They've already lost two starters - guard Jeff Baca to academic ineligiblity (which can be appealed) - the other their best D-lineman to a broken foot: DE Datone Jones.

I still expect UCLA to be a reasonable team this year as they have playmakers in the secondary and at linebacker and Kevin Prince can't help but be better at QB.

Neuheisel has also strung together a series of excellent recruiting classes, now just starting to see the field. I hope they'll be making more hay while the sun shines and the cheaters in South Central are reeling.

They open at Kansas State followed by home games against Stanford and Houston, so we'll know exactly what we're facing by the time they roll into Austin.

If I have to call it way early, a workmanlike 23-10 Fred Akers style Texas win is my guess.