Bennett, Georgia ‘D’ steamroll Gamecocks
Georgia coach Kirby Smart and his No. 1 Bulldogs are sending messages to anyone who thought they were going to drop off after a national championship.
The latest statement came Saturday in a 48-7 victory over South Carolina (1-2, 0-2) in their Southeastern Conference opener, where the Gamecocks needed a touchdown with 53 seconds to go to avoid becoming the fifth shutout victim of the Bulldogs (3-0) in their past 14 games.
Meanwhile, the Georgia offense gained 547 yards, scoring on eight of its first nine possessions and was averaging nearly 10 yards a play before the backups came in and took their foot off the gas in the fourth quarter.
Even though 15 players left for the NFL after winning Georgia’s first national title since 1980, there still is plenty of talent and an attitude that winning a championship leaves behind, Smart said.
“That was a very special group. That’s going to linger in our building,” Kirby said. “Not the championship, but the way they practiced, the way they carried themselves.”
Stetson Bennett went 16 for 23 for 284 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score. Just like the Bulldogs’ 49-3 victory over Oregon and 33-0 win over Samford, Bennett didn’t take a snap in the fourth quarter. He reminded his teammates that it won’t stay this easy.
No. 2 Alabama 63, Louisiana-Monroe 7:
ABryce Young passed for three touchdowns and rushed for a fourth, Will Anderson Jr. scored on an interception return and the host Crimson Tide rolled past the Warhawks.
No. 4 Michigan 59, UConn 0: Blake Corum rushed for a career-high four touchdowns in the first half and added a fifth score in the third quarter to match a school record, helping the host Wolverines
Arout the Huskies.
No. 6 Oklahoma 49, Nebraska 14: Dillon Gabriel threw for two touchdowns and ran for another, and the Sooners hammered the host Cornhuskers in Nebraska’s first game following the firing of Scott Frost. The game was put on the schedule 10 years ago as the back end of a home-and-home series intended to celebrate what once was among college football’s greatest rivalries.
No. 9 Kentucky 31, Youngstown St.0: Will Levis accounted for three touchdowns, Kavosiey Smoke ran for a score and the host Wildcats shook off a slow start to shut out the Penguins. Kentucky outgained YSU 480-192 on the way to its first shutout since beating Miami
(Ohio) 42-0 in 2009.
No. 25 Oregon 41, No. 12 BYU 20: Bo Nix threw for two touchdowns and ran for three more to lead the host Ducks past the Cougars and extend Oregon’s home winning streak to 21 games. No. 17 Baylor 42, Texas St. 7: Quarterback Blake Shapen threw for a touchdown and scored on a fourth-down run as the host Bears beat the Bobcats. True freshman Richard
AAAAWhatever he says goes,” Williams said. “He’s just full of energy . ... He’s always got a smile on his face and his passion for football — I can tell he loves football.”
Williams is also very close with wide receiver Xavier Restrepo and star safety James Williams, and has spoken with wide receiver Key’Shawn
Smith and quarterback Jake Garcia in the past, too.
If the Hurricanes can swoop in late to keep Williams home, those connections could go a long way. The hometown
Reese ran for 156 yards and three touchdowns for Baylor.
No. 20 Mississippi 42, Georgia Tech 0: Zach Evans and Quinshon Judkins led the way as the Rebels rushed for 316 yards while pummeling the host Yellow Jackets.
No. 22 Penn St. 41, Auburn 12: Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen combined for 176 rushing yards and four touchdowns as the visiting Nittany Lions cruised past the Tigers.
AASEMINOLES RALLY TO BEAT LOUISVILLE
Quarterback Tate Rodemaker came off the bench to lead Florida State to a come-from-behind 35-31 victory over host Louisville late Friday night.
The sophomore came in after Jordan Travis suffered a lower left leg injury with a little more than four minutes left in the second quarter and FSU down 21-14. All the Valdosta, Georgia, native did was lead the Seminoles to three 75-yard second-half scoring drives.
Rodemaker finished 6-for-10 passing for 109 yards with two TDs and an interception while leading Florida State to 260 of its 455 yards. appeal doesn’t work as a selling point for every recruit, but Williams said he thinks about it, especially when he sees players with similar backgrounds succeed at Miami.
“Just to have that feeling to be able to go back to your hometown and make it great again — it’s just a great feeling,” Williams said. “I know a lot of players on the team, so just seeing how the coaches rebuilt the staff, rebuilt the team and how they’re producing the players that I know.”