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Michigan State Visits Boston College

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BC Eagles Host Spartans for ’24 Red Bandana Game

BOSTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Unbeaten Michigan State visits Boston College for the programs’ first meeting since 2007 on Saturday at Chestnut Hill.

Playing its annual Red Bandana Game in honor of Boston College alum and Sept. 11, 2001, hero Welles Crowther, the Eagles (2-1) look to bounce back from last weekend’s 27-21 loss at then-No. 6 Missouri — the first setback under new head coach Bill O’Brien.

“For us to be able to go out there and play a game in honor of (Crowther) is a big deal,” O’Brien said. “I think it’s a great opportunity for Boston College to show off who we are. This is who we are.”

Thomas Castellanos threw three touchdowns against the Tigers and ranks second in the Atlantic Coast Conference with nine on the season. The Eagles led 14-3 before giving up 24 unanswered points.

“We’re never going to accept losing at Boston College, but these guys fought hard,” O’Brien said. “I think if we can do a better job stopping the run, that’s going to lead to more success for us in the future.”

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With last week’s 40-0 win over Prairie View A&M, Michigan State (3-0) has won three straight games under a first-year coach in Jonathan Smith for the first time since Mark Dantonio in 2007.

The Spartans have seen both Aidan Chiles and Tommy Schuster make an impact at quarterback, with the latter debuting with his new team last week — 8-of-10 passing for 97 yards — after transferring from North Dakota.

Chiles threw for 173 yards and a touchdown, following up a 363-yard performance in a 27-24 win at Maryland on Sept. 7.

“We’ve got total confidence (Schuster would) be ready to go out there,” Smith said. “It’s a long season, just like we’re dealing with injuries at different spots, he needs to be ready, and he will be.”

A new Spartan has recently been added to the injury list in offensive lineman Gavin Broscious.

“You probably won’t see him the rest of the year which is unfortunate,” Smith said. “Again, these yearly ones (hurt) because he’d been working really hard.”

Boston College has a 4-1-1 advantage in the all-time series, including a 24-21 win in the 2007 Champs Sports Bowl in Orlando. The QB matchup in that game featured Matt Ryan against Michigan State counterpart Brian Hoyer.

–Field Level Media

College Football: Top 25 Roundup

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LEXINGTON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Georgia’s RB Trevor Etienne ran for a team-high 79 yards on 19 carries, helping No. 1 Georgia eke out a 13-12 win over Kentucky on Saturday in Kentucky.

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Georgia (3-0, 1-0 SEC) won its 42nd straight regular-season game as Carson Beck completed 15 of 24 passes for 160 yards, while Dominic Lovett caught six passes for 89 yards in the Bulldogs’ SEC opener.

Former Georgia quarterback Brock Vandagriff was 14 of 27 for 114 yards, while Demie Sumo-Karngbaye ran for a game-high 98 yards as Kentucky (1-2, 0-2) dropped its second straight game and its 15th consecutive game to Georgia. Alex Raynor was 4-for-4 on field-goal attempts, accounting for all of Kentucky’s scoring.

After a Kentucky punt late in the third, Etienne accounted for 51 of Georgia’s 68 yards on the next drive, setting up Branson Robinson’s 3-yard rushing score, giving Georgia a 13-9 lead with 12:20 remaining in the game.

No. 2 Texas 56, UTSA 7

Arch Manning passed for four touchdowns and ran 67 yards for another in relief of the injured Quinn Ewers as the Longhorns flew past the Roadrunners in Austin, Texas.

Manning went 9 of 12 for 223 yards in about two quarters of play in the most extensive action of the highly touted redshirt freshman’s career as the Longhorns (3-0) dominated from start to finish. Ewers was 14 of 16 passing for 185 yards, two TDs and an interception in just over a quarter of play before sustaining a strained abdomen.

Owen McCown led UTSA (1-2) with 132 yards passing while Robert Henry Jr. had 65 yards rushing and a touchdown on six carries.

No. 4 Alabama 42, Wisconsin 10

Jalen Milroe passed for three touchdowns and ran for two more in Madison, Wis., to pace the Crimson Tide to a nonconference rout of the Badgers, who lost starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke on their opening possession.

Milroe completed 12 of 17 passes for 196 yards with touchdowns of 31, 26 and 37 yards. He also ran for a team-high 75 yards on 14 carries. Alabama (3-0) outgained Wisconsin 407-290 and averaged 7.3 yards per play to 4.0 for the Badgers (2-1).

Van Dyke was replaced by redshirt sophomore Braedyn Locke, who completed 13 of 26 passes for 125 yards and a touchdown. Chez Mellusi ran for 66 yards on 11 carries.

No. 5 Ole Miss 40, Wake Forest 6

Jaxson Dart had two scoring passes and a touchdown run and Henry Parrish Jr. ran for two touchdowns as the Rebels rode a strong start against the Demon Deacons in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Ole Miss (3-0) scored 20 first-quarter points and that set the tone for another comfortable victory. Dart completed 26 of 34 passes for 377 yards with an interception. Parrish gained 148 yards on the ground on 23 carries.

Hank Bachmeier was 22-of-39 passing for 239 yards but couldn’t direct Wake Forest to the end zone. The Demon Deacons (1-2) only scored on a pair of Matthew Dennis field goals.

No. 6 Missouri 27, No. 24 Boston College 21

Missouri’s QB Brady Cook completed 21 of 30 passes for 264 yards and a touchdown as the Tigers outlasted the Eagles in Columbia, Mo.

Cook also rushed for a touchdown for the Tigers (3-0), who erased a 14-3 second-quarter deficit. Blake Craig kicked four field goals for Missouri: two from 38 yards out, one from 31 yards out and one from 56 yards out.

Missouri overcame eight penalties for 78 yards and outgained the Eagles (2-1) 440-295. Thomas Castellanos completed 16 of 28 passes for 249 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for Boston College.

It was the only game of the day featuring two Top 25 teams.

No. 7 Tennessee 71, Kent State 0

Dylan Sampson rushed for four touchdowns and DeSean Bishop added two during a program-record 65-point first half as the Volunteers steamrolled the Golden Flashes in nonconference play at Knoxville, Tenn.

