GAME NOTES: A couple of teams expected to compete for a national championship at each of their respective levels duel in Lubbock this weekend, as the Eastern Washington Eagles clash with the 12th-ranked Texas Tech Red Raiders at Jones AT&T Stadium.

The Eagles had a major turnaround last season, as they went from a 3-8 record in 2006 to a 9-4 showing in 2007. The team also won a game in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs last season, pounding previously unbeaten McNeese State by a 44-15 score. With last season's success, head coach Paul Wulff departed for the higher profiled Washington State job and former assistant Beau Baldwin made his return to the program. An offensive coordinator for EWU from 2003-06, Baldwin inherits a team that returns 15 starters from a year ago and is ranked in the Top 10 at the FCS level. He has a tough assignment in his first game as head coach of EWU, but Baldwin appears ready for the challenge.

"It's going to be a challenge, theres no question," said Baldwin. "But our coaches and players are excited about the opportunity. And we're very confident."

As for the Red Raiders, they too enter the season with lofty expectations after posting a 9-4 record and defeating Virginia, 31-28, in the Gator Bowl last season. With a plethora of returning starters on each side of the ball, it is no surprise that Tech received its highest preseason ranking since 1977 at No.12 (AP) and No.14 (Coaches). The Red Raiders, who have never faced EWU before, have also won their last eight season openers at home dating back to a loss to Oklahoma in 1992.

The Eagles, much like their opponent this weekend, rely on their pass attack to move the ball and the emergence of quarterback Matt Nichols last season played a big part in the team's success. The junior gunslinger is a candidate for the Walter Payton Award, as the reigning Big Sky MVP completed 63.6 percent of his tosses for 3,744 yards and a school-record 34 touchdowns last season.

Nichols could be primed for a even bigger campaign in 2008 thanks to the return of his favorite target in Aaron Boyce. The junior wideout earned All- American honors last season, catching 85 passes for 1,308 yards and 10 touchdowns, and he is a threat every time the ball is thrown his way.

In the backfield, Dale Morris is welcomed back and he should compete for a 1,000-yard campaign after leading the team with 930 yards and 12 touchdowns on the ground in 2007.

Defensively, EWU should be solid, especially up front where four senior starters return. The most notable of the group is end Greg Peach, who logged 63 tackles and 11 sacks in a breakthrough season in 2007.

At linebacker, the Eagles aren't as strong, but the healthy return of Makai Borden should help out this group. Borden suffered a stress fracture in the playoffs last season, but showed his potential by accumulating 52 tackles and two interceptions during the season.

In the secondary, the Eagles are deep with 10 letterwinners returning to this unit. Free safety Kevin Hatch logged 75 tackles and four interceptions while starting all 13 games last season and he should contend for all-league honors this time around.

Under head coach Mike Leach, the Red Raiders have built a name for themselves with their pass-happy offense and they figure to dominate that way once again in 2008. A total of 10 starters return from last year's unit which averaged an impressive 40.9 ppg and a nation-best 470.3 passing ypg.

Running the show once again will be quarterback Graham Harrell, a 6-3, 205- pound Heisman hopeful who is coming off a simply incredible campaign. In 2007, Harrell converted an efficient 71.8 percent of his tosses for an eye-popping 5,705 yards and 48 touchdowns against only 14 interceptions.

Leach has nothing but high praise for his talented signal caller saying, "How good of a quarterback is he? Well, how good is the guy making the players around him better? I think Graham is really good at that. I think one of his strengths is that he really doesn't have any weaknesses."

Harrell will once again have one of the premier wideouts to work with, as Michael Crabtree returns after a record-breaking freshman campaign. The talented receiver exceeded expectations in a big way last season and won the 2007 Biletnikoff Award after notching 134 catches for 1,962 yards and 22 touchdowns. Eric Morris is another guy Harrell will look to often after catching 75 passes for 767 yards and nine touchdowns last season.

The ground game wasn't a big part of the offense last season, but tailback Shannon Woods still averaged a healthy 5.2 yards per carry and ran for eight scores. An offensive line that returns all five starters makes this already explosive offense that much better.

Texas Tech did a respectable job on defense last season, allowing 365.4 total ypg, but this unit is expected to improve with eight starters welcomed back. Along the line, the Red Raiders return all four starters, although this group was pushed around a bit last season, allowing 177 rushing ypg. Defensive end Brandon Williams is the team's top pass rusher with six sacks last season and he will be joined by tackles Colby Whitlock and Rajon Henley, whom should do their part by plugging up the middle and stopping the run.

The linebacker corps is young, but many feel this group is faster and more talented than last season. Junior Marlon Williams highlights the group after finishing second on the team with 81 tackles in 2007.

The secondary was much improved last season and there shouldn't be much of a drop off with the return of players like senior free safety Darcel McBath and sophomore corner Jamar Wall. McBath was credited with 73 tackles and eight PBUs last year, while Wall logged a team-best five interceptions.

The Eagles may be considered one of the top teams at the FCS level, but they are no match for a FBS program like Texas Tech. Behind their powerful passing attack, the Red Raiders should score early and often en route to a lopsided triumph this weekend.

Sports Network Predicted Outcome: Texas Tech 60, East Washington 17