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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

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.

NCAA Football: Let’s Go Bowling

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ATLANTA – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Alabama QB  Jalen Milroe passed for two touchdowns and No. 8 Alabama rolled to a crucial upset by dispatching top-ranked Georgia 27-24 in the Southeastern Conference title game on Saturday in Georgia.

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Jermaine Burton and Jamarion Miller caught touchdown passes and Roydell Williams scored on a run as the Crimson Tide (12-1) won their 11th consecutive game. The victory snapped Georgia’s SEC record 29-game winning streak and greatly bolsters Alabama’s hopes of crashing the four-team College Football Playoff field.

Kendall Milton rushed for two touchdowns and Carson Beck added one for Georgia (12-1). Beck completed 21 of 29 passes for 243 yards. Bulldogs star Brock Bowers played despite an ankle injury but was largely ineffective, with five receptions for 53 yards.

Milroe was 13-of-23 passing for 192 yards for the Crimson Tide and was named MVP of the game. The two-time defending national champion Bulldogs lost to Alabama for the eighth time in the past nine meetings.

No. 7 Texas 49, No. 18 Oklahoma State 21

Quinn Ewers passed for a record 452 yards and four touchdowns, and the Longhorns’ defense did the rest in a shellacking of the Cowboys in the Big 12 championship game in Arlington, Texas.

Texas (12-1) captured its first Big 12 title since 2009. Ewers completed his first 12 passes of the game to eight different receivers and finished 35-for-46 while throwing for the most yards ever in a Big 12 championship game.

The Longhorns’ defense did not allow Oklahoma State (9-4) to broach the 200-yard barrier until the 10-minute mark of the fourth quarter. Cowboys quarterback Alan Bowman threw for 250 yards and three touchdowns, but star running back Ollie Gordon, the Big 12’s offensive player of the year, managed only 34 yards on 13 carries.

SMU 26, No. 22 Tulane 14

Kevin Jennings threw a touchdown pass in his first college start, the Mustangs’ defense dominated and SMU defeated the Green Wave in the American Athletic Conference championship game in New Orleans.

Jennings, a redshirt freshman who had thrown just 24 passes this season, stepped in for injured Preston Stone and overcame three turnovers by passing for 203 yards and rushing for 63. The Mustangs (11-2) won the conference title in their last season before departing for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Michael Pratt passed for 238 yards, but Makhi Hughes, the AAC’s leading rusher who rushed for at least 100 yards in seven of his past eight games entering Saturday, managed just 44 yards on 11 carries for the Green Wave (11-2), who had won 10 straight games.

–Field Level Media

No. 3 Michigan Beats No. 2 Ohio St

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ANN ARBOR – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Blake Corum rushed for two touchdowns and J.J. McCarthy threw for another to lift No. 3 Michigan to a 30-24 win over second-ranked Ohio State on Saturday in Michigan.

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Corum finished with 88 rushing yards for Michigan (12-0, 9-0 Big Ten), which plays Iowa in the Big Ten championship game in Indianapolis next Saturday.

Corum broke a 17-17 tie late in the third quarter with a 22-yard run for a touchdown, one play after center Zak Zinter was carted off with a leg injury.

James Turner padded the lead to 27-17 on a 38-yard field goal with 11:57 left in the fourth quarter. Marvin Harrison Jr.’s 14-yard TD at the 8:05 mark of the fourth pulled the Buckeyes (11-1, 8-1) to within 27-24.

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No. 1 Georgia 31, Georgia Tech 23

Kendall Milton rushed for a career-high 156 yards and scored two touchdowns to lead the Bulldogs over the Yellow Jackets in nonconference play in Atlanta.

Carson Beck was 13-of-20 passing for 175 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Georgia (12-0), which extended its nation-best winning streak to 29 games. The victory established a Southeastern Conference record that Georgia previously shared with Alabama, which twice won 28 games in a row (1978-80, 1991-93).

Haynes King rushed for 24 yards and two touchdowns and went 11-of-20 passing for 158 yards for Georgia Tech (6-6). Jamal Haynes had 81 yards on 15 carries, and Eric Singleton Jr. had four catches for 96 yards.

No. 4 Washington 24, Washington State 21

Rome Odunze caught seven passes for 120 yards with two touchdowns, and his 23-yard run on fourth down helped set up Grady Gross’ game-winning field goal as the Huskies edged the rival Cougars in Seattle.

The Huskies (12-0, 9-0 Pac-12) came into the 115th edition of the Apple Cup having already clinched a berth in Friday’s Pac-12 championship game, but they sought to maintain their inside track on reaching the College Football Playoff.

Facing fourth-and-1 at its own 29-yard line with 1:14 left, Washington went for it and appeared to be stuffed when running back Dillon Johnson ran into the line. But Johnson sold a fake as the wide receiver Odunze went end-around for the long gain. Gross later hit from 42 yards out, nearly the same distance as the 43-yarder he missed earlier in the game.