Bishop rushed for 120 yards on seven carries and Sampson had 101 on 13 attempts as the Volunteers (3-0) annihilated the Golden Flashes over the first 30 minutes. Tennessee’s 37-point first quarter was a program record for any period and the Volunteers followed it with 28 points in the second quarter. Tennessee also set a school mark with 740 yards of total offense.

Nico Iamaleava completed 10 of 16 passes for 173 yards and one touchdown before leaving with Tennessee leading by 51 midway through the second quarter. Devin Kargman completed 9 of 15 passes for 58 yards for Kent State (0-3). Rocco Nicholl had 10 tackles.

No. 9 Oregon 49, Oregon State 14

Visiting Oregon (3-0) scored on eight possessions and turned an eight-point lead into a blowout for its first win at Oregon State since 2018. Dillon Gabriel finished 20-of-24 passing for 291 yards with two touchdown passes and added another touchdown on the ground.

Jordan James had 86 yards on 12 carries, including a touchdown in each half, and Noah Whittington added 64 rushing yards, including a 27-yard touchdown run in the fourth. Tysheem Johnson reeled in seven catches for 110 yards as the Ducks gained 546 yards of total offense against a defense that had allowed 15 points combined in its first two games.

Oregon won for the 14th time in the last 17 meetings.

No. 10 Miami 62, Ball State 0

Cam Ward passed for 346 yards and a career-high five touchdowns as the Hurricanes blasted the Cardinals in Miami Gardens.

Lightning in the area on Saturday delayed the start of the game by 2 1/2 hours, but that didn’t stop Miami (3-0), which set a school record with 750 yards of total offense. Miami’s stars included Jacolby George (six catches 109 yards, one TD), Xavier Restrepo (three catches, 47 yards, two TDs) and Ajay Allen (104 rushing yards, one TD).

Ball State (1-1) was led by Kadin Semonza, who finished 16-of-26 passing for 111 yards. He was intercepted once.

No. 12 Utah 38, Utah State 21

Isaac Wilson threw for 239 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start to lead the Utes over host Utah State in Logan, Utah.

Wilson, who was picked off once, filled in for Cameron Rising, who sat out after suffering an injury to his right (throwing) hand against Baylor last week. Wilson had his first career 200-yard game and helped Utah (3-0) beat Utah State for the 12th time in 13 games in the teams’ rivalry series.

Utah State’s Bryson Barnes threw for 223 yards and two touchdowns in his first game against his former team. Barnes also tossed a pair of interceptions. The Aggies (1-2) got 115 rushing yards on 19 touches from Rahsul Faison.

No. 13 Oklahoma State 45, Tulsa 10

Alan Bowman threw for 396 yards and five touchdowns as the Cowboys roared out to a 28-point halftime lead on their way to a road rout of the Golden Hurricane.

Bowman completed 24 of 31 passes with an interception as the Cowboys improved to 3-0. Oklahoma State outgained the Golden Hurricane 560-352 in its final nonconference tune-up before opening Big 12 play next week at home against Utah.

Kirk Francis hit 14 of 31 passes for 153 yards with an interception for Tulsa (1-2), which came into the contest averaging 43 points per game. The aggressive Cowboys notched seven tackles for loss, including a pair of sacks, and permitted just 5 of 16 third-down conversions.

No. 15 Oklahoma 34, Tulane 19

Jackson Arnold threw for 169 yards and a touchdown and ran for 97 yards and two scores for the Sooners in Norman, Okla.

Oklahoma was in a precarious position in the fourth after Tulane pulled within five. But then Billy Bowman Jr. pulled down a redirected Darian Mensah pass for an interception, giving Oklahoma the ball in Tulane territory.

Then the Sooners (3-0), who had come up empty on four consecutive drives, finally showed some life. Arnold broke off a 24-yard touchdown run to give Oklahoma some breathing room. Darian Mensah was 14-of-32 passing for 166 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Green Wave (1-2).

No. 17 Michigan 28, Arkansas State 18

Kalel Mullings rushed for 153 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries as the Wolverines defeated the Red Wolves at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Donovan Edwards ran for 82 yards and a score on 17 carries for Michigan (2-1), which outgained Arkansas State 301-58 on the ground. Davis Warren completed 11 of 14 passes for 122 yards but was intercepted three times. Alex Orji tossed a touchdown pass after replacing Warren.

Jaylen Raynor completed 19 of 33 passes for 140 yards with an interception for the Red Wolves (2-1). Timmy McClain threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes to Reginald Harden Jr. after the Wolverines led by 25 points.

No. 16 LSU 36, South Carolina 33

Caden Durham rushed for two touchdowns and Josh Williams ran 2 yards for a winning touchdown with 1:12 remaining as the Tigers rallied to edge the Gamecocks in Columbia, S.C.

Garrett Nussmeier passed for 285 yards and two touchdowns and drove the Tigers (2-1, 1-0 SEC) 55 yards to the winning score. Backup QB Robby Ashford drove South Carolina to the LSU 31, but Alex Herrera missed a 49-yard field goal as time expired.

The Gamecocks (2-1, 1-1) passed for just 155 yards as starting quarterback LaNorris Sellers (9-for-16 passing, 113 yards) injured his right ankle on the second-to-last play of the first half and played just one possession in the second half.

No. 18 Notre Dame 66, Purdue 7

Riley Leonard rushed for 100 yards and three touchdowns, Jeremiyah Love rushed for 109 yards and another score, and the Fighting Irish crushed the Boilermakers in West Lafayette, Ind.

Jadarian Price and Kenny Minchey also rushed for a touchdown for Notre Dame (2-1), which bounced back from a stunning loss against Northern Illinois one week earlier. Leonard completed 11 of 16 passes for 112 yards before he gave way to backup Steve Angeli, who completed 6 of 9 passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns.

Hudson Card completed 11 of 24 passes for 124 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for Purdue (1-1). Notre Dame ran for 362 yards and posted its highest point total since Sept. 14, 2019, when it tallied a 66-14 home win against New Mexico.

No. 23 Nebraska 34, Northern Iowa 3

Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola threw for 247 yards and two touchdowns to guide the Cornhuskers to a victory over the Panthers in Lincoln, Neb.

