Top-ranked Alabama nips Gators in first test

Bryce Young’s first collegiate road start was a rousing success, a three-touchdown performance that helped top-ranked Alabama hold off No. 11 Florida 31-29 in the SEC opener for both teams Saturday in Gainesville, Fla.

The defending national champion Crimson Tide (3-0, 1-0) stopped a 2-point conversion with 3:10 left and extended its winning streak to 17, making it 32 in a row against teams from the SEC’s Eastern Division.

The Gators (2-1, 0-1) have dropped eight straight in the series and fell to 0-5 against No. 1-ranked teams at Florida Field.

Oklahoma 23, Nebraska 16

In Norman, Okla., Spencer Rattler passed for a touchdown and ran for another, and the No. 3 Sooners (3-0) held on to beat the Huskers (2-2).

Oregon 48, Stony Brook 7

In Eugene, Ore., freshman Ty Thompson threw two secondhalf touchdown passes and the No. 4 Ducks (3-0) overcame a sluggish start against the Seawolves (1-2) in a game delayed because of lightning.

Clemson 14, Georgia Tech 9

In Clemson, S.C., Will Shipley ran for two touchdowns and the No. 6 Tigers (2-1, 1-0 ACC) had a goal-line stand in the final seconds to hold off the Yellow Jackets (1-2, 0-1).

Georgia Tech had a chance to force overtime after recovering an onside kick with 1:19 to play. But they were held out of the end zone on four plays from the Clemson 2 in the closing seconds — the last when linebacker James Skalski tackled Dylan Deveney a yard short.

Cincinnati 38, Indiana 24

In Bloomington, Ind., Desmond Ridder threw the go-ahead touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter, then scored on a 7-yard TD run. Jerome Ford ran for two scores and Tre Tucker scored on a 99-yard kickoff return as the No. 8 Bearcats (3-0) won their first road game of the season.

The Hoosiers (1-2) lost despite taking a 14-0 lead — and playing in front of its largest crowd for a non-conference game since September 1987.

Notre Dame 27, Purdue 13

In South Bend, Ind., Kyren Williams had two long touchdown plays, the second a 51-yard run with 6:05 remaining, and the No. 12 Fighting Irish (3-0) held off the Boilermakers (2-1) for its 26th straight victory at home.

The victory was the 105th in Brian Kelly’s 12-year career at Notre Dame, tying him with Knute Rockne as the winningest coach in school history.

West Virginia 27, Virginia Tech 21

In Morgantown, W.Va., Jarret Doege threw two touchdown passes, Leddie Brown rushed for 106 yards and a score and the Mountaineers (2-1) survived the No. 15 Hokies’ (2-1) furious rally from a 20-point deficit.

West Virginia built a 27-7-point lead midway through the third quarter but saw that mostly evaporate due to Virginia Tech’s Braxton Burmeister.

Coastal Carolina 28, Buffalo 25

In Amherst, N.Y., Grayson McCall threw for three touchdowns, Shermari Jones ran for 149 yards and another score for the Chanticleers (3-0) and Buffalo (1-2).

Michigan State 38, Miami 17

In Miami Gardens, Fla., Payton Thorne passed for 261 yards and four touchdowns for the Spartans (3-0) against the No. 24 Hurricanes (1-3).