Maybe this time Brett Favre won't get picked off with victory in his grasp.

In as juicy a season opener as the NFL could provide, Favre marches the Minnesota Vikings into New Orleans on Thursday night for a reprise of January's NFC championship game.

The Saints and their long trod-upon fans get the opportunity to celebrate the franchise's first Super Bowl title, then the New Orleans defense tries to batter Favre the way it did in the 31-28 overtime win that sent the former Aints to the Super Bowl.

By Alex Cummings

ELKIN, NC - The stars of the Carolina Clash SLMS are making their last minute adjustments as we speak in preparation for Saturday night’s race at Friendship Motor Speedway. After a few weeks off, the drivers of the Carolina Clash are foaming at the mouth to strap back into their machines and do battle at Friendship for the 40 lap, $4,000 to win feature go around.

The last appearance for the Carolina Clash was held back at the end of May with the #1 of Ricky Weeks setting fast time followed by Chris Meadows in 2nd. When the cars took to the track, Weeks set sail and wouldn’t be caught again, winning the race with the 22 of Chris Ferguson coming home in second. Third was the 20 of Dan Breuer, fourth was the 21 of Luke Roffers, and fifth was the 15 of Dean Bowen.

Capsules for the 32 NFL teams as they begin the 2010 season, in predicted order of finish:

AFC EAST

New England Patriots

Few teams seem on the surface to have as many givens as the Patriots. We know Tom Brady is an all-world quarterback and winner; that Randy Moss is as dangerous as any receiver and Wes Welker as reliable as any; that the offensive line is a stone wall; that the defense will be stingy and make big plays; and that Bill Belichick is a coaching genius.

Even Roger Federer had to say he was sorry for the way he won the pivotal second-set tie-breaker over pal Jurgen Melzer and advanced to the US Open quarter-finals on Monday.

The Swiss second seed won two points off forehands that hit the net cord and dropped over the net in a 6-3, 7-6 (7/4), 6-3 triumph over Austrian 13th seed Melzer that put the 16-time Grand Slam champion into the quarter-finals.

"You couldn't be more lucky in a tie-breaker than he was in this tie-breaker," Melzer said.

By Mike Lahetta

STANLEY, NC - A large crowd was on hand this past Saturday night at East Lincoln Speedway to witness the running of the 6th Annual Dave Watts Memorial Race. Extra money was on the line in all 6 divisions and the Limited Sportsman division featured a special all star race format. It was another great night of racing action as three feature races were decided on the final lap, two of which featured passes for the win in the final corner and one that was decided at the line in a photo finish.

The green flag for the Stock Four division signaled the start of the evening of racing. While Jeff Crump jumped out to an early lead after starting on the outside pole.

Andre Ellington and Jamie Harper each scored twice for Clemson in a 35-10 victory over North Texas on Saturday that showed there's life for the Tigers without ACC player of the year C.J. Spiller.

In the season opener for both teams, Ellington got things going with a 60-yard scoring run on Clemson's second snap just 16 seconds into the game. He added a 14-yard run in the third quarter.

Harper caught an 8-yard touchdown pass seconds before halftime. He ended the scoring for the Tigers with a 3-yard run.

On the final crazy play of a crazy game, Jacksonville State running back Calvin Middleton found himself in the middle of a mass of bodies as quarterback Coty Blanchard lofted a 2-point conversion pass toward the end zone.

Somehow, through the arms and legs, Middleton came down with the football as the Gamecocks celebrated a stunning 49-48 victory over Mississippi in double overtime.

"The coaches called a shovel pass," Middleton said. "I don't even know if (Blanchard) saw me, but I knew if I could catch it I was deep enough in the end zone to score.

"This means everything."

With the NCAA lurking around Chapel Hill and some of its best players sitting in the stands, North Carolina found itself in a most improbable position.

The 6-yard line with a few seconds on the clock, a touchdown and an extra point away from actually winning the game.

T.J. Yates took one shot at the end zone, the ball slipping through the hands of Zack Pianalto. Then one last throw to the same guy. Same result.

Investigators from the North Carolina Secretary of State's office have subpoenaed Tar Heels defensive tackle Marvin Austin, a person familiar with the situation said Friday.

The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing. Austin is one of 13 players who did not travel with the 18th-ranked Tar Heels to Atlanta for Saturday's opener against No. 21 LSU because of an NCAA probe.

Secretary of State Elaine Marshall's office is reviewing whether North Carolina's sports agents laws have been broken in the wake of the NCAA investigation into the school's football program.

Freshman Juanne Blount carried 18 times for 134 yards and a touchdown Saturday night to lead Gardner-Webb to a 28-14 win over Brevard College in the season opener for the Runnin' Bulldogs.

Blount entered the game in the middle of the first quarter after Kenny Little, who had 45 yards rushing and a touchdown, was injured.

Russell Wilson passed for 306 yards and four touchdowns to help North Carolina State defeat Western Carolina 48-7 on Saturday night.

Wilson completed 21 of 31 passes, engineering seven consecutive scoring drives as the Wolfpack won their season opener for the first time in four tries under coach Tom O'Brien.

N.C. State, which scored three points in its previous two season openers combined, enjoyed its highest scoring output in a first game since a 59-20 win over Western Carolina in 2003.

Kameron Smith scored on a 7-yard run with 41 seconds remaining to lift Winston-Salem State past North Carolina A&T 21-14 on Saturday night.

