Williams, Trojans roll past Nevada in opener
Michigan, Ohio State, Alabama also win
LOS ANGELES — Although Lincoln Riley was pleased by big plays and small improvements alike during No. 6 Southern California’s second straight blowout win, nothing thrilled the head coach and his sideline more than the 23-yard fumble return for a touchdown by 275-pound defensive lineman Stanley Ta’ufo’ou.
“When big people score, football is more fun,” Riley said with a grin.
Led by their biggest star of all, the Trojans had another Saturday of fun while preparing for bigger challenges ahead.
Caleb Williams threw for 319 yards and hit Tahj Washington with two of his five touchdown passes, leading USC to a 66-14 victory over Nevada. NO. 1 GEORGIA 48, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 7: In Athens, Ga., Carson Beck overcame a sluggish first half to throw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Mews and Georgia, the two-time defending national champion, leaned on its defense to overwhelm Tennessee-Martin.
Georgia showed it must make progress on offense if it can realize its dream of becoming the first team to win three straight national championships in The Associated Press poll era. The Bulldogs were outgained in the opening quarter and led only 17-0 at halftime against the Football Championship Subdivision Skyhawks, NO. 2 MICHIGAN 30, EAST CAROLINA 3: In Ann Arbor, Mich., — J.J. McCarthy threw three touchdown passes to Roman Wilson, helping Michigan rout East Carolina.
The Wolverines were without coach Jim Harbaugh, who began serving a school-imposed, threegame suspension for breaking NCAA rules.
NO. 3 OHIO STATE 23, INDIANA 3: In Bloomington, Ind., Miyan Williams rushed for two touchdowns and the third-ranked Buckeyes overcame an uncharacteristically sluggish start to beat the Hoosiers, giving Kyle McCord his first victory since being named Ohio State’s starting quarterback.
McCord finished 20 of 33 with 239 yards and one interception as the Buckeyes (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) won their 23rd straight season opener and extended the longest active winning streak in an FBS series to 28 in a row over the Hoosiers.
NO. 4 ALABAMA 56, MIDDLE TENN. ST. 7: In Tuscaloosa, Ala., Jalen Milroe threw three long touchdown passes and ran for a pair of scores to lead the Crimson Tide to a season-opening victory.
A much bigger challenge awaits Alabama with a visit from No. 11 Texas. The Tide gets a better chance to demonstrate its championship mettle after uncustomarilly dropping two regular-season games a year ago. But Milroe easily passed his first test. NO. 7 PENN STATE 38, WEST VIRGINIA 15: In State College, Pa., Drew Allar threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start to help Penn State beat West Virginia.
KeAndre Lambert-Smith caught two touchdown passes — including a 72-yard dart launched with a simple flick of Allar’s wrist on his second attempt of the game — while Nick Singleton added a rushing touchdown.
No. 10 WASHINGTON 56, BOISE STATE 19: In Seattle, Michael Penix Jr. threw for 450 yards and matched his career high with five touchdown passes, and the Huskies overwhelmed the Broncos in the teams’ season opener Saturday.
The 56 points were the most allowed by Boise State since an overtime win over Nevada in 2007.
No. 11 TEXAS 37, RICE 10: In Austin, Texas, Quinn Ewers passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as the Longhorns overcame a sluggish start with an overwhelming third quarter and smothering defense to beat the Owls in the season opener for both teams.
Texas forced three turnovers, only allowed Rice 172 total yards and didn’t give up a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter.
No. 12 TENNESSEE 49, 13, VIRGINIA 13: In Knoxville, Tenn., Joe Milton III threw two touchdown passes and ran for two other scores as the Tennessee Volunteers routed Virginia in the season opener for both teams and the Cavaliers’ first game in 294 days.
Before kickoff, a moment of silence was held. The Vols also wore a sticker on their helmets with the numbers of the late Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry, Virginia players who were shot to death last November, a tragedy that cut short the Cavaliers’ 2022 season..
No. 13 NOTRE DAME 56, TENN. STATE 3: In South Bend, Ind., Sam Hartman passed for 194 yards and two touchdowns and Notre Dame’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown for a second straight game as the Irish (2-0) romped.
No. 15 OREGON 81, PORTLAND STATE: 7: In Eugene, Ore., Bo Nix threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns before heading for the bench early in the third quarter and the Ducks built a 43-point halftime lead en route to a rout of the Vikings.
No. 16 KANSAS STATE 45, SE MISSOURI ST. 0: In Manhattan, Kan., quarterback Will Howard scored touchdowns throwing, running and receiving as the Wildcats eased to a season-opening win.
No. 19 WISCONSIN 38, BUFFALO 17: In Madison, Wis., Chez Mellusi ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, Braelon Allen added 141 yards and two more scores and the Badgersn started the first season of Luke Fickell’s coaching tenure with a victory over the Bulls.
No. 20 OKLAHOMA 73, ARKANSAS STATE 0: In Norman, Okla., Dillon Gabriel completed 19 of 22 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half — and the Sooners blasted the Red Wolves.
It was Oklahoma’s largest victory margin in a season opener since 1917.
NO. 21 NORTH CAROLINA 31, SOUTH CAROLINA 17: In Charlotte, N.C., Drake Maye threw for 269 yards and two touchdowns, North Carolina’s upstart defense had nine sacks and the Tar Heels beat border rival South Carolina in a neutral-site game.
NO. 22 MISSISSIPPI 73, MERCER 7: In Oxford, Miss., Jaxson Dart threw four touchdown passes, including three to Tre Harris in the opening four minutes as Ole Mis rolled to a rout of Mercer.
NO. 24 TULANE 31, SOUTH ALABAMA 17: In New Orleans, Mchael Pratt completed 14 of 15 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns and Tulane beat South Alabama.
No. 25 IOWA 24, UTAH STATE 14: In Iowa City, Iowa, Michigan transfr quarterback Cade McNamara made a successful debut in the Hawkeyes’ season-opening victory over the Aggies.
McNamara’s first pass for the No. 25 Hawkeyes was a touchdown, one of the two he threw on Saturday
TEXAS STATE 42, BAYLOR 31: In Waco, Texas, TJ Finley threw for 298 yards with three touchdowns and ran for another score as Texas State beat Baylor, with the Bobcats getting their first-ever win over a team from a Power Five conference in coach GJ Kinne’s debut.
MISS. STATE 48, SE LOUISIANA 7: In Starkville, Miss., — Will Rogers threw for 227 yards and Mississippi State overcame a slow start with a running game that churned out 300 yards on the ground en route to a 48-7 win over Southeastern Louisiana in the season opener for both schools on Saturday.
The game marked the debut of head coach Zach Arnett, who coached the Bulldogs in the Relia Quest Bowl win over Illinois to close the 2022 season after legendary coach Mike Leach died suddenly last December.
Arnett is from Albuquerque and played football at La Cueva and UNM.
SYRACUSE 65, COLGATE 0: In Syracuse, N.Y. Garrett Shrader passed for four touchdowns to four different receivers, LeQuint Allen ran for 107 yards and a score, Syracuse scored on five consecutive possessions in the first half and the Orange dominated in the season opener for both teams.
Colgate managed just 106 yards and seven first downs against Syracuse in defensive coordinator Rocky Long’s first game with the Orange. Long, a former New Mexico head coach (1998-2008) was the Lobos’ defensive coordinator the past three seasons after a highly successful stint as head coach at San Diego State.