The Cornhuskers (3-0) scored touchdowns on their first three possessions to win their first game as a ranked team since 2019. Dante Dowdell rushed six times for 55 yards as Nebraska finished with 423 total yards to improve to 3-0 for the first time since 2016.

For Northern Iowa (2-1), which entered the night ranked 21st in the FCS poll, quarterback Aidan Dunne completed 13 of 25 passes for 117 yards and rushed for a team-high 49 yards before getting knocked out of the game with 10 minutes to go.

–Field Level Media

 

BC to be Tested at Mizzou

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COLUMBIA – No. 6 Missouri reached rarified air this week. The Tigers, after all, haven’t been ranked this high in the Associated Press poll since 2013.

And the Tigers (2-0) will have a chance to validate that standing when they host No. 24 Boston College (2-0) on Saturday in Missouri.

Meanwhile, the Eagles upset then-No. 10 Florida State 28-13 on the road in head coach Bill O’Brien’s Boston College debut. Then they handled Duquesne 56-0 at home, which vaulted them into the AP Top 25 for the first time since the 2018 season.

“I think it’s great for BC, but really that’s not our focus at all,” O’Brien said. “It’s really about one day at time, really trying to get better.”

Missouri has rolled up 1,007 yards in its blowout victories while emptying the bench in both games.

Quarterback Brady Cook is 48-of-67 passing for 456 yards and a touchdown, and he has rushed for 84 yards and three touchdowns. Missouri alternates running backs Nate Noel (121 yards, two touchdowns on 23 carries) and Marcus Carroll (97 yards, one touchdown, 18 carries).

Preseason all-America wide receiver Luther Burden III has been quiet, catching seven passes for 64 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 21 yards and a TD in two games. He was limited by illness against Buffalo.

Wide receiver Theo Wease Jr. became Cook’s main target while catching 13 passes for 149 yards against the Bulls.

“Quarterback Brady Cook — very, very good player, can throw and run, two really good running backs and very, very good at wide receiver,” O’Brien said of the upcoming opponent. “At least three or four of them can play in the NFL. So we have a big challenge ahead of us, big, big challenge.”

While Missouri was unable to connect on deep passes during the first two weeks, coach Eli Drinkwitz wasn’t concerned.

“You’d rather be on ‘SportsCenter’ for that rather than for three yards and a cloud of dust or five-yard hitches,” he said. “But the reality of what we’re figuring out is that teams don’t really want to give up explosive plays versus our wide receiver corps. So, we have to be willing to make them defend us in a different manner.”

The Tigers could once again be without tight end Brett Norfleet, who suffered a shoulder injury in the opener and sat out Week 2. Guard Cam’Ron Johnson could return after sitting out the Buffalo game following an injury in practice.

Drinkwitz also wants to see his offense cut down on the offensive penalties. The Tigers had 17 in two games.

“Alignment penalties are embarrassing and that’s on me as head coach,” Drinkwitz said. “The holding penalties. We’ve got to learn to let go. When the ball is out-leveraged, just when a defender is broken away, we cannot continue to engage with the jersey of the defender. There were three of those that were clear calls, easy calls that are something that we have to correct.”

Boston College’s dual-threat quarterback Thomas Castellanos has completed 19 of his 26 pass attempts for 340 yards and six touchdowns. He has run for 81 yards and a TD.

The Eagles have rushed for 569 yards and five touchdowns in two games, led by Treshaun Ward (132 yards on 20 carries), Kyle Robichaux (112 yards, 25 carries) and Turbo Richard (102 yards on 19 carries).

Offensive tackle Logan Taylor returned to action after missing the first game and helped the unit dominate against Duquesne.

“Great to have him back,” O’Brien said. “Tough guy, big guy, athletic guy, very important to have him back. He’s my type of guy.”

–Field Level Media

Pac-12 Reloads with Four Schools

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SAN RAMON – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Mountain West representatives Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State will join the Pac-12 in the 2026-27 academic year, the latter conference announced Thursday morning.

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The Pac-12 board of directors unanimously approved the additions of the four schools to join Oregon State and Washington State, the last two remaining schools after an offseason that saw 10 members jump to other power conferences. Oregon, Washington, UCLA and Southern California moved to the Big Ten; Utah, Colorado, Arizona and Arizona State shifted to the Big 12; and Cal and Stanford joined the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Boise State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State officially will join the Pac-12 on July 1, 2026.

“For over a century, the Pac-12 Conference has been recognized as a leading brand in intercollegiate athletics,” Pac-12 commissioner Teresa Gould said in a statement. “We will continue to pursue bold cutting-edge opportunities for growth and progress, to best serve our member institutions and student-athletes. I am thankful to our board for their efforts to welcome Boise State University, Colorado State University, California State University, Fresno, and San Diego State University to the conference. An exciting new era for the Pac-12 Conference begins today.”

The NCAA gave the Pac-12 until July 2026 to have a minimum of eight universities if the league is to remain part of the Football Bowl Subdivision. The Mountain West additions still leave the league two short, although officials are pursuing additional options.

The four schools joining the Pac-12 would have to pay an exit fee of $18 million. The Pac-12 also would owe the Mountain West $43 million for taking schools away, part of the deal it reached to arrange scheduling of football matchups for Oregon State and Washington State this year.

MWC commissioner Gloria Nevarez released a statement late Wednesday to address reports that the four schools were exiting the conference.

“The Mountain West Conference is aware of media reports regarding the potential departure of several of our members, and we will have more to say in the days ahead,” Nevarez said. “All members will be held to the Conference bylaws and policies should they elect to depart. The requirements of the scheduling agreement will apply to the Pac-12 should they admit Mountain West members. Our Board of Directors is meeting to determine our next steps. The Mountain West has a proud 25-year history and will continue to thrive in the years ahead.”

Colorado State and San Diego State have been in the Mountain West since the league’s founding in 1999. Boise State joined the conference in 2011, and Fresno State followed in 2012. One of those four schools won or shared the league’s football championship in 10 of the past 12 seasons.

