Photo courtesy: OUDaily
No. 14 TCU at Baylor (Friday)
Baylor junior QB Robert Griffin III was a Maxwell semi-finalist last season. The matchup nightmare threw for 3,500 yards and rushed for nearly 700. TCU has two nightmare linebackers themselves in senior Tank Carder and junior Tanner Brock, who combined for 15 tackles in last year's Rose Bowl. Offensively, junior RB and 1,000-yard rusher Ed Wesley will try and give the Frog D some breathing room.
Northwestern at Boston College (Saturday)
Senior QB Dan Persa was the National Offensive Player of the Week last season for leading the Wildcats to an upset win over Iowa. Junior LB Luke Kuechly, the nation's leading tackler and senior CB Donnie Fletcher (five interceptions in 2010) will try to prevent Persa from earning any hardware. When B.C. has the ball, look for the ACC's incumbent leading rusher, senior RB Montel Harris, to try and evade senior DE Vince Browne (15.5 tackles for loss in 2010).
Appalachian State at No. 13 Virginia Tech (Saturday)
When is an FBS-FCS tilt not just a paycheck game? When it involves three-time FCS national champion Appalachian State. Just ask a Michigan fan. Tech has weapons though. Junior RB David Wilson averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season. Defensively, junior CB Jayron Hosley led the country with nine interceptions, while junior LB Bruce Taylor had six sacks and a dozen quarterback hurries in 2010.
No. 4 LSU at No. 3 Oregon (Saturday at Cowboys Stadium)
So much for Opening Weekend being a slate of Big School U vs. Cupcake State. Oregon junior CB Cliff Harris is one of the most dangerous return men in the country, but the big battle will be when the Ducks have the ball. Junior QB Darron Thomas and his classmate, FBS' leading rusher RB LaMichael James, lead an offense that scored 37 points in all but one regular season 2010 game. They face a trio of LSU standouts. Junior LB Ryan Baker led the Bayou Bengals in sacks last season while cornerbacks, junior Morris Claiborne and sophomore Tyrann Mathieu, picked off seven passes and recovered two fumbles.
Tulsa at No. 1 Oklahoma (Saturday)
In 2010, junior QB Landry Jones throwing to senior WR Ryan Broyles was akin to Montana-to-Rice or Unitas-to-Berry. The duo hooked up 131 times, the best in the nation.
No. 5 Boise State at No. 19 Georgia (Saturday at Georgia Dome)
Senior QB and 2010 Maxwell finalist Kellen Moore led the nation in passing efficiency. Bulldog senior CB Brandon Boykin (three picks in 2010) will challenge Moore's nation-best interception rate, but the Bronco can always hand off to senior RB Doug Martin, who ran for a dozen touchdowns last fall, if Boykin blankets his receivers. When Georgia has the ball, sophomore QB Aaron Murray (154.5 passer rating in 2010) improved tremendously down the stretch last season. BSU senior DT Billy Winn, who had 4.5 sacks last year, will try and make Murray regress.
SMU at No. 8 Texas A&M (Sunday)
There are a lot of high expectations in Aggieland, and why shouldn't there be? A&M returns three potent seniors on offense: QB Ryan Tannehill who completed 65% of his 2010 passes, RB Cyrus Gray, who ran for 1,133 yards despite only seven starts, and WR Jeff Fuller, who snagged 72 balls for 1,066 yards. Defensively, senior CB Coryell Judie looks to build on his four interceptions from 2010. But bruising SMU junior RB Zach Line rushed for almost 1,500 yards in 2010, and has the capability of silencing the 12th Man.
Marshall at No. 24 West Virginia (Sunday)
In 2010, WVU junior QB Geno Smith completed 65% of his pass attempts. In 2011, Smith will have the advantage of getting new head coach Dana Holgerson's system completely under his belt. Smith goes up against a nasty defensive end in senior Vinny Curry, the Conference USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The Mountaineer defense counters with its own dandy duo of seniors: CB Keith Tandy, who had six interceptions, while DE Bruce Irvin recorded 14 sacks.
Keep an eye on...
UCLA at Houston (Saturday) - Houston senior QB Case Keenum was a Maxwell semi-finalist in 2009. He got hurt in 2010, but the veteran signal-caller is back after a redshirt season. Senior S Tony Dye, the Bruins' leading tackler in 2010, will be busy trying to make this game Case Closed. Offensively, junior RB Johnathan Franklin will try to build on his 1,100-yard season, the highest rushing total for a Bruin since 1997.
