Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Browning lifts Washington by Rutgers
SEATTLE — Jake Browning threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns, John Ross caught two touchdown passes and returned a kickoff for another score in his first game since the end of the 2014 season, and No. 14 Washington looked every bit a Top 25 team with a 48-13 rout of Rutgers on Saturday.
Entering a season of lofty expectations, the Huskies (10) raced to a 24-0 first-quarter lead and were never threatened by the rebuilding Scarlet Knights, in their first game under new Coach Chris Ash.
“It’s good to get out of the gate fast, especially with so many unknowns, unknown coaches, unknown players on both sides,” Washington Coach Chris Petersen said.
Browning threw for 277 yards and all three scores in the first half as the Huskies built a 34-3 lead. Browning should have thrown four TDs in the half, but Darrell Daniels dropped a pass in the end zone late in the second quarter.
Browning’s offseason goal was to be better on deep throws. He was certainly good to start the season, hitting Chico McClatcher on a 43-yard touchdown on his second pass of the season, followed by TD throws of 38 and 50 yards to Ross as the Huskies burned Rutgers’ decision to play man coverage on the outside.
Ross missed the entire 2015 season after injuring a knee during spring camp.
“It was just really cool to obviously have thrown the ball to him but to see him come into his own after missing all of last season and all the anticipation of him com- ing back,” Browning said of Ross.
The Huskies were also dynamic on special teams. Ross took a kickoff 92 yards for a touchdown and Dante Pettis returned a punt 68 yards for a score in the third quarter. It was the third time in school history Washington had kickoff and punt return touchdowns in the same game, and first since 2001.
In another Pac-12 game, Dakota Prukop made his debut for No. 24 Oregon, throwing for 271 yards and three touchdowns, and the Ducks overcame a rocky start to defeat UC Davis 53-28. Royce Freeman rushed for 87 yards and two scores for the Ducks, who have won five consecutive season openers. Darren Carrington caught seven passes for 117 yards and a touchdown. Prukop, a graduate transfer from Montana State, completed 21 of 30 passes for the Ducks, while also scoring on a 1-yard keeper.
MOUNTAIN WEST Falcons comfy at home
AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. — Ronald Cleveland rushed for a score and caught a 62-yard TD pass as Air Force beat Abilene Christian 37-21 on Saturday for its 13th consecutive victory at home.
Cleveland plays a hybrid position in the Air Force’s triple-option offense. His 33yard TD run in the second quarter began a spurt of 21 consecutive points to help the Falcons (1-0) pull away from pesky Abilene Christian (0-1). The sophomore entered the game with one career carry.
Quarterback Nate Romine guided the offense in his return from a knee injury that sidelined him most of last season. He finished with two TD passes as Air Force improved to 21-0 all-time against Football Championship Subdivision teams.
But he didn’t play late in the fourth quarter, with backup Arion Worthman taking some snaps. Worthman threw a 17-yard TD pass to Jalen Robinette with 5:27 remaining.
“We chose to put Arion in there,” Air Force Coach Troy Calhoun said. “We thought we needed to get him out there — good for him to play.”
Abilene Christian kept it close for most of the game thanks to a defense that recovered two early fumbles. Dallas Sealey threw three TD passes, including a 76-yard score to Tracy James with 4:14 remaining that made it 37-21.
“We always say around our place, when you get squeezed the real you comes out,” said Wildcats Coach Ken Collums, a former Central Arkansas quarterback and assistant coach . “You saw the real us and I like what I see.”
Calhoun was certainly impressed.
“That’s a pretty stout group,” Calhoun said.
Air Force hasn’t lost at Falcon Stadium since Nov. 21, 2013, against UNLV. It’s the longest home winning streak by the school.