“We are ecstatic to be joining the Pac-12 Conference,” San Diego State athletic director John David Wicker said. “While we are grateful to be a founding member of the Mountain West with 26 years of success in the conference, we are excited at what lies ahead with these new opportunities. We will continue to compete for conference championships on the field and to graduate leaders in the community.”

–Field Level Media

Week 1: Top 25 College Football

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Northern Illinois Upsets No. 5 Irish

SOUTH BEND – Northern Illinois’ Kanon Woodill drilled a 35-yard field goal with 31 seconds remaining, and the Huskies blocked a field goal as time expired to stun No. 5 Notre Dame with a 16-14 victory on Saturday at Notre Dame’s Indiana home field.

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Antario Brown finished with 225 yards (99 rushing, 126 receiving) and a touchdown for Northern Illinois (2-0), which was a 28.5-point underdog. Huskies players poured off the sidelines and onto the field as time expired to celebrate the biggest upset in school history.

Riley Leonard completed 20 of 32 passes for 163 yards and two interceptions, including a costly pick in the fourth quarter, for Notre Dame. Jeremiyah Love rushed for 79 yards and a touchdown for the Fighting Irish (1-1).

Before Saturday, Northern Illinois had never defeated a top-10 opponent. The highest-ranked team the Huskies previously beat was No. 15 Maryland in 2003.

No. 1 Georgia 48, Tennessee Tech 3

Carson Beck completed 18 of 25 passes for 242 yards and five touchdowns, helping lead the Bulldogs to a rout of the visiting Golden Eagles.

Trevor Etienne, making his Bulldog debut, ran the ball five times for 78 yards, as Georgia (2-0) won its 41st straight regular season game, and extended its home winning streak to 26. Arian Smith, who led the Bulldogs with 73 receiving yards, was one of five Georgia receivers to catch a touchdown.

After last week’s 34-3 win over then-No.14 Clemson, the Georgia defense has yet to allow a touchdown through two games. Tennessee Tech (0-2) mustered just 134 total yards, as quarterback Jordyn Potts was 5 of 8 for 18 passing yards and Aidan Littles led the Golden Eagles with 45 rushing yards.

No. 2 Ohio State 56, Western Michigan 0

Quinshon Judkins and TreVeyon Henderson rushed for two touchdowns apiece as the Buckeyes rolled to a shutout victory over the Broncos in Columbus, Ohio.

Will Howard threw for 292 yards and a touchdown and Jeremiah Smith had another big receiving game for the Buckeyes (2-0). Ohio State led 35-0 at the half with the help of a pair of 23-yard touchdown runs by Judkins while Howard contributed two scores — one passing, one running.

Broncos quarterback Hayden Wolff completed 8 of 15 passes for 71 yards and was sacked three times.

No. 3 Texas 31, No. 10 Michigan 12

Quinn Ewers threw three touchdown passes and the Longhorns snapped the Wolverines’ nation-best, 16-game winning streak at Ann Arbor, Mich.

Ewers completed 24 of 36 passes for 246 yards. Gunnar Helm caught seven passes for 98 yards and a touchdown for the Longhorns (2-0). Matthew Golden had six receptions for 41 yards and a score.

The defending national champions also saw their 29-game regular-season winning streak and 23-game home winning streak end. Michigan (1-1) was held to 284 total yards in its first regular-season loss since October 2021.

No. 4 Alabama 42, South Florida 16

Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and rushed for two to help the Crimson Tide slide past the Bulls in nonconference play at Tuscaloosa, Ala.

Jam Miller rushed for 140 yards and one score, Justice Haynes added a rushing touchdown and Kobe Prentice and Ryan Williams each caught touchdown passes for the Crimson Tide (2-0). Milroe completed 17 of 27 passes for 199 yards for Alabama, which scored 28 points in the fourth quarter to break open a close affair.

Byrum Brown completed 15 of 35 passes for 103 yards and rushed for 108 yards on 23 carries for South Florida (1-1). Ta’Ron Keith rushed for a touchdown for the Bulls, who were outgained 393-309.

No. 6 Ole Miss 52, Middle Tennessee 3

Henry Parrish Jr. ran for four touchdowns, Jaxson Dart set a school record for consecutive completions, and the Rebels roared past the Blue Raiders in Oxford, Miss.

In his second stint at Ole Miss (2-0), Parrish toted the ball 14 times for 165 yards but left briefly after getting shaken up early in the second half following a 42-yard dash.

In first-year coach Derek Mason’s return against an SEC opponent after a coaching sabbatical, the Blue Raiders (1-1), a 42 1/2-point underdog, saw quarterback Nicholas Vattiato go 21 of 33 for 209 yards and an interception.

No. 7 Oregon 37, Boise State 34

On Atticus Sappington’s 25-yard field goal with no time left on the clock, the Ducks survived the Broncos’ upset bid in Eugene, Ore.

In a wild, back-and-forth game that saw Oregon (2-0) score twice on long returns on special teams and Boise State’s Ashton Jeanty run the ball 25 times for 192 yards with three touchdowns, the Ducks had the ball at the end of the game and quarterback Dillon Gabriel engineered the winning drive.

Gabriel was 18-for-21 passing for 243 yards and two touchdown passes and running back Jordan James rushed for 102 yards on 17 carries. Boise State (1-1) outgained Oregon 369 to 352. The Broncos ran 16 more offensive plays and forced two turnovers, but the Ducks extended the nation’s longest active nonconference home win streak to 34 games.

No. 8 Penn State 34, Bowling Green 27

Drew Allar threw for two touchdowns and ran for another as the Nittany Lions rallied in the second half to beat the Falcons in State College, Pa.

Allar completed 13 of 20 passes for 204 yards with an interception. He gave the Nittany Lions (2-0) a 27-24 lead with 6:13 left in the third quarter on a 14-yard scoring strike to Nicholas Singleton. Singleton added the clinching touchdown with 4:09 left in the fourth quarter on a 41-yard touchdown run, the highlight of his 119-yard effort in 13 carries.

Connor Bazelak completed 25 of 39 passes for 254 yards with two scores and two interceptions for the Falcons (1-1). Jackson Kleather nailed a 42-yard field goal with 47 seconds remaining in the game to draw Bowling Green within seven points. But Penn State recovered an onside kick and ran out the clock.

