No. 1 Tide easily handles Miami

Bryce Young didn’t take long to prove he’s the man to lead No. 1 Alabama in its quest for another national title.

Young became the first Crimson Tide quarterback to throw four touchdown passes in his starting debut and the defending champions romped past No. 14 Miami 44-13 in the Chick-fil-A Kickoff Game in Atlanta. Young, a sophomore from Southern California, completed 27 of 38 passes for 344 yards.

“I thought Bryce did really, really well,” head coach Nick Saban said. “He kind of took what the defense gave him and really directed the offense in a positive way.”

Mac Jones and Joe Namath had been the only QBs to throw three TD passes in their first starts for Alabama.

Spencer Rattler passed for 304 yards and a touchdown and the Sooners, playing as the road team on their home field, avoided the upset. The opener for both teams was relocated from New Orleans because of Hurricane Ida. The Sooners led 40-22 early in the fourth quarter before giving up two TDs. Tulane had 4th-and-13 near midfield with just under two minutes to go when quarterback Michael Pratt ran for 12 yards and Tulane turned the ball over on downs.

Leon O’Neal Jr. had two interceptions, returning the second one 85 yards for a touchdown, and Devon Achane added two scores for the host Aggies. Texas A&M quarterback Haynes King, replacing Kellen Mond, threw three interceptions in his first start.

Datrone Young had a big interception with 2:05 left in the fourth quarter and the host Cyclones avoided becoming the second top-10 team to lose to a team from Division I’s second tier. Michigan is the only top-10 team to lose to an FCS opponent, an upset by Appalachian State in 2007.

Desmond Ridder was 20 of 25 for 295 yards and four touchdowns and the host Bearcats beat the RedHawks in the opener for both teams. Cincinnati tied the series that began in 1888 at 59-59-7.

In an opener for two Big Ten teams in Madison, Wis., Jaquan Brisker and Ji’Ayir Brown had interceptions deep in Penn State territory in the final 21⁄2 minutes.

#13 Florida 35, Florida Atlantic 14:

Emory Jones’ first career start included a touchdown pass, two interceptions and a win at home. Jones was far from sharp in the Swamp, but the fourth-year junior finished with 74 of the team’s 400 yards rushing.

In Iowa City, Riley Moss returned two first-half interceptions for touchdowns for the Hawkeyes in an opener for both squads. Iowa intercepted three of Michael Penix Jr.’s passes and a fourth pick was wiped out by a roughing-the-passer call. Tyler Goodson rushed for 99 yards and a TD for Iowa.

Bijan Robinson scored twice and Hudson Card threw two touchdown passes in his first career start, leading the host Longhorns to a win in coach Steve Sarkisian’s debut. Robinson had a combined 176 yards rushing and receiving.