SATURDAY, SEPT. 2
NO. 25 IOWA 24, UTAH STATE 14
KENTUCKY 44, BALL STATE 14
LIBERTY 34, BOWLING GREEN 24
NO. 2 MICHIGAN 30, EAST CAROLINA 3
FRESNO STATE 39, PURDUE 35
SMU 38, LOUISIANA TECH 14
NO. 12 TENNESSEE 49, VIRGINIA 13 (NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE)
COLORADO 45, NO. 17 TCU 42
BOSTON COLLEGE 27, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 24 (OT)
NO. 20 OKLAHOMA 73, ARKANSAS STATE 0
VILLANOVA 38, LEHIGH 10
GEORGETOWN 49, MARIST 7
ILLINOIS STATE 41, DAYTON 0
VMI 12, DAVIDSON 7
AIR FORCE 42, ROBERT MORRIS 7
JACKSONVILLE STATE 49, EAST TENNESSEE STATE 3
NO. 22 OLE MISS 73, MERCER 7
IOWA STATE 30, UNI 9
TEMPLE 24, AKRON 21
OHIO 27, LONG ISLAND UNIVERSITY 10
HOLY CROSS 42, MERRIMACK 20
MONTANA 35, BUTLER 20
NO. 15 OREGON 81, PORTLAND STATE 7
HAMPTON 35, GRAMBLING (HARRISON, N.J.) 31
NO. 3 OHIO STATE 23, INDIANA 3
AUBURN 59, UMASS 14
MARYLAND 38, TOWSON 6
NO. 19 WISCONSIN 38, BUFFALO 17
WESTERN KENTUCKY 41, SOUTH FLORIDA 24
NO. 10 WASHINGTON 56, BOISE STATE 19
NO. 13 NOTRE DAME 56, TENNESSEE STATE 3
PITT 45, WOFFORD 7
CINCINNATI 66, EASTERN KENTUCKY 13
NO. 11 TEXAS 37, RICE 10
APPALACHIAN STATE 45, GARDNER-WEBB 24
NORTH DAKOTA STATE 35, EASTERN WASHINGTON 10 (MINNEAPOLIS, MINN.)
ARKANSAS 56, WESTERN CAROLINA 13
MISSISSIPPI STATE 48, SE LOUISIANA 7
CAL 58, NORTH TEXAS 21
SYRACUSE 65, COLGATE 0
UNLV 44, BRYANT 14
NORTH DAKOTA 55, DRAKE 7
NO. 1 GEORGIA 48, UT MARTIN 7
CHARLOTTE 24, SOUTH CAROLINA STATE 3
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 42, MONMOUTH 20
GEORGIA SOUTHERN 34, THE CITADEL 0
JAMES MADISON 38, BUCKNELL 3
MARSHALL 21, ALBANY 17
FORDHAM 46, WAGNER 16
ALABAMA STATE 14, SOUTHERN 10
CAL POLY 27, SAN DIEGO 10
STETSON 34, ST. THOMAS UNIVERSITY (FLA.) 33 (OT)
MURRAY STATE 41, PRESBYTERIAN 10
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 14, MAINE 12
NO. 6 USC 66, NEVADA 14
NO. 23 TEXAS A&M 52, NEW MEXICO 10
UL MONROE 17, ARMY 13
VANDERBILT 47, ALABAMA A&M 13
WASHINGTON STATE 50, COLORADO STATE 24
TEXAS STATE 42, BAYLOR 31
HOUSTON 17, UTSA 14
NO. 16 KANSAS STATE 45, SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE 0
OKLAHOMA STATE 27, CENTRAL ARKANSAS 13
MEMPHIS 56, BETHUNE-COOKMAN 14
SOUTHERN MISS 40, ALCORN STATE 14
TROY 40, STEPHEN F. AUSTIN 38
SOUTHERN ILLINOIS 49, AUSTIN PEAY 23
NORTH ALABAMA 41, CHATTANOOGA 27
HOUSTON CHRISTIAN 66, ARKANSAS BAPTIST 0
NO. 4 ALABAMA 56, MIDDLE TENNESSEE 7
ILLINOIS 30, TOLEDO 28
NO. 21 NORTH CAROLINA 31, SOUTH CAROLINA 17
NO. 7 PENN STATE 38, WEST VIRGINIA 15
WYOMING 35 TEXAS TECH 33 2OT
ARIZONA 38 NORTHERN ARIZONA 3
BYU 14 SAM HOUSTON STATE 0
UCLA 27 COASTAL CAROLINA 13
SAN DIEGO STATE 35 IDAHO STATE 28
INDIANA SCORES
FRESNO STATE 39 PURDUE 35
NOTRE DAME 56 TENNESSE STATE 3
MONTANA 35 BUTLER 20
MARIAN 40 JUDSON 6
OLIVET 35 FRANKLIN 32
WABASH 29 HAMPDEN-SYDNEY 28
U OF INDY 39 HILLSDALE 20
DEPAUW 33 ROSE-HULMAN 21
TRINE 61 ANDERSON 0
HANOVER 10 CENTRE 0
NORTH PARK 27 MANCHESTER 0
ST. XAVIER 45 ST. FRANCIS 28
WEEK 2 SCHEDULE
THURSDAY, SEPT. 7
LOUISVILLE VS. MURRAY STATE | 7:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
FRIDAY, SEPT. 8
INDIANA VS. INDIANA STATE | 7 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
RHODE ISLAND VS. STONY BROOK | 7 P.M. | FLOSPORTS
KANSAS VS. ILLINOIS | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN2
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9
WAKE FOREST VS. VANDERBILT | 11 A.M. | ACC NETWORK
ARMY VS. DELAWARE STATE | 12 P.M. | CBSSN
COLORADO VS. NEBRASKA | 12 P.M. | FOX
GEORGIA VS. BALL STATE | 12 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
OHIO STATE VS. YOUNGSTOWN STATE | 12 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
PENN STATE VS. DELAWARE | 12 P.M. | PEACOCK
VIRGINIA TECH VS. PURDUE | 12 P.M. | ESPN2
BAYLOR VS. UTAH | 12 P.M. | ESPN
NC STATE VS. NOTRE DAME | 12 P.M. | ABC
BOSTON COLLEGE VS. HOLY CROSS | 12 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCN+
VIRGINIA VS. JAMES MADISON | 12 P.M. | ESPNU
KANSAS STATE VS. TROY | 12 P.M. | FS1
GEORGETOWN VS. SACRED HEART | 12:30 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA TECH VS. SOUTH CAROLINA STATE | 1 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCNX
PRESBYTERIAN VS. VIRGINIA LYNCHBURG | 1 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL MICHIGAN VS. NEW HAMPSHIRE | 1:30 P.M. | ESPN+
BOWLING GREEN VS. EASTERN ILLINOIS | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA VS. ST. THOMAS (MINN.) | 2 P.M. | ESPN+
CLEMSON VS. CHARLESTON SOUTHERN | 2:15 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
WESTERN CAROLINA VS. SAMFORD | 2:30 P.M. | ESPN+
KENTUCKY VS. EASTERN KENTUCKY | 3 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
BYU VS. SOUTHERN UTAH | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
THE CITADEL VS. CAMPBELL | 3 P.M. | ESPN+
IOWA STATE VS. IOWA | 3:30 P.M. | FOX
MIAMI (FLA.) VS. TEXAS A&M | 3:30 P.M. | ABC
MICHIGAN VS. UNLV | 3:30 P.M. | CBS
MICHIGAN STATE VS. RICHMOND | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
NORTHWESTERN VS. UTEP | 3:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
TULANE VS. OLE MISS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN2
UMASS VS. MIAMI (OHIO) | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
UTSA VS. TEXAS STATE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
NAVY VS. WAGNER | 3:30 P.M. | CBSSN
NORTHERN ILLINOIS VS. SOUTHERN ILLINOIS | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
TOLEDO VS. TEXAS SOUTHERN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
SYRACUSE VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCNX
NORTH DAKOTA STATE VS. MAINE | 3:30 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS VS. KENT STATE | 4 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
EAST CAROLINA VS. MARSHALL | 4 P.M. | ESPNU
WYOMING VS. PORTLAND STATE | 4 P.M. | MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK
SAN JOSE STATE VS. CAL POLY | 4 P.M. | NBC SPORTS BAY AREA
WESTERN ILLINOIS VS. ILLINOIS STATE | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH DAKOTA VS. NORTHERN ARIZONA | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTHERN COLORADO VS. UIW | 4 P.M. | ESPN+
WASHINGTON VS. TULSA | 5 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
SOUTH ALABAMA VS. SE LOUISIANA | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
TENNESSEE VS. AUSTIN PEAY | 5 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
UNI VS. WEBER STATE | 5 P.M. | ESPN+
NORTH CAROLINA VS. APPALACHIAN STATE | 5:15 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
EAST TENNESSEE STATE VS. CARSON-NEWMAN | 5:30 P.M. | ESPN+
LIBERTY VS. NEW MEXICO STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
