Oregon vs Houston

It's here again, the college football season...

#29 Oregon Ducks vs #44 Houston Cougars

Saturday, 1st September, 3.30pm ET

Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR

Oregon hosts Houston in the 2007 season opener, the third meeting between both schools. The Ducks and Cougars have matched up twice before, with Oregon prevailing on both occasions - once in Eugene in 1983 (15-14) and more recently at Houston in the 2005 season opener (38-24).

The Ducks stopped flying toward the end of last season and now try to get it back as they open the 2007 season. Losers of its last four games, including the Las Vegas Bowl, Mike Bellotti's team finished 7-6 and opens the new season with something to prove.

Dennis Dixon, whose season went down the tubes at the same rate as the rest of the '06 Ducks, is back at the starting quarterback spot, now working with new offensive coordinator Chip Kelly. Dixon, always the starter in Bellotti's eyes, has been sharp both in the spring and preseason. He's done a great job," the coach says. "His decision-making has improved. I've been very, very impressed with his grasp of the offense." And, as Bellotti said, Dixon can be a dangerous weapon when things are going right, something that clearly didn't happen coming down the stretch in 2006.

Houston begins the 2007 season fresh on the heels of its first undisputed Conferences USA championship since 1978 and a berth in the Liberty Bowl against South Carolina. Once again, it is picked as favorites to repeat as league West Division winners in a pre-season vote of league coaches. The Cougars ended the year with a mark of 10-4 overall, dropping a 44-36 thriller to the Gamecocks in their season finale. Houston went 7-1 in the Conference USA West Division.

Go Ducks!