Ohio State rolls over Nebraska in opener
Justin Fields completed 20 of 21 passes for two touchdowns and ran for another, Master Teague III rushed for a pair of scores and No. 5 Ohio State rolled over visiting Nebraska 52-17 Saturday in the Big Ten teams’ pandemicdelayed opener.
Fields, a Heisman Trophy finalist last season, completed his first 12 passes and threw for 276 yards. He ran for another 52 — including a stunning 17-yard third-quarter touchdown scramble around the left side that saw him spin past a defender into the end zone.
“You guys saw the arm we saw,” Nebraska linebacker Collin Miller said. “He’s making throws guys on Sundays make.”
The Ohio State defense took most of the first half to figure out a way to contain quarterback Adrian Martinez, who marched the Huskers down for a touchdown in the opening 2 minutes of the game.
Nebraska (0-1, 0-1 Big Ten) tied the score at 14 in the second quarter, but an Ohio State (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) field goal, a defensive stop and Teague’s second TD run gave the Buckeyes a 24-14 lead at the half. Then came Fields’ nifty touchdown run and a 55yard scoop and score by Buckeyes cornerback Sevyn Banks, and Ohio State had it under control.
“Just to go 1-0 is a great day,” Ohio State coach Ryan Day said. “We’re very proud of what we did today.”
No. 1 Clemson 47, Syracuse 21: Trevor Lawrence threw two touchdown passes and Travis Etienne ran for three scores as No. 1 Clemson shook off a sluggish performance to win its 27th straight Atlantic Coast Conference game and put away pesky Syracuse. The
ATigers opened 6-0 for the sixth straight season, but it took a late burst to get it done – just like usual against Syracuse (1-5, 1-4).
The Orange were the last ACC team to defeat the Tigers (5-0 ACC) with a 27-24 victory in 2017. A year later at Death Valley, Syracuse again looked primed for the upset as it held a 10-point lead in the fourth quarter before Clemson’s 27-23 escape to keep its national championship season intact.
No. 14 North Carolina 48, North Carolina State 21: Javonte Williams ran for 160 yards and three touchdowns to help the host Tar Heels beat the Wolfpack in a renewal of the longtime state rivalry.
Michael Carter ran for 106 yards and a score of his own for the Tar Heels (4-1, 4-1 Atlantic Coast Conference), who used a run-through-and-overtacklers ground game that helped them take control in the third quarter. UNC ran for 326 yards and finished with 578 overall, bouncing back from an upset loss at Florida State to beat the Wolfpack (4-2, 4-2) by a lopsided margin for the second straight season.
No. 20 Kansas State 55, Kansas 14: Phillip Brooks returned a pair of
AApunts for touchdowns, Kansas State took advantage of an embarrassing day of special teams by its biggest rival, and the host Wildcats rolled to over the Jayhawks. Will Howard threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns while Justin Gardner returned an interception 25 yards for another score, helping the Wildcats (4-1) improve to 4-0 in the Big 12 for the first time since 2014.
Deuce Vaughn added 71 yards rushing and another touchdown as Kansas State beat the Jayhawks (0-5, 0-4) for a series-record 12th straight time. Kansas has not beaten its Interstate 70 rival since Nov. 1, 2008, in Lawrence.
No. 25 Coast Carolin 28, Georgia Southern 14: Backup quarterback Fred Payton three three touchdown passes and host Coastal Carolina won its first game as a ranked team with a victory over Georgia Southern. The Chanticleers (5-0, 3-0 Sun Belt Conference) played without starting passer Grayson McCall, who had an upper body injury. But Payton threw of a 24-yard TD pass to running back C.J. Marable with 8:53 remaining to break a 14-all tie and Coastal Carolina up for good.
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