Ohio State 42, Virginia Tech 24
The offseason long speculation was finally answered as Cardale Jones was chosen as Ohio State's starting quarterback over J.T. Barrett. The Buckeyes looked sharp early on, jumping out to a 14-0 lead before the Hokies found some holes in the OSU defense and scored 17 straight in the second quarter to take a 17-14 halftime lead. In the second half, however, it was all Ohio State. Braxton Miller made plays at receiver, the defense delivered some punishing hits and J.T. Barrett stepped in late in the game and picked right up where he left off pre-injury with a long rush and a TD pass. The Buckeyes were sloppy at times and have holes to work on defensively, but they look as good as any other team in the nation right now. OSU totaled 572 yards of offense on the night (212 pass, 360 rush). VT amassed 320 yards of offense (192 pass, 128 rush). The Buckeyes committed three turnovers in the game compared to two for VT. Cardale Jones was 9-of-18 for 186 yards with 2 TDs and an INT. Ezekiel Elliott had 122 yards rushing on 11 carries with a TD and Jones added 99 yards rushing and a score on 13 carries. Braxton Miller was the top receiver with two catches for 78 yards and a TD. Michael Brewer, who was knocked out of the game, was 11-of-16 for 156 yards with 2 TDs before his collarbone injury. J.C. Coleman had 12 carries for 43 yards and Sam Rogers was the top receiver with three catches for 66 yards in the loss.
Marshall 41, Purdue 31
Tiquan Lang returned two interceptions for touchdowns to help lead Marshall to a 41-31 win over Purdue on Sunday. The Thundering Herd, the defending C-USA champions, picked up their first win over a major conference team after going 0-5 in such meetings since 2005. The game was close throughout and Purdue held a 31-27 lead before Marshall scored with 2:50 remaining to take a 34-31 lead. Purdue quarterback then threw a pick six with 1:20 left while trying to attempt a game-winning drive to seal the win for the Herd. Purdue has now lost its eighth straight road opener and seventh game in a row dating back to last season. Purdue did outgain Marshall in total offense, 454 yards to 397. Purdue gained 270 yards through the air and 184 on the ground while Marshall totaled 234 in the passing department and 163 on the ground. Purdue committed four turnovers in the game while Marshall was close behind with three. Michael Birdsong made his Marshall debut at quarterback going 23-of-36 for 234 yards with 2 TD and 1 INT. Devon Johnson had 11 carries for 89 yards and a score and Davonte Allen had five catches for 59 yards in the win. For Purdue, Austin Appleby was 31-of-48 for 270 yards with 1 TD and 4 INTs. D.J. Knox had 22 carries for 102 yards and a TD while DeAngelo Yancey had five catches for 78 yards.
BYU 33, Nebraska 28
Backup quarterback Tanner Mangum threw a 42-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass with one second remaining to give BYU a 33-28 win over Nebraska, snapping the Huskers' 29 year season opening win streak. The win came with a price as starting quarterback Taysom Hill was likely lost for the season with a foot injury earlier in the game. The Cougars held a 24-14 lead after the first half before Nebraska stormed back in the third quarter with a 14-0 run of their own to take a 28-24 lead. BYU added a fourth quarter field goal to make the score 28-27 Huskers before the events that would lead to the Hail Mary. BYU outgained Nebraska in total offense 511 yards to 445. The Cougars had 379 yards passing and 132 rushing and committed one turnover. The Huskers threw for 319 yards and rushed for 126 while turning the ball over twice. Taysom Hill was 21-of-34 for 268 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT and his backup Tanner Mangm was 7-of-11 for 111 yards with the game winning TD pass. Hill was the leading BYU rusher with 72 yards on 9 carries and 2 TDs and Nick Kurtz led the BYU receivers with five catches for 123 yards. Mitch Matthews had three catches for 69 yards and 2 TDs. For Nebraska, Tommy Armstrong was 24-of-41 for 319 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT. Terrell Newby was the leading rusher with 10 carries for 43 yards and a score and Jordan Westerkamp was the leading Husker receiver with seven catches for 107 yards and a TD.
Northwestern 16, Stanford 6
The Wildcats used a solid running game and strong defense to upset #21 Stanford in Evanston. It was the first time Northwestern won their season opener against a ranked team since 1995. Freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson played a turnover free game, running back Justin Jackson had a 100 yard rushing day and Anthony Walker broke up two passes and had a fumble recovery to lead the Wildcats. Northwestern totaled 330 yards on the day (105 pass, 225 rush) while Stanford ended with just 240 yards (155 pass, 85 rush). Stanford committed two turnovers in the game while Northwestern had none. Clayton Thorson was 12-of-24 for 105 yards passing, Justin Jackson aded 28 carries for 134 yards, Thorson ran for 68 yards and the game's only touchdown and Christian Jones had five catches for 52 yards in the win. For Stanford, Kevin Hogan was 20-of-35 for 155 yards with an INT, Christian McCaffrey had 12 carries for 66 yards and Austin Hooper had five catches for 45 yards in the loss.
