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Western North Carolinaís college and universities will open their football seasons this weekend ó except for Brevard College, which got a jump on its neighbors with an opener last Saturday. (See adjoining story for the gameís results.)
Appalachian State University, the two-time defending national Football Champion Subdivison, will visit 1-A powerhouse Michigan at Ann Arbor at noon Saturday.
ASU, which is hoping for a three-peat, finished 14-1. The
Mountaineers, with All-American running back Kevin Richardson, among
the 17 returning starters, are an early favorite to make history.
Meanwhile, Mars Hill College will open its football season at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Augustineís College in Raleigh.
The injury-riddled Lions finished 4-7 last season. MHC football
coach Tim Clifton has said that his teamís staying healthy is the key
to a successful 2007 season.
Finally, Western Carolina University will visit nationally
ranked powerhouse Alabama in Tuscaloosa at 7 p.m. Prognosticators are
predicting that it will be a long night for the Catamounts, who
finished 2-9 last season.
Last yearís WCU squad was the first to go winless (0-7) in the Southern Conference in 30 years of membership.
After opening against the Crimson Tide, WCU will travel to
pernnial FCS power Eastern Kentucky and then tackle nationally ranked
Georgia. The season will end on a tough note, too, as the Catamounts
will host Southern Conference power Furman in Cullowhee and visit
two-time FCS champion ASU in Boone. Overall, WCUís schedule is rated
among the toughest in the country.
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