Applying a pre emergent to control crab grass in the fall will do nothing. Pre emergent should be applied about 6 weeks before you expect the unwanted plants to germinate.

Crab grass is an annual and grows back every year from seeds the plants deposit on the soil. You can dig out each plant, you can keep each plant from producing those seeds by plucking the seed heads as the develop, and you can also spray some poisons to kill the plants, but those poisons also will kill off any desirable grass it contacts.

kimmq is kimmsr

thanks...does that look like crabgrass? I think it does, but the issue I am having is the fact that these seem to have come back from the plant itself like a perennial. Those same plants were brown and then started to green up like the Bermuda grass in my yard.

My guess is orchard grass. Almost as hard to get rid of as crabgrass. Itayntake a couple of seasons to totally get rid of, but put on a pre-emergent in the spring when the forsythias begin to bloom. Either way, this will kill the seeds. Pulling the plants out by hand can spread aeed pods, so I'd read up on the fertilizer lables and find the one best suited for your infestation. When in doubt, contact your local extension services.