Iowa 31, Illinois State 14
C.J. Beathard threw for 211 yards and a score in his first career start at Kinnick Stadium and Iowa pounded Illinois State 34-14. Beathard also showed off his legs, rushing for two touchdowns in the win. Illinois State, ranked No. 2 in FCS, trailed 17-0 at halftime and 31-0 before putting any points on the board. The Iowa defense also played well, not allowing the Redbirds inside the 20-yard line until late in the fourth quarter. Iowa put up 431 yards on the day (221 pass, 210 rush) and had one turnover. Illinois State had 231 total yards with 196 through the air and just 35 yards on the ground. C.J. Beathard ended the day going 15-of-24 for 211 yards with 1 TD. LeShun Daneils had 26 carries for 123 yards and Jordan Canzeri had four catches for 90 yards in the win. For Illinois State, Jake Kolbe was 11-of-15 for 147 yards with 2 TDs, Marshaun Coprich had 13 carries for 32 yards and Anthong Warrum had three catches for 58 yards and a TD to lead the Redbirds in defeat.
Maryland 50, Richmond 21
William Likely broke a 76-year-old Big Ten record with 233 punt return yards (on 8 returns) with a touchdown to help lead the Terps to a 50-21 win over Richmond. The record was held by Iowa star Nile Kinnick who set it in 1939. In addition to the punt return yardage, Likely also returned two kickoffs for 63 yards, giving him 296 total return yards on the day. After trailing 14-13 in the second quarter, Maryland scored 37 straight points in the win. Maryland gained 479 total yards on the day (138 pass, 341 rush) while Richmond totaled 276 yards (220 pass, 56 rush). Perry Hills was 12-of-21 for 138 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT in the win. Brandon Ross had 18 carries for 150 yards and a score and Malcolm Culmer had one catch for 37 yards and a TD to lead Maryland in victory. For Richmond, Kyle Lauletta was 18-of-30 for 220 yards. Jacobi Green had seven carries for 23 yards and a TD and Brian Brown had four catches for 68 yards in the loss.
Rutgers 63, Norfolk State 13
Receiver Leonte Carroo sat out the first half on suspension, but came into the game and made his presence felt in the second half. He caught three third-quarter touchdown passes to lead Rutgers to the 63-13 rout. It gave the school a bit of a break from the events of the last couple of weeks with five players arrested and the coach, Kyle Flood, under a bit of a scandal himself. Rutgers totaled 539 yards on the day (248 pass, 291 rush) and committed one turnover. Norfolk State had 196 total yards (199 pass, minus-3 rush). Chris Laviano was 4-of-4 for 138 yards and 3 TDs and the other QB for the Scarlet Knights, Hayden Rettig was 9-of-11 for 110 yards and a TD. Josh Hicks had 18 carries for 118 yards and 2 TDs and Carroo totaled 3 catches for 129 yards and 3 TDs in the big win. For Norfolk State, Greg Hankerson was 18-of-28 for 199 yards with 2 TDs. Eric Pittman had 6 carries for 17 yards while DeAndre Sangster had six catches for 101 yards and a TD in the loss.
Illinois 52, Kent State 3
The game was set to be played Friday night but was moved to Saturday afternoon due to lightning. The wait was no issue for the Illini, who under interim coach Bill Cubit, raced out to 38 first half points and ended with a dominating 52-3 win over the Golden Flashes. Kent State connected on a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout. The Flashes had two touchdowns called back on penalties and Illinois blocked a second quarter field goal attempt. Illinois led 28-0 after the first quarter, something that hasn't happened for Illinois since at least 1960 and the 38-0 halftime lead was the biggest margin at a half since 2001. Illinois didn't put up big numbers on offense, but they were efficient. Illinois had 342 total yards (208 pass, 134 rush) and committed one turnover. Kent State had 245 total yards (186 pass, 59 rush) and committed four turnovers on the day. For the Illini, Wes Lunt was 11-of-19 for 162 yards with 4 TD passes. Josh Ferguson had 12 carries for 76 yards and a TD and Geronimo Allison had two catches for 57 yards and a TD in the win. 10 different Illini receivers caught a pass in the game. For Kent State, Colin Reardon was 15-of-34 for 156 yards with 3 INT. Miles Hibbler had 8 carries for 15 yards and Kris White had one catch for 58 yards in the loss.