OLD DOMINION VS. LOUISIANA | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
DUKE VS. LAFAYETTE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+/ACCNX
OKLAHOMA VS. SMU | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
WEST VIRGINIA VS. DUQUESNE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA SOUTHERN VS. UAB | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA ATLANTIC VS. OHIO | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
AKRON VS. MORGAN STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
BUFFALO VS. FORDHAM | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
BRYANT VS. LONG ISLAND | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
ROBERT MORRIS VS. ST. FRANCIS (PA) | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
BUCKNELL VS. VMI | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
GARDNER-WEBB VS. ELON | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
CHATTANOOGA VS. KENNESAW STATE | 6 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL VS. NORTH TEXAS | 6:30 P.M. | ESPN+
PITT VS. CINCINNATI | 6:30 P.M. | CW NETWORK
ALABAMA VS. TEXAS | 7 P.M. | ESPN
COASTAL CAROLINA VS. JACKSONVILLE STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
GEORGIA STATE VS. UCONN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
LOUISIANA TECH VS. NORTHWESTERN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MISSOURI VS. MIDDLE TENNESSEE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
WESTERN KENTUCKY VS. HOUSTON CHRISTIAN | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TEXAS TECH VS. OREGON | 7 P.M. | FOX
BOISE STATE VS. UCF | 7 P.M. | FS1
RICE VS. HOUSTON | 7 P.M. | NFL NETWORK
SOUTH FLORIDA VS. FLORIDA A&M | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
ARKANSAS STATE VS. MEMPHIS | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
NEVADA VS. IDAHO | 7 P.M. | NSN/MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK
STEPHEN F. AUSTIN VS. ALCORN STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHERN VS. JACKSON STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
CENTRAL ARKANSAS VS. TEXAS COLLEGE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
TARLETON STATE VS. NORTH ALABAMA | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTH DAKOTA STATE VS. MONTANA STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
UT MARTIN VS. MISSOURI STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
SOUTHEAST MISSOURI STATE VS. LINDENWOOD | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
DRAKE VS. NORTHWESTERN (IOWA) | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
MERCER VS. MOREHEAD STATE | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
STETSON VS. WEBBER INTERNATIONAL | 7 P.M. | ESPN+
FLORIDA VS. MCNEESE | 7:30 P.M. | ESPNU
LSU VS. GRAMBLING | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
MARYLAND VS. CHARLOTTE | 7:30 P.M. | NBC
MINNESOTA VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN | 7:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
MISSISSIPPI STATE VS. ARIZONA | 7:30 P.M. | SEC NETWORK
RUTGERS VS. TEMPLE | 7:30 P.M. | BIG TEN NETWORK
SOUTH CAROLINA VS. FURMAN | 7:30 P.M. | ESPN+/SECN+
WASHINGTON STATE VS. WISCONSIN | 7:30 P.M. | ABC
SAN DIEGO STATE VS. UCLA | 7:30 P.M. | CBS
SAM HOUSTON VS. AIR FORCE (NRG STADIUM IN HOUSTON, TEXAS) | 8 P.M. | CBSSN
TCU VS. NICHOLLS | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
UL MONROE VS. LAMAR | 8 P.M. | ESPN+
NEW MEXICO VS. TENNESSEE TECH | 8 P.M. | MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK
FLORIDA STATE VS. SOUTHERN MISS | 8:30 P.M. | ACC NETWORK
OREGON STATE VS. UC DAVIS | 9 P.M. | PAC-12 NETWORK
UTAH TECH VS. MONTANA | 9 P.M. | ESPN+
FRESNO STATE VS. EASTERN WASHINGTON | 9 P.M. | UNIMÁS/MOUNTAIN WEST NETWORK
SACRAMENTO STATE VS. TEXAS A&M-COMMERCE | 10 P.M. | ESPN+
USC VS. STANFORD | 10:30 P.M. | FOX
CAL VS. AUBURN | 10:30 P.M. | ESPN
ARIZONA STATE VS. OKLAHOMA STATE | 10:30 P.M. | FS1
HAWAI’I VS. ALBANY | 12 A.M. | SPECTRUM SPORTS PPV
TOP 25 ROUNDUP: SHEDEUR SANDERS, COLORADO SHOCK NO. 17 TCU
Shedeur Sanders passed for a school-record 510 yards and threw four touchdowns, Dylan Edwards accounted for four scores and Colorado started the Deion Sanders coaching era with a 45-42 shootout victory over No. 17 TCU on Saturday afternoon at Fort Worth, Texas.
Edwards caught three scoring passes, including turning a short pass from Sanders into the game-winning 46-yard touchdown with 4:25 remaining in the season opener for both teams.
The victory was stunning as Deion Sanders took over a 1-11 team and orchestrated an offseason roster shakeup. Only 10 of last season’s 84 scholarship players remain with the program. Furthermore, TCU reached the College Football Playoff title game last season before being crushed 65-7 by Georgia.
Shedeur Sanders completed 38 of 47 passes and Edwards had 135 yards on five receptions as one of four Colorado players to top 100 receiving yards. Two-way standout Travis Hunter caught 11 passes for 119 yards and also recorded an interception for the Buffaloes.
TCU’s Chandler Morris passed for 279 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. He also rushed for a score. Trey Sanders rushed for three touchdowns and Jared Wiley and Dylan Wright each caught a touchdown pass for the Horned Frogs. Emani Bailey rushed for 164 yards on 14 carries.
No. 1 Georgia 48, Tennessee-Martin 7
Carson Beck threw for a touchdown and ran for another in his debut as starting quarterback as the Bulldogs overcame a sluggish start to roll past the FCS Skyhawks in Athens, Ga., in the season opener for both teams.
Beck completed 21 of 31 passes for 294 yards, without an interception. Mekhi Mews sprinted to the end zone for a 54-yard touchdown off a Beck swing pass in the third quarter.
Georgia limited UT-Martin to 260 yards of total offense and 15 first downs. Kinkead Dent completed 18 of 32 passes for 128 yards. He threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Trevonte Rucker in the fourth quarter.
No. 2 Michigan 30, East Carolina 3
J.J. McCarthy threw three touchdown passes to Roman Wilson and the Wolverines opened a season of high expectations by taking down the Pirates at Ann Arbor, Mich.
McCarthy completed 26 of 30 passes for 280 yards in the first-ever meeting between the teams. Wilson had six catches for 78 yards.
The Wolverines were without suspended coach Jim Harbaugh, with defensive coordinator Jesse Minter in charge. Harbaugh is serving a school-imposed, three-game suspension for recruiting violations. The defensive unit was strong for Michigan, limiting East Carolina (0-1) to 235 yards of total offense.
