GAME NOTES: The 25th-ranked Pittsburgh Panthers enter the 2008 season with high expectations and they will try to get things started on a high note against the Bowling Green Falcons at Heinz Field this Saturday.

The Panthers hired head coach Dave Wannstedt prior to the 2005 season, hoping he could take the program to the next level, but that certainly hasn't happened, yet. In three seasons under Wannstedt, the Panthers have gone just 16-19 and failed to reach a single bowl game. Last year, Pittsburgh staggered to just a 5-7 showing, although it finished the year with a monumental upset of then second-ranked West Virginia, 13-9, on the road. That win, plus the return of several key starters, has fans and Wannstedt excited about the prospects of the upcoming campaign.

"As we get started the enthusiasm and the energy amongst our players and our fans is very evident. I think that's good and that's exciting. From a coaching standpoint, it's excellent to see your players have legitimate enthusiasm."

As for BGSU, it is coming off a rather successful 2008 campaign in which the team doubled its wins from the prior season. After going just 4-8 in 2006, the Falcons have turned things around and went 8-5, including a co-division MAC title in 2007. The team also made an appearance in the GMAC Bowl, although that resulted in a 63-7 beating at the hands of Tulsa. Still, the 2007 season was a successful one for BGSU and sixth-year head coach Gregg Brandon has a plethora of returning starters on each side of the ball to duplicate last season's success.

As far as the all-time series is concerned, Pittsburgh leads BGSU 2-0, winning the most recent encounter 34-16 in 2000.

The Falcons return eight starters from an effective offense last season, with quarterback Tyler Sheehan being the most important piece. In his first season as a starter, Sheehan flourished, throwing for 2,264 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also posted three rushing touchdowns and two receiving, displaying his athleticism.

Sheehan should also benefit from a sound ground attack that features the return of its top three rusher from a year ago. Anthony Turner (519 yards, nine touchdowns), Willie Geter (432 yards) and Chris Bullock (281 yards) were effective runners last season and they each will surely be utilized once again in 2008.

Much like the tailback spot, BGSU returns nearly its entire wide receiver and tight end corps. Freddie Barnes and Corey Partridge are dangerous wide receivers with good speed and they will give opposing corners all sorts of problems. Barnes led the team with 82 catches for 962 yards and nine touchdowns last season, while Partridge posted 46 passes for 453 yards despite missing five games due to injury.

Defensively, the Falcons need to improve from the 32.1 ppg then allowed in 2007 and they should be able to do so thanks to the return of nine starters. Along the line, BGSU returns all four starters and six players with starting experience, including Diyral Briggs. The senior end notched a team-high five sacks and seven TFLs last season and he has shown the ability to dominate this spring.

At linebacker, the Falcons should also be solid and this group is highlighted by senior Erique Dozier, who accumulated a team-best 112 tackles a year ago. Fellow senior, John Haneline is another talented linebacker for the Falcons and he is coming off a 2008 campaign in which he made 96 tackles before missing the final four contests with a foot injury.

In the secondary, BGSU welcomes back all four starters from a unit that limited opposing clubs to 207.8 passing ypg. Safety P.J. Mahone emerged as a big time player and a leader last season and despite not becoming a starter until the midway point, he finished with 90 stops and a team-best seven interceptions.

The Panthers found a special player in LeSean McCoy last season and he is expected to be among the top tailbacks in the nation after a sensational freshman campaign in 2007. In his rookie season, McCoy erupted for 1,328 yards and 14 touchdowns, proving to be more than capable of handling a large volume of carries.

The man under center will be Bill Stull, a junior with big ability and little experience.

"Billy Stull has had an excellent camp," said Wannstedt. "The guy has played smart and made good decisions with the football and throwing the ball accurately. He has showed great leadership skills and he will be the starter on opening day."

Stull has a decent group of wide receivers to work with and he should also receive help from the return of Derek Kinder. The team's most productive wideout in 2006, Kinder missed last season with a torn knee ligament, but appears to be healthy and ready to resume his career at a high level.

Pittsburgh ranked fifth nationally in total defense last season and with seven starters back in the fold, this unit should excel once again. The heart and soul of this unit is linebacker Scott McKillop, who led the nation with a whopping 151 tackles last season. He will get some help from outside backers Shane Murray and Adam Gunn, both of whom started last year.

Along the line, the Panthers figure to be strong with the return of talented players like Mick Williams (29 tackles, eight TFLs, three sacks), Rashaad Duncan (seven TLFs, two sacks) and Greg Romeus (41 tackles, 11.5 TFLs, four sacks).

In the secondary, the Panthers ranked third nationally against the pass, but they must replace half of the starting unit from a year ago. Corner Junior Berry stepped up last season and the shutdown corner figures to break through after notching seven PBUs and two interceptions.

Both teams are experienced and deep and that should make for an interesting opening game. The Falcons are the better passing team, but they will surely struggle against the running game of the Panthers. Expect McCoy to run wild and lift Pittsburgh past a talented BGSU squad this weekend.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Pittsburgh 34, Bowling Green 21