College Football Opening Night: No. 23 Wake Forest at Baylor

All the waiting. All the excitement. All those preview magazines later, college football is back, folks! Zombie Nation is proud to provide you with only the best Penn State and college football blogging, leading off with tonight's prime-time season opener. A talented Wake Forest team travels to the Lone Star State to take on the Baylor Bears. Can first-year head coach Art Briles lead Baylor to the upset? Or will Wake Forest return home a winner, starting off the season with a victory over one of the worst BCS conference teams? Let's find out.

Only two seasons ago, the Demon Deacons took home an improbable ACC title after defeating Georgia Tech in the championship game. While their season ended with a loss to Louisville in the Orange Bowl, it was an amazing run for Wake. Last year, Jim Grobe led his program to another bowl game, capped with a win over UConn to reach nine wins. This season Wake enters its campaign ranked in the preseason polls for the first time in the program's history. A win over Baylor would definitely keep them there. Look for star-QB Riley Skinner to pick apart the Bears secondary, setting up last season's ACC Rookie of the Year, Josh Adams.

The win won't look impressive on paper, but the Demon Deacon defense will smother the Bears ability to move the ball. Baylor will get on the board, but won't be able to gain enough traction to do any real damage. On defense, Baylor hasn't been able to stop any team in a long time, and that should be no different this season--even though I think former PSU-safties coach Brian Norwood will turn things around soon. But the real killer in this game will be the turnovers. Baylor gave the ball away 30 times in 2007. Wake took the ball away 35 times in 2007. This could get ugly.

Prediction: No. 23 Wake Forest, 27 - Baylor, 6

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But can Kermit coach?

You've seen his face on the sidelines and during pre-game warm ups. But you weren't sure exactly as to what he did. Well, now we know what he will be doing. Following the unexpected departure of former Penn State safeties coach Brian Norwood to head up Baylor's defense, Kermit Buggs has been promoted from Coordinator of Player Personnel. Buggs will inherit arguably some of the best safeties in college football as that unit's coach, effective immediately.

But the question is raised, "sure, but can he coach?"

"Prior to coming to Penn State, Buggs was a successful high school coach, leading Surry County High School in Dendron, Va. to a 34-14 record from 1999-2002. His 1999 squad was 14-0 and won the Division I state championship and Buggs was named the state's Division I Coach of he Year." -- Penn State Sports Information press release.

That record could be deceiving though. Take away that perfect season, and his overall record is 20-14. But don't underestimate his abilities. Going undefeated with any team is an impressive acheivement, especially after a coaching change.

Buggs' abilities should be tested right away, leading his new unit against a Texas A&M offense that put up 38 points in a season finale win over the Longhorns. In the 2007 Outback Bowl win over 9-3 Tennessee, current safeties Anthony Scirrotto and Tony Davis made the two biggest plays of the game. Scirrotto's violent hit on Vol star wide receiver Jaycen Swain, set the tone for Penn State that the mythical "SEC speed" couldn't match the Lions' determination. Tied at 10, Davis broke the game open late when the Vols were moving in for a go-ahead touchdown. He recovered a fumble forced by Sean Lee, returning it 88 yards for the score. Penn State never looked back.

So, Buggs, what do you have up your sleeve for the Aggies?

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Norwood to Baylor?

Why doesn't this seem right to me? Why would he leave now? OK, so the pay would be better, he's a good coach and it could lead to bigger things--if he can do something no one's done at Baylor for a long time, win. Just seems kind of odd that he would leave one year before his son graduates as one of the better receivers in PSU history. We'll see where this goes.

BY BOB FLOUNDERS, The Patriot-News

Penn State assistant coach Brian Norwood has accepted the defensive coordinator position at Baylor, The Patriot-News has learned.

Several sources close to the situation confirmed Norwood's decision.

Norwood, PSU's safeties coach since 2001, recently traveled to Texas to discuss the possibility of joining Art Briles' staff, according to several sources.

Neither Norwood nor Baylor athletic director Ian McCaw returned The Patriot-News' phone calls Thursday.

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