Heupel, UCF impressive in regular season opener
McKenzie Milton threw for 346 yards and five touchdowns and No. 21 Central Florida routed UConn 56-17 on Thursday night to extend the longest winning streak in the nation to 14 games.
The reigning American Athletic Conference offensive player of the year completed 24 of 32 passes and ran for another 50 yards. Sophomore receiver
Tre Nixon, a transfer from Mississippi, caught passes, scoring on plays of 34 and 11 yards.
New coach Josh Heupel's fast-paced offense performed as advertised, putting up 652 yards and scoring eight touchdowns on 11 drives, with each scoring drive taking less than three minutes off the clock.
Backup quarterback
Darriel Mack Jr. came on in the fourth quarter and broke a 70-yard touchdown run down the left sideline, making him the team's leading rusher. UConn quarterback David
Pindell was a bright spot for the Huskies, throwing for 266 yards and a touchdown and running for another 157 yards and a score.
The game was marred by what appeared to be a serious injury to UCF defensive back Aaron Robinson on the opening kickoff.
The sophomore transfer from Alabama appeared to collide head-first with another UCF player while making the tackle. He had to be cut from his shoulder and was taken off the field on a stretcher, giving the crowd the thumbs-up sign as he was wheeled to an ambulance. His condition was not immediately known.
Eastern Kentucky 49, Morehead State 23
LJ Scott ran for two scores, Dan Paul caught two touchdown passes and Eastern Kentucky defeated Morehead State 49-23 on Thursday night in a season opener.
A Samuel Hayworth field goal, a 23-yard run by
Alonzo Booth and Scott's 4-yard run made it 18-0 after the first quarter. Paul caught TD passes of 15 yards from redshirt freshman Dakota Allen and 3 yards from Austin Scott in the third quarter for a 32-7 lead.
The Colonels finished with 564 yards offense, including 404 on the ground, led by Daryl McCleskey Jr.'s 125. Ten Colonels had positive rushing yards.
Southern Illinois 49, Murray State 10
Michael Elbert returned a fumble 73 yards for a score in the third quarter to seal a 49-10 victory as Southern Illinois tied a school record with three defensive scores over Murray State in the season opener for both schools on Thursday night.
The Salukis forced six turnovers with two interceptions and four fumble recoveries. Two of the fumble recoveries resulted in touchdowns.
Ball State 42, Central Connecticut 6
Riley Neal threw for 259 yards and two touchdowns and Ball State amassed a school-record 652 offensive yards in a 42-6 win against Central Connecticut on Thursday night in the season opener for both teams.
The Cardinals accounted for 336 passing yards and 316 rushing
North Dakota 35, Mississippi Valley State 7
Nate Ketteringham threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in his North Dakota debut and the Fighting Hawks opened the season with a 35-7 victory over Mississippi Valley State on Thursday night.
Ketteringham, who sat out last season after transferring from Sacramento State, threw for 225 yards.
Wagner 40, Bowie State 23
Ryan Fulse rushed 20 times for a career-high 271 yards and three touchdowns, including two 77-yarders, and Wagner opened its season with a 40-23 victory over Bowie State Thursday night.
Incumbent Luke Massei, who won a three-way competition for the starting quarterback job over a pair of graduate transfers, added 134 yards passing, including a 55-yard TD to Denzel Knight to open the scoring.
Fulse, the No. 4 FCS rusher last season, scored twice in the second quarter that ended with Wagner ahead 31-13.
Maine 35, New Hampshire 7
Chris Ferguson threw two touchdown passes and Drew Belcher added a 52-yard scoring toss as Maine opened the season beating New Hampshire 35-7 on Thursday night in the 107th meeting between the two schools.
Indiana State 49, Quincy 0
Indiana State piled up 339 yards and six touchdowns on the ground and cruised to a 49-0 victory over Division II Quincy University in the opener for both teams Thursday night.
The win snapped the Sycamores' 14-game losing streak dating to 2016. ISU was 0-11 last season.