No. 9 Missouri 38, Buffalo 0

Brady Cook rushed for two touchdowns and Theo Wease Jr. had a career night as the Tigers cruised to a victory over the Bulls in nonconference play at Columbia, Mo.

Luther Burden III, Nate Noel and Jamal Roberts added rushing scores while Wease established career highs of 13 receptions and 149 yards for the Tigers (2-0). Cook completed 28 of 36 passes for 228 yards and one interception and added 62 yards on five rushes.

C.J. Ogbonna was just 6-of-20 passing for 55 yards and one interception for Buffalo (1-1), while Jacqez Barksdale rushed for 67 yards on 15 rushes. Shaun Dolac racked up a career-best 16 tackles and Charles McCartherens had an interception.

No. 11 Utah 23, Baylor 12

Cam Rising threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter before exiting early in the Utes’ win over the Bears in Salt Lake City.

Rising’s two early scores helped the Utes (2-0) build a 23-0 lead in the second quarter, but Rising later left the game after crashing into the sidelines on a run out of bounds. The seventh-year quarterback was holding his right hand when he stood back up. Without Rising, Utah’s offense struggled and was shut out in the second half.

The Bears (1-1) didn’t get much offense going until their final drive of the first half, but they made a game of it in the second half after another Hankins field goal and a 47-yard TD pass from Dequan Finn to Josh Cameron cut the deficit to 23-12 in the third quarter. But the Bears’ final two drives ended with a three-and-out and an advance to the Utes’ 40 before losing the ball on downs.

No. 12 Miami 56, Florida A&M 9

Cam Ward threw for 304 yards and three touchdown passes and ran for another score to lead the host Hurricanes to a comfortable victory over the Rattlers in Miami Gardens, Fla.

Ward completed 20 of 26 passes for the No. 12 Hurricanes (2-0), who beat the Rattlers (2-1) for the 11th consecutive time since losing the first meeting between the two schools in 1979. Miami followed up its convincing win over Florida last week by scoring touchdowns on its first three drives and a field goal on its fourth series.

Damien Martinez ran for 90 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries, and Mark Fletcher Jr. and Jordan Lyle each scored touchdowns and combined for 82 rushing yards. Xavier Restrepo caught four passes for 104 yards and a touchdown to lead all Miami receivers.

No. 13 USC 48, Utah State 0

Miller Moss passed for 229 yards and one touchdown as the Trojans notched their first shutout in nearly 13 years while rolling to a shutout victory over the Aggies in nonconference play at Los Angeles.

Woody Marks rushed for 103 yards and one touchdown on 13 carries and Quinten Joyner added 84 yards and two scores on 10 rushes for the Trojans (2-0). Moss completed 21 of 30 passes, including a scoring toss to Makai Lemon. The shutout was the first for USC since a 50-0 trouncing of UCLA on Nov. 26, 2011.

Backup quarterback Jayden Maiava scored his first career touchdown for the Trojans, who had advantages of 544-190 in total yards of offense and 28-10 in first downs. Bryson Barnes was 18-of-27 passing for 103 yards and one interception for the Aggies (1-1). Ike Larsen and Jordan Vincent had 11 tackles apiece for Utah State.

No. 14 Tennessee 51, No. 24 NC State 10

Dylan Sampson ran for two touchdowns and 132 yards and Will Brooks returned an interception for a touchdown as the Volunteers trounced the Wolfpack at Charlotte, N.C.

Nico Iamaleava added 211 passing yards with two touchdown tosses despite two interceptions. He ran for a touchdown as part of his 65 rushing yards as the Volunteers (2-0) racked up 249 yards on the ground.

NC State (1-1) was held to 143 yards of total offense and 10 first downs. Grayson McCall threw for 104 yards and an interception in his first college game in his hometown. He also lost two fumbles.

No. 15 Oklahoma 16, Houston 12

Gracen Halton brought down Stacy Sneed in the end zone for a safety in the final two minutes to help the Sooners eke out a win over the Cougars in Norman, Okla.

The Cougars got the ball back with 1:46 remaining at their own 5 with a chance to drive for the win. But on first down, Halton cut right through the Houston offensive line and brought down Sneed for the safety. The play was the last in a string of big defensive stops by the Sooners (2-0). Jackson Arnold threw for 174 yards and two touchdowns for the Sooners, who ran for just 75 yards.

Houston (0-2) outgained the Sooners 318-249. The Cougars’ Donovan Smith was 24-of-28 passing for 260 yards and a touchdown.

No. 16 Oklahoma State 39, Arkansas 31 (2OT)

Ollie Gordon scored on a 15-yard run in double overtime as the Cowboys rallied from a 14-point second-half deficit to earn a victory over the Razorbacks in Stillwater, Okla.

After both teams missed field goals on their opening overtime possessions, Gordon ran for a score and caught a 2-point conversion pass from Alan Bowman for an eight-point lead. The Cowboys sealed the victory when Arkansas’ Rodney Hill was stopped on a fourth-down run from the 6-yard line. The Cowboys won despite being outgained 648-385.

Bowman was 27-of-48 passing for 326 yards and a touchdown for Oklahoma State, while Brennan Pressley had nine catches for 91 yards, with a 3-yard TD run. Taylen Green was 26-of-45 passing for 416 yards and a touchdown for Arkansas, while Ja’Quinden Jackson had 24 carries for 149 yards and three first half TDs.

No. 17 Kansas State 34, Tulane 27

Avery Johnson threw two touchdown passes and Jack Fabris’ 60-yard fumble return produced the winning touchdown as the Wildcats rallied past the Green Wave in New Orleans.

Johnson completed 15 of 23 passes for 181 yards, with one of his scoring passes going to DJ Giddens, who added 114 rushing yards on 19 carries for the Wildcats (2-0). Fabris’ return broke a tie midway through the fourth quarter.

Tulane’s Darian Mensah was 19-of-29 passing for 342 yards and two touchdowns, but his fumble led to the decisive score. Mekhi Hughes rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown and Mario Williams had 128 receiving yards for the Green Wave (1-1).