The Rams (2-0) who trailed 7-3 at halftime, took a 13-7 lead with 10:40 left in the game after Smith's 20-yard touchdown pass to Patrick Terry and Landon Thayer's 41-yard field goal.

Quarterback DeAndre Presley scooped up a fumble by Matt Cline after completing a pass to him and ran it in from 33 yards out, capping a 28-point Appalachian State fourth quarter in a 42-41 victory over Chattanooga on Saturday.

It was the 21st consecutive Southern Conference victory for the Mountaineers, who lost in the Football Championship Series semifinals last season.

Chattanooga got within a point on a 3-yard run by quarterback B.J. Coleman with 51 seconds left. The Mocs tried for a 2-point conversion, but Coleman's pass was incomplete and Appalachian State recovered an onside kickoff.

North Carolina coach Butch Davis suspended defensive tackle Marvin Austin indefinitely on Wednesday for violating unspecified team rules.

"This decision is not a result of the ongoing NCAA review," Davis said in a brief statement issued by the school. "Marvin has violated team rules and has neglected his responsibilities to the team."

Less than a week away from a high-profile opener, Butch Davis doesn't sound too certain of who will take the field for North Carolina.

The 18th-ranked Tar Heels are weighed down by an NCAA investigation into agent-related benefits as well as a probe into potential academic misconduct. So instead of enjoying the buzz that comes with starting his fourth season against No. 21 LSU in Atlanta, Davis is answering questions — or, more accurately, not answering them — about who will be eligible to play.

"We're not preparing for worst-case scenarios," Davis said. "We're preparing for best-case scenarios."

Since Quail Hollow Club returned to the PGA Tour in 2003, big-name golfers from Tiger Woods to Phil Mickelson have said the Charlotte course could be the site for a major championship.

That will come in 2017 when it will host the PGA Championship, the final major of each pro season.

A state government official with knowledge of the decision told The Associated Press on Monday that the PGA of America will make a formal announcement on Tuesday. The official spoke on condition of anonymity so as not to pre-empt the official announcement.

ATLANTA (Reuters) - The Atlanta Braves brought a four-game losing streak to a shuddering halt with a resounding 12-3 victory over the Florida Marlins on Saturday.

The win allowed the Braves to maintain a two-game lead in the National League East over the Philadelphia Phillies, who had earlier defeated the San Diego Padres 3-1.

"We knew Philly won today," Braves starting pitcher Tim Hudson told reporters. "We knew we had to go out there and put up a 'W' (win) one way or another. It just happened to be pretty one-sided."

Hudson, who had no decisions in his previous two starts, recorded his 15th win of the season, striking out a career high 13 batters in seven innings while allowing one run on six hits and one walk.

LINCOLN COUNTY - Here is a list of tonight's high school football action for Lincoln County and surrounding area teams.

Bessemer City at Hunter Huss
Draughn at Cherryville
East Lincoln at Newton Conover
Lincolnton at South Point
North Lincoln at Bunker Hill
West Lincoln at North Wilkes

The investigation of North Carolina's football program has expanded into possible academic misconduct involving players and a woman who also has worked as a tutor for coach Butch Davis' son, school officials said Thursday night.

Athletic director Dick Baddour declined to identify the players or say how many may be involved, and he refused to specify what the possible violations may have been, saying only that they involved "a student tutor and student-athletes on the football team.

Brad Van Liew has raced alone around the world not once, but twice. Now, at age 42, he's preparing for a third race that will take him into some of the most treacherous seas on the planet.

"Of course it's a risky thing to do," Van Liew said on Wednesday shortly before he was to take his 60-foot yacht out for a shakedown to test its new sails and electronics as he prepares his boat for the Velux 5 Oceans race.

NFL owners have shown widespread support for going to an 18-game schedule but want to implement the change as part of a new labor agreement.

Commissioner Roger Goodell says owners see two more regular-season games — and two fewer preseason games — as the most logical way to enhance revenues in a difficult economic environment. He says it will be one of the main issues in talks on reaching a new collective bargaining agreement.

Ryan Houston figures slimming down won't stop him from being the battering ram in North Carolina's ground attack.

Three years after arriving on campus as a 273-pound freshman, Houston is down almost 40 pounds entering his senior season. He's been a proven goal-line option and a lead ball carrier capable of wearing down defenses, and coach Butch Davis has said Houston is off to his best training camp with the No. 18 Tar Heels.

"I think he's found that ... every year he's gotten lighter, he's gotten stronger, he's gotten quicker, he's gotten more explosive," Davis said. "Last year he found that when the load was on his shoulders the second half of the season, that even being a little more fit and a little quicker would have served him a little better.

Jorge De La Rosa pitched seven effective innings and Carlos Gonzalez hit his 26th home run to lead the Colorado Rockies to a 5-2 victory over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night.

Seth Smith also homered and Eric Young had a career-high three hits for the Rockies.

Huston Street worked the ninth for his 12th save.

South Carolina tight end Weslye Saunders has been suspended indefinitely by coach Steve Spurrier for violating team rules.

Saunders was not at practice Monday night. Spurrier said after the workout that Saunders' absence was not connected to the NCAA's questioning of the senior this summer.

Count college sports among the sagging economy's latest victims.

A newly released NCAA report shows that just 14 of the 120 Football Bowl Subdivision schools made money from campus athletics in the 2009 fiscal year, down from 25 the year before.

Researchers blame the sagging economy and suggested that next year's numbers could be even worse.