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FACTS & STATS: Site: Carrier Dome (49,550) -- Syracuse, New York. Television: ESPN2. Home Record: Minnesota 0-0, Syracuse 0-0. Away Record: Minnesota 0-0, Syracuse 0-0. Neutral Record: Minnesota 0-0, Syracuse 0-0. Conference Record: Minnesota 0-0, Syracuse 0-0. Series Record: Series is tied, 1-1.

GAME NOTES: The Carrier Dome is the site of the much-anticipated season opener for the Minnesota Golden Gophers of the Big Ten Conference and the Syracuse Orange of the Big East.

Coming off a one-win campaign in 2007, a promising 2008 season went south in a hurry for Minnesota. The team got off to a scorching 7-1 start before losing five games in a row, including three blowouts. Fortunately, there is a wealth of returning talent in place, and the hope for coach Tim Brewster is that another late-season collapse can be avoided.

2008 was yet another in a long line of disappointing seasons for the Orange, who finished 3-9 overall and 1-6 in Big East competition. The only wins came by single digits, so even victory didn't come easily. Following the campaign, Greg Robinson was removed from his position as head coach. Then, eight scholarship players left the team before or during spring practice, so new head coach Doug Marrone doesn't have much to work with as this new campaign begins. Marrone is the first Syracuse alum to be hired to the position of head football coach since 1947, and SU's first-year head coaches have a 20-7 record in their debuts.

Minnesota and Syracuse have split their two previous meetings, the most recent of which took place in 1996.

New Minnesota offensive coordinator Jedd Fisch will ditch the spread offense and revert back to a pro-style look. So expect to see a more run-oriented attack beginning with this opener. Minnesota finished last in the Big Ten in rushing last season -- a once unthinkable stat under former smash-mouth coach Glen Mason. Adam Weber has two years of starting experience under center, but he took a ton of hits last season and faded down the stretch. Freshman quarterback MarQueis Gray could see some reps to give the Orange defense a different look. Running back Duane Bennett looked like a breakout candidate until a torn ACL ended his season in the second week last year. Now fully recovered, the redshirt sophomore is ready to pick up where he left off. All-Big Ten wideout Eric Decker is back after hauling in 84 passes last year to break his own school record.

The Minnesota defense also has a new man calling the shots in Kevin Cosgrove -- the Gophers' third defensive coordinator in as many seasons. Cosgrove doesn't have to completely overhaul a defense that has shown significant improvement over the last two seasons (just two seasons ago, Minnesota ranked dead last in the nation in yards allowed). Rather, he has been asked to breathe new life into a unit that faded at the tail end of last season, culminating in a 55-0 loss to Iowa. Linebacker Lee Campbell, the team's leading tackler in '08, is back and figures to benefit tremendously from Cosgrove, who is known as a linebacking guru. Campbell will play behind run- stuffing defensive tackles Eric Small and Garrett Brown. Three starters return to the defensive backfield, and they'll be joined by Wisconsin transfer Kim Royston.

Marrone surprised many by naming freshman Ryan Nassib his starting quarterback after spring practices concluded, but Greg Paulus arrived on campus this summer and earned the nod. Paulus is no stranger to big-time college athletics, as he was a prominent member of the Duke basketball team for four years. The graduate student was the National Player of the Year as a high school quarterback at Christian Brothers Academy in Syracuse, so the fact that he is now playing for the Orange is a homecoming for the 6-1 signal caller. Expect Paulus to toss the ball to junior Mike Williams (6-2, 204) early and often on Saturday, as he is a legitimate front-line receiver. Williams, who didn't play last season, caught 10 touchdown passes two years ago to go along with 837 yards and 60 total catches. There are three returning starters along the offensive line, and they will be blocking for a talented group of tailbacks. Sophomore Antwon Bailey rushed for 126 yards against Notre Dame in '08 and was listed as the first-string tailback on the preseason depth chart. Junior Delone Carter was impressive in '06, but he missed '07 with an injury and played sparingly a year ago.

The best player on the Syracuse squad is First Team All-Big East performer Arthur Jones, a nose tackle who eats up major space. If he is fully recovered from pectoral surgery, and that is a big if, Syracuse will benefit greatly. Expect fans to watch Jones closely in this opener. The linebacking corps is headlined by juniors Derrell Smith, who will be in charge of the middle of the field against Minnesota. Smith finished second on the team last year with 73 tackles. Still, he is more steady than spectacular, and will need players like Derek Hines (juco transfer) and Doug Hogue (converted RB) to help out. The Orange are fairly strong in the secondary, especially at the safety position. Mike Holmes and Max Suter are different in style, as the former is a ball hawk, while Suter is a big-time hitter. Kevyn Scott and Nico Scott will man the corner positions, and both have room for improvement.

Sports fans will be watching closely to see how Paulus performs under center after four years of basketball at Duke. He does have some talent to work with now that Williams is back at receiver. Although wins may be hard to come by this season, expect the Orange to feed off the energy of the home crowd and edge the Gophers.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Syracuse 27, Minnesota 24