Temple 27, Penn State 10
Temple fans stormed the field as they picked up their first win over Penn State in 74 years. The Owls hadn't beaten the Nittany Lions since October 18, 1941 and had lost 38 straight in the series. Penn State led 10-0 in the first, but then it was all Temple. The game was close at 17-10 late in the third quarter, but another touchdown and field goal by the Owls in the fourth put the game away. The Temple defense harassed Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg all day and came away with 10 sacks on the junior. Temple had 317 yards of total offense on the day (168 pass, 149 rush) while Penn State had just 183 total yards with 103 passing and just 80 rushing. Both teams committed one turnover each. P.J. Walker was 15-of-20 for 143 yards in the win, Jahad Thomas had 29 carries for 135 yard and 2 TDs and Ventell Bryant had two catches for 41 yards in the historic win. For Penn State, Christian Hackenberg was 11-of-25 for 103 yards with an INT. Akeel Lynch had 10 carries for 78 yards and a TD and Chris Godwin had five catches for 81 yards in the loss.
Indiana 48, Southern Illinois 47
Indiana may have left the confines of Memorial Stadium in Bloomington with more questions than answers after a one-point win over FCS foe Southern Illinois. Both teams put up big offensive numbers. Indiana seemed to have put the game away with 58 seconds remaining on a one yard TD run to go up 48-41. But SIU came back and marched 75 yards in five plays and scored on a 25-yard TD pass with 18 seconds to play. The Salukis elected to go for the 2-pt conversion and the potential win instead of the tie, but the Hoosiers made a goal line stop and held on for the 48-47 win. Southern Illinois outgained Indiana 659 yards to 595 yards. SIU had 411 yards passing and 248 rushing with two turnovers. Indiana had 349 yards through the air and 246 on the ground with no turnovers in the win. Nate Sudfeld returned from his injury a year ago and showed little rust going 19-of-32 for 349 yards and a TD. UAB transfer Jordan Howard had 20 carries for 145 yards and 3 TDs while Ricky Jones had a big receiving day with six catches for 186 yards and a TD. For SIU, Mark Iannotti was 24-of-31 for 411 yards with 4 TD passes. He was also the team's leading rusher with 17 carries for 106 yards and a TD. Adam Fuehne had three catches for 130 yards in the loss and a score.
Alabama 35, Wisconsin 17
Derrick Henry ran for 147 yards and three scores to lead Alabama to a convincing 35-17 win over Wisconsin in the only matchup of two ranked teams on the opening weekend of major college football. Wisconsin was held to just 40 yards rushing, their lowest total since 2012 as Paul Chryst made his coaching debut with the Badgers. Wisconsin had averaged 264 yards per game on the ground over the last five years. Star Corey Clement had only 16 yards on eight carries and left the game with an apparent groin injury. Wisconsin also lost senior star safety Michael Caputo with a head injury early in the game. Bama lead 14-7 at the half but pulled away in the second and led 28-10 in the third before pulling away further for the final score. Alabama had 502 yards of total offense (264 pass, 238 rush) with zero turnovers. Wisconsin had 268 total yards (228 pass, 40 rush) and a turnover. Jake Coker was 15-of-21 for 213 yards with a TD in the win. Derrick Henry had his 147 yards on 13 carries with three scores and Robert Foster was the top receiver for the Crimson Tide with four receptions for 50 yards and a TD. For Wisconsin, Joel Stave was 26-of-39 for 228 yards with 2 TDs and and INT. Alex Erickson was the top rusher with 25 yards on one carry and was also the team's leading receiver with six catches for 73 yards and a TD.
Utah 24, Michigan 17
The Jim Harbaugh era finally kicked off in Salt Lake City, Utah on Thursday night. Utah beat Michigan for the third straight time, and second year in a row in a 24-17 season opening win. Regardless of the new coach, the team looked similar to the 2014 version: the quarterback struggled, the run game was nonexistent. Utah led 17-3 in the third quarter and 24-10 with just under eight minutes left in the game after a 55-yard interception return, the third Michigan pick of the game. Michigan scored with just 54 seconds remaining to pull within one score, but Utah controlled the game throughout. Michigan actually outgained Utah in total yardage, 355 to 337. Utah had 129 yards on the ground and 208 through the air and one turnover. Michigan came up with 279 yards passing and just 76 on the ground, to go along with three turnovers. Travis Wilson was 24-of-33 for 208 yards with an INT for the Utes. Devontae Booker had 69 yards and a TD on 22 carries to lead Utah on the ground and Britain Covey had five catches for 58 yards to lead in the receiving category. Eight different Utah players caught a pass in the game. For Michigan, Jake Rudock was 27-of-43 for 279 yards with 2 TDs and 3 INTs. De'Veon Smith had 17 carries for 47 yards to lead the Wolverine ground attack and Amara Darboh had 8 catches for 101 yards and a TD to lead receivers. Tight end Jake Butt also had eight catches for 93 yards and a TD of his own in the loss.