No. 5 Florida State 24, Florida 15

Trey Benson tied a career high with three rushing touchdowns to lead the Seminoles over the Gators in Gainesville, Fla.

Benson went for 95 yards on 19 carries as Florida State (12-0) leaned on its running game and defense after losing starting quarterback Jordan Travis to a season-ending leg injury last week.

Florida (5-7), which also lost its starting quarterback last week when Graham Mertz suffered a collarbone fracture, came up short of clinching bowl eligibility for the first time since going 4-7 in 2017.

No. 8 Alabama 27, Auburn 24

Jalen Milroe hit Isaiah Bond for a 31-yard touchdown pass on fourth-and-goal with 32 seconds remaining to give the Crimson Tide a 27-24 win against the host Tigers.

Alabama (11-1, 8-0 SEC) converted a fourth-and-1 from the Auburn 10-yard line on a 3-yard run by Roydell Williams, but then on second down, a snap went past Milroe, who recovered it at the Auburn 26-yard line.

Facing a fourth-and-goal from the Auburn 31 after a penalty, Milroe threw a pass into the back left corner of the end zone to Bond, who snatched it out of the air for an improbable touchdown. Milroe completed 16 of 24 passes for 259 yards with two TDs and no interceptions. Payton Thorne threw for 91 yards, a touchdown and two picks on 5-of-16 passing for the Tigers (6-6, 3-5).

Kentucky 38, No. 10 Louisville 31

Ray Davis raced 37 yards for the winning touchdown with 1:02 remaining to lift the visiting Wildcats over the Cardinals.

Davis also caught two touchdown passes and Barion Brown returned a kickoff for a score as Kentucky (7-5) won the Governor’s Cup for the fifth straight time. Devin Leary threw three touchdown passes and J.J. Weaver recovered two fumbles, forced one and also recorded a sack as Kentucky won for just the second time in its past seven games.

Jack Plummer completed 24 of 33 passes for 242 yards, two touchdowns and one interception for Louisville (10-2), which had a four-game winning streak halted. Jahwar Jordan rushed for 67 yards and two scores and Joey Gatewood and Ahmari Huggins-Bruce had touchdown catches.

No. 14 LSU 42, Texas A&M 30

Jayden Daniels threw three of his four touchdown passes in the fourth quarter and the Tigers beat the Aggies in Baton Rouge, La.

Daniels recorded his fourth 100-yard rushing game, finishing with a game-high 120 yards on 11 carries. However, he was held to 72 passing yards through three quarters before passing for 163 in the fourth quarter for the Tigers (9-3, 6-2 SEC). He finished with 235 yards, his second-lowest total of the season.

Jaylen Henderson passed for 294 yards and two touchdowns for Texas A&M (7-5, 4-4).

No. 15 Arizona 59, Arizona State 23

Noah Fifita passed for a school-record 527 yards and five touchdowns, and Tetairoa McMillan had 266 yards receiving, as the Wildcats unloaded on the rival Sun Devils to retain the Territorial Cup trophy in Tempe, Ariz.

The visiting Wildcats (9-3, 7-2 Pac-12) won their sixth consecutive game as Fifita completed 30 of 41 passes with one interception, also setting a record for most passing yards in the history of the 97-game series. McMillan caught 11 passes, including a 50-yard touchdown, and set a Territorial Cup record for receiving yards.

Arizona State (3-9, 2-7) ended its first season under coach Kenny Dillingham by giving most of the quarterback snaps to true freshman Jaden Rashada, who had been out since the second game of the season due to injury. He was 10 of 22 for 82 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions.

No. 18 Notre Dame 56, Stanford 23

Audric Estime rushed for 238 yards and four touchdowns to lead the Fighting Irish to a win against the host Cardinal in the regular-season finale for both teams.

Estime has 18 rushing touchdowns on the season, breaking the single-season school record. Sam Hartman passed for 140 yards and two touchdowns for Notre Dame (9-3), which has won four of its past five games.

Stanford quarterback Ashton Daniels completed 15 of 25 passes for 152 yards and an interception. Justin Lamson rushed for 82 yards and a touchdown for the Cardinal (3-9). The second half belonged to the Fighting Irish, who scored touchdowns on their first three drives.

Iowa State 42, No. 19 Kansas State 35

Abu Sama III rushed for 276 yards and three long touchdowns as the Cyclones defeated the Wildcats, with the points coming despite a heavy snowstorm in Manhattan, Kan.

The Cyclones had five scoring plays of at least 60 yards, including four of at least 70. Three of those long plays were runs of 71, 77 and 60 yards by Sama. Rocco Becht threw for 230 yards and three touchdowns despite throwing just 12 passes for Iowa State (7-5, 6-3 Big 12).