No. 18 LSU 44, Nicholls 21

Garrett Nussmeier threw six touchdown passes, three of which went to Kyren Lacy, and the Tigers shook off the Colonels for a big victory in Baton Rouge, La.

Nussmeier completed 27 of 37 passes for 302 yards and Lacy finished with five catches for 65 yards as the Tigers (1-1) rebounded from a season-opening loss to USC in Las Vegas six days earlier.

Collin Guggenheim rushed 25 times for 145 yards and two touchdowns to lead the FCS Colonels (0-2).

Illinois 23, No. 19 Kansas 17

Kaden Feagin plunged for the go-ahead touchdown with 9:34 left and the Illini forced four turnovers to earn a victory over the Jayhawks in front of a sellout crowd in Champaign, Ill.

Xavier Scott picked off two passes from Jalon Daniels — and returned one for a touchdown — while Luke Altmyer threw for 192 yards and Zakhari Franklin caught nine passes for 99 yards for Illinois (2-0).

Daniels completed 18 of 32 passes for 141 yards and two touchdowns but also threw a career-high three interceptions. Devin Neal rushed for 101 yards for the Jayhawks (1-1), who limited the Illini to 149 yards during the first three quarters before surrendering 122 yards and 10 points in the fourth.

No. 20 Arizona 22, Northern Arizona 10

Kedrick Reescano scored on a 56-yard run to give the Wildcats some breathing room in the fourth quarter as they rallied in the second half to top the Lumberjacks in Tucson, Ariz.

Arizona (2-0) outscored the Lumberjacks (1-1) 16-0 in the second half, extending the nation’s longest winning streak to nine games. The defense, coming up with a safety and a fumble recovery in the fourth quarter, made up for an off night for the offense.

Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita completed 18 of 26 passes for 173 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Quali Conley rushed for 112 yards on 17 carries. Tetairoa McMillan, who caught 10 passes for 304 yards and four TDs last week against New Mexico, was limited to two catches for 11 yards against NAU.

Iowa State 20, No. 21 Iowa 19

Kyle Konrardy converted a 54-yard field goal with six seconds left, capping an the Cyclones’ comeback from a 13-point halftime deficit to beat the Hawkeyes in Iowa City.

Iowa State (2-0) drove 42 yards in five plays after taking possession at its 22 with 34 seconds left. The big play was Rocco Becht’s 30-yard completion to Jaylin Noel that got Iowa State to the Hawkeyes’ 38. Two plays later, Konrardy hit the game-winner.

Kaleb Johnson starred in defeat for the Hawkeyes (1-1), rushing for 187 yards and both of Iowa’s touchdowns on 25 carries. Quarterback Cade McNamara hit just 13 of 29 passes for 99 yards and tossed two interceptions.

No. 22 Louisville 49, Jacksonville State 14

Five different players rushed for a touchdown and Tyler Shough threw for 349 yards and two touchdowns as the Cardinals cruised past the visiting Gamecocks.

Maurice Turner, Donald Chaney Jr., Keyjuan Brown, Duke Watson and Duane Martin all scored rushing touchdowns for Louisville (2-0).

Jacksonville State (0-2) was led by quarterback Tyler Huff, who ran 18 times for 101 yards and one TD and completed 17 of 27 passes for 160 yards and one TD.

Syracuse 31, No. 23 Georgia Tech 28

Kyle McCord threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns as the host Orange defeated the No. 23 Yellow Jackets in Atlantic Coast Conference action.

McCord, a highly regarded transfer from Ohio State, finished 32 of 46 without a turnover, while finding Oronde Gadsden II and Trebor Pena for two scores apiece. Gadsden racked up six catches for 93 yards for the Orange (2-0, 1-0 ACC), while Pena finished with six receptions for 88 yards.

Playing as a ranked team for the first time since 2015, the Yellow Jackets (2-1, 1-1) were led by dynamic quarterback Haynes King, who threw for 259 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 67 yards and two scores.

No. 25 Clemson 66, Appalachian State 20

Cade Klubnik accounted for seven touchdowns in just one half to lead the Tigers to a convincing victory over the visiting Mountaineers in nonconference play.

Klubnik completed 24 of 26 passes for 378 yards and a career-best five touchdowns and tacked on two rushing scores for the Tigers (1-1), who scored the game’s first 42 points and led 56-13 at halftime. The 56 points are a school record for first-half points.Phil Mafah rushed for 118 yards and one score on 10 carries for Clemson.

Jake Briningstool caught seven passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns for the Tigers. Bryant Wesco Jr. (130 receiving yards), Antonio Williams and T.J. Moore also had scoring receptions for Clemson. Joey Aguilar completed 18 of 41 passes for 214 yards and one touchdown for Appalachian State (1-1).

–Field Level Media

Heck of a Statement, But Just One Win

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TALLAHASSEE – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Boston College QB Thomas Castellanos threw for only 106 yards but connected on two of his three total touchdowns as the visiting Boston College Eagles earned a 28-13, season-opening win over No. 10 Florida State in an Atlantic Coast Conference game Monday night in Florida.

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The Eagles (1-0, 1-0 ACC) possessed the ball for 39:09, rushed for 263 of its 369 total yards, and scored in four red zone trips en route to their first season-opening victory over a ranked opponent since 1976.

Boston’s Kye Robichaux rushed for a touchdown and caught another from Castellanos, who was 10-for-16 passing and also added 73 rush yards as Boston College built a 14-0 lead and never looked back.

Florida State transfer Treshaun Ward led the Eagles with 61 receiving yards and a touchdown while rushing for 77 more.

Florida State (0-2, 0-2) quarterback DJ Uiagalelei was 21-for-42 for 272 yards and a touchdown, but threw an interception and was sacked three times.

Kentron Poitier had three catches for 79 yards and a score in the loss.

The Seminoles are the fourth Preseason AP Top 10 team to start 0-2 in the past 10 seasons, earning that dubious distinction for the second time in that span (2017).

In the first quarter, Boston College orchestrated a 14-play, 71-yard scoring drive while limiting the hosts to just 51 seconds of possession. Three third-down conversions fueled a red-zone march that culminated with Castellanos diving in for a 4-yard touchdown four seconds into the second quarter.