TCU 23, Minnesota 17
Trevone Boykin threw for 246 yards and a TD and ran for another 92 yards and another score to help TCU outlast a pesky Minnesota team 23-17 in Minneapolis. TCU had a tough time getting their prolific offense going against a stingy Gopher defense. The 23 points scored by TCU was their lowest offensive output since Nov. 9, 2013 in a 21-17 win over Iowa State. Even though TCU didn't look great, they fared much better offensively than Minnesota, who started the game with five straight punts and a fumble through the back of the end zone. TCU gained 449 yards in the game (246 pass, 203 rush) compared to 341 for Minnesota (197 pass, 144 rush). Both teams committed two turnovers. Boykin was 26-of-42 for 246 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT and led the team in rushing with 92 yards on 18 carries and a score. Josh Doctson was the top receiver with eight catches for 74 yards and a TD. For Minnesota, Mitch Leidner was 19-of-35 for 197 yards with a TD. Rodney Smith had 16 carries for 88 yards and a TD and K.J. Maye had four grabs for 73 yards to lead the Gopher receivers in the loss.
Michigan State 37, Western Michigan 24
The Spartans may have needed this tune up game as they prepare to host Oregon next week. Michigan State built up a 27-7 lead before the Broncos came back to make it a little interesting on Friday night. MSU was up 27-7 in the second quarter and up 24 points in the third, but WMU responded with two long TD drives in the fourth to pull within 10. WMU drove to the Michigan State 7-yard line with a chance to make the final minutes of the game dramatic, but threw a pick in the end zone to seal the win for the Spartans. Michigan State set a school record by scoring 30 or more points for the ninth straight game. MSU seemed shakiest when Connor Cook was called on to throw and when the Spartans had to defend the pass, and secondary is where MSU was projected to have some issues. MSU outgained WMU 452 yards (256 pass, 196 rush) to 383 yards (365 pass, 18 rush). The Broncos committed two turnovers to MSU's one. Connor Cook was 15-of-31 for 256 yards with 2 TDs in the win. L.J. Scott had 13 carries for 77 yards and Madre London had 13 carries of his own for 59 yards and two TDs while Aaron Burbridge had four catches for 117 yards in the Spartan win. For Western Michigan, Zach Terrell was 33-of-50 for 365 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INT. Jarvion Franklin was the leading rusher with 8 carries for just 23 yards. The Broncos had a pair of 100 yard receivers with Corey Davis grabbing 10 passes for 154 yards and a TD and Daniel Braverman hauling in 13 receptions for 109 yards.
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Standings
East Division
Indiana (1-0, 0-0)
Maryland (1-0, 0-0)
Michigan State (1-0, 0-0)
Ohio State (1-0, 0-0)
Rutgers (1-0, 0-0)
Michigan (0-1, 0-0)
Penn State (0-1, 0-0)
West Division
Illinois (1-0, 0-0)
Iowa (1-0, 0-0)
Northwestern (1-0, 0-0)
Minnesota (0-1, 0-0)
Nebraska (0-1, 0-0)
Purdue (0-1, 0-0)
Wisconsin (0-1, 0-0)
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Saturday, September 12
Oregon State at Michigan (11:00 a.m. - ABC)
Western Illinois at Illinois (11:00 a.m. - BTN)
Bowling Green at Maryland (11:00 a.m. - BTN)
Buffalo at Penn State (11:00 a.m. - ESPN2)
Indiana State at Purdue (11:00 a.m. - ESPNEWS)
Miami (OH) at Wisconsin (11:00 a.m. - ESPNU)
Hawaii at Ohio State (2:30 p.m. - BTN)
Minnesota at Colorado State (2:30 p.m. - CBS Sports Network)
Washington State at Rutgers (2:30 p.m. - ESPNU)
Eastern Illinois at Northwestern (3:00 p.m. - ESPNEWS)
Iowa at Iowa State (3:45 p.m. - FOX)
Oregon at Michigan State (7:00 p.m. - ABC)
Florida International at Indiana (7:00 p.m. - BTN)
South Alabama at Nebraska (7:00 p.m. - BTN)
The offseason long speculation was finally answered as Cardale Jones was chosen as Ohio State's starting quarterback over J.T. Barrett. The Buckeyes looked sharp early on, jumping out to a 14-0 lead before the Hokies found some holes in the OSU defense and scored 17 straight in the second quarter to take a 17-14 halftime lead. In the second half, however, it was all Ohio State. Braxton Miller made plays at receiver, the defense delivered some punishing hits and J.T. Barrett stepped in late in the game and picked right up where he left off pre-injury with a long rush and a TD pass. The Buckeyes were sloppy at times and have holes to work on defensively, but they look as good as any other team in the nation right now. OSU totaled 572 yards of offense on the night (212 pass, 360 rush). VT amassed 320 yards of offense (192 pass, 128 rush). The Buckeyes committed three turnovers in the game compared to two for VT. Cardale Jones was 9-of-18 for 186 yards with 2 TDs and an INT. Ezekiel Elliott had 122 yards rushing on 11 carries with a TD and Jones added 99 yards rushing and a score on 13 carries. Braxton Miller was the top receiver with two catches for 78 yards and a TD. Michael Brewer, who was knocked out of the game, was 11-of-16 for 156 yards with 2 TDs before his collarbone injury. J.C. Coleman had 12 carries for 43 yards and Sam Rogers was the top receiver with three catches for 66 yards in the loss.
