College football season returns for Labor Day weekend

For the college football fan who can never get enough, this weekend is for you.\nWith the NFL season a week away, college football has practically taken over Labor Day weekend. Games begin Thursday night and continue through Monday night.\nTop-ranked Southern California and No. 23 Oregon are the only Top-25 teams not in action. The one drawback: It's a quantity over quality situation.\nThere are few juicy matchups among the top teams. The third meeting between Miami and Florida State in less than a year Monday night is the only game involving two ranked teams.\nMost of the top teams will ease into their seasons by hosting nonconference patsies -- though don't try suggesting that to the coaches expected to ring up an easy W.\n"We're playing a very, very formidable opponent," said Florida coach Ron Zook, whose No. 11 Gators open against Middle Tennessee, "a team that is used to being in these type of situations. Hopefully, our football team is prepared and ready to play."\nSome of the other glaring mismatches include: No. 3 Georgia against Division I-AA Georgia Southern; No. 12 Kansas State taking on I-AA Western Kentucky; No. 17 Auburn against Louisiana-Monroe; and No. 18 Missouri vs. Arkansas State.\nNo. 20 Utah opens at home Thursday night against Texas A&M, while Mike Price is making his debut as UTEP coach against Arizona State.\nFriday night is light, with Washington State at New Mexico the only game.\nAfter a full load Saturday, Sunday's slate is highlighted by Syracuse at No. 24 Purdue in the afternoon and No. 14 Tennessee hosting UNLV at night. Both games will be televised nationally.\n"My opinion is it would be awfully nice to play at 1 o'clock every Saturday, but I think we also understand what drives this thing," Syracuse coach Paul Pasqualoni said. "To have that kind of exposure, there's some advantages to that, so there's a price to pay for some inconvenience."\nSeminoles-Hurricanes caps the college football feast.\nWho needs the NFL?