Will Howard was 24-of-48 passing for 288 yards with a touchdown and an interception for Kansas State (8-4, 6-3).

No. 20 Oklahoma State 40, BYU 34 (2OT)

The Cowboys rallied from an 18-point deficit to clinch a spot in the Big 12 championship game with a win over the Cougars in rainy Stillwater, Okla.

Ollie Gordon II rushed for 166 yards and five touchdowns, including scores in the final minute of regulation and in each OT session, to help secure Oklahoma State (9-3, 7-2 Big 12) a championship showdown with No. 7 Texas next Saturday in Arlington, Texas.

BYU (5-7, 2-7) led much of the way — including a 24-6 halftime lead — and then forced overtime with a gritty, last-minute drive for a game-tying field goal as time expired. The Cougars’ first season in the Big 12 ended on a turnover and with five consecutive losses in conference action.

No. 21 Tennessee 48, Vanderbilt 24

Joe Milton III threw for 383 yards and accounted for six touchdowns as the Volunteers blasted the Commodores in their annual rivalry game in Knoxville, Tenn.

The Volunteers (8-4, 4-4 SEC) never trailed and held a 617-306 edge in total offense. Vanderbilt (2-10, 0-8) ended the season on a 10-game losing streak.

Tennessee took a 31-10 halftime lead and held a 347-189 edge in total yards, with Milton accounting for 252 passing yards, three passing touchdowns and a rushing score. On the Volunteers’ first possession of the second half, Milton hit Ramel Keyton for a 46-yard touchdown, Keyton’s second score of the day.

No. 22 North Carolina State 39, North Carolina 20

Brennan Armstrong threw for three touchdowns and the Wolfpack used a dominant first half to go on to defeat the Tar Heels in Raleigh, N.C.

Drake Maye threw for two touchdowns and two interceptions as North Carolina (8-4, 4-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) lost for the fourth time in six weeks. Maye rushed for a career-high 106 yards, but the conference’s leading rusher, Omarion Hampton, was limited to 28 yards on nine carries.

NC State (9-3, 6-2), which won its fifth straight game, scored on its first eight possessions — four field goals, four touchdowns — to build a 39-14 lead.

No. 24 Clemson 16, South Carolina 7

Jonathan Weitz kicked three field goals, and the Tigers relied on their defense to stymie the Gamecocks in the 120th version of the Palmetto Bowl in Columbia, S.C.

Weitz made kicks from 50, 49 and 42 yards, while safety Khalil Barnes returned a fumble for a touchdown as Clemson (8-4) won its fourth straight game and its eighth in the past nine meetings with South Carolina (5-7).

Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 16 of 32 passes for 112 yards with an interception. Xavier Legette had six catches for 68 yards.

No. 25 Liberty 42, UTEP 28

Quinton Cooley ran for three touchdowns as the Flames completed an undefeated regular season by defeating the Miners in El Paso, Texas.

Liberty (12-0, 8-0 Conference USA) will try to stay in line for the Group of Five spot in the CFP’s upper tier when it hosts New Mexico State in Friday night’s conference championship game.

UTEP (3-9, 2-6) lost its third game in a row, managing just 50 yards on the ground.

–Field Level Media

It’s Georgia and Ohio State as No. 1 and 2

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DALLAS – Ohio State overtook Michigan to capture the No. 2 spot in the Associated Press Top 25 poll, released Sunday, as the bitter rivals prepare to meet next weekend in Ann Arbor, Mich.

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The Wolverines, without suspended coach Jim Harbaugh, earned their 1,000th program victory on Saturday against Maryland but dropped one spot to No. 3.

Georgia, which has sat atop the poll all season, remained No. 1 and earned 61 of 62 first-place votes, with the remaining vote going to the Buckeyes.

Washington, after a 22-20 win over then-No. 10 Oregon State, rose a spot to No. 4, trading places with No. 5 Florida State. The Seminoles defeated North Alabama on Saturday but lost their starting quarterback, Jordan Travis, to an apparently serious left leg injury.

Each of the teams in the top five is 11-0. The College Football Playoff committee, which ultimately determines the four teams that will contest for the national championship, will issue its updated rankings on Tuesday.

This week, the CFP had Georgia at No. 1, followed by Ohio State, Michigan, Florida State and Washington.

The AP Top 25 ranking for the No. 6 through 9 teams remained unchanged Sunday, with No. 6 Oregon followed by Texas, Alabama and Louisville — a quartet of 10-1 teams.

Oregon State (8-3) plummeted five spots to No. 15.

Moving up one spot to No. 10 was Missouri, followed by Penn State, Ole Miss and Oklahoma, all 8-2. LSU (9-3) stands at No. 14.

With losses Saturday, James Madison (10-1) plunged six spots to No. 24, with Tennessee falling four positions to No. 25.