Marshall 41, Purdue 31
Tiquan Lang returned two interceptions for touchdowns to help lead Marshall to a 41-31 win over Purdue on Sunday. The Thundering Herd, the defending C-USA champions, picked up their first win over a major conference team after going 0-5 in such meetings since 2005. The game was close throughout and Purdue held a 31-27 lead before Marshall scored with 2:50 remaining to take a 34-31 lead. Purdue quarterback then threw a pick six with 1:20 left while trying to attempt a game-winning drive to seal the win for the Herd. Purdue has now lost its eighth straight road opener and seventh game in a row dating back to last season. Purdue did outgain Marshall in total offense, 454 yards to 397. Purdue gained 270 yards through the air and 184 on the ground while Marshall totaled 234 in the passing department and 163 on the ground. Purdue committed four turnovers in the game while Marshall was close behind with three. Michael Birdsong made his Marshall debut at quarterback going 23-of-36 for 234 yards with 2 TD and 1 INT. Devon Johnson had 11 carries for 89 yards and a score and Davonte Allen had five catches for 59 yards in the win. For Purdue, Austin Appleby was 31-of-48 for 270 yards with 1 TD and 4 INTs. D.J. Knox had 22 carries for 102 yards and a TD while DeAngelo Yancey had five catches for 78 yards.
BYU 33, Nebraska 28
Backup quarterback Tanner Mangum threw a 42-yard Hail Mary touchdown pass with one second remaining to give BYU a 33-28 win over Nebraska, snapping the Huskers' 29 year season opening win streak. The win came with a price as starting quarterback Taysom Hill was likely lost for the season with a foot injury earlier in the game. The Cougars held a 24-14 lead after the first half before Nebraska stormed back in the third quarter with a 14-0 run of their own to take a 28-24 lead. BYU added a fourth quarter field goal to make the score 28-27 Huskers before the events that would lead to the Hail Mary. BYU outgained Nebraska in total offense 511 yards to 445. The Cougars had 379 yards passing and 132 rushing and committed one turnover. The Huskers threw for 319 yards and rushed for 126 while turning the ball over twice. Taysom Hill was 21-of-34 for 268 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT and his backup Tanner Mangm was 7-of-11 for 111 yards with the game winning TD pass. Hill was the leading BYU rusher with 72 yards on 9 carries and 2 TDs and Nick Kurtz led the BYU receivers with five catches for 123 yards. Mitch Matthews had three catches for 69 yards and 2 TDs. For Nebraska, Tommy Armstrong was 24-of-41 for 319 yards with 3 TDs and 1 INT. Terrell Newby was the leading rusher with 10 carries for 43 yards and a score and Jordan Westerkamp was the leading Husker receiver with seven catches for 107 yards and a TD.
Northwestern 16, Stanford 6
The Wildcats used a solid running game and strong defense to upset #21 Stanford in Evanston. It was the first time Northwestern won their season opener against a ranked team since 1995. Freshman quarterback Clayton Thorson played a turnover free game, running back Justin Jackson had a 100 yard rushing day and Anthony Walker broke up two passes and had a fumble recovery to lead the Wildcats. Northwestern totaled 330 yards on the day (105 pass, 225 rush) while Stanford ended with just 240 yards (155 pass, 85 rush). Stanford committed two turnovers in the game while Northwestern had none. Clayton Thorson was 12-of-24 for 105 yards passing, Justin Jackson aded 28 carries for 134 yards, Thorson ran for 68 yards and the game's only touchdown and Christian Jones had five catches for 52 yards in the win. For Stanford, Kevin Hogan was 20-of-35 for 155 yards with an INT, Christian McCaffrey had 12 carries for 66 yards and Austin Hooper had five catches for 45 yards in the loss.
