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College football capsules

Submitted by administrator on Wed, 08/29/2007 - 14:33

By JOHN LINDSAY
Scripps Howard News Service
Wednesday, August 29, 2007

Capsule previews for opening week's early college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.

THURSDAY:

TULSA (0-0) at LOUISIANA-MONROE (0-0), 7 p.m., ESPN2.

FAVORITE: Tulsa by 6.

COACHES: Todd Graham (first year at Tulsa) and Charlie Weatherbie (15-31 in fifth year at La.-Monroe).

LAST YEAR: Tulsa went 8-5. La.-Monroe went 4-8.

SERIES HISTORY: Tied, 1-1.

LAST MEETING: La-Monroe won, 37-34, in 1999.

STATS THAT MATTER: Something has to give. Golden Hurricane is 1-8 in August-September road games since 2002 while Warhawks are 4-33 vs. non-Sun Belt Conference foes since 1999.

GAME FACTS: After leading Rice to first bowl game in 45 years in his first year as a head coach, Graham returned to Tulsa to succeed Steve Kragthorpe, who left Hurricane to take Louisville job. Graham was Hurricane defensive coordinator under Kragthorpe from 2003-05. Led by LB Nelson Coleman (98 tackles last year), defense (led C-USA in total defense last year, 21st in nation, 296.8 yards per game) will have to carry load as offense returns only four starters. 'Hawks return 10 starters from prolific offense that sparked 3-1 finish last year with only loss 42-40 at Kentucky when ULM rolled up 501 total yards (351 rushing). RB Calvin Dawson led Sun Belt with 1,210 yards rushing (17th in nation) including 11 TDs. ULM was close to breaking through last year, which included five losses by five points or less.

No. 2 LSU (0-0) at MISSISSIPPI STATE (0-0), 8, ESPN.

FAVORITE: LSU by 18.

COACHES: Les Miles (22-4 in second year at LSU) and Sylvester Croom (9-25 in fourth year at Miss. State).

LAST YEAR: LSU went 11-2. Mississippi State went 3-9.

SERIES HISTORY: LSU leads, 64-33-3.

LAST MEETING: LSU won, 48-17, last year.

STAT THAT MATTERS: Since 1992, Tigers are 14-1 vs. Bulldogs including seven straight wins by average score of 42-11.

GAME FACTS: Interesting tuneup for Tigers with much attention focused on senior QB Matt Flynn (12-of-20, 133 passing, 2 TDs, 1 int. in backup duty last year) who finally steps out of departed NFL No. 1 pick JaMarcus Russell's shadow. Wicked defense (third in nation in total defense last year, 242.7 ypg, 6th with 40 sacks) returns seven starters including stud DT Glenn Dorsey. Tigers held MSU to only 73 yards in first half last year as LSU led 35-3 before subs mopped up. A dreary 5-19 in SEC play under Croom, Bulldogs haven't exactly been giant-killers losing eight straight to ranked teams by combined score of 264-71. Hope this year centers on inspired play down stretch in '06 (losses to Georgia, Kentucky and Ole Miss by combined nine points) and improvement of junior QB Michael Henig (40-of-90, 650 passing, 6 TDs, 4 ints. in last 3 starts). DE Titus Brown (7-1/2 sacks last year) is legit, NFL-caliber talent.

FRIDAY:

WASHINGTON (0-0) at SYRACUSE (0-0), 8, ESPN.

FAVORITE: Syracuse by 4.

COACHES: Tyrone Willingham (7-16 in third year at Washington) and Greg Robinson (5-18 in third year at Syracuse).

LAST YEAR: Washington went 5-7. Syracuse went 4-8.

SERIES HISTORY: Tied, 1-1.

LAST MEETING: Syracuse won, 22-20, in 1977.

STAT THAT MATTERS: After going 2-12 on road from 2003-05, Huskies went 2-4 last year including oh-so-close losses at No. 3 USC and No. 11 Cal.

GAME FACTS: Hard to figure this one out as both schools finished last year on 1-6 slides. Huskies played better down the stretch. But with the likes of redshirt freshman QB Jake Locker or erratic senior Carl Bonnell (7 TDs, 11 ints. last year and coming off shoulder surgery)? RB Louis Rankin (666 rushing, 4 TDs last year) has ability to become UW's first 1,000-yard rusher in 10 years. Defense (95th in nation in total defense, 379.7 ypg) actually improved last year after woeful 2005. Orange natives are a bit restless as Robinson's first two years have been uglier than expected (held to 16 points or less in 14 of 18 losses). Sophomore QB Andrew Robinson is hoping to put some zip back into lifeless offense (last in Big East, 110th in nation in total offense, 264 ypg last year). Porous defense (last in Big East, 107th in nation in total defense, 399.3 ypg) must replace all 3 LBs and 2 corners from last year.