BC’s Tough Task | Red Bandana Game

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CHESTNUT HILL – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – After a pair of dominant performances to start the season, Florida State finds itself among the top three teams in the nation for the first time in six years.

But the third-ranked Seminoles believe they haven’t reached their ceiling just yet, and they will look to continue climbing the ranks on Saturday when they face Boston College in the Atlantic Coast Conference opener at BC.

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Florida State (2-0) rose to No. 3 in the AP poll thanks to a 66-13 shellacking of Southern Miss last Saturday. It marks the Seminoles’ highest ranking since 2017, when they started the season as the third-best team in the country.

Through two games, FSU has outscored opponents 111-37. The Seminoles kicked off the 2023 campaign with a 45-24 victory over LSU on Sept. 3.

Although he is pleased with the progress his team has made just two years removed a stretch of four straight losing seasons, Florida State coach Mike Norvell is focused on avoiding complacency.

“Somebody says that we’re highly rated or highly ranked, whatever you call it, or not. None of that matters,” Norvell said. “It’s about what we’re willing to do when we show up and when we go to work.”

Norvell is eager to begin ACC play with a victory, but he knows that it won’t be easy.

“We understand what we want to achieve and what we want to do. This is a first step when it comes to coming into conference play,” Norvell said. “This is a big game up at BC.”

The Eagles (1-1) will have plenty to play for against FSU.

Saturday marks Boston College’s annual Red Bandanna Game, which honors alumnus Welles Crowther.

Crowther died during the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001. He was in the South Tower, where, with his red bandanna covering his nose and mouth amidst the smoke, he helped others evacuate the building before it collapsed.

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“We talk to our players about 9/11, about Welles, about the Red Bandanna Game,” BC coach Jeff Hafley said. “We teach them about … why we wear those jerseys. It’s not just to put on a new look. It’s way bigger than that.”

Boston College is bracing for its toughest opponent yet, as the Eagles opened their season with a 27-24 overtime loss to Northern Illinois before bouncing back to pull off a gritty 31-28 win over FCS Holy Cross last Saturday.

“They’re as deep as they’ve been,” Hafley said of the Seminoles. “They’re deep at wide receiver. … Every time you turn on the film, there’s a new guy who looks just as big and just as fast. They’ve got depth at running back.

“And then the quarterback. He’s just gotten better and better. If you turn on the tape from when we played him two years ago, he was young, then he got better and now he’s probably one of the best players in all of college football.”

That quarterback Hafley speaks so highly of is Jordan Travis, who has already thrown for 517 yards with six touchdowns against one interception.

Florida State has won 15 of its 20 all-time meetings with BC.

–Field Level Media

Notre Dame Dominates Navy in Ireland

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DUBLIN – (Staff and Wire Service Report) – Notre Dame’s QB Sam Hartman threw for four touchdowns in his Notre Dame debut as the 13th-ranked Fighting Irish crushed Navy, 42-3, in Ireland on Saturday afternoon in the season opener for both teams.

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Hartman spent the last five seasons at Wake Forest, where he threw for an Atlantic Coast Conference record 110 touchdowns. He looked right at home with his new program on Saturday, completing 19 of 23 passes for 266 yards.

Jaden Greathouse had three catches for 68 yards and two TDs for Notre Dame, which improved to 3-0 against the Midshipmen in games played in Ireland. Jayden Thomas added 78 yards on four receptions.

Alex Tecza had 38 rushing yards and Daba Fofana recorded 32 on 16 carries for Navy, which saw quarterback Tai Lavatai complete 3 of 6 passes for 43 yards.

The Midshipmen finished with 169 yards of total offense and made just two trips to the red zone.

The Fighting Irish put together a 13-play, 81-yard drive to open the game, taking a 7-0 lead on Audric Estime’s 1-yard rushing touchdown. Estime ended up with 95 yards on 16 touches for the game.

After the Midshipmen failed to convert a fourth-and-3 on their ensuing drive, Notre Dame doubled its advantage when Jadarian Price scored on the ground from 19 yards out with 1:03 left in the opening quarter.

Hartman made it 21-0 when he recorded his first TD as a member of the Fighting Irish, a 35-yard strike to Greathouse with 10 minutes left in the first half.

Evan Warren’s 36-yard field-goal attempt with 1:55 to play until the break went wide right, and Notre Dame capitalized on the miss when Hartman found Thomas for a 14-yard TD 1:42 later to send the Irish into halftime up 28-0.

Navy went three-and-out to begin the second half. The Fighting Irish took less than three minutes to tack on to their lead, as Greathouse was on the receiving end of a 20-yard touchdown that made it 35-0.

Hartman connected with Deion Colzie for a 25-yard TD with 11:54 remaining in the game before Warren broke the shutout by making good on a 31-yard field goal.

–Field Level Media