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GAME FACTS: Rebels begin season with highest ranking since 1973. That's what last year's 7-2 finish that included 31-30 win at national champ Florida, 47-34 romp over Texas Tech in Cotton Bowl will do for you. It might be important to remember that this is also the same Rebels that lost at home to Vanderbilt and South Carolina last year. Junior QB Jevan Snead (2,762 yards passing, 28 TDs, 13 ints. last year) has NFL skills. Versatile RBs Dexter McCluster, Cordera Eason (combined 1,302 rushing, 9 TD runs, 54 catches, 3 TD catches) are dangerous in open field. S Kendrick Lewis (80 tackles, 4 ints.) leads defense that gave up only 75 points in season-ending 6-game winning streak. Having lost four straight to Rebels (three by four points or less), Tigers have fine offense led by QB Arkelon Hall (2,475 total offense, 12 TD passes, 7 ints., 3 TD runs), who was last QB standing for UM last year in season where four Tigers signal-callers got hurt. 6-foot-8 WR Carlos Singleton (52 catches, 5 TDs) can be impossible to defend on fade routes and jump balls. Defense (76th in nation vs. run, 152.8 ypg) also lacks big-play capability (91st in nation with 18 turnovers gained, 72nd with 23 sacks).

COLORADO STATE (0-0) at COLORADO (0-0), 7, Fox Sports Net.

FAVORITE: Colorado by 10.

COACHES: Steve Fairchild (7-6 in second year at Colorado State) and Dan Hawkins (13-24 in fourth year at Colorado).

LAST YEAR: Colo. State went 7-6. Colorado went 5-7.

SERIES HISTORY: Colorado leads, 59-20-2.

LAST MEETING: Colorado won, 38-17, last year.

STAT THAT MATTERS: Buffaloes have won four of last five over Rams, though three wins were by a combined total of 9 points.

GAME FACTS: Fairchild's first season in Fort Collins was success thanks to 3-game season-ending winning streak that included 40-35 win over Fresno State in New Mexico Bowl, CSU's first postseason win since 2001. Offense will miss departed RB Gartrell Johnson, who rumbled for NCAA bowl-record 285 yards in that game. Senior Grant Stucker (5 passes thrown last year) gets start at QB while touted sophomore Klay Kubiak, son of Houston Texans coach Gary, has moved to safety. 13 wins (0-1 in bowls) was not what Buffs' fans had in mind when they lured Hawkins away from Boise State in January, 2006. There can't be many excuses this year as CU returns plenty of firepower including Dan's son QB Cody Hawkins (1,892 passing, 17 TDs, 10 ints.), WRs Scotty McKnight, Josh Smith (combined 75 catches, 8 TDs), TE Riar Greer, RBs Rodney Stewart (led team with 622 rushing last year), Darrell Scott. Defense (86th in nation in scoring, 29.2 ppg) wasn't very good last year and must replace entire line, which could make things tougher for LBs Jeff Smart, Shaun Mohler (combined 215 tackles in '08).

MONDAY:

CINCINNATI (0-0) at RUTGERS (0-0), 4, ESPN.

FAVORITE: Rutgers by 5-1/2..

COACHES: Brian Kelly (22-6 in third year at Cincinnati) and Greg Schiano (46-51 in 9th year at Rutgers).

LAST YEAR: .Cincinnati went 11-3. Rutgers went 8-5.

SERIES HISTORY: Rutgers leads, 7-6-1.

LAST MEETING: Cincinnati won, 13-10, last year.

STAT THAT MATTERS: Bearcats have beaten Scarlet Knights last three seasons, twice when Rutgers was ranked.

GAME FACTS: Coming off best season in school history that included Big East title, first ever trip to Orange Bowl, Bearcats draw tough assignment in opener. Last year's win was nothing to write home about (0-for-11 on third-downs, 12 penalties). QB Tony Pike (2,407 passing, 19 TDs in '08) would like to atone for 4-int. performance in loss to Va. Tech in Orange Bowl. With S Aaron Webster only returning starter on defense, what happens there is anybody's guess. Knights amazing turnaround last year from 1-5 start made them only 7th team to ever start 1-5 and make it to a bowl. And they did it with authority outscoring foes 272-117 in final 7 wins. Seldom-used senior Domenic Natale steps in for departed QB Mike Teel (all-time leading passer in RU history). RBs Kordell Young, Jourdan Brooks (combined 1,040 rushing, 11 TDs) must carry load early. Defense managed 4 sacks vs. Cincy last year but also gave up 239 yards through the air.

MIAMI (0-0) at No. 18 FLORIDA STATE (0-0), 8, ESPN.

FAVORITE: Florida State by 5-1/2.

COACHES: Randy Shannon (12-13 in third year at Miami) and Bobby Bowden (309-91-4 in 34th year at FSU).

LAST YEAR: Miami went 7-6. FSU went 9-4.

SERIES HISTORY: FSU leads, 29-23.

LAST MEETING: FSU won, 41-39, last year.

STAT THAT MATTERS: Team scoring first has won 16 of last 20 games, including last four.

GAME FACTS: This is first of absurdly difficult opening stretch for Hurricanes (Ga. Tech, at Va. Tech, Oklahoma to follow). Even though UM dropped final three games last year, sophomore QB Jacory Harris seemed to find himself (50-of-79, 494 passing, 5 TDs, 4 ints. over final three games). He and entire team need to take better care of ball (last in ACC, 103rd in nation in turnover ratio last year, 25 given up, 15 forced). DT Allen Bailey, DE Marcus Robinson (combined 9 sacks) create push up front. With many believing this could be it for 81-year-old Bowden, Seminoles need this one badly if they want to send him out on top. QB Christian Ponder (2,439 total offense, 14 TD passes, 13 ints., 4 TD runs) must cut down on mistakes. He should benefit from entire offensive line returning. FSU's 20 losses last three seasons are 7 more than Seminoles suffered in the entire 1990s, when they finished ranked in top four every season, something that hasn't happened since.

(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)

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