Syracuse flips script in victory

Tucker helps Orange gain payback from Louisville

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — Sean Tucker rushed for 98 yards and scored two touchdowns, one on a 55-yard catch-andrun, and quarterback Garrett Shrader threw for two scores and ran for another as Syracuse beat Louisville 31-7 in the season opener for both teams Saturday.

The Cardinals had won the past three meetings in the series — all at Cardinal Stadium — while averaging 42.3 points and were 7-1 against the Orange since joining the Atlantic Coast Conference in 2014.

The script was flipped in this one as Syracuse built an early 17-7 lead behind a new-look offense, and the Orange defense never let Louisville quarterback Malik Cunningham get rolling.

He was intercepted twice in the third quarter and lost a fumble early in the fourth, and Syracuse converted two of the turnovers into TDS. Last year, he accounted for six TDS against Syracuse in the first half of a 41-3 victory.

Tucker ran for 93 yards on 21 carries and caught six passes for 85 yards. Shrader was 18 of 25 passing for 237 yards and ran for 95 yards on 16 carries.

Cunningham was 16 of 22 passing for 152 yards, rushed for 34 yards on 13 carries and was sacked three times.

■ Stanford 41, Colgate 10: At Stanford, Calif., Tanner Mckee threw two TD passes to wide receiver Michael Wilson as the Cardinal (1-0) halted a seven-game skid while improving to 10-2 in home openers under coach David Shaw. E.J. Smith, a son of Pro Football Hall of Fame running back Emmitt Smith, ran for 118 yards and two TDS. The Raiders (0-1) failed to capitalize on Stanford’s four turnovers and missed two first-quarter field goals.

■ Texas Tech 63, Murray State 10: At Lubbock, Texas, Donovan Smith came off the bench to throw four TD passes, and Tahj Brooks ran for three TDS, helping the Red Raiders (1-0) to a 42-10 first-half lead. QB D.J. Williams, the Ohio Valley Conference freshman of the year last season for the Racers (0-1), sustained a right leg injury on the first half ’s final play.

■ Texas 52, Louisiana-monroe 10: At Austin, Texas, Quinn Ewers passed for 225 yards and two TDS in his debut for the Longhorns (1-0). Bijan Robinson had 111 yards of offense on 13 touches and scored twice. The Warhawks (0-1) were outgained 383-259 in yards of offense.

■ New Mexico 41, Maine 0: At Albuquerque, N.M., Miles Kendrick was 14 of 17 passing for 170 yards and two TDS for the Lobos (1-0), who amassed 437 yards of offense and held the Black Bears (0-1) to 118. Maine ran 20 times for 22 yards.

Dennis Nett The Associated Press Syracuse running back Sean Tucker reaches for the end zone for one of his two touchdowns Saturday in the Orange’s 31-7 win over Louisville at the JMA Wireless Dome. He totaled 178 yards of offense.