Taggart’s FSU debut spoiled by Hokies
Josh Jackson threw two touchdown passes, one early and another late, and No. 20 Virginia Tech handled 19thranked Florida State 24-3 in the rain Monday night in Tallahassee to spoil head coach Willie Taggart’s debut with the Seminoles.
Florida State looked dysfunctional and disorganized most of the night, including on both of Jackson’s TD passes.
Jackson connected with Eric Kumah over the middle with less than six minutes to play. Kumah bounded through three attempted arm tackles and raced 49 yards for the gamesealing score. Jackson also opened the game with a 10-yard touchdown pass to Damon Hazelton in the corner of the end zone. Jackson lofted a pass that cornerback Levonta Taylor looked lost trying to defend.
Jackson completed 16 of 26 passes for 207 yards. Kumah had four catches for 86 yards.
The Hokies also scored on special teams with their 75th blocked punt since 1987. In a fitting coincidence, former Virginia Tech head coach Frank Beamer, known for his “Beamerball” brand of special teams, was on hand for the game as honorary captain.
The outcome probably shouldn’t have been too surprising because the Hokies finished 9-4 in Justin Fuente’s second season and returned a number of key players, including Jackson. The Seminoles are coming off a 7-6 season and are still getting acclimated to a new coaching staff and new schemes on offense and defense.
Harbaugh, Edwards feud: The dispute between Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh and former Wolverines receiver Braylon Edwards is getting hotter. Harbaugh, upset Edwards posted a negative tweet about two Michigan players during Saturday’s 24-17 loss at Notre Dame, fired back at Monday’s news conference.
Edwards, a college football analyst, was suspended indefinitely Monday by the Big Ten Network for violating the network’s social-media guidelines.
“I was disappointed that a member of the Big Ten Network would choose to attack the character of two of our players,” said Harbaugh, whose program dropped its 17th consecutive road game to a ranked opponent, a streak dating to 2006. If somebody wants to attack the character of anybody on the ballclub, come after me.”
Edwards’ tweet Saturday night, which later was deleted, was directed at center Cesar Ruiz and transfer quarterback Shea Patterson: “Ruiz is weak, line is weak, shea is scared, f— Michigan offense is so predictable . ... Michigan football is sadly one thing ...Trash,” Edwards wrote.
Saban picks Tagovailoa: Nick Saban made official what anybody who has been paying attention to No. 1 Alabama already assumed: Tua Tagovailoa is the Tide’s starting quarterback.
The top-ranked team’s head coach didn’t wait for the question to be asked before saying what even he figures “everybody knows.” He said two-year starter Jalen Hurts still will play a role.
It had become a touchy subject for Saban after repeated questions about the starter leading up to the game. Saban got testy with an ESPN reporter following a postgame quarterback question. Meyer back, but not all the way: Ohio State head coach Urban Meyer returned to the team’s practice facility for the first time in a month, arriving before dawn for a staff meeting. Under the terms of his suspension by Ohio State, Meyer can be on campus, talk to assistants and conduct practice, but he must disappear for the 24-hour period surrounding the next two games. He’ll be back on the sideline for the Sept. 22 home game against Tulane. Briefly: West Virginia linebacker Charlie Benton will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury . ... Indiana lost starting running back Cole Gest for the rest of this season with a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his knee . ... Illinois wide receiver Mike Dudek will miss the season because of a knee injury, the third major knee injury of the senior’s career.