Baylor junior QB Robert Griffin III was a Maxwell semi-finalist last season. The matchup nightmare threw for 3,500 yards and rushed for nearly 700. TCU has two nightmare linebackers themselves in senior Tank Carder and junior Tanner Brock, who combined for 15 tackles in last year's Rose Bowl. Offensively, junior RB and 1,000-yard rusher Ed Wesley will try and give the Frog D some breathing room.
Northwestern at Boston College (Saturday)
Senior QB Dan Persa was the National Offensive Player of the Week last season for leading the Wildcats to an upset win over Iowa. Junior LB Luke Kuechly, the nation's leading tackler and senior CB Donnie Fletcher (five interceptions in 2010) will try to prevent Persa from earning any hardware. When B.C. has the ball, look for the ACC's incumbent leading rusher, senior RB Montel Harris, to try and evade senior DE Vince Browne (15.5 tackles for loss in 2010).
Appalachian State at No. 13 Virginia Tech (Saturday)
When is an FBS-FCS tilt not just a paycheck game? When it involves three-time FCS national champion Appalachian State. Just ask a Michigan fan. Tech has weapons though. Junior RB David Wilson averaged 5.5 yards per carry last season. Defensively, junior CB Jayron Hosley led the country with nine interceptions, while junior LB Bruce Taylor had six sacks and a dozen quarterback hurries in 2010.
No. 4 LSU at No. 3 Oregon (Saturday at Cowboys Stadium)
So much for Opening Weekend being a slate of Big School U vs. Cupcake State. Oregon junior CB Cliff Harris is one of the most dangerous return men in the country, but the big battle will be when the Ducks have the ball. Junior QB Darron Thomas and his classmate, FBS' leading rusher RB LaMichael James, lead an offense that scored 37 points in all but one regular season 2010 game. They face a trio of LSU standouts. Junior LB Ryan Baker led the Bayou Bengals in sacks last season while cornerbacks, junior Morris Claiborne and sophomore Tyrann Mathieu, picked off seven passes and recovered two fumbles.
Tulsa at No. 1 Oklahoma (Saturday)
In 2010, junior QB Landry Jones throwing to senior WR Ryan Broyles was akin to Montana-to-Rice or Unitas-to-Berry. The duo hooked up 131 times, the best in the nation.
No. 5 Boise State at No. 19 Georgia (Saturday at Georgia Dome)
Senior QB and 2010 Maxwell finalist Kellen Moore led the nation in passing efficiency. Bulldog senior CB Brandon Boykin (three picks in 2010) will challenge Moore's nation-best interception rate, but the Bronco can always hand off to senior RB Doug Martin, who ran for a dozen touchdowns last fall, if Boykin blankets his receivers. When Georgia has the ball, sophomore QB Aaron Murray (154.5 passer rating in 2010) improved tremendously down the stretch last season. BSU senior DT Billy Winn, who had 4.5 sacks last year, will try and make Murray regress.
SMU at No. 8 Texas A&M (Sunday)
There are a lot of high expectations in Aggieland, and why shouldn't there be? A&M returns three potent seniors on offense: QB Ryan Tannehill who completed 65% of his 2010 passes, RB Cyrus Gray, who ran for 1,133 yards despite only seven starts, and WR Jeff Fuller, who snagged 72 balls for 1,066 yards. Defensively, senior CB Coryell Judie looks to build on his four interceptions from 2010. But bruising SMU junior RB Zach Line rushed for almost 1,500 yards in 2010, and has the capability of silencing the 12th Man.
Marshall at No. 24 West Virginia (Sunday)
In 2010, WVU junior QB Geno Smith completed 65% of his pass attempts. In 2011, Smith will have the advantage of getting new head coach Dana Holgerson's system completely under his belt. Smith goes up against a nasty defensive end in senior Vinny Curry, the Conference USA preseason Defensive Player of the Year. The Mountaineer defense counters with its own dandy duo of seniors: CB Keith Tandy, who had six interceptions, while DE Bruce Irvin recorded 14 sacks.
Keep an eye on...
UCLA at Houston (Saturday) - Houston senior QB Case Keenum was a Maxwell semi-finalist in 2009. He got hurt in 2010, but the veteran signal-caller is back after a redshirt season. Senior S Tony Dye, the Bruins' leading tackler in 2010, will be busy trying to make this game Case Closed. Offensively, junior RB Johnathan Franklin will try to build on his 1,100-yard season, the highest rushing total for a Bruin since 1997.
Maxwell Award Release
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