Week 1 Watchlist

Can Clemson Block Anyone?

The Tigers have three possible Heisman candidates in their backfield in quarterback Cullen Harper and the nation's best running back duo of James Davis and C.J. Spiller. But for the No. 9 Tigers, extracting results out of the trio might be like trying to play a CD on a turntable, unless they get a better than expected performance from a rebuilt offensive line. Clemson is breaking in four new starters in the trenches, including Harper's entire blind side. Both all-ACC performers Chris McDuffie and Barry Richardson are gone from last year's unit. Keep an eye on Jamarcus Grant, the Tigers' starting left guard, who played just 86 snaps in two years and who has in the past apparently taken conditioning hints from Dom DeLuise. The Tigers backfield has plenty of flash, but against Alabama, they'll need to prove they have the spark up front to light it.

Another New Quarterback for Wisconsin

Generally speaking, having an excellent quarterback at Wisconsin is a little like having a top-of-the-line sound system in a bulldozer. It's a nice feature, but you can probably get by without it. As long as there's someone to take the plays, hand the ball off to the tailback, and an offensive line the weight of a Hummer to push toward the end zone, then the Badgers are set. But with Ohio State expected to compete in another national title game, the difference between the No. 2 slot in the Big Ten and a Rose Bowl berth and a non-BCS bowl could be the big play threat of quarterback Allan Evridge. A pocket passer with little mobility, Evridge spent most of last season in mop-up duty behind Tyler Donovan after transferring from Kansas State. Evridge did set a freshman record at Kansas State, throwing for 1,365 yards in seven games. Should all else fail, Evridge may remember that the handoff isn't just an option at Wisconsin, it's a way of life.

To call the Longhorns' secondary woes "Texas-sized" last year is only fair if the Lone Star state also annexed Canada over the summer. Last year's pass defense collapse was a 'New Coke' level of disaster in Austin. The Longhorns finished 109^th in the nation in pass defense, while giving in school records in both yards and touchdowns. Last year's co-defensive coordinators have been relieved of duty (Larry Mac Duff resigned while Duane Akina returned to coaching the secondary), leaving the defensive mess in the hands of ex-Auburn defensive coordinator Will Muschamp. The depth chart at safety is composed entirely of freshmen, which coach Mack Brown has called a "real concern" (and which we'd call a "real understatement"). At least there won't be much waiting for Texas fans. The Longhorns should find out Saturday exactly how much talent they have when Florida Atlantic's highly-touted passing game arrives in Austin.

The helmets will still look the same and the big block M isn't going anywhere, but Michigan, a stodgy college football icon with a playbook about as hip as your grandfather's record collection, is due for a makeover. But exactly how the team will look Saturday is anyone's guess. Rich Rodriguez hasn't announced a starting quarterback, expects to play half a dozen receivers, four tailbacks and rotate the offensive line. It would almost be shocking at this point for Rodriguez to confirm they'll be wearing maize and blue. What is certain is that with the Wolverines' current personnel, turning this team into last year's West Virginia squad would be like building a Maserati out of Legos.

How many returning players in Blacksburg caught at least 10 passes last season? Let's just say it's barely enough to fill a presidential ticket. The Hokies lost their five top receivers from last year's squad, graduating four and dismissing tailback Branden Ore in the offseason. Only tight ends Sam Wheeler, who's fighting his way back from knee injury, and Greg Boone, broke the double-digit mark last year, and the duo only combined for 26 catches. The Hokies took another hit when big-play threat Brandon Dillard ruptured his Achilles, ending his season before it started. Wheeler is on the preseason Mackey Award top list, given to the nation's tight ends, while Virginia Tech coaches are even higher on Boone's ceiling. With East Carolina in the opener Saturday, someone better snap last year's high water mark for season touchdowns, a number loftily set by Wheeler at one.

And more importantly, is he good enough to make Southern Cal's offense enough of a threat so that the Trojans' heat-seeking defense can carry USC to another national title? A kneecap injury in the preseason turned the focus to Sanchez's health, but the junior still has to prove he can turn last year's 50^th-ranked passing offense into a credible attack. He'll have to do it without tight end Fred Davis, who's now collecting his paychecks on Sundays, and with the same disappointing group of receivers as last year. But Sanchez does catch at least one break. The Cavaliers' bookend sack duo of Chris Long and Jeffrey Fitzgerald are both gone, meaning that getting the ball downfield may be something akin to target practice ... or playing Notre Dame.

When you prefer to dress like a steel-belted highlighter, you better have a swagger about you. That, at least, Blount has in spades. Last year's top-ranked junior college running back, who said he picked Oregon in part because of the uniforms (Those classic yellow, green, black, another shade of yellow, silver, white, a third shade of yellow and sometimes flames combination produced in the Nike labs), has already become the Pac-10's most talked-up newcomer. He'll have an excellent chance to show his stuff Saturday against Washington, a team that finished 89^th in the nation in rush defense last year and gave up 251 yards to Jonathan Stewart when these two teams last met.

Watching Eric Berry swirl around a hopeless receiver is like watching Michael Phelps swim against your cat. The Vols' sophomore strong safety is an athletic outlier and may already be the best defensive back in the SEC. But in 2008, Tennessee coaches hope to put the ball in his hands on the offensive side of the line. Given the national stage of Monday's game against UCLA and the Bruins' misadventures at quarterback (they'll be starting their third-stringer against Berry and crew), there's no time like the present.

It's easy to get distracted by Heisman candidate Chase Daniel and the made-for-Sportscenter Jeremy Maclin, but if the Tigers are headed to a BCS bowl this season, it's their defense that needs attention. Last year, the Tigers were 59^th in overall defense and allowed teams to complete 62 percent of their passes, despite excellent seasons from safeties William Moore and Pig Brown. The Tigers will again get an early test from Illinois. Missouri gave up 490 yards to the Illini in last year's season opener and needed a goal-line interception to end the game. Whether they'll be good enough to make a BCS bowl or simply good enough to pester Oklahoma should be clear fairly quickly.

If ever there was a coach in touch with all possible meanings of the phrase "keeping it under your hat," that man would be Les Miles. And thus far, his decision as to which quarterback will start Saturday is tucked firmly under his famous lid. The options are sophomore Andrew Hatch, last year's third-string quarterback who previously played on Harvard's JV team, and Jarrett Lee. Hatch is the more mobile threat (and probably the team's go-to player should a game of Trivial Pursuit ever erupt on the field), while the freshman Lee is a more polished pocket passer. But whichever player is picked to start, they're at least guaranteed to be less familiar with the inside of central booking than expected LSU starter Ryan Perrilloux, who was booted off the team in the offseason.