Brutal schedule awaits Notre Dame
Five storylines to follow this season as the college football season approaches:
How good is Notre Dame?
Coach Charlie Weis could be in a bit of bind with only nine starters returning. The September-October schedule is brutal, with road games against Penn State, Michigan and UCLA, and a home date with Southern Cal. The preseason magazines haven't been kind, with most of them burying the Irish in the 30s. Heralded freshman Jimmy Clausen, Demetrius Jones and Evan Sharpley of Marshall, Mich., are competing to take over for Brady Quinn at quarterback.
How will Tide roll with Saban?
Folks in Michigan know Nick Saban is a heck of a coach, but they also know his aggressive style can wear thin in a hurry. Can he work his magic a third time with Alabama? He sure didn't seem all that interested in the Tide at first take. What has to be encouraging for Alabama fans is tact Saban gets nine starters back on offense and a schedule that opens with Western Carolina, Vanderbilt and Arkansas before a showdown against Georgia in Tuscaloosa.
Can anyone stop Southern Cal?
Despite what might prove to be a very difficult schedule, the Trojans have an improved defense and a tested quarterback in John David Booty. So it appears that another national title will be within reach. If this team survives road trips to Nebraska, Notre Dame and Oregon, then it could be smooth sailing.
Who are legitimate Heisman candidates?
Everyone knows about Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, but who else is out there that could challenge him for the award. It will be interesting to see if players like USC's John David Booty, West Virginia's Steve Slaton, Louisville's Brian Brohm, Michigan's Mike Hart and others can generate the kind of attention Darren McFadden is bound to receive.
Hope for the Hokies?
It's been a devastating year for Virginia Tech. And now the Hokies' most famous football-playing alum is in the news almost daily for his alleged ties to dogfighting. Some good news in Blacksburg is long overdue and the football team might deliver it. Virginia Tech returns 16 starters, and if the Hokies can spring an upset on Sept. 8 at LSU, they could be on their way to an uplifting season.
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