www.roanoke.com

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

MIAMI AT FLORIDA STATE

8 p.m. Monday | ESPN

Storyline: Archrivals FSU and Miami get an early chance to show they are ACC contenders.

"We both have been to the top of the mountain. ... Then we hit the bottom," FSU coach Bobby Bowden said. "I think we both are climbing back to the top now. We're probably close to getting there."

The No. 18 Seminoles return just five starters on defense.

"There's some days [in scrimmages] that the offense has dominated them. Makes you wonder," Bowden said. "Our biggest question marks are on defense."

Miami returns eight starters on each side of the ball.

"We're still a young football team, but all those young guys that we played last year ... have gotten a lot of experience, ... which will [be] vital in this game," Miami coach Randy Shannon said.

Florida State won last year's duel 41-39.

"You've got to be able to stop the run," Shannon said. "Last year we weren't able to do that at certain times in the game."

SOUTH CAROLINA AT N.C. STATE

7 p.m. today | ESPN

Storyline: Steve Spurrier's Gamecocks are coming off a 7-6 season. They appear to be in for another mediocre year.

"Coach Spurrier said on his radio show ... it's the most talented team he's had since he's been there, so maybe what everybody's been saying isn't right," State coach Tom O'Brien said.

State opened last year with a 34-0 loss to the Gamecocks.

"The problem last year wasn't our defense; it was the offense," O'Brien said. "We wore down in the fourth quarter against them. Certainly we'll find out [tonight] if we're 34 points better than we were last year."

MARYLAND AT CALIFORNIA

10 p.m. Saturday | ESPN2

Storyline: The Terrapins beat Cal last year but will likely have a tough time containing Jahvid Best, one of the nation's best running backs.

"He's very explosive," Maryland coach Ralph Friedgen said. "We've got our work cut out for us."

The Terrapins' adjustment to new defensive coordinator Don Brown's scheme is "still a work in progress," Friedgen said.

Friedgen said 28 players on his two-deep chart for No. 12 Cal have never played in a college game.

RICHMOND AT DUKE

7 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: It would not be a shock if the defending I-AA champs knocked off Duke. But the Spiders might not be quite as good this year without running back Josh Vaughan and defensive stars Lawrence Sidbury and Sherman Logan.

QB Eric Ward is one of 16 UR starters back.

"I don't know how we could take anybody lightly at Duke," Blue Devils coach David Cutcliffe said. "Richmond is really good up front on both sides of the ball."

BAYLOR AT WAKE FOREST

3:30 p.m. Saturday | WSET

Storyline: Wake squashed Baylor 41-13 last year. Baylor returns nine offensive starters, while Wake returns just four defensive starters.

"We're playing a much better Baylor team," Wake coach Jim Grobe said. "We do have a young defense. ... This year we're going to need more help from the offense.

"We like the work ethic of this defense, ... but we really won't know much about their ability to win games for us until we get out there Saturday."

MIDDLE TENNESSEE AT CLEMSON

6 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: The Blue Raiders did knock off Maryland last year, but they are expected to be one of the nation's lesser lights this season.

NORTHEASTERN AT BC

2 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: Boston College shouldn't have any problem beating its I-AA foe. But coach Frank Spaziani is still deciding on a starting quarterback.

Former minor-league baseball player David Shinskie is nursing a rib injury but has returned to practice. The other QB contenders are fellow freshmen Michael Marscovetra and Justin Tuggle.

"We'll probably be playing two quarterbacks," Spaziani said. "No one's separated themselves."

Spaziani has "major concerns" at linebacker, where he lost Mark Herzlich to cancer and Mike McLaughlin to injury.

THE CITADEL AT UNC

6 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: North Carolina should have no trouble with its I-AA opponent.

JACKSONVILLE ST. AT GA. TECH

1 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: The I-AA Gamecocks suspended ex-LSU QB Ryan Perrilloux for this game.

ROBERT MORRIS AT VMI

1:30 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: Former New York Jets coach Joe Walton coaches the Colonials, who fund just 28 scholarships to VMI's 60.

The ground-oriented Keydets will again use both Tim Maypray and Kyle Hughes at QB. Neither one completed more than 47 percent of his passes last year, when VMI averaged 77.5 yards passing.

"I hope we throw it better," VMI coach Sparky Woods said. "We've worked hard at it. We're still a real triple-option football team, ... we're not going to turn into BYU, but we need to throw the ball better."

Center James Boatright (shoulder) will miss the game.

FERRUM AT EMORY & HENRY

1 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: The Panthers will be without some players because of injuries in the opener, including DE Zack Leonard (Patrick Henry) and LB Jamar Moseley.

"We're going to be playing with some kids we normally wouldn't be playing with, so I really don't know what to expect," Ferrum coach Dave Davis said.

The Wasps won last year's duel 26-21, but they have a new starting quarterback.

FRANKLIN & MARSHALL AT W&L

1 p.m. Saturday

Storyline: W&L coach Frank Miriello is concerned about his defensive front seven.

"How [physically] strong is our DL and how good are our linebackers? That's the question," he said.

Martinsville graduate John Fitzgibbons, who started at center last year, will start at offensive tackle this season.

The Generals lost last year's meeting 24-0.