No. 3 Ohio State 23, Indiana 3
Miyan Williams rushed for two touchdowns to help the Buckeyes pull away from the pesky Hoosiers in their season openers in Bloomington, Ind.
Kyle McCord, who won the starting quarterback job for Ohio State over Devin Brown, was 20-for-33 for 239 yards and an interception in the Big Ten contest. Williams’ second score, from 3 yards out, gave the Buckeyes a 20-3 lead with 1:51 left in the third quarter.
Ohio State has won 28 straight against the Hoosiers since a 27-27 tie in 1990. Indiana’s last victory was in 1988. Brendan Sorsby was 8-for-16 for 58 yards and Tayven Jackson went 1-for-5 for 24 yards for the Hoosiers.
No. 4 Alabama 56, Middle Tennessee 7
Jalen Milroe became the first Crimson Tide player to throw three touchdown passes and rush for two scores in the same game, and Alabama rolled past the Blue Raiders in the season opener for both teams in Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Alabama coach Nick Saban was silent all week about the identity of his starting quarterback and Milroe loudly stated his case by completing 13 of 18 passes for 194 yards while adding 48 on the ground. Milroe has thrown three touchdown passes in each of his two career starts.
Isaiah Bond, Jermaine Burton and Amari Niblack caught touchdown passes as the Crimson Tide won their 17th straight home opener under Saban. Nicholas Vattiato completed 21 of 32 passes for 127 yards with a TD and an interception for Middle Tennessee.
No. 6 USC 66, Nevada 14
Caleb Williams spread touchdowns among four receivers in the first half and finished with 319 yards and five scores overall as the Trojans cruised to a rout of the Wolf Pack in Los Angeles.
USC (2-0) needed just 2:15 to score its first touchdown, as Williams found Zachariah Branch for a 22-yard score on the opening drive. Nevada, playing its season opener, gave a quick response, however, tying it up at 7-7 less than two minutes later when Brendon Lewis’ 73-yard pass to Spencer Curtis set up a 3-yard TD run by Sean Dollars.
From that point forward, it was all Trojans. On USC’s next drive, MarShawn Lloyd carried 24 yards for the Trojans’ lone rushing touchdown of the first half, which ended with the Trojans up 35-7.
No. 7 Penn State 38, West Virginia 15
Drew Allar threw for a career-best 325 yards and three touchdowns as the Nittany Lions topped the Mountaineers in State College, Pa., in the season opener for both teams.
In his first collegiate start, Allar completed 21 of 29 passes and didn’t turn the ball over. His favorite target was Harrison Wallace Jr., who caught seven passes for 72 yards.
Garrett Greene completed 16 of 27 passes for 162 yards for West Virginia. CJ Donaldson Jr. powered West Virginia’s running game with 81 yards and a score on 18 carries. Greene also had a rushing TD.
No. 10 Washington 56, Boise State 19
Michael Penix Jr. launched his Heisman campaign by throwing for 450 yards and five touchdowns as the Huskies routed the Broncos in Seattle in the season opener for both teams.
Jalen McMillan caught two TD passes and scored on a 19-yard run out of the wildcat formation on the first play of the fourth quarter as the Huskies amassed 568 yards of total offense. Penix completed 29 of 40 passes.
Boise State’s Taylen Green was 19-of-39 passing for 244 yards, with one touchdown and two interceptions. The Broncos’ George Holani, who has twice rushed for 1,000 yards in a season, totaled 51 yards on 10 carries.
No. 11 Texas 37, Rice 10
Quinn Ewers passed for 260 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score as the Longhorns dominated the third quarter on the way to a win over the Owls in the season opener for both teams in Austin, Texas.
Ewers hit on 19 of 30 passes. Seven of his completions were to Xavier Worthy, who amassed 90 yards receiving for the Longhorns. Texas has now defeated the Owls 16 straight times and in 44 of the teams’ past 45 contests.
The Longhorns’ defense intercepted Rice quarterback JT Daniels twice (on back-to-back throws in the second quarter). The Owls finally found the end zone on a 15-yard TD pass from Daniels to Luke McCaffrey with 3:04 to play.
No. 12 Tennessee 49, Virginia 13
Dylan Sampson rushed for three touchdowns and caught another as the Volunteers ran away from the Cavaliers for a victory in Nashville, Tenn., in the season opener for both teams.
Sampson had 52 yards on 13 carries. Tennessee piled up 287 yards on 52 carries for an average of 5.5 yards per rush. Jaylen Wright had 115 yards on 12 carries. Tennessee quarterback Joe Milton III completed 21 of 30 passes for 201 yards and two scores.
Virginia’s Tony Muskett completed 9 of 17 passes for 94 yards. The Cavaliers welcomed back running back Mike Hollins, who was one of two Virginia students wounded in a shooting last November that killed three other football players.
No. 13 Notre Dame 56, Tennessee State 3
Sam Hartman passed for 194 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score as the Irish thrashed the Tigers in South Bend, Ind.
Hartman completed his first seven passes before finishing 14-for-17. He did not play in the second half after the Fighting Irish built a 35-3 lead. Notre Dame (2-0) amassed 557 total yards, including 221 on the ground. Audric Estime had 116 rushing yards on 13 carries and a touchdown.
Notre Dame’s defense limited the Tigers (0-1) to 156 total yards. Tennessee State quarterback Deveon Bryant completed 5 of 12 passes for 43 yards with two interceptions.
No. 15 Oregon 81, Portland State 7
Bo Nix threw for three touchdowns and Jordan James rushed for three more as the Ducks started their 2023 campaign off strong, sprinting past the Vikings in Eugene, Ore.
Nix completed 23 of 27 passes for 287 yards, doing his part to lead Oregon to the win. James covered 86 yards with 10 carries, while Bucky Irving Jr. rushed just four times for 119 yards and two scores.
Oregon scored its most points in a game in the modern era. Dante Chachere completed 5 of 14 passes for 35 yards and a score for Portland State (0-1).
No. 16 Kansas State 45, Southeast Missouri State 0
Will Howard accounted for four touchdowns in the first half as the Wildcats defeated the Redhawks in Manhattan, Kan., in the season opener for both teams.
Howard had two passing touchdowns to go along with a rushing and receiving score by halftime. He became the sixth player in Big 12 history to have a passing, rushing and receiving TD in a game. Howard played just two series in the second half and finished 18-of-26 passing for 297 yards with the two touchdowns and an interception.
Kansas State scored four second-quarter touchdowns to open up a 35-0 halftime lead before cruising in the second half. SEMO hadn’t been shut out in 41 games.
No. 19 Wisconsin 38, Buffalo 17
Chez Mellusi rushed for 157 yards and two touchdowns and Braelon Allen ran for 141 yards and two scores as the Badgers rolled past the Bulls in Madison, Wis., in the season opener for both teams.
The Badgers outscored the Bulls 24-7 after halftime, with Mellusi providing a much-needed spark. Ahead 14-10 and starting a drive at its own 11, Wisconsin found breathing room at last, as Mellusi weaved through the Bulls’ defense for an 89-yard touchdown on the first play of the drive.
Mellusi (13 carries) and Allen (17) paced a ground game that accounted for 312 of Wisconsin’s 501 yards of total offense. Buffalo’s Cole Snyder was 26-for-41 passing for 194 yards and two touchdowns to Cole Harrity, who had five receptions for 47 yards.
No. 20 Oklahoma 73, Arkansas State 0
Dillon Gabriel threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another score, all in the first half, to lift the Sooners over the Red Wolves in the season opener for each team in Norman, Okla.
The Sooners’ offense was dominant from the start, needing just five plays to drive 70 yards for a touchdown to start the game. By halftime, Oklahoma led 45-0. For the game, Oklahoma outgained Arkansas State 642-208, including 220-48 in rushing.