Iowa 31, Illinois State 14
C.J. Beathard threw for 211 yards and a score in his first career start at Kinnick Stadium and Iowa pounded Illinois State 34-14. Beathard also showed off his legs, rushing for two touchdowns in the win. Illinois State, ranked No. 2 in FCS, trailed 17-0 at halftime and 31-0 before putting any points on the board. The Iowa defense also played well, not allowing the Redbirds inside the 20-yard line until late in the fourth quarter. Iowa put up 431 yards on the day (221 pass, 210 rush) and had one turnover. Illinois State had 231 total yards with 196 through the air and just 35 yards on the ground. C.J. Beathard ended the day going 15-of-24 for 211 yards with 1 TD. LeShun Daneils had 26 carries for 123 yards and Jordan Canzeri had four catches for 90 yards in the win. For Illinois State, Jake Kolbe was 11-of-15 for 147 yards with 2 TDs, Marshaun Coprich had 13 carries for 32 yards and Anthong Warrum had three catches for 58 yards and a TD to lead the Redbirds in defeat.
Maryland 50, Richmond 21
William Likely broke a 76-year-old Big Ten record with 233 punt return yards (on 8 returns) with a touchdown to help lead the Terps to a 50-21 win over Richmond. The record was held by Iowa star Nile Kinnick who set it in 1939. In addition to the punt return yardage, Likely also returned two kickoffs for 63 yards, giving him 296 total return yards on the day. After trailing 14-13 in the second quarter, Maryland scored 37 straight points in the win. Maryland gained 479 total yards on the day (138 pass, 341 rush) while Richmond totaled 276 yards (220 pass, 56 rush). Perry Hills was 12-of-21 for 138 yards with 2 TDs and 1 INT in the win. Brandon Ross had 18 carries for 150 yards and a score and Malcolm Culmer had one catch for 37 yards and a TD to lead Maryland in victory. For Richmond, Kyle Lauletta was 18-of-30 for 220 yards. Jacobi Green had seven carries for 23 yards and a TD and Brian Brown had four catches for 68 yards in the loss.
Rutgers 63, Norfolk State 13
Receiver Leonte Carroo sat out the first half on suspension, but came into the game and made his presence felt in the second half. He caught three third-quarter touchdown passes to lead Rutgers to the 63-13 rout. It gave the school a bit of a break from the events of the last couple of weeks with five players arrested and the coach, Kyle Flood, under a bit of a scandal himself. Rutgers totaled 539 yards on the day (248 pass, 291 rush) and committed one turnover. Norfolk State had 196 total yards (199 pass, minus-3 rush). Chris Laviano was 4-of-4 for 138 yards and 3 TDs and the other QB for the Scarlet Knights, Hayden Rettig was 9-of-11 for 110 yards and a TD. Josh Hicks had 18 carries for 118 yards and 2 TDs and Carroo totaled 3 catches for 129 yards and 3 TDs in the big win. For Norfolk State, Greg Hankerson was 18-of-28 for 199 yards with 2 TDs. Eric Pittman had 6 carries for 17 yards while DeAndre Sangster had six catches for 101 yards and a TD in the loss.
Illinois 52, Kent State 3
The game was set to be played Friday night but was moved to Saturday afternoon due to lightning. The wait was no issue for the Illini, who under interim coach Bill Cubit, raced out to 38 first half points and ended with a dominating 52-3 win over the Golden Flashes. Kent State connected on a 43-yard field goal in the fourth quarter to avoid the shutout. The Flashes had two touchdowns called back on penalties and Illinois blocked a second quarter field goal attempt. Illinois led 28-0 after the first quarter, something that hasn't happened for Illinois since at least 1960 and the 38-0 halftime lead was the biggest margin at a half since 2001. Illinois didn't put up big numbers on offense, but they were efficient. Illinois had 342 total yards (208 pass, 134 rush) and committed one turnover. Kent State had 245 total yards (186 pass, 59 rush) and committed four turnovers on the day. For the Illini, Wes Lunt was 11-of-19 for 162 yards with 4 TD passes. Josh Ferguson had 12 carries for 76 yards and a TD and Geronimo Allison had two catches for 57 yards and a TD in the win. 10 different Illini receivers caught a pass in the game. For Kent State, Colin Reardon was 15-of-34 for 156 yards with 3 INT. Miles Hibbler had 8 carries for 15 yards and Kris White had one catch for 58 yards in the loss.
