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GAME NOTES: The 120th season of football at Nebraska will begin this Saturday evening when the 24th-ranked Cornhuskers host the Florida Atlantic Owls at Memorial Stadium.

FAU is coming off a 2008 campaign in which the team posted a 7-6 ledger. It was the second consecutive winning season for the Owls, who also participated in their second straight bowl matchup, a 24-21 victory over Central Michigan in the Motor City Bowl. Howard Schnellenberger has transformed a fledgling FAU program since its inception and currently has the Owls playing with a great deal of confidence, including back-to-back bowl wins, the first time a Sunbelt Conference program has achieved that.

As for the Huskers, they reeled off nine victories in 2008, and earned a spot in the Gator Bowl where they defeated Clemson, 26-21. It was quite an accomplishment for first-year head coach Bo Pelini. Nebraska is currently 88-26-5 in season openers, and the team owns a nation's best 23-game winning streak in season debuts.

This will be the first-ever meeting between FAU and Nebraska on the gridiron.

The Owls are a passing team, averaging 255.0 ypg through the air in 2008, and with the majority of the squad's key offensive players back, FAU looks to continue its dominance through the air.

Quarterback Rusty Smith has had a great run at FAU and he will look to complete his career on a high note in 2009. The 6-5, 212-pound gunslinger was recently named the Sun Belt's Co-Preseason Offensive Player of the Year after throwing for 3,224 yards and 24 touchdowns in 2008.

Smith and the conference's top passing attack are even more dangerous with the return of all the leading pass catchers from a year ago. Highlighting the group is Cortez Gent, a 6-2, 170-pound speedster that led the team with 60 catches for 935 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

The ground game unfortunately will be a troublesome area this year, as the team does not have a clear cut option in the backfield. There are a few players with quickness and speed, but expect FAU to use a few different options until some consistency is found.

In 2008, the Owls had trouble stopping the run, and rarely put pressure on opposing quarterbacks, ranking near the bottom of the nation in sacks.

Unfortunately only three starters return, so the team will need some of the younger players to step up their efforts. No starters return for the Owls at linebacker and replacing star Frantz Joseph and his 154 tackles will be no easy task. Edward Bradwell is the most experienced player returning in the LB corps, as the 6-1, 200-pound senior made 41 stops as a reserve last season.

In the secondary is where FAU actually returns some experience, as two starters are welcomed back. Ed Alexander should emerge as the star of this group after the 6-1, 172-pound free safety posted 42 tackles and three picks last season. The team's top corner is Tarvoris Hill, a 6-1, 170-pounder that has a decent all-around game and is coming off a 41-tackle campaign.

The Huskers were a well-oiled machine in terms of offense in 2008, abusing opponents with their ground game and passing attack. However, there are not many returning starters from last year, so the offensive unit will likely take a few steps back.

Zac Lee will open the season under center for the Huskers and is ready to go.

"I'm very excited," said Lee. "It's kind of nice that it is on its way. I'm sure this week will go at a very slow pace as the game gets closer. I'm excited for it, I can't wait for it to be here."

The lone receiving target fro 2008 back in the mix is tight end Mike McNeill, who scored six TDs on 32 receptions. Other than McNeill, Lee will have to build relationships with new receivers, but one player that could emerge as a threat is Menelik Holt.

The ground game should be just as devastating with the return of Roy Helu, who churned out 803 yards and seven TDs last year. Helu will need to shoulder more of the workload with Quentin Castille being dismissed from school in late August. Look for talented freshman Rex Burkhead to get some touches now that Castille is no longer in the picture.

The Huskers did a terrific job against the run in 2008, and with Ndamukong Suh back on the front line, the Huskers should once again be tough against the ground attack. Suh is the senior leader on this team and is one of the best tackles in the nation.

"I'm glad the season is finally here and real close. I am ready," said Suh. "I've always been eager to get back into game situations and get into game week preparations, I enjoy it."

Suh, who led the Huskers with 7.5 sacks in 2008, and 11.5 TFLs, will be joined by Pierre Allen, who racked up five sacks in '08. Nebraska's troubles came against the pass last year, but with all four starters back in the secondary, including safety Larry Asante, the Huskers are prepared to improve drastically in that area. Asante knows that for Nebraska to gain more respect the defensive backfield must take the necessary steps needed to make this team a powerhouse.

"At times last year there was a lot of inconsistency on the back end," said Asante. "That all went with understanding that aspect of the defense, which at times we didn't have last year. That is something we constantly work on in the offseason to get corrected."

The Owls have a prolific passing attack, and even though that is a weakness for Nebraska's defense, do not expect FAU to come into Lincoln and walk out with a victory. Bottom line is the Huskers are too strong for the Owls on both sides of the football and will prove it Saturday.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Nebraska 38, Florida Atlantic 21