1) Do you like the idea of teams playing conference games during Week 1 of the season?

Steven Lassan: I’m not so sure coaches like to begin the year with conference games, but they create for exciting season openers for the fans. Take a look at the Pac-10 — Oregon vs. Washington, Oregon State vs. Stanford — two quality conference games in the opening week.

2) Is it a disadvantage for teams to have a Bye in Week 1?

Steven: I think there is a disadvantage to having a bye week in Week 1, especially since teams lose out on having one later in the year. Having a bye week in the middle of the season can be valuable, especially if a team has a couple of players injured and a week off would give them an opportunity to get back on the field for the next game.

Mitch: I know if I was a player or coach, I would not want to have a bye week right off the bat. That is a week off that you won’t be getting later in the season, when they are far more valuable. The one advantage would be that you have an opportunity to scout your first opponent, assuming that that team played on the opening week. But it’s no fun not to play on Week 1 — for both players, coaches and fans.

Jake: I wouldn’t necessarily call it a disadvantage competition-wise, but I wouldn’t want my team to have a bye in Week 1. That bye week could be put to better use in the middle of the season when the nicks and bruises have started to take their toll. Besides, who wants to sit around and watch everyone else play on the first week of the season?

3) Illinois-Missouri — Which team needs this victory more?

Steven: This is a tough one to call, since there is a lot on the line for both teams. However, I’m going to go with Illinois. There’s no question Missouri is a national title contender, but a lot of people still have doubts about how good the Fighting Illini are. Was it all Rashard Mendenhall on offense last year or is Juice Williams ready to emerge as the leader? The Fighting Illini could use this game as a statement to show last year was no fluke.

Mitch: First off, I love this game. This once off-the-radar regional rivalry now has huge implications. I think it’s a bigger deal for Mizzou this year because this team has legitimate national title implications. It the Tigers get by Illinois, they should be 6–0 when they head to Austin on Oct. 18. And remember, Mizzou doesn’t play OU in the regular season. Illinois can still have a very good year if it loses this game (like last year), but Missouri’s primary goal will be basically shot if it loses in St Louis.

Jake: Obviously this game is big for both clubs, but I think Illinois needs the victory more. Missouri will have a chance to redeem themselves while playing in a tough Big 12 conference but Illinois has very few games (Ohio State and Wisconsin come to mind) to prove itself worthy of an upper-tier bowl. A smackdown at the hands of USC in the Rose Bowl couldn’t have helped its confidence either.

4) College football gets a plus-one game during Week 1 when FBS champion LSU tangles with FCS champion Appalachian State. Can App. State pull another stunner or will they get smashed?

Steven: The Mountaineers can pull off the upset, but it’s not going to happen this time around. Going into last year’s match-up against Michigan, the Mountaineers were under the radar. After last season’s upset, there is no way the Tigers will overlook them in this match-up. With quarterback Armanti Edwards’ ability to create problems for defenses, he’ll give the Tigers some trouble early, but eventually they’ll pull away in the second half.

Mitch: Not going to happen. The best thing for LSU was App State’s win in Ann Arbor last year. The Tigers know what can happen if they don’t take App State seriously. LSU has the overwhelming talent advantage and should win this game by at least three touchdowns.

Jake: Seeing Appalachian State stun Michigan will likely be a once-in-a-lifetime kind of victory. It’s not going to happen against the Tigers. LSU, despite its quarterback questions, has too much talent on the field. I’d be surprised if the score is within three touchdowns.

5) Which team are you most excited about seeing play in Week 1?

Steven: The team I am most excited about seeing play in week one is Oregon. The Oregon-Washington match-up should be an offensive shootout, and I’m interested to see how the Ducks continue to adapt with Justin Roper at quarterback as the post-Dennis Dixon era continues. The Ducks are a team to watch in the Pac-10, especially with a solid core on the offensive line and defense returning.

Mitch: I’m looking forward to watching Michigan State play at Cal. The Spartans could be the surprise team in the Big Ten. We will find out a lot about Mark Dantonio’s club right off the bat. Are the young receivers as good as advertised? Can Brian Hoyer deliver on the road against a quality team? State lost a ton of close games last year; this team needs some early season confidence. A win in Berkeley would be enormous.

Jake: The team that intrigued me the most this offseason is UCLA, so I think that’s a logical place to start. UCLA had so much potential last year and not living up to it was a big reason Karl Dorrell was sent packing. Much of that “potential” remains, however, with a stocked recruiting class as well. Add to that a coach with a troubled past getting yet another shot and an offensive coordinator thought to be a genius in the college ranks and you’ve got a lot of mystery. A top-tier SEC opponent isn’t exactly how you’d want your season to start under those circumstances, though, so I’m interested to see how the Bruins handle it all.

Throughout the season in the weekly five burning questions article, Steven, Mitch and Jake will participate in the Campus Challenge. The rules are simple. Each person picks a quarterback, running back and wide receiver to make up their "team" for the week in an effort to amass as many passing yards, rushing yards, receiving yards and total touchdowns as possible. Whoever has the best stats as the end of the year wins. All players selected must be from a BCS conference team and each editor can only use a player once during the season.