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College football capsules

Submitted by SHNS on Wed, 08/27/2008 - 16:30

Capsule previews for this week's season-opening college football games. All times Eastern and all rankings Associated Press.THURSDAY:N.C. STATE (0-0) at SOUTH CAROLINA (0-0), 8 p.m., ESPN.FAVORITE: South Carolina by 11.COACHES: Tom O'Brien (5-7 in second year at North Carolina State) and Steve Spurrier (21-16 in fourth year at South Carolina).LAST YEAR: N.C. State went 5-7. South Carolina went 6-6.SERIES HISTORY: N.C. State leads, 26-25-4.LAST MEETING: N.C. State won, 10-0, in 1999.STAT THAT MATTERS: Spurrier has guided South Carolina, the Washington Redskins and Florida to a combined 17 straight season-opening wins. The last time he lost an opener, the Gamecocks he now coaches beat his Duke team, 27-21, in 1989.GAME FACTS: This could be a nice win to have in December when bowl bids come down. Teams went in opposite directions last year with Wolfpack rebounding from 1-5 start with 4-2 finish while Gamecocks 6-1 start got them to No. 6 in nation before a crushing five-game losing streak to end season. O'Brien needs better play at QB (State had 14 TD passes, 22 ints. last year). So he's going with untested, 5-11 freshman Russell Wilson with last year's starter Daniel Evans as the backup. Turnover woes (last in ACC, 116th in nation in TO ratio, 16 gained, 23 given up) must be eliminated. RBs Jamelle Eugene (667 yards rushing, 6 TDs last year), Toney Brown have talent. Spurrier has the usual drama surrounding his QB situation, junior Tommy Beecher (23 passes thrown last season) will get start but freshman Steven Garcia, who is battling sprained ankle, and sophomore Chris Smelley ( 9 TDs, 7 ints. last year) both are lurking if Beecher struggles. WR Kenny McKinley led SEC with 77 catches (9 for TDs). More important question is what new def. coordinator Ellis Johnson does about awful '07 run defense (last in SEC, 110th in nation vs. run, 209.3 ypg, 19 TD runs), which could have problems with big State line. There is talent to work with in DE Eric Norwood (second in SEC with 19-1/2 tackles for loss), LB Casper Brinkley, CB Captain Munnerlyn (3 ints.).No. 23 WAKE FOREST (0-0) at BAYLOR (0-0), 8, Fox Sports Net.FAVORITE: Wake Forest by 12.COACHES: Jim Grobe (46-39 in 8th year at Wake) and Art Briles (first year at Baylor)LAST YEAR: Wake went 9-4. Baylor went 3-9.SERIES HISTORY: Baylor leads, 4-0.LAST MEETING: Baylor won, 31-0, in 1961.STAT THAT MATTERS: Demon Deacons' 20 victories over last two seasons is most Wake has ever done (by six games) in two-year span in program's 106-year history.GAME FACTS: A showcase for Grobe, who does more with less than any coach in nation. An impressive 10-5 away from home last two seasons, gritty Deacs return 15 starters and are masters at forcing mistakes (led ACC, fourth in nation with 35 turnovers forced last year). Senior CB Alphonso Smith (led nation with 8 ints.) has NFL future. Junior QB Riley Skinner rarely makes mistakes (18 ints. in 586 career passes). K-P Sam Swank (18-of-21 on FGs, 39.6 ypp) gives Wake big edge in kicking game. After guiding Houston to three straight bowls including 18-9 record last two seasons, Briles takes over after Guy Morriss was bounced with dismal 21-40 mark last five seasons. Baylor returns 17 starters, but that may not be good news considering Bears bring 8-game losing streak in as they were outscored 372-108 to end last season. Freshman QB Robert Griffin may get first crack at Briles' high-powered, no-huddle attack, though junior Blake Szymanski (2,844 passing, 22 TDs, 18 ints. last year) or senior Kirby Freeman could also play. WRs Thomas White, Brad Taylor (combined 