The Middletown Press (Middletown, CT)
Mason (3 TDs), Michigan roll past Nebraska
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Karan Higdon ran for 136 yards and a touchdown in the first half to help No. 19 Michigan build a huge lead and it coasted to a 56-10 win over Nebraska on Saturday.
The Wolverines (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten) led 20-0 after the first quarter and 39-0 at halftime.
Fullback Ben Mason, a Newtown High alum, ran for three touchdowns — for a total of 6 yards — to match the number of times he had scored previously.
The Cornhuskers (0-3, 0-1) are off to their worst start since 1945. They have lost seven in a row dating to last season for the first time since 1957.
Michigan rested Higdon, who missed the previous game with an injury, in the second half. Quarterback Shea Patterson played only the first series of the second half, giving Dylan McCaffrey an extended opportunity to play.
Patterson was 15 of 22 for 120 yards with a 5-yard TD pass to Zach Gentry midway through the second quarter that put the Wolverines ahead 30-0.
NO. 1 ALABAMA 45, TEXAS A&M 23
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Tua Tagovailoa passed for 387 yards and four touchdowns and ran for another score to lead Alabama.
The Crimson Tide (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) easily passed the first test against a ranked team. Kellen Mond and the Aggies (2-2, 0-1) couldn’t put up nearly the fight they had in a 28-26 loss to No. 3 Clemson.
NO. 2 GEORGIA 43, MISSOURI 29
COLUMBIA, Mo. — Jake Fromm threw three touchdown passes and No. 2 Georgia had a defensive touchdown and returned a blocked punt for a score to beat Missouri 43-29 on Saturday.
The Bulldogs (4-0, 2-0 Southeastern Conference) blanketed Missouri’s wide receivers, harassed star quarterback Drew Lock, and forced three turnovers in the first half against the seventh-best offense in the country entering the game. Lock, the highly touted NFL prospect, completed 23 of 48 passes for 221 yards for the Tigers (3-1, 0-1 SEC).
NO. 3 CLEMSON 49, GEORGIA TECH 21
ATLANTA — Freshman Trevor Lawrence took a leading role in Clemson’s quarterback rotation, coming off the bench to throw four touchdown passes as the No. 3 Tigers produced their most complete performance of the season Saturday in a 49-21 rout of Georgia Tech.
After starter Kelly Bryant produced just 13 yards and one first down on Clemson’s first two possessions, Lawrence entered the game early in the second quarter. The youngster, a native of nearby Cartersville, quickly guided the Tigers on a seven-play, 74-yard drive capped by a 17-yard touchdown pass to Hunter Renfrow that made it 14-0 .
NO. 4 OHIO STATE 42, TULANE 6
COLUMBUS, Ohio — Dwayne Haskins Jr. threw for 304 yards and five touchdowns in the first half and Ohio State routed Tulane in coach Urban Meyer’s return to the sideline following a three-game suspension.
NO. 8 NOTRE DAME 56, WAKE FOREST 27
WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — Ian Book rushed for three touchdowns and threw for two more, and No. 8 Notre Dame beat Wake Forest 56-27 on Saturday.
Book replaced Brandon Wimbush in the starting lineup and was 25 of 34 for 325 yards with touchdown passes covering 3 yards to Brock Wright and 7 yards to Chase Claypool, along with three short scoring runs.
NO. 12 W. VIRGINIA 35, KANSAS STATE 6
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — Will Grier threw five touchdown passes for the fifth time in his career and West Virginia shook off a sloppy start in the Big 12 opener for both teams.
OLD DOMINION 49, NO. 13 VA. TECH 35
NORFOLK, Va. — Blake LaRussa came off the bench to throw for 495 yards and four touchdowns to lead Old Dominion to a 49-35 upset of No. 13 Virginia Tech on Saturday in the Hokies’ first game at the cross-state school that restarted its football program in 2009.
NO. 21 MIAMI 31, FIU 17
MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. — N’Kosi Perry came off the bench to throw three touchdown passes, and Miami’s defense was airtight for most of the day in the 21st-ranked Hurricanes’ 31-17 victory over FIU on Saturday.
PURDUE 30, NO. 23 BOSTON COLLEGE 13
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Rondale Moore caught two touchdown passes and Purdue picked off four passes, beating No. 23 Boston College 30-13 on Saturday.
David Blough passed for 296 yards and three touchdowns for the Boilermakers (1-3), who had opened what was expected to be a promising the season with three straight close losses.