A rundown of today's Top 25 and local college football games.
View full sizeAkron coach Rob Ianello makes his debut tonight with the Zips.Today's Top 25 games
No. 1 Alabama vs. San Jose State, 7 p.m.
No. 5 Texas at Rice, 3:30 p.m., ESPN
No. 6 TCU vs. Oregon State at Arlington, Texas, 7:45 p.m., ESPN
No. 7 Oklahoma vs. Utah State, 7 p.m.
No. 8 Nebraska vs. Western Kentucky, 7 p.m.
No. 11 Oregon vs. New Mexico, 3:30 p.m.
No. 16 Georgia Tech vs. South Carolina State, 1 p.m.
No. 17 Arkansas vs. Tennessee Tech, 7 p.m.
No. 18 North Carolina vs. No. 21 LSU at Atlanta, 8 p.m., WEWS Channel 5
No. 20 Florida State vs. Samford, noon, ESPNU
No. 22 Auburn vs. Arkansas State, 7 p.m.
No. 23 Georgia vs. Louisiana-Lafayette, 12:20 p.m.
No. 25 W. Virginia vs. Coastal Carolina, 3:30 p.m.
MONDAY
No. 3 Boise State vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech at Landover, Md., 8 p.m.
Today's Big Ten games
No. 9 Iowa vs. Eastern Illinois, noon, Big Ten Network: Iowa hopes to avoid a repeat of last season's opener, when it needed blocked field-goal attempts on the final two plays of the game to hold off Northern Iowa. Hawkeyes QB and Lake Catholic grad Ricky Stanzi (2,417 yards and 17 TDs last season) is looking for a breakout season.
No. 12 Wisconsin at UNLV, 11 p.m., Versus: The Badgers look to extend their nonconference regular-season winning streak to 25.
No. 19 Penn State vs. Youngstown State, noon, BTN: YSU, from the Football Championship Subdivision (formerly I-AA), hasn't won a road opener since 1993. Also, YSU hasn't scored a TD against a Football Bowl Subdivision school since a game against Kent State in 2003.
Illinois vs. Missouri at St. Louis, 12:30 p.m., Fox Sports Ohio: This is the sixth and final time these teams will meet in St. Louis, which is probably good for Illinois. Mizzou has won the past five games.
Michigan vs. Connecticut, 3:30 p.m., WEWS Channel 5: Today is the rededication game for renovated Michigan Stadium, now the nation's largest stadium with a capacity of 109,901. Wolverines hope it means a rebirth under Rich Rodriguez, who has been 5-7 and 3-9 in his first two seasons.
Michigan State vs. Western Michigan, noon, ESPN2: MSU returns 15 starters, including All-American and 2009 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Greg Jones at linebacker.
Northwestern at Vanderbilt, 7:30 p.m.: NU returns eight of 16 starters on the offensive side of the ball, but will be breaking in a new starting QB in Dan Persa.
Purdue at Notre Dame, 3:30 p.m., WKYC Channel 3: The Brian Kelly era begins for Notre Dame. New QBs for both teams: Purdue's Robert Marve, a transfer from Miami (Fla.); and Dayne Crist for the Irish. Crist struggled with a knee injury last season, and, Kelly said, "will see his first tackle and first hit against Purdue."
Today's MAC games
Akron vs. Syracuse, 6 p.m.: Akron debuts under first-year coach Rob Ianello. Look for freshman FB Austin Bailey to be an integral part of the offense, running and receiving.
Bowling Green at Troy, 7 p.m.: BG is rebuilding after a 7-6 season in 2009. Only eight starters return.
Eastern Michigan vs. Army, 7 p.m.: Eagles return 44 letter winners and 12 starters from an 0-12 team. EMU DB Marty Cardwell ranked second on last season's team with 105 tackles.
Miami (Ohio) at No. 4 Florida, noon, ESPN: RedHawks have 20 starters back from last year's 1-11 team. Gators turn to QB Josh Brantley after departure of All-American Tim Tebow.
Ohio vs. Wofford, 7 p.m.: OU, the defending MAC East Division champion, will use up to three quarterbacks to keep Wofford guessing.
Today's NAIA, Division III games
NAIA
Notre Dame College at Lindsey Wilson (Ky.)
Kickoff: 2:30 p.m., Blue Raider Stadium, Columbia, Ky.
Radio: WKNR2 AM/1540.
Notable: Notre Dame (0-1) and Lindsey Wilson (0-0) are two of 93 football programs in the NAIA. NDC, located in South Euclid, lost to Mercyhurst in its opener last week at Brush High. NDC is playing its first year of varsity football and has applied for membership in NCAA Division II, a process that will take a few years. The Falcons are playing a mix of NAIA and Division II competition this season.
DIVISION III
Case Western Reserve vs. John Carroll
Kickoff: 7 p.m., Case Field.
TV: SportsTime Ohio (tape delay, 3 p.m. Monday.
Notable: The Spartans enter the contest with a 31-game regular season winning streak and have won three consecutive University Athletic Association championships. Case was 10-1 last season ago and qualified for the NCAA Division III Playoffs for a third consecutive season. Spartan head coach Greg Debeljak (44-20 in six seasons) is a 1988 John Carroll graduate and served on JCU head coach Regis Scafe's staff for 12 years. Scafe is a 1971 graduate of Case and was the Spartans' head coach for four seasons. For the first time in four years, Case has a new face under center. Senior Joey Baum will look to follow in the footsteps of graduated All-American Dan Whalen (Willoughby South).
Hiram vs. Westminster (Pa.)
Kickoff: 1 p.m., Charles A. Henry Field, Hiram.
Notable: This nonconference game is both teams' opener. Westminster returns 12 starters from last season's team that went 4-6. Hiram returns 15 starters from last season's 0-10 team. Sophomore QB Brendan Rehor is back after throwing for 991 yards, five touchdowns, and 15 interceptions as a freshman last year.
Oberlin at Kenyon
Kickoff: 2 p.m., McBride Field, Gambier, Ohio.
Radio: WOBL AM/1320.
Notable: Game marks the 81st meeting between the schools, dating back to 1892, Oberlin's second year as a program. The Yeomen, under coach John W. Heisman (yes, that Heisman), defeated the Lords, 38-0. The Yeomen come into the 2010 season with a new-look backfield, including freshman Moses Richardson.
-- From staff and wire reports