 years) are also question mark with pair of untested seniors in K Chris Hazley, P Brian Saunders. Hokies have won 10 or more games last six seasons, second in nation only to Texas (9 straight)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
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