Temple 27, Penn State 10
Temple fans stormed the field as they picked up their first win over Penn State in 74 years. The Owls hadn't beaten the Nittany Lions since October 18, 1941 and had lost 38 straight in the series. Penn State led 10-0 in the first, but then it was all Temple. The game was close at 17-10 late in the third quarter, but another touchdown and field goal by the Owls in the fourth put the game away. The Temple defense harassed Penn State quarterback Christian Hackenberg all day and came away with 10 sacks on the junior. Temple had 317 yards of total offense on the day (168 pass, 149 rush) while Penn State had just 183 total yards with 103 passing and just 80 rushing. Both teams committed one turnover each. P.J. Walker was 15-of-20 for 143 yards in the win, Jahad Thomas had 29 carries for 135 yard and 2 TDs and Ventell Bryant had two catches for 41 yards in the historic win. For Penn State, Christian Hackenberg was 11-of-25 for 103 yards with an INT. Akeel Lynch had 10 carries for 78 yards and a TD and Chris Godwin had five catches for 81 yards in the loss.
Indiana 48, Southern Illinois 47
Indiana may have left the confines of Memorial Stadium in Bloomington with more questions than answers after a one-point win over FCS foe Southern Illinois. Both teams put up big offensive numbers. Indiana seemed to have put the game away with 58 seconds remaining on a one yard TD run to go up 48-41. But SIU came back and marched 75 yards in five plays and scored on a 25-yard TD pass with 18 seconds to play. The Salukis elected to go for the 2-pt conversion and the potential win instead of the tie, but the Hoosiers made a goal line stop and held on for the 48-47 win. Southern Illinois outgained Indiana 659 yards to 595 yards. SIU had 411 yards passing and 248 rushing with two turnovers. Indiana had 349 yards through the air and 246 on the ground with no turnovers in the win. Nate Sudfeld returned from his injury a year ago and showed little rust going 19-of-32 for 349 yards and a TD. UAB transfer Jordan Howard had 20 carries for 145 yards and 3 TDs while Ricky Jones had a big receiving day with six catches for 186 yards and a TD. For SIU, Mark Iannotti was 24-of-31 for 411 yards with 4 TD passes. He was also the team's leading rusher with 17 carries for 106 yards and a TD. Adam Fuehne had three catches for 130 yards in the loss and a score.
Alabama 35, Wisconsin 17
Derrick Henry ran for 147 yards and three scores to lead Alabama to a convincing 35-17 win over Wisconsin in the only matchup of two ranked teams on the opening weekend of major college football. Wisconsin was held to just 40 yards rushing, their lowest total since 2012 as Paul Chryst made his coaching debut with the Badgers. Wisconsin had averaged 264 yards per game on the ground over the last five years. Star Corey Clement had only 16 yards on eight carries and left the game with an apparent groin injury. Wisconsin also lost senior star safety Michael Caputo with a head injury early in the game. Bama lead 14-7 at the half but pulled away in the second and led 28-10 in the third before pulling away further for the final score. Alabama had 502 yards of total offense (264 pass, 238 rush) with zero turnovers. Wisconsin had 268 total yards (228 pass, 40 rush) and a turnover. Jake Coker was 15-of-21 for 213 yards with a TD in the win. Derrick Henry had his 147 yards on 13 carries with three scores and Robert Foster was the top receiver for the Crimson Tide with four receptions for 50 yards and a TD. For Wisconsin, Joel Stave was 26-of-39 for 228 yards with 2 TDs and and INT. Alex Erickson was the top rusher with 25 yards on one carry and was also the team's leading receiver with six catches for 73 yards and a TD.
Utah 24, Michigan 17
The Jim Harbaugh era finally kicked off in Salt Lake City, Utah on Thursday night. Utah beat Michigan for the third straight time, and second year in a row in a 24-17 season opening win. Regardless of the new coach, the team looked similar to the 2014 version: the quarterback struggled, the run game was nonexistent. Utah led 17-3 in the third quarter and 24-10 with just under eight minutes left in the game after a 55-yard interception return, the third Michigan pick of the game. Michigan scored with just 54 seconds remaining to pull within one score, but Utah controlled the game throughout. Michigan actually outgained Utah in total yardage, 355 to 337. Utah had 129 yards on the ground and 208 through the air and one turnover. Michigan came up with 279 yards passing and just 76 on the ground, to go along with three turnovers. Travis Wilson was 24-of-33 for 208 yards with an INT for the Utes. Devontae Booker had 69 yards and a TD on 22 carries to lead Utah on the ground and Britain Covey had five catches for 58 yards to lead in the receiving category. Eight different Utah players caught a pass in the game. For Michigan, Jake Rudock was 27-of-43 for 279 yards with 2 TDs and 3 INTs. De'Veon Smith had 17 carries for 47 yards to lead the Wolverine ground attack and Amara Darboh had 8 catches for 101 yards and a TD to lead receivers. Tight end Jake Butt also had eight catches for 93 yards and a TD of his own in the loss.
