No. 2 Ducks bash hapless Cavaliers
NO. 2 OREGON 59, VIRGINIA 10
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — De’Anthony Thomas ran for 124 yards and three touchdowns, Marcus Mariota threw for two touchdowns and ran 71 yards for another score and No. 2 Oregon started fast and manhandled Virginia 59-10 on Saturday.
The Ducks (2-0), who gained a school-record 772 yards last week in beating Nicholls State, looked capable of doing it again against a Virginia defense that hoped to keep the Cavaliers in the game. Oregon finished with 557 yards and did all its scoring while possessing the ball for just 21:25.
Virginia (1-1) got a very early look at what it was up against as Mariota dropped back on a third-and-5 in the game’s opening series, then bolted up the middle untouched, going 71 yards for a touchdown.
The Ducks added a twopoint conversion and, after 1:51, the Ducks were on their way to their 16th consecutive victory on their opponent’s field, the longest streak in the country.
Mariota finished with 122 yards rushing on four carries and completed 14 of 28 passes for 199 yards.
The Cavaliers trailed 21-0 after 10:32 and never were able to sustain anything on offense. David Watford was 29 for 41 for 161 yards, but threw three interceptions and fumbled once. All four turnovers led to Oregon touchdowns. Virginia’s lone touchdown came on a 45-yard run by Khalek Shepherd.
In other games involving ACC teams, Trey Edmunds ran for two touchdowns and Detrick Bonner returned one of his two interceptions for a score as Virginia
Tech (1-1) beat Western Carolina (0-2) 45-3 in Blacksburg, Va. … Romar Morris scored twice to help North Carolina (1-1) run out to a big lead and beat Middle Tennessee (1-1) 40-20 in Chapel Hill, N.C. … C.J. Brown threw for two touchdowns and ran for two, Brandon Ross rushed for 149 yards and Maryland (2-0) capitalized on three interceptions in a 47-10 rout of Old
Dominion (0-2) in College Park, Md. … Tajh Boyd ran for a touchdown and No. 4
Clemson (2-0) returned two interceptions for scores for the first time in program history in a 52-13 victory over FCS opponent
South Carolina State (0-2) in Clemson, S.C. ... Niklas Sade’s 48-yard field goal with 33 seconds left lifted North Carolina State (2-0) past Richmond 23-21 in Raleigh, N.C. N.C. State freshman Bryant Shirreffs accounted for two touchdowns and Pete Thomas was 24 of 31 for 237 yards while helping the Wolfpack rally from an 11-point deficit.
AMERICAN ATHLETIC Louisville clubs EKU LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The eighth-ranked Louisville Cardinals may need to start earning some style points to go along with their victories.
Teddy Bridgewater threw for 397 yards and four touchdowns as Louisville routed Eastern Kentucky 44-7 Saturday on a day the Cardinals’ defense just missed a shutout for a second week in a row.
Linebacker Preston Brown had two sacks, and Calvin Pryor had an interception as Louisville limited Eastern Kentucky to 76 yards total offense in the first half.
The Cardinals (2-0) needed the defensive plays. Following the noon kickoff, Louisville settled for a pair of field goals from John Wallace after turnovers gave the offense short fields. The Cardinals also settled for a third field goal in the third quarter despite reaching Eastern Kentucky’s 4.
Bridgewater completed his first five passes to continue his strong start on the season. He tossed touchdown passes to Damian Copeland and Gerald Christian and two to DeVante Parker while connecting with eight receivers. He wound up 23 of 32 with no interceptions.
The Cardinals never were threatened by a instate program from the Football Championship Subdivision that upset Louisville 45-21 in 1985. Louisville led 14-0 after the first quarter and 27-0 at halftime in improving to 11-31 in this series playing on its own field.
In other games involving American Athletic Conference teams, Richie Leone of
Houston (2-0, 1-0) kicked five field goals and Ryan Jackson’s 10-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown spelled the difference in the Cougars’ 22-13 victory over Temple (0-1, 0-1) before 27,328 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia. … Paul James ran for 119 yards and three touchdowns and Rutgers (1-1) defeated Norfolk State 38-0 in Piscataway, N.J. … Brandon Connette, subbing for injured starter Anthony Boone, threw for 198 yards and a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to lead Duke (2-0) past host Memphis (0-1) 28-14. ... Garrett Gilbert completed a 4-yard touchdown pass to Darius Joseph with 12 seconds left against Montana State to give SMU (1-1) a come-from-behind 31-30 victory in Dallas.