69 catches, 10 TDs last year) could flourish in Briles' system. Defense had only one sack in last four games as Kansas State, Texas Tech, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State rolled up 1,300 yards passing in hammering Baylor by combined score of 186-55. Ouch.OREGON STATE (0-0) at STANFORD (0-0), 9, ESPN2.FAVORITE: Oregon State by 3-1/2.COACHES: Mike Riley (47-38 in 8th year at Oregon State) and Jim Harbaugh (4-8 in second year at Stanford).LAST YEAR: Oregon State went 9-4. Stanford went 4-8..SERIES HISTORY: Stanford leads, 47-24-3.LAST MEETING: Oregon State won, 23-6, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: Since 2000, Beavers are 6-1 vs. Cardinal outscoring Stanford by combined 206-82.GAME FACTS: Considering they've won four straight bowls since 2003 and are combined 19-8 last two years including wins over USC, Hawaii, Oregon and Cal, Beavers still don't get much national respect. With star RB Yvenson Bernard gone to NFL, more of offensive burden will fall on QBs Sean Canfield, Lyle Moevao (combined 11 TDs, 21 ints. last year). Return of star WR Sammie Stroughter, who missed most of last year with injuries and personal problems, will help though offensive line remains question mark. Defensively, Riley likes to turn up pressure with DEs Victor Butler, Slade Norris (combined 19-1/2 sacks last year). That certainly worked in last year's win over Cardinal as OSU rolled up five sacks while also forcing four turnovers and holding Stanford to -minus 8 yards rushing. Harbaugh has to hope pass protection has improved (ninth in Pac-10, 116th in nation last year with 48 sacks allowed, 39 coming in the 8 losses). When given time, sophomore QB Tavita Pritchard (1,114 passing, 5 TDs, 9 ints. last year) showed potential, including game-winning TD pass in final minute to stun No. 1 USC, 24-23. LB Clinton Snyder (8 sacks, 4 forced fumbles), S Bo McNally (114 tackles, 2 ints.) are stars of defense that returns eight starters and can also turn up pressure (5th in nation with 100 tackles for loss).FRIDAY:SMU (0-0) at RICE (0-0), 8, ESPN.FAVORITE: Rice by 3.COACHES: June Jones (first year at SMU) and David Bailiff (3-9 in second year at Rice).LAST YEAR: SMU went 1-11. Rice went 3-9.SERIES HISTORY: SMU leads, 45-39-1.LAST MEETING: Rice won, 43-42, last year.STAT THAT MATTERS: Since 1989, Owls are 15-4 vs. Mustangs including 8 straight wins in Houston.GAME FACTS: After leading Hawaii to unbeaten regular season and Sugar Bowl last year, passing guru Jones took Mustangs' cash, inking five-year, $10-million deal last January, more than doubling his annual salary. He inherits woebegone bunch that has only one winning season since returning from so-called NCAA "death penalty'' in 1989. Then again, Jones inherited an 0-12 Hawaii team in 1998 and had them at 8-4 and in a bowl the following season. He has capable QB-WR combo in Justin Willis (242-of-414, 2,944 passing, 25 TDs, 18 ints, 3 TD runs last year) Emmanuel Sanders (74 catches, 9 TDs). But offensive line is undersized while defense just plain terrible (116th in nation in total defense, 498.7 ypg, 117th in scoring, 39.7 ppg). Owls won thriller last year rallying from 15-point deficit in fourth quarter to win on K Clark Fangmeier's FG as time expired. QB Chase Clement was superb, hitting 32-of-55 for 364 yards, 2 TDs and also running for 124 yards and two more scores. Games like that helped Clement finish sixth in nation with 3,912 yards total offense. Unfortunately, Clement can't play defense, too as Owls were spooked to tune of almost 43 points and 511 yards per game (both figures next-to-last in nation). Last one with ball may win again.(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)