Courtney Jackson led the Red Wolves with three catches for 66 yards. No player had more than 11 yards rushing for Arkansas State.
No. 21 North Carolina 31, South Carolina 17
Drake Maye threw two touchdown passes and the Tar Heels’ defense stiffened in the second half against the Gamecocks in both teams’ season opener in Charlotte, N.C.
Maye, a preseason Heisman Trophy candidate, completed 24 of 32 passes for 269 yards. He was intercepted twice in this neutral-site matchup. Running back British Brooks gained 103 yards on 15 carries for the Tar Heels.
Spencer Rattler was 30-for-39 for 353 yards for the Gamecocks. He was sacked nine times. South Carolina had three fourth-quarter possessions in North Carolina territory and managed only three points from those.
No. 22 Ole Miss 73, Mercer 7
Jaxson Dart threw for 334 yards and four touchdowns, and the Rebels routed the FCS Bears in Ole Miss’ season opener in Oxford, Miss.
Tre Harris, in his first game at Ole Miss, set a single-game program record with four receiving touchdowns. The Rebels racked up 667 yards of total offense and scored on all but two possessions. Running back Quinshon Judkins chipped in 13 carries for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
Mercer quarterback Carter Peevy completed 16 of 29 passes for 138 yards and an interception. On Mercer’s first play on offense, Peevy kept a quarterback option and dashed up the middle untouched for a 75-yard touchdown to tie the game at 7, but the Bears (1-1) would not score again.
No. 23 Texas A&M 52, New Mexico 10
Conner Weigman threw for 236 yards and five touchdowns to lead the Aggies to a season-opening rout over the Lobos in College Station, Texas.
Evan Stewart caught eight passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns to flank Weigman for Texas A&M. Weigman completed 12 of 16 passes for four touchdowns and 175 yards in the first half to help stake the Aggies to a 35-7 lead at halftime. He would finish 18-for-23.
Dylan Hopkins went 15-of-23 passing for 115 yards in defeat for New Mexico (0-1).
No. 24 Tulane 37, South Alabama 17
Michael Pratt passed for 294 yards and four touchdowns, and the Green Wave defeated the Jaguars in the nonconference season opener for both teams in New Orleans.
Pratt completed 14 of 15 passes and increased his career touchdown pass total to 72, tying Patrick Ramsey’s Green Wave record. Jha’Quan Jackson caught two of the touchdown passes, from 47 and 48 yards, and finished with 106 receiving yards.
Carter Bradley completed 23 of 30 passes but had just 190 yards and one touchdown with two interceptions for the Jaguars.
No. 25 Iowa 24, Utah State 14
Cade McNamara threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns in his team debut as the Hawkeyes defeated the Aggies in the season opener for both teams in Iowa City, Iowa.
McNamara, a transfer from Michigan who was cleared this week to return from a right quad injury, completed 17 of 30 passes with no interceptions. Kaleb Johnson rushed for 63 yards and a touchdown and set up another score with a game-opening 54-yard kickoff return.
Cooper Legas went 32-of-48 passing for 213 yards with one touchdown and one interception on a frustrating day for Utah State, which hurt itself with 75 penalty yards. Terrell Vaughn finished with 12 catches for 93 yards and a score for the Aggies, who finished with 329 yards of total offense but had just 30 in the first quarter.
BIG 10 FOOTBALL
Saturday, Sept. 2
IOWA def. Utah State, 24-14: Cade McNamara threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns in his Iowa debut as the No. 25 Hawkeyes defeated Utah State 24-14 on Saturday. The touchdowns came on Iowa’s first two offensive possessions, and the Hawkeyes didn’t get into the end zone again until Kaleb Johnson’s 3-yard run in the fourth quarter. Iowa, which had one of the worst offenses in the nation last season, finished with 284 yards. [FULL RECAP]
MICHIGAN def. East Carolina, 30-3: J.J. McCarthy threw three touchdown passes to Roman Wilson, helping No. 2 Michigan rout East Carolina 30-3 on Saturday. McCarthy probably made his coach proud, completing 26 of 30 passes for 280 yards and throwing a touchdown pass to Wilson in each of the first three quarters. [FULL RECAP]
Fresno State def. PURDUE, 39-35: Mikey Keene threw for four touchdowns Saturday to lead Fresno State to a 39-35 win over Purdue in the season opener for both teams. Purdue, which led 28-17 early in the third quarter, managed to regain the lead at 35-32 on Mockabee’s 11-yard TD run with 4:36 to go. [FULL RECAP]
OHIO STATE def. INDIANA, 23-3: Miyan Williams rushed for two touchdowns and new quarterback Kyle McCord picked up his first victory since being named the starter for No. 3 Ohio State, beating Indiana 23-3 on Saturday. The Buckeyes (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) have won 23 consecutive season-openers and extended the FBS’ longest active winning streak in a series to 28. [FULL RECAP]
MARYLAND def. Towson, 38-6: Taulia Tagovailoa threw for three touchdowns and ran for one in the first half of Maryland’s 38-6 rout of Towson on Saturday. The Terrapins (1-0) had little trouble pulling away from a Towson team playing its first game under coach Pete Shinnick. Maryland leaned on its veteran quarterback, with Tagovailoa throwing for 260 yards in under three quarters, and the offense looked mostly sharp against this FCS opponent. [FULL RECAP]
WISCONSIN def. Buffalo, 38-17: Chez Mellusi ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, Braelon Allen added 141 yards and two more scores and No. 19 Wisconsin started the first season of Luke Fickell’s coaching tenure with a 38-17 victory over Buffalo on Saturday. Fickell coached his first regular-season game since joining the Badgers after six seasons at Cincinnati. [FULL RECAP]
Toledo at ILLINOIS def. Toledo, 30-28: Caleb Griffin kicked a 29-yard field goal in the closing seconds, giving Illinois a 30-28 victory over Toledo in the season opener for both teams on Saturday night. Luke Altmyer threw for two touchdowns. Miles Scott returned an interception 48 yards for a score, and the Illini squeezed out the win in a back-and-forth game to start coach Bret Bielema’s third season. [FULL RECAP]
PENN STATE def. West Virginia, 38-15: Drew Allar threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start to help No. 7 Penn State beat West Virginia 38-15 on Saturday night in their season opener. KeAndre Lambert-Smith caught two touchdown passes — including a 72-yard dart launched with a simple flick of Allar’s wrist on his second attempt of the game — while Nick Singleton added a rushing touchdown. [FULL RECAP]
INDIANA FALLS TO NO. 3 OHIO STATE IN SEASON OPENER
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Film doesn’t lie; scoreboards don’t confuse. Indiana gave itself a chance against No. 3 Ohio State on a stifling hot Saturday because its defense rose to the challenge.|
“There are no moral victories with us,” linebacker Aaron Casey said in the aftermath of the 23-3 season-opening loss at Memorial Stadium. “We didn’t get the job done, but we also see the positives. We see what we can do as the season goes on.”
In front of a crowd of more than 50,000, IU’s defense never broke against Ohio State, annually one of the nation’s best offensive teams, and its heralded receiving group.
“It’s not about who they are or what they have,” Casey said. “We have to bow up and play.”
And so the Hoosier defense did, again and again.
“Can you bow up when you’re exhausted and make a play against an elite team,” head coach Tom Allen said. “Our guys showed that.”
IU held Ohio State to 380 total yards, had an interception from safety Phillip Dunnam, and nearly got two more. It held quarterback Kyle McCord, making his first college start, to 20-for-33 for 239 yards.
That included holding two of the nation’s best receivers, Marvin Harrison Jr. and Emeka Egbuka, to a combined five catches for 34 yards.
“You don’t know until you do it,” Allen said. “I was concerned about that matchup. Those receivers are special. To keep those guys in check was critical.
“It was a combination of pressure up front and coverage. We mix things up. We confuse people.