Ward was the top target on the Eagles’ second touchdown drive, taking a 13-yard catch-and-score to the front corner of the end zone at the 9:58 mark. Four plays earlier, he also had a key 42-yard reception and burst up the sideline.

 

Georgia’s On Everyone’s Mind

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INDIANAPOLIS – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Georgia received all but nine first-place votes and is ranked No. 1 in the 2024 preseason USA Today Coaches Poll.

No. 2 Ohio State received seven of the remaining nine first-place votes with Oregon at No. 3 following by three consecutive SEC teams — Texas, Alabama and Ole Miss. The Rebels were last ranked this high in the coaches poll in 1970.

The SEC has nine teams in the poll, with No. 16 Oklahoma joining the conference newcomer Longhorns, who received one first-place vote.

Notre Dame is seventh and the only team outside the Power 4 in the poll. Defending national champion Michigan, also receiving one vote for first place, is No. 8 ahead of Penn State and Florida State.

The Crimson Tide are entering the first season under head coach Kalen DeBoer. He replaced Nick Saban, who retired at the end of the season. The No. 5 preseason ranking for Alabama is its lowest starting position in the Coaches Poll since 2009.

DeBoer’s former club, Washington, was national runner-up in January but didn’t make the preseason Top 25.

–Field Level Media

12-Team CFP to Begin Dec.20th

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ATLANTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – The first 12-team edition of the College Football Playoff will begin on Dec. 20 and end exactly one month later, with the national championship game set to be played in Atlanta, it was announced Wednesday.

The expanded playoff format will start with four first-round games played at campus sites on Dec. 20 and Dec. 21. Two of those games will be broadcast on TNT, which has a sublicense with ESPN.

The quarterfinals begin on New Year’s Eve with the Fiesta Bowl at 7:30 p.m. ET, followed by a trio of games on New Year’s Day. The Peach Bowl will begin at 1 p.m., the Rose Bowl at 5 p.m. and the Sugar Bowl at 8:45 p.m.

Both semifinals will start at 7:30 p.m. The first, the Orange Bowl, will be played on Jan. 9, and the second, the Cotton Bowl, will take place on Jan. 10.

The championship game is set for 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 20 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

Sports Biz: FOX Friday Night Football

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NEW YORK – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Fox will broadcast a Friday college football game every week of the 2024 season, The Athletic and Sports Business Journal reported.

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College football’s TV schedule will not be ironed out until May, but the games eligible for the Friday night treatment will feature teams from the Big Ten, Big 12 and Mountain West conferences.

Once reserved for high schools, Friday night football is not new to the Big Ten, which started putting select games on Friday nights in 2017. The Big Ten Network and Fox Sports 1 (FS1) have carried those games in the past.

Now, games will be carried on Fox each week in the run-up to the network’s “Big Noon Saturday,” its weekly show that competes with ESPN’s “College GameDay” and highlights its best game of the week.

The college football games will fill an empty window after Fox did not renew its agreement for WWE’s “Friday Night Smackdown.”

–Field Level Media

Boston College Intros Coaching Staff

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff Report from Official News Release) – Boston College Director of Athletics Blake James introduced Bill O’Brien as the (Gregory P. Barber ’69 and Family) Head Coach of the BC football program. O’Brien was met by the school community and held his introductory news conference inside the Yawkey Athletics Center.

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Boston College head football coach Bill O’Brien announced his complete coaching staff for the 2024 season. O’Brien, who was hired Feb. 9, and the Eagles start spring ball Monday, March 11 following Boston College’s spring break.

O’Brien’s first staff at Boston College features two coaches he has spent significant time with throughout his career, including the Eagles’ new strength and conditioning coach. O’Brien also retained four assistant coaches from BC’s 2023 coaching staff and promoted one more from within the program. Additionally, the staff has one BC grad and another assistant in his second stint on the Heights.

Returning to lead the offensive line for a fourth season is Matt Applebaum. He held that same position from 2020-21 and after a one-year stint in the NFL, found his way back to the Heights as offensive line coach for an improved unit in 2023. The BC o-line paved the way for the second-ranked rushing attack in the ACC in 2023 at 198.8 yards per game, while allowing just 1.46 sacks per game. During his time at BC, Applebaum has overseen the development of first-round pick and All-American Zion Johnson, top-prospect Christian Mahogany in the upcoming 2024 NFL Draft and All-American Alec Lindstrom. Between stretches with the Eagles, he was the offensive line coach of the Miami Dolphins in 2022. Applebaum graduated from Connecticut in 2007 and was a two-year starter on the offensive-line for the Huskies.

Secondary coach Ray Brown comes to Boston College from Washington State, where he was the cornerbacks coach 2022-23. Washington State’s 2022 defense ranked third in the Pac-12 at 22.9 points per game and contributed to a seven-win regular season. Prior to WSU, Brown served as the cornerbacks coach at Utah State (2021) and Troy (2019-20). He was also the defensive backs coach at Abilene Christian (2016-18) following graduate assistant posts in the Pac-12 at Arizona State (2014-15) and Washington State (2013). He is a 2009 graduate of East Central (Okla.) University, where he played cornerback from 2006-08 and began his coaching career as running backs coach from 2010-11.

Beginning a second stint on the Heights is defensive line coach Jeff Comissiong, who previously worked at BC from 2007-12 in the same role. He joined Cornell in 2021 and served three seasons as the linebackers coach for the Big Red. Comissiong spent one season at Hampton University following a seven-year run at Old Dominion from 2013-19. At ODU, he worked with a defense that led Conference USA in regular season sacks in 2018 and coached Oshane Ximines, the most decorated player in school history. Ximines, a 2019 third-round pick of the New York Giants, twice earned All-Conference first-team honors and was ODU’s first-ever invitee to the Senior Bowl. In his first spell with the Eagles, Comissiong tutored three All-ACC picks, including first-round pick B.J. Raji and second-rounder Ron Brace. He is a 1997 graduate of Maine, where he played for the Black Bears from 1991-94.

