Iowa opens '09 season today vs. UNI; while other teams square off in season opener

Let's face facts, when FBS programs open the season with FCS programs, FBS teams usually win. Of course, defense, turnovers and special teams typically play the biggest roles in season openers. Teams typically improve the most between game 1 and game 2 of the season.

Iowa has big questions at running back with the departure of Shonn Greene to the NFL and the injury of Jewel Hampton for the '09 season. Next man in: Paki O'Meara from Cedar Rapids Washington. The former all-state football player in high school is now #1 on the Iowa depth chart.

Look for Iowa to win today: Iowa 40, UNI 11

In other games today: (our picks or favorites in bold)

• Akron at Penn State, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Appalachian State at East Carolina, 11:00 a.m., MASN / WITN (cable)
• Kentucky vs. Miami Ohio (Cincinnati), 11:00 a.m., ESPNU (HD)
• Liberty at West Virginia, 11:00 a.m., SNY / ALT / ESPN-GP / ERTV (cable)
• Minnesota at Syracuse, 11:00 a.m., ESPN2 (HD)
• Montana State at Michigan State, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Navy at Ohio State, 11:00 a.m., ESPN (HD)
• Northern Iowa at Iowa, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Toledo at Purdue, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Towson at Northwestern, 11:00 a.m., BTN (HD)
• Western Kentucky at Tennessee, 11:21 a.m., ESPN-GP (no blackouts?) / SEC Network *4 (HD),
• Portland State at Oregon State, 1:30 p.m., FSNW (HD) / FCS Pacific (cable)
• Baylor at Wake Forest, 2:30 p.m., ABC *1 / ESPN-GP *2
• Georgia at Oklahoma State, 2:30 p.m., (ABC *1 or ESPN2 *7) (HD?) / ESPN-GP *2
• Illinois vs. Missouri (St. Louis), 2:30 p.m., ESPN (HD)
• Jackson State at Mississippi State, 2:30 p.m., ESPNU (HD)
• Nevada at Notre Dame, 2:30 p.m., NBC (HD),
• San Jose State at USC, 2:30 p.m., FSN (HD) / FCS Atlantic (cable)
• Western Michigan at Michigan, 2:30 p.m., (ESPN2 *7 or ABC *1) (HD)
• Stanford at Washington State, 5:00 p.m., FSNW (HD) / FCS Pacific (cable)
• BYU vs. Oklahoma (Arlington), 6:00 p.m., ESPN (HD)
• Charleston Southern at Florida, 6:00 p.m., (FSS / FSSW / SUN) (HD) *6 / ESPN-GP *2
• Florida Atlantic at Nebraska, 6:00 p.m., FSN PPV
• Louisiana-Monroe at Texas, 6:00 p.m., FSN PPV
• Louisiana Tech at Auburn, 6:00 p.m., ESPNU (HD)
• Missouri State at Arkansas, 6:00 p.m., ESPN-GP *2 / PPV (AR & MO cable)
• Northern Colorado at Kansas, 6:00 p.m., FCS Central (cable) / DirecTV - 617
• Northern Illinois at Wisconsin, 6:00 p.m., BTN (HD)
• Wofford at South Florida, 6:00 p.m., SNY / ESPN-GP *2 / BHSN (cable)
• Indiana State at Louisville, 6:30 p.m., ESPN-GP / (WHAS) (cable)
• San Diego State at UCLA, 6:30 p.m., FSW (HD) / FCS Atlantic (cable)
• Western Carolina at Vanderbilt, 6:30 p.m., ESPN-GP (no blackout?) / CSN (B/C/E) / CSS
• Alabama vs. Virginia Tech (Atlanta), 7:00 p.m., ABC (HD)
• Idaho at New Mexico State, 7:00 p.m., ALT / ESPN-GP / Aggie Vision / GVN
• Buffalo at UTEP, 8:00 p.m., CBSC (HD)
• Idaho State at Arizona State, 9:00 p.m., FSAZ (HD) / FCS Pacific (cable)
• Maryland at California, 9:00 p.m.,ESPN2 (HD)
• LSU at Washington, 9:30 p.m., ESPN (HD)
• Alcorn State at Southern Miss, 6:00 p.m.
• Army at Eastern Michigan, 6:00 p.m.
• Central Michigan at Arizona, 9:00 p.m.
• Connecticut at Ohio, 6:00 p.m., ESPN 360
• Jacksonville State at Georgia Tech, 12:00 p.m., ESPN 360
• Middle Tennessee at Clemson, 5:00 p.m., ESPN 360
• Mississippi Valley State at Arkansas State, 6:00 p.m.
• New Mexico at Texas A&M, 6:00 p.m.
• Nicholls State at Air Force, 1:00 p.m.
• North Dakota at Texas Tech, 6:00 p.m.
• Northeastern at Boston College, 1:00 p.m. ESPN 360
• Northwestern State at Houston, 6:00 p.m.
• Rice at UAB, 3:00 p.m., CSS
• Richmond at Duke, 6:00 p.m.
• Sacramento State at UNLV, 9:00 p.m.
• Samford at Central Florida, 5:00 p.m., BHSN
• Southern at Louisiana-Lafayette, 6:00 p.m.,
• Southern Illinois at Marshall, 3:30 p.m.
• Stephen F. Austin at SMU, 7:00 p.m.,TWC Metro Sports
• The Citadel at North Carolina, 5:00 p.m., ESPN 360
• UC Davis at Fresno State, 9:00 p.m.
• UMass at Kansas State, 6:00 p.m.
• Weber State at Wyoming, 2:00 p.m.
• William and Mary at Virginia, 5:00 p.m., ESPN 360
• Youngstown State at Pittsburgh, 12:00 p.m.
  

Not many Top 25 match ups to kick off the '09 season. Three huge games open the season with Georgia @ Oklahoma State, Alabama vs. Virgina Tech and BYU vs. Oklahoma. It should be an outstanding '09 season.

Look for parity in the Big Ten Conference with a good chance that several teams: Ohio State, Penn State, Illinois and Iowa all in the mix for the top honors. Michigan and Michigan State should be an interesting battle in '09. Northwestern and Wisconsin look to move up or in the Wildcats situation, relevant in the bowl mix. Minnesota launches a new era with their new outdoor stadium, while a new coach brings Hope to Purdue and IU tries to stay out of the cellar.

peace