TCU 23, Minnesota 17
Trevone Boykin threw for 246 yards and a TD and ran for another 92 yards and another score to help TCU outlast a pesky Minnesota team 23-17 in Minneapolis. TCU had a tough time getting their prolific offense going against a stingy Gopher defense. The 23 points scored by TCU was their lowest offensive output since Nov. 9, 2013 in a 21-17 win over Iowa State. Even though TCU didn't look great, they fared much better offensively than Minnesota, who started the game with five straight punts and a fumble through the back of the end zone. TCU gained 449 yards in the game (246 pass, 203 rush) compared to 341 for Minnesota (197 pass, 144 rush). Both teams committed two turnovers. Boykin was 26-of-42 for 246 yards with 1 TD and 1 INT and led the team in rushing with 92 yards on 18 carries and a score. Josh Doctson was the top receiver with eight catches for 74 yards and a TD. For Minnesota, Mitch Leidner was 19-of-35 for 197 yards with a TD. Rodney Smith had 16 carries for 88 yards and a TD and K.J. Maye had four grabs for 73 yards to lead the Gopher receivers in the loss.
Michigan State 37, Western Michigan 24
The Spartans may have needed this tune up game as they prepare to host Oregon next week. Michigan State built up a 27-7 lead before the Broncos came back to make it a little interesting on Friday night. MSU was up 27-7 in the second quarter and up 24 points in the third, but WMU responded with two long TD drives in the fourth to pull within 10. WMU drove to the Michigan State 7-yard line with a chance to make the final minutes of the game dramatic, but threw a pick in the end zone to seal the win for the Spartans. Michigan State set a school record by scoring 30 or more points for the ninth straight game. MSU seemed shakiest when Connor Cook was called on to throw and when the Spartans had to defend the pass, and secondary is where MSU was projected to have some issues. MSU outgained WMU 452 yards (256 pass, 196 rush) to 383 yards (365 pass, 18 rush). The Broncos committed two turnovers to MSU's one. Connor Cook was 15-of-31 for 256 yards with 2 TDs in the win. L.J. Scott had 13 carries for 77 yards and Madre London had 13 carries of his own for 59 yards and two TDs while Aaron Burbridge had four catches for 117 yards in the Spartan win. For Western Michigan, Zach Terrell was 33-of-50 for 365 yards with 2 TDs and 2 INT. Jarvion Franklin was the leading rusher with 8 carries for just 23 yards. The Broncos had a pair of 100 yard receivers with Corey Davis grabbing 10 passes for 154 yards and a TD and Daniel Braverman hauling in 13 receptions for 109 yards.
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Standings
East Division
Indiana (1-0, 0-0)
Maryland (1-0, 0-0)
Michigan State (1-0, 0-0)
Ohio State (1-0, 0-0)
Rutgers (1-0, 0-0)
Michigan (0-1, 0-0)
Penn State (0-1, 0-0)
West Division
Illinois (1-0, 0-0)
Iowa (1-0, 0-0)
Northwestern (1-0, 0-0)
Minnesota (0-1, 0-0)
Nebraska (0-1, 0-0)
Purdue (0-1, 0-0)
Wisconsin (0-1, 0-0)
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Saturday, September 12
Oregon State at Michigan (11:00 a.m. - ABC)
Western Illinois at Illinois (11:00 a.m. - BTN)
Bowling Green at Maryland (11:00 a.m. - BTN)
Buffalo at Penn State (11:00 a.m. - ESPN2)
Indiana State at Purdue (11:00 a.m. - ESPNEWS)
Miami (OH) at Wisconsin (11:00 a.m. - ESPNU)
Hawaii at Ohio State (2:30 p.m. - BTN)
Minnesota at Colorado State (2:30 p.m. - CBS Sports Network)
Washington State at Rutgers (2:30 p.m. - ESPNU)
Eastern Illinois at Northwestern (3:00 p.m. - ESPNEWS)
Iowa at Iowa State (3:45 p.m. - FOX)
Oregon at Michigan State (7:00 p.m. - ABC)
Florida International at Indiana (7:00 p.m. - BTN)
South Alabama at Nebraska (7:00 p.m. - BTN)
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