“We dropped two picks. We’ve got to make those plays, but I’m very encouraged by our secondary. We have a lot to build on and be excited about.”
IU didn’t get a sack, but did get five tackles for loss, including two from defensive end Andre Carter in his first Hoosier game after transferring from Western Michigan.
“We’ve been putting in a ton of work,” Carter said. “We did some good things today, but we have a lot to work on.
“Their O-line works well together. You have to find their tendencies. I was able to find some and do some big things.”
Added Casey: “Andre is a dog. I know how hard he works. He gives you everything he’s got every play.”
Still, IU remains winless against Ohio State since 1988.
“There’s a lot of disappointment in the locker room,” Allen said. “We’ll make corrections.”
Indiana’s quarterback question will need a two-game answer. Brendan Sorsby and Tayven Jackson, who had a combined six college completions on their resumes before Saturday, will be evaluated after Friday night’s Indiana State game to determine a starter. They were told a couple of weeks ago that it would be a two-game process.
“You have the spring, summer, and August camp,” Allen said. “You never get hit. It’s not full bore.
“They needed to play in a game. They are so similar, we decided the best thing to do was let them both play. We didn’t have a pitch count. We need game time to do a complete evaluation.”
Sorsby started. After two possessions without a first down, Jackson got his shot. He played until late in the third quarter, when Sorsby returned.
Sorsby finished 8-for-16 for 58 yards. Jackson was 1-for-5 for 28 yards. Neither threw an interception. Jackson directed the only scoring drive.
“They both did some good things,” Allen said. “They both made some mistakes. We’ve got to do a better job of executing.”
IU will, said receiver Cam Camper, who led the way with three catches for 35 yards.
“They’re young, It’s going to take some time. We’ll figure it out, what we need to accomplish.”
Moving forward, Allen said he wants a more aggressive offensive approach, including more deep throws. He said seven or eight deep throws were called, and on a couple of those, quarterback pressure took them away.
Poor field position, a couple caused by special teams penalties, limited IU’s offensive aggressiveness.
“We were a little more conservative than I’d like to be,” Allen said. “I want to see it grow each week.
“As a system, we have to get better. We have to keep working. We know what’s ahead of us. I want to see a lot of growth between Week 1 and Week 2.”
James Evans showed why he’s one of the nation’s best punters. He averaged 54.2 yards on his six punts, with a long of 60. Allen said Evans kicked so much in the offseason, he told him to back off.
“My big thing is consistency,” Allen said. “He works his tail off. Sometimes he kicks way too much. He’s such a hard worker. He’s a big weapon for us.”
Jaylin Lucas totaled 114 yards, including 51 on punt returns and 38 on kickoffs. The heat caused him to cramp.
“I hydrated well before the game,” he said. “I have to hydrate way more.”
Lucas is returning punts for the first time. Last year he was inconsistent catching the ball, and worked hard over the summer with Evans.
“It’s a difficult skill set,” Allen said. “He can be a huge weapon.
“Offensively, we have to continue to find ways to get him the ball in space. That’s where he’s most dangerous.”
Added Lucas: “I’m confident. I can make things happen on special teams. I want to have a winning mentality.”
IU punted on its first possession. Ohio State drove for a touchdown on its first attempt.
Dunnam’s second-quarter interception not only ended a potential Buckeye scoring drive, but helped jump start IU’s offense. Going with the no-huddle, Jackon hit Camper with a 24-yard pass. Tailback Christian Turner banged out an 11-yard run. The Hoosiers drove inside the Ohio State 25-yard line before settling for Chris Freeman’s 42-yard field goal and a 7-3 score.
It was Freeman’s first career field goal, and if it banged off the upright before going through, no Hoosier complained.
Ohio State ended the half with a 40-yard field goal for a 10-3 lead. It had 172 total yards to IU’s 89.
The Buckeyes added a field goal and a touchdown in the third quarter, and then a field goal in the fourth quarter, for the 23-3 final score.
“We showed some signs,” Allen said, “but we’ve got to keep getting better.”
Added Lucas: “We need to start fast, execute, and make less mistakes.”
PURDUE FALLS TO FRESNO STATE IN 2023 SEASON OPENER
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue football team fell to Fresno State by a score of 39-35 after a late touchdown pass in the final minute spoiled Ryan Walters’ head coaching debut in the 2023 season opener at Ross-Ade Stadium.
The Boilermakers (0-1) took a 35-32 lead deep into the fourth quarter after Devin Mockobee recorded his first touchdown of the season with 4:36 remaining. The Bulldogs proceeded to drive down the field and tack on the winning score with a 22-yard pass from quarterback Mikey Keene in the back of the end zone.
In the high-scoring affair, quarterback Hudson Card went 17-of-30 passing for 254 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions in his debut as a Boilermaker. He wasted little time opening his scoring account at Purdue, hitting Deion Burks for an 84-yard touchdown pass on Purdue’s opening drive. Fresno State kept pace with the Boilermaker offense, as the hosts carried a 21-17 advantage into the break.
Tyrone Tracy Jr. got Purdue off to a hot start in the second half with a 98-yard kickoff return for a touchdown on just his third career kick return. He was the first Boilermaker to take a kickoff to the house since Raheem Mostert in 2013 at Penn State and the first at Ross-Ade Stadium since Akeem Hunt went 99 yards against Indiana State that same season. However, Fresno State later answered with a nine-play, 74-yard touchdown drive to lower the Bulldogs deficit to 28-25.
Fresno State opened the 4th quarter by capping off an 85-yard drive to take a four-point lead, 32-28. After being stuffed on 4th and Goal late in the game, the Boilermakers rallied with Dillon Thieneman making his first career interception on an acrobatic catch along the sideline, which ultimately resulted in Mockobee’s score.
In his first game playing with Card, Burks highlighted the Purdue offense with a career-high 152 receiving yards on four catches, two of which went for his first two collegiate touchdowns. Thieneman paced the Boilermaker defense with 10 tackles in his first collegiate game, also securing the game’s only turnover.
NOTES
• Saturday was the first meeting between Purdue and Fresno State.
• The Boilermakers are now 87-32-3 when facing an opponent for the first time.
• Burks totaled four catches for 152 yards and two touchdowns. He had the first 100-yard receiving game since Charlie Jones against Michigan on Dec. 3, 2022.
• Dillon Thieneman led the team with 10 tackles in his first game as a Boilermaker, the most by a Purdue defender since Jaylan Alexander in the Music City Bowl in 2021.
• Devin Mockobee posted 16 carries for 60 yards and a touchdown.
• The Boilermakers recorded two sacks on the afternoon, coming from OC Brothers and Kydran Jenkins.
• Abdur-Rahmaan Yaseen tallied a career-best four receptions and finished with 46 yards.
• Tyrone Tracy Jr. scored twice in the season opener after not finding pay dirt his first season in West Lafayette.
UP NEXT
The Boilermakers will travel to Virginia Tech next Saturday for a noon kick on ESPN2.
#14 MONTANA TOPS BUTLER 35-20 IN SEASON OPENER
MISSOULA, Mont. – The Bulldogs scored two touchdowns in the third quarter to get within one point of #14 Montana, but the Griz would hold off the charge to find the win column on opening weekend by the final score of 35-20. Butler played at Washingon-Grizzly Stadium in front of 25,430 fans. The game went down as the first-ever meeting between the two programs.
Bret Bushka completed 24 of his 35 pass attempts to throw for 263 yards and two touchdowns. The 2022 PFL Offensive Player of the Year connected with 11 different receivers on Saturday. Ethan Loss was his top target with four receptions for 45 yards. William Enneking had a remarkable one-handed catch in the game to end the day with three grabs for 44 yards and touchdown receptions would go to Jyran Mitchell and Ryan Lezon.
