Southeast football ready to step into tough opening set

Are you ready for some football?

Southeast Missouri State University's Indians sure hope they're ready to start the season because Thursday night they kick off an opening three-game run that just might represent the toughest Division I-AA nonconference schedule in the country.

It all begins with the opener at regional rival Southern Illinois University. In most recent years, that wouldn't be an overly imposing debut, because the Salukis were not very good.

But then came last year's breakout season -- and now the Salukis are the nation's second-ranked Division I-AA team entering the campaign according to both major polls (The Sports Network and USA Today/ESPN). SIU is rated No. 1 by Athlon Magazine.

Anticipation for Thursday's game has been building much of the summer, particularly in Carbondale, where interest in SIU football has rarely been higher. There is expected to be close to a sellout at McAndrew Stadium, and you've got to figure quite a few Southeast fans will make the short trip to support their team.

The big question is, will the Indians be able to spoil the Salukis' season-opening party? Or at least make SIU sweat quite a bit.

We won't have to wait very long to find out the answer.

SIU certainly isn't the only one of Southeast's nonconference worries. Not even close.

After Thursday's game, the Indians have road contests against Division I-A teams Bowling Green on Sept. 11 and Central Michigan on Sept. 18.

While Central Michigan hasn't been very good in recent years, it still competes in the NCAA's highest division. And Bowling Green ended last season ranked 23rd nationally after beating Northwestern in the Motor City Bowl.

Whew! Talk about a rugged nonconference slate. And that's not even getting into the fact the Indians play only four of their 11 games at home this season.

Coach Tim Billings and his staff should earn extra combat pay -- or at least sue the guy who made up the schedule, which has to rank among the worst in the nation as far as affording a team its best possible chance to succeed.

As the NFL season fast approaches, it's looking more and more like Southeast could have two players represented in football's highest league.

While 2003 sixth-round draft pick Willie Ponder has been the New York Giants' primary kickoff returner and among their top wide receivers during the preseason -- he appears a virtual lock to stick with the Giants for the second year in a row -- things are also looking good for Eugene Amano.

Amano, a center who was this year's seventh-round selection of the Tennessee Titans, has been earning solid reviews during the preseason.

An article posted recently on the Titans' Web site said Amano has shown much promise and could see playing time this year, even though many NFL experts are touting Tennessee's offensive line as one of the most solid and deepest units in the league.

Titans offensive line coach Mike Munchak is quoted on the Web site as saying that Amano has a chance to help the team this year. And given that Amano is one of only two centers on Tennessee's roster, it's hard to imagine him getting cut.

Stay tuned for the progress of Ponder and Amano as NFL squads continue toward their Sept. 5 deadline to have their rosters trimmed to 53 -- but for now, the news appears to be nothing but good.

Most of the nation's major college football programs also play their first games this week, including Missouri. Optimism in Columbia, Mo., has risen to a fever pitch after the Tigers were ranked in virtually every preseason poll following last year's trip to a bowl contest.

With exciting quarterback Brad Smith running the show, MU is being talked about as a darkhorse contender for the Big 12 Conference title.

Considering that the Tigers should romp through their non-league schedule -- they face Arkansas State, Troy State and Ball State in the first three weeks -- they should enter Big 12 play with all kinds of momentum.

On the other end of the major college spectrum regarding regional teams is Illinois, which will be trying to claw its way out of last year's 1-11 debacle that saw the Illini beat only I-AA Illinois State.

It appears that Illini coach Ron Turner needs at least a solid season in order to keep his job.

Area high school football squads kick off their seasons this week and, with no apparent dominant team, it should make for quite an interesting campaign around Southeast Missouri.

So much for my prediction of the U.S. men's basketball team bouncing back to win a gold medal, but like I said when I made it, it was a shaky prediction at best.

Marty Mishow is a sports writer for the Southeast Missourian.