HBU wins first game since ’20
GREELEY, Colo. — HBU defensive end Delvin Mason forced a fumble on a sack, then linebacker Jalyx Hunt scooped it up and returned it 45 yards for a touchdown to seal the Huskies’ 46-34 victory over Northern Colorado in the FCS season-opener Saturday afternoon at Nottingham Field.
The win snaps HBU’s 11game winning streak, dating back to a 33-30 victory on the road at Eastern Kentucky in the season finale on Oct. 3, 2020.
HBU sophomore quarterback Justin Fomby threw four touchdowns, while freshman running back Ismael Mahdi scored a long rushing and a long receiving touchdown for the Huskies (1-0). Junior Karl Reynolds, sophomore Ismael Fuller and freshman Anthony Harris each had touchdown receptions.
Dylan McCaffery threw a pair of touchdowns for the Bears, both to Trevis Graham. Sirmon also threw a pair of touchdowns in UNC’s furious comeback, one to Alec Pells and another to Elijah Dotson.
After an HBU three-andout, UNC converted two thirdand-longs, then Sirmon hit Dotson for a 9-yard touchdown as the Huskies led 39-34 with 2:25 on the clock.
UNC then recovered the onside kick at its own 41. The Bears’ promising drive into HBU territory was halted by a personal foul penalty, then Sirmon was sacked by Mason, fumbled the ball, which was scooped up by Hunt and taken all the way for the score.
NO. 10 BAYLOR 69, ALBANY 10
Blake Shapen completed 17 of 20 passes for 214 yards with two long touchdowns and had a nifty dive into the end zone for another score on the final play of the first half for the host Bears (1-0).
Gavin Holmes, the sixthyear Bears wideout who missed all of last season because of a foot injury, returned a punt 72 yards for a score. Monaray Baldwin had two touchdowns, on a 47-yard catch for Baylor’s first score before adding a 50-yard reverse run after halftime.
The reigning Big 12 champion Bears have a six-game winning streak, matching fourthranked Clemson for the longest active among FBS teams. The Tigers open their season Monday night against Georgia Tech.
TEXAS TECH 63, MURRAY ST. 10
Donovan Smith came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes, Tahj Brooks ran for three scores and new coach Joey McGuire won his debut for the Red Raiders.
Brooks finished with 50 yards and scoring runs of 14, 3 and 23 yards, the last giving the Red Raiders a 42-10 lead late in the first half on the way to their 23rd consecutive victory in a home opener.
NEVADA 38, TEXAS STATE 14
Bentlee Sanders made two interceptions, including a 28-yard pick-six, and forced a fumble as the host Wolf Pack came up with four takeaways.
Arkansas State transfer Layne Hatcher was 33-of-51 passing for 293 yards for two touchdowns and the two picks in his first start for the Bobcats.
SMU 48, NORTH TEXAS 10
In Denton, Tanner Mordecai threw for 432 yards and four touchdowns in Rhett Lashlee’s debut as coach of the Mustangs.
Mordecai’s first TD pass, 51 yards to Jordan Kerley gave the Mustangs a 24-3 lead in the second quarter and a 75-yard catch-and-run pass to Roderick Daniels made it 31-10 at halftime.
TCU 38, COLORADO 13
Derius Davis scored on a 60-yard punt return and a 27-yard reverse to help TCU open the Sonny Dykes era with a win Friday in Boulder, Colo. Dykes took over for longtime TCU coach Gary Patterson after spending the last four seasons at SMU.