Butler’s offense posted 304 yards of total offense against a stout Montana defense. The Griz only allowed 41 rushing yards and got the Bulldogs off the field on third down (2-13). Defensively, Butler saw Nick Bafia make a team-high 12 tackles at Montana. Devaon Holman and Lucas Kozlowski each had interceptions in the setback and the first BU sack of the season would belong to defensive end Jacob Cain.
Montana used a 54-yard touchdown pass from Vidlak to Bergen to find the end zone on just their third play of the game. The Griz defense then followed that effort by forcing a fumble on Butler’s third play of their opening drive. The Butler defense held strong after the change of possession and limited Montana to a 23-yard field goal, moving the scoreboard to 10-0.
Butler’s defense created a turnover to help the Bulldogs score their first points of the 2023 campaign. Freshman Devaon Holman picked off a pass in Montana territory that led to a 29-yard made field goal from Luka Zurak. The two teams would end the first quarter with the Griz on top 10-3.
A fake punt in the early stages of the second quarter would lead to a 49-yard field goal for Montana increasing their lead to 13-3 with 9:43 to play the in first half. Butler would get those three points back moments later as Zurak connected on his second field goal of the game from 39 yards out.
The final points of the opening half came from the home team. A 26-yard pass setup a three-yard rushing TD for Montana giving the Griz a 21-6 advantage after two quarters.
The 15-point deficit was erased in the third quarter with Bushka throwing two touchdowns. The first was a 32-yard pass down the sideline to Jyran Mitchell and the second was a 26-yard score on fourth down and two to Ryan Lezon. The Bulldogs used a timeout to come up with the perfect play call against the Griz defense and a monster effort from Lezon allowed him to touch the pylon for six.
Montana’s offense answered on their next drive using just three plays to cover 50 yards for a touchdown. A 24-yard TD run from Eli Gillman moved the score to 28-20 and that eight-point spread would hold going into the final 15 minutes.
The only points of the fourth quarter went to Montana after a one-yard TD run by backup quarterback Clifton McDowell. The plunge into the end zone capped off a nine-play, 63-yard drive for the Grizz.
The Bulldogs will return to action next Saturday by hosting Taylor in the 2023 home opener. The Trojans will face the Bulldogs at the Sellick Bowl for a 1 PM kick-off. Fans will be able to stream the game on FloSports.com.
BALL STATE FOOTBALL
SEMONZA SHINES IN DEBUT AT KENTUCKY
LEXINGTON – – The Ball State football team led after the first quarter and true freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza shined in the second half of Saturday’s season opener at SEC powerhouse Kentucky.
Unfortunately, the Cardinals (0-1) ended the afternoon with a 44-14 setback to the Wildcats at Kroger Field.
Ball State graduate transfer quarterback Layne Hatcher answered an early Kentucky field goal with a two-yard rushing touchdown to help the Cardinals pull ahead 7-3 with 1:15 left in the first quarter.
While the Wildcats answered with the next 27 points, Ball State would not be deterred and rallied around Semonza who put together four solid drives in the second half. His second was a 10-play, 75-yard drive which ended with his first career passing touchdown, a five-yard connection with junior transfer wide receiver Ty Robinson.
The touchdown helped the Cardinals make it a two-score game, at 30-14, with :42 left in the third quarter.
Semonza, who finished the day 15-for-21 with 165 yards and a touchdown, also drove the Cardinals to the Kentucky 1-yard line on the ensuing drive and helped set up a 51-yard field goal attempt on BSU’s final complete drive of the game.
“We lost to a good football team,” said Ball State coach Mike Neu. “We fought to the end. I was encouraged by our guys on the sidelines — all our guys encouraging their teammates to fight to the end. You can’t lose the turnover margin, though, and those two turnovers late in the first half did hurt.”
Trailing 10-7 midway through the second quarter, starting quarterback Layne Hatcher connected with tight end Tanner Koziol for a 9-yard completion. Koziol absorbed a hit but fumbled and the Wildcats’ Jalen Geiger took the carom 69 yards for a Kentucky touchdown. Moments later, another Hatcher completion resulted in a fumble by Malcolm Gillie, setting up a 46-yard UK field goal to close the first half.
Ball State turned to Semonza to open the second half, putting a true freshman QB behind center for the first time since John Paddock took snaps as a freshman in 2018.
“At half, we thought it was the right time to put Kadin out there. We thought he had earned it. He was poised and I thought he handled himself well.”
The Cardinals finished with 18 first downs in the contest, compared to 17 for Kentucky. Eleven of those came in the second half. Both of Ball State’s receiving leaders excelled in the second half, also. Koziol finished with eight catches for 66 yards, nabbing five for 41 yards after halftime. Robinson corralled five passes for 90 yards and a score, all in the second half.
The Ball State football team returns to action next Saturday at two-time defending national champion Georgia. Kickoff is set for noon at Sanford Stadium.
IRISH OFFENSE AND DEFENSE HANDLE TENNESSEE STATE
The University of Notre Dame football team moved to 2-0 in 2023 with a dominating 56-3 victory over Tennessee State in Notre Dame Stadium on a warm, sunny late summer day. The contest marked Notre Dame’s first game against a Football Championship Subdivision team and one of the nation’s Historically Black College or University.
It marks the first time since 1975 that Notre Dame has held its opponents without a touchdown through the season’s first two games (the Irish gave up a single field goal in the first two games of ‘75).
The Irish took control of the game in the second quarter, scoring 28 points to build a 35-3 halftime lead. Sam Hartman played just the first half for Notre Dame, finishing 14-of-17 for 194 yards, two passing touchdowns and one rushing score.
Audric Estimé led the Irish rushing attack with his first 100-yard rushing performance of the year (116) with a five-yard score. Four different Irish players caught touchdown passes from Hartman and Steve Angeli, including Jadarian Price, Gi’Bran Payne, Chris Tyree and Holden Staes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Notre Dame struck first on its initial drive with two key third down conversions on the ground. Sam Hartman started it off with a third down scramble for nine yards and a first down. A few plays later, Gi’Bran Payne rushed for five yards on third-and-four to give the Irish a first down at the TSU 41.
After another Hartman short scramble, Jeremiyah Love received a hand off right, cut up and beat a defender with a nice move and sprinted 36 yards for the opening touchdown of the game.
Tennessee State held the ball for 15 plays in their first drive, eventually getting to the Notre Dame 20-yard line where they settled for a field goal and its only points of the game.
On ensuing kickoff, TSU came up with a big hit on kick returner Devyn Ford to force a fumble and give the Tigers the ball at the Notre Dame 12-yard line. The Irish defense rose to the occasion, refusing to allow a single yard. A quarterback pressure, a rush for no gain and a pass broken up at the goal line by Benjamin Morrison forced a TSU field goal attempt that was blocked by Jason Onye.
The Irish quickly got the ball back and started off their scoring drive slowly until Estimé burst through the middle of the Tiger defense for a 50-yard run (the longest of his career). Hartman then hit Price for a 11 yards to the five-yard line and finished off the drive himself with a leaping run into the end zone.
On its next drive, TSU attempted a deep pass but Howard Cross III was right in the Tiger quarterback’s face, forcing an errant throw that Ramon Henderson made a diving interception on at the Notre Dame 43-yard line.
The Irish needed just three four plays to earn their third touchdown of the game. Hartman connected with Jayden Thomas for seven, then another 27 yards on third down before finding a wide open Chris Tyree for a 24-yard score.
The defense earned Notre Dame yet another chance and the Irish made good, with Hartman hitting Thomas for 23 yards on 3rd and 10, then Payne for five yards to the five-yard line. Estimé finished it off high stepping into the end zone for a touchdown run.
TSU seemed determined to drive for a score before halftime, but the Irish were equally determined to get the ball back to their offense. The Tigers drove all the way to the Notre Dame eight-yard line before a Jordan Botelho sack forced a field goal attempt that was missed with just 53 seconds remaining.
