PASADENA (Ticker) -- With Cade McNown halfway across the country, 15th-ranked UCLA will turn to Drew Bennett as its leader in the season opener against a Boise State team beset by tragedy.

McNown was picked 12th in April's NFL draft by the Chicago Bears, leaving Bennett, who had more yards receiving (53) than passing (24) during the 1998 season, to lead an offense that features a slew of star wide receivers.

"We only have 68 scholarship players to start the season --18 are freshmen -- but we feel we have a chance for an outstanding team," said UCLA coach Bob Toledo. "The big concern is at quarterback. You forget what it's like to have another quarterback besides Cade (McNown)."

Despite the limited playing time, Bennett is the only quarterback on the roster who has thrown a pass in a collegiate contest. But the signal-caller might be the least of coach Bob Toledo's problems.

UCLA has suspended defensive backs Ryan Roques, Marques Anderson and Eric Whitfield, linebackers Ali Abdul-Azziz, Tony White, Ryan Nece and Robert Thomas, offensive linemen Oscar Cabrera and Jim Ghezzi and running backs Durell Price and Keith Brown for two games apiece. The players wrongfully obtained and misused disabled parking placards.

Anderson will not play for the entire year.

"I'm anxious to get going, put all of this stuff behind us," Toledo said. "It's been really difficult, probably the most difficult start to a football season I've every been associated with."

In addition, wide receiver Danny Farmer remains questionable for this contest after spraining his left ankle during practice over the weekend. Farmer set several school records last year, when he caught 58 passes for 1,274 yards and nine touchdowns, but receiver is the one spot where the loss can be overcome.

Along with Farmer there is Brian Poli-Dixon, Freddie Mitchell, Brad Melsby and Cody Joyce, giving the Bruins perhaps the top wideout corps in the country. But a question still remains if Bennett can get them the ball.

The Bruins are the two-time defending Pac-10 Conference champions and will need to use this game as a tuneup for next weekend's trip to No. 9 Ohio State.

Boise State (0-0) suffered a tragic loss before the season even started, as freshman defensive tackle Paul Reyna died from a head injury suffered in the final scrimmage of fall practice. The condition of the 19-year-old Reyna, a 270-pounder from La Puente, California, quickly deteriorated after he hit hit head on the turf.

Even with the inspiration, the Broncos do not figure to pose much of a threat to the Bruins. They went just 6-5 last season as a member of the weak Big West Conference and ranked 73rd against the pass, something UCLA should exploit.

The schools have never met.

BOISE STATE Season schedule and results	UCLA Season schedule and results
Sep. 4 @UCLA 9:00pm ET Sep. 11 Southern Utah 9:05pm ET Sep. 18 @Hawaii 11:00pm ET Sep. 25 New Mexico 9:05pm ET Oct. 2 Utah 9:05pm ET Oct. 9 Eastern Washington 5:05pm ET Oct. 16 @North Texas 3:35pm ET Oct. 23 Nevada 5:05pm ET Oct. 30 @Utah State 3:05pm ET Nov. 6 Arkansas State 3:05pm ET Nov. 13 New Mexico State 3:05pm ET Nov. 20 @Idaho TBA	Sep. 4 Boise State 9:00pm ET Sep. 11 @Ohio State 8:00pm ET Sep. 18 Fresno State TBA Sep. 25 @Stanford TBA Oct. 2 @Arizona State 10:00pm ET Oct. 9 Oregon 10:15pm ET Oct. 16 California TBA Oct. 23 @Oregon State TBA Oct. 30 Arizona TBA Nov. 13 Washington 3:30pm ET Nov. 20 @USC TBA