When it comes to September football in Madison, there usually isn't much to stir Badgers fans imaginations. Barry Alvarez's UW teams have always utilized the opening few games as an extended warm-up for conference play. The typical result is a slate of patsies generally dispatched with average efforts.

There are exceptions, of course, and the Badgers occasionally flub a pre-conference game. This year's schedule looks similar, but upon a closer look it contains some dangerous games. It's no guarantee that the Badgers will open Big 10 play vs. Michigan with a spotless 3-0 record.

For openers, Mid-American Conference contenders Bowling Green State and stud quarterback Omar Jacobs visit Camp Randall Stadium on Sept. 3. The Falcons rained points down upon their opponents last season, outscoring them 532 to 282 (an average final score of 44 to 24), culminating the year with a GMAC Bowl victory over Memphis. Their offensive prowess is slightly disconcerting in light of the graduation losses within Wisconsin's defensive line and secondary.

Jacobs, a preseason All-American candidate, is the man to worry about. The redshirt junior (who isn't likely to see a senior season) threw 41 touchdowns against just 4 picks last year, the best ratio in NCAA I-A history. How good is Jacobs? Well, in his first collegiate start at Oklahoma, he completed 24-of-41 passes for 218 yards, 2 TDs and no interceptions. How's that for poise? Plus, at 6-4, 226 pounds, he's difficult to drag down and was sacked just 10 times last season.

That resume is impressive enough, but the Badgers will also be starting some newcomers in the backfield. Corners Brett Bell and Allen Langford will be sternly tested, and even freshman CB Shane Carter should see a lot of action against BGSU. Led by future head coach Bret Bielema, don't expect the defense to be get run (or passed) over by the Falcons -- but UW's offense will need to put up some points to win.

The defense will get a break when Temple, the newest member of the Mid-American Conference, visits Camp Randall on Sept. 10. The Owls went just 2-9 last year, including a 70-16 loss at home to BGSU, their worst defeat of the season. Plus, leading passer and rusher Walter Washington played his final season as an Owl in 2004.

With Washington's departure, the Owls are modifying their offense. Temple primarily ran the spread last year but will feature more pro-set formations in 2005. The new QB is Mike McGann, a 6-6 redshirt senior who started as a true freshman in 2001.

Four starters return along the offensive line, which is Temple's strength. The experienced blockers may spring shifty running backs Umar Ferguson (6-0) and Tim Brown (5-8) for some big gainers; both averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry last year.

Temple's defense allowed over 430 yards per content last year and returns just four starters. But lineman Mike Mendenhall, a second-team All Big East selection in 2004, could prove disruptive for a developing UW offensive line. Still, I would expect backup QB Tyler Donovan to get significant playing time against the overmatched Owls.

On Sept. 17, the Badgers venture to Chapel Hill, N.C. to play the Tar Heels, who finished a 6-6 season in 2004 with a loss to Boston College in the Continental Tire Bowl. While not as accomplished as their basketball brethren, the football Heels are a different team than the 2003 bunch which UW beat 38-27 in 2003.

Accomplished QB Darian Durant has moved on, leaving fifth-year man Matt Baker as the starter. Running back Ronnie McGill (419 yards, 5.3 ypc) is the leading returning rusher for the Heels, who open at Georgia Tech on Sept. 10. LSU transfer Barrington Edwards may be the biggest threat offensive for the Heels. RB Edwards sat out last year but is a former prep All-American who will be making his home Heel debut on Sept. 17.

Defensively, coach John Bunting's team is a mess. The Heels were routinely plundered by opposing offenses last year, allowing over 31 points and 440 yards per game. While that would seem to signal good things for the UW offense, the Badgers have a tendency to slog through their opening road games. In 2003, UW trailed 17-7 at West Virginia before rallying for a 24-17 win. And last year, the Badgers won an ugly 9-7 contest in Arizona to reach 3-0 for the season. A solid defensive effort should be enough to key a victory against the Heels, who are picked by most publications to finish in the bottom half of the revamped Atlantic Coast Conference.

If UW can avoid a home loss in the opener to Bowling Green -- and I'm not sure a lot of experts would even consider that to be an upset -- the road should be paved for a 3-0 start.