Hartman quickly moved the Irish down the field, hitting Mitchell Evans on three straight passes, then finding Jaden Greathouse for 24 yards down to the four-yard line. Holden Staes finished off the drive with a four-yard catch from Hartman.
Hartman gave way to Angeli to start the second half. The first drive for the Irish stalled after six plays, but on Angeli’s second drive he moved left to avoid the rush and found a wide open Jadarian Price to made a great move on a TSU defender and ended up in the end zone 40 yards later.
Just 40 seconds later, the defense decided to get into the scoring column when Clarence Lewis broke on an outside pass, caught it cleanly and returned it 33 yards for a touchdown.
Notre Dame’s final score came midway through the fourth quarter when Angeli pump faked and located a wide open Gi’Bran Payne who cut back behind a great downfield block from Matt Salerno and cruised into the end zone for a 42-yard touchdown reception.
U OF INDY FOOTBALL
Big Plays Propel Hounds Past Chargers in Season Opener
INDIANAPOLIS—The UIndy football team kicked off its 2023 campaign with a bang Saturday night, sprinting past the visiting Chargers of Hillsdale College, 39-20. UIndy scored 24 points in the second half, including a pair of 50-plus-yard touchdown passes.
HOW IT HAPPENED
After earning a slim 15-14 edge at the midway point, the Hounds put it all together in the latter half. The offense racked up 307 of its 508 total yards after halftime, while the D limited the Chargers to just six second-half points.
Sophomore quarterback Gavin Sukup looked impressive in his Greyhound debut. The JUCO transfer and Seward, Neb., native compiled a gaudy 359 total yards and four total touchdowns—three passing and one rushing.
The biggest play of the night came when Sukup found a streaking Alonzo Derrick for a 78-yard bomb late in the third quarter, giving the Hounds a double-digit lead. Sukup later found Cobi Lewis on a 55-yard catch-and-run for a score to help seal it.
On the defensive side, all-conference safety Kivonte Houston came up with a timely interception midway through the second period. The takeaway cut short a promising Hillsdale drive and also set up a go-ahead field goal by sophomore Colin Seymour.
Team captain KJ Roudebush led the Hounds with nine total tackles and two pass break-ups, San Flowers had 1.5 tackles for a loss, and Aaron Barnett recovered a fumble.
INSIDE THE BOX
-Sukup’s 326 passing yards were the most by a Greyhound since Jake Purichia tossed for 348 versus Notre Dame College in November of 2017.
-Houston was credited with a blocked punt in the second quarter while Evan Lantz blocked a field goal in the fourth.
-Seymour went 3-for-3 on PATs and 2-for-2 on field goals, including a career-long 39-yard boot in the third quarter.
-Both Derrick (170 yds, 2 TDs) and Lewis (105 yds, 1 TD) surpassed 100 yards receiving.
-Five UIndy rushers combined for 182 yards on the ground, with a team-high 61 yards from Jaden Schlabach.
MORE NOTES
UIndy is now 19-16 all-time versus Hillsdale, scoring at least 34 points in each game of its current five-game win streak in the series.
UP NEXT
The Greyhounds will use an open date next weekend to better prepare for another former-GLIAC rival in Wayne State. The Warriors are set to visit Key Stadium Saturday, Sept. 16 for a 6 p.m. kick.
DOMINANT GROUND ATTACK POWERS MARIAN’S 40-6 VICTORY AT JUDSON
Streamwood, Ill. – The Marian football team began their 2023 season with a bang on Saturday afternoon, running away from the Judson Eagles in the second half of their 40-6 season-opening victory. The Knights win under head coach gives the team a 1-0 start, as Marian is now 12-5 all-time in season openers.
The Knights received the opening kickoff and methodically marched the ball down the field, with a 48-yard rip from Christian Hunter headlining the opening drive. A pass interference penalty set Marian up in the red zone, and on a third and long Zach Bundalo connected with Jalen Jennings for a 10-yard score, as the senior connection helped give Marian a quick 7-0 lead.
Judson committed a three-and-out on their first possession, and after a punt return from Armani Glass set the Knights up with great field position, six runs from William Gibson covered all 28-yards on the drive, as the senior plunged in from three yards out to provide a 14-0 lead. The Eagles would answer with an 80-yard scoring drive of their own after a big play provided the score, however the extra point was blocked by the Knights, keeping an eight-point lead. The scoring subsided for both sides as the first quarter came to its close, as penalty flags stalled out the final drive for both Marian and Judson.
Leading 14-6 going into the second quarter, Marian was unable to sustain a drive on each of their first two possessions in the period, allowing Judson to hang with the Knights. Marian was able to force a pair of punts in the quarter, with the second Judson boot proving costly, as Joe Owens broke through the middle of the blockers and rejected the punt, swatting the ball into the end zone. Owens was able to track the ball and recover in the end zone for his first collegiate touchdown, helping Marian to a 21-6 lead.
The Knights would get the ball one last time in the half, with backup quarterback Tristan Polk leading Marian on a 46-yard drive in 43 seconds, connecting with CJ Young for 38 yards to get in field goal range. Marlon Pomili converted the 39-yard kick as time expired, pushing Marian ahead 24-6 at the half.
After resetting at halftime, the Knights defense dialed in and forced an early punt, giving the offense the ball with 11:33 to play in the third. Backed up at their own three yard line, Christian Hunter plowed ahead for space from the end zone, while Polk was able to gain better field position with a 19-yard strike to Jennings. On the fifth play of the drive, Polk again dialed up Jennings number, hitting the senior in stride on an out-route, and letting the shifty receiver use his legs, as Jennings raced 66-yards to complete the 97 yard scoring drive.
Jennings’ touchdown gave Marian a 31-6 lead, with the strong defensive pass rush getting to Judson and forcing another boot. Marian bled the clock with Gibson on the ground and moved the game into the fourth quarter, where the Knights would make their biggest play of the game. After receiving the ball on their own two yard line follwoing the kick, the Knights needed just two plays to make program history, as William Gibson hit the hole on a second down run and streaked down the Knights’ sideline, racing 93 yards to the end zone for the final touchdown of the game. Gibson’s run was the longest in program history, surpassing the previous team record set by William Stubbs in 2011 (82 yards).
Gibson’s touchdown put the game out of reach with a 37-6 lead, and on the final offensive drive of the game Pomili would convert another field goal, setting the final score of 40-6.
Offensively the Knights ran the ball for 331 yards in the win while passing for 191, with Gibson leading the Knights with 143 on the ground. Hunter finished with 110 yards, and Keagan La Belle rushed for 50 yards in the fourth quarter. Polk threw for 139 yards while Bundalo had 52 passing yards, with Jennings being the primary target as he had seven catches for 133 yards and two scores.
Marian’s defense was led by Jake Paris, who racked up seven total tackles. Dakari Kenney had three sacks in the win, while a plethora of Knights recorded at least one tackle. As a defensive unit, coach Justin Robinson’s defense allowed 45 rushing yards and 199 passing yards, while blocking a pair of kicks.
The Knights will come home for their 2023 home opener on Saturday, September 9, as Marian hosts St. Xavier University. Kickoff is set for 6:05 p.m., and a fireworks show will take place after the game is complete.
FRANKLIN FOOTBALL
RECAP | FOOTBALL DROPS OPENING DAY SHOOTOUT WITH OLIVET
FRANKLIN, Ind. – The Franklin College football team kicked off the 2023 season on Saturday (Sept. 2) afternoon on their home turf, hosting the Olivet Comets in front of a rowdy Faught Stadium crowd.
The Grizzlies (0-1) traded blows with the Comets (1-0) for all four quarters, but turnovers and big plays proved to be the edge the visitors needed as Olivet held on to win 35-32.
How it Happened
The Comets scored their first touchdown just three plays into the game and added a second touchdown late in the first period, but the Grizzlies used a big play of their own to get on the board with 26 seconds to go in the first when Malachi Joy hauled in a 51-yard touchdown from Kai Ross. Franklin turned to the big play to get their second score of the day when Garrett Cora took a screen pass 54 yards to the house late in the first half, and the Grizzlies went into the half down 14-13 with a blocked extra point the difference.
Franklin took their first lead of the day with three minutes to go in the third thanks to a 32-yard connection from Ross to Joy to make it 19-14, but the Comets answered one play after with a long touchdown to take the lead right back at 22-19, which is where the teams stood to start the fourth.
A botched snap on an Olivet punt attempt put Franklin at the Comet five midway through the fourth and Cora punched in his second score of the day to make it 26-22 with 6:35 to play. Olivet answered with another long score less than a minute later, but Cora again cut through the defense on a screen pass to go 64 yards to the house and make it 32-28 with 3:52 to play.
But the visitors had another answer in the form of a long touchdown pass and Franklin’s late comeback bid was denied by a pair of Comet interceptions on the Grizzlies’ final two possessions.
Inside the Box Score
-Cora finished the day with 165 all-purpose yards and three scores, leading the Grizzlies with 121 receiving yards and 44 yards on the ground to go along with his three scores.
-Joy caught four balls for 103 yards and the first two touchdowns of his career.
-Kai Ross went 20-for-36 through the air for 301 yards and four scores.
-Beau Hess topped the defense with 11 tackles, followed by nine from newcomer Hayden Kermode.
Up Next
Franklin plays their final home non-conference game of the year next Saturday (Sept. 9), hosting Aurora University. Kick-off from Faught Stadium is set for 1:30 p.m.
WABASH FOOTBALL
PASCH FORCED FUMBLE LEADS TO GAME-WINNING DRIVE IN WABASH VICTORY
Jake Pasch forced a fumble to set up a game-winning drive for Wabash in a 29-28 victory over Hampden-Sydney College in fourth meeting between the two teams in The Gentlemen’s Classic.
Wabash (1-0) trailed 28-21 with 3:11 left to play after giving up the football with a punt to the host Tigers (0-1). Hampden-Sydney took over on its own 25-yard line when Pasch knocked the ball free from H-SC quarterback Carter Sido and recovered the fumble at the Tigers’ 33. Wabash needed only four plays to find the end zone, with senior quarterback Liam Thompson throwing a 16-yard touchdown pass to Derek Allen, Jr. to cut the lead to one point with 1:59 remaining in the game.
The Little Giants lined up for the two-point conversion and ran a reverse to Jacob Riddle. The senior wideout pulled up in the backfield and hit Thompson with a pass in the end zone for the two-point conversion and the one-point lead.
The Wabash defense locked up the victory on the next drive, holding the Tigers to seven yards on three plays before Avery Epstein knocked away a pass on fourth down to Hampden-Sydney’s final drive of the game.
One year after the two teams combined for 100 points and nearly 1,200 yards of total offense in a 52-48 Wabash win, the two squads played a lower-scoring affair but still rolled up yardage. Thompson completed 17-of-27 passes for 218 yards and two touchdowns, the first on a three-yard completion to Cooper Sullivan to tie the score at 7-7 early in the second period. Thompson threw one interception that ended the Little Giants’ opening drive after Hampden-Sydney took a 7-0 lead on a 46-yard run by Sido in the first quarter. Wabash ran for 181 yards for 399 yards of total offense.
Hampden-Sydney matched that total with 399 offensive yards, most coming with a 246-yard rushing attack. Sido ran for 184 yards and three scores and threw for 153 yards and one score.
Donovan Snyder ran for 99 yards on 22 carries. He scored on a five-yard run to tie the score at 14-14 heading into halftime. A Thompson 17-yard run gave the Little Giants a 21-14 lead in the third quarter, which saw the Wabash defense shut out the Tigers. Thompson finished with 65 rushing yards on 11 attempts. Sido tied the game at 21-21 in the fourth on an 11-yard TD run, then gave the Tigers the 28-21 lead with 4:23 left in the game on a one-yard run to cap a 12-play, 64-yard drive.
Allen, Jr. led Wabash with seven receptions for 88 yards and the one TD. Sullivan caught four passes for 74 yards. Snyder added four receptions for 31 yards.
Pasch and Gavin Ruppert each made 11 tackles in the game for Wabash. Pasch added a three-yard sack with his forced and recovered fumble. Owen Volk made four tackles, including 1-1/2 sacks for three yards and 2-1/2 tackles for ten yards in losses.
Wabash returns to action September 16 when the Little Giants travel to Butler University in a 6 p.m. contest.
How It Happened
Hampden-Sydney jumped out to a 7-0 lead, but Wabash responded to tie it up at 7-7 with 13:29 remaining in the second quarter. Hampden-Sydney scored to go ahead 14-7 before the Little Giants responded with a score of their own to tie things up at 14-14.
Wabash followed with a 17-yard touchdown run at the 10:58 mark in the third quarter and took a 21-14 lead in the process. Hampden-Sydney then took control of the lead, building a 28-21 advantage before the Little Giants got on the scoreboard again with a 16-yard touchdown pass from to to jump back in front 29-28. Neither team scored again in the game.
Game Notes
» Wabash and Hampden-Sydney both had exactly 399 yards of total offense, while the Little Giants had a 218-153 advantage through the air.
» Wabash had their highest scoring quarter in the second period, when they put up 14 points.
» Wabash converted 6-of-12 third downs while Hampden-Sydney was successful on 7-of-14.
» The Little Giants had two players with more than eight tackles in the ballgame led by Gavin Ruppert, who had 11.
» The Little Giants didn’t allow a sack in the contest.
» Wabash won the time of possession battle 33:11 to 26:49.
»Wabash took care of business in the red zone, scoring four times on five trips inside Hampden-Sydney’s 20-yard line, with all of those scores being touchdowns.
»Both teams forced one turnover in Saturday’s contest, with Wabash turning that takeaway into eight points. The Wabash offense did a good job extending drives, converting on 50 percent of third-down attempts.
» Carter Sido led the H-SC passing attack, completing 15 of his 23 attempts for 153 yards and one touchdown.
» Sido led the Hampden-Sydney rushing attack with 184 yards and three touchdowns.
Parts of this story created through content automation technology from Data Skrive.
ROSE-HULMAN FOOTBALL
FOOTBALL DROPS SEASON OPENER TO DEPAUW 33-21
TERRE HAUTE, Ind. — The Fightin’ Engineers dropped their season and home opener to the DePauw Tigers, 33-21 in the first meeting between the two teams in Terre Haute since 2011.
The DePauw Tigers jumped out to an early lead after dominating the first quarter as they outgained the Fightin’ Engineers 159-11. They jumped on the board first with a 45 yard touchdown pass from Nathan McCahill to Jaylon Smith, and they doubled their lead to 13-0 on a 55-yard touchdown pass from McCahill to Gabe Quigley.
In the second quarter, Rose-Hulman was able to flip the script completely and take control of the game right back. They would cut into the lead with an 11-yard touchdown pass from Miguel Robertson to Jailen Hobbs to cap off a 13 play, 85 yard drive.
After a DePauw touchdown, the Fightin’ Engineers would answer with the second touchdown from Robertson to Hobbs to make it 20-14. This one a 3-yard touchdown to cap a 10 play, 75 yard drive.
Then, with just 49 seconds left in the half, Robertson would connect on a 39-yard touchdown pass to Chase Wilkinson to take the lead 21-20 heading into the locker room. The Fightin’ Engineers would total 229 yards in the second quarter of the game.
DePauw would come out strong in the second half and drive down the field to score a 5-yard touchdown with Gus Baumgartner to retake the lead 26-21.
The Tigers then began running the clock with their ground game, and they kept the Rose-Hulman offense off the field. The Fightin’ Engineers were held to just five drives in the second