Local product Jonathan DiBiaso was promoted by O’Brien to quarterbacks coach after spending the 2023 season as an offensive analyst, working closely with the BC quarterbacks, including 2,000-yard passer and 1,000-yard rusher Thomas Castellanos. DiBiaso got his start in coaching at BC as a graduate assistant from 2018-20. He then moved on to Vanderbilt (2021) as an offensive analyst and worked one season at Pittsburgh (2022) in a graduate assistant role. DiBiaso, who played high school football at Everett for his father John DiBiaso, played two seasons at Dartmouth (2013-14) and two seasons at Tufts (2015-16), earning his degree from Tufts in 2018.

Running backs coach Savon Huggins returns for his third season in that role and fourth overall at Boston College. The Eagles rushed for 2,584 yards in 2023 with BC running backs averaging 4.71 yards per carry. Kye Robichaux ranked seventh in the league at 70.9 yards per game; totaling 780 yards, eight touchdowns and a 4.79 yards per carry average. Huggins arrived at BC in 2021 as a recruiting advisor, while also working directly with the Eagles’ running backs, including All-ACC second-team selection and 1,000-yard rusher Pat Garwo III. HUggins got his start in coaching at Somerville (N.J.) High School, gained experience as an intern with the Miami Dolphins and broke into the college ranks at Buffalo in 2020. He played running back at Rutgers and graduated in 2015.

Will Lawing joins BC as the offensive coordinator and tight ends coach after a season as the New England Patriots tight end coach in 2023. Lawing and O’Brien have coached together since 2013 beginning when Lawing was a graduate assistant at Penn State in 2013 during the second year of O’Brien’s two-year stint as head coach of the Nittany Lions. The two continued to work together with the Houston Texans, where Lawing served in roles of defensive quality control (2014-16), offensive assistant (2017-18) and tight ends coach (2019-20). Lawing returned to the college game as an offensive analyst at Alabama from 2021-22. As a player, he was a walk-on at North Carolina and a member of the Tar Heels squad from 2004-07.

Defensive coordinator Tim Lewis arrives at Boston College with 34 years of coaching experience and seven years as a NFL defensive coordinator. Lewis, a first-round pick as a cornerback at Pittsburgh, has spent 25 years in professional football. He was the Pittsburgh Steelers defensive coordinator from 1995-1999, which included an AFC Championship, and New York Giants defensive coordinator from 2004-06 under former BC head coach Tom Coughlin; twice reaching the playoffs with the Giants. Most recently, he was the co-defensive coordinator of the Arlington Renegades in the United Football League. As a coordinator or secondary coach, he coached six players to All-Pro status in the NFL, including Hall of Fame defensive end Michael Strahan and two-time All-Pro selection Carnell Lake. As a player, Lewis spent four years with the Green Bay Packers from 1983-86.

Boston College graduate Dan O’Brien ’05 returns to his alma mater as the Eagles’ linebackers coach. The son of former BC head coach Tom O’Brien, he was a student assistant as an undergraduate. O’Brien most recently coached for three seasons at Southern Miss, beginning as the safeties coach from 2021-22 before assuming the defensive coordinator role in 2023. He spent the two previous seasons at Georgia (2019-20) in defensive quality control after working five years at Navy (2014-18). Upon graduation from BC, O’Brien got his start as a scouting assistant intern for Bill Belichick’s staff in New England in 2005 and later worked as a defensive analyst and graduate assistant under Nick Saban at Alabama.

Matt Thurin was retained as Boston College’s special teams coordinator and will be the longest tenured member of the staff heading into his fifth year at BC. He has coached special teams and safeties in his time with the Eagles. His special teams unit blocked two kicks in 2023 and did not allow a blocked kick or punt on the season. He oversaw the development of kicker Liam Connor, who ascended to placekicker in 2023 after serving as the kickoff specialist as a freshman in 2022. Connor went 11-for-14 on field goals, including three makes of 45 yards. Thurin previously spent five seasons at Ohio State (2015-19) in defensive quality control.

Assistant head coach and wide receivers coach Darrell Wyatt returns for a third season with the Eagles. He oversaw the evolution of All-ACC, All-American and first-round pick Zay Flowers in his first season on the Heights in 2022 and has led the development of Lewis Bond. In 2023, Bond was one of just six receivers in the ACC to catch 50 or more passes for over 600 yards and seven touchdowns. Wyatt spent his four previous seasons at UCF (2018-21) as the wide receivers coach and worked with future Eagle Ryan O’Keefe, who set the Knights’ record for receptions in a season at 84. Overall, Wyatt has 34 years of coaching experience, including stints as the offensive coordinator at Kansas (2000 and 2010) and Texas (2013). He transferred to Kansas State, where he played two seasons and earned his degree in 1989.

Craig Fitzgerlad worked with O’Brien at both Penn State and with the Houston Texans. He takes over as the Eagles’ director of football performance. A tight end and 1996 graduate of Maryland as a player, he has been a head strength coach across collegiate and professional football every year since 2005, beginning with five years at Harvard (2005-09). Fitzgerald left South Carolina (2009-11) to work with O’Brien at Penn State (2023-13) and continued the partnership with the Texans (2014-17). He then moved on to Tennessee (2018-19) before accepting the head strength and conditioning job with the New York Giants (2020-23). He was recently hired as the director of football performance at Florida in December, but arrived on the Heights immediately following the announcement of O’Brien’s appointment.

BC also brought in Berj Najarian as chief of staff. Najarian spent the last 24 seasons in Foxborough as the director of football/head coach administration with Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots. He was a part of six Super Bowl Championships during his time in New England.

2024 Boston College Football Coaching Staff
Bill O’Brien, Head Coach
Matt Applebaum*, Offensive Line
Ray Brown, Secondary
Jeff Comissiong, Defensive Line
Jonathan DiBiaso*^, Quarterbacks
Savon Huggins*, Running Backs
Will Lawing, Offensive Coordinator/Tight Ends
Tim Lewis, Defensive Coordinator
Dan O’Brien, Linebackers
Matt Thurin*, Special Teams Coordinator
Darrell Wyatt*, Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers
Craig Fitzgerald, Director of Football Performance
Berj Najarian, Chief of Staff
*-Returned from 2023 Staff
*^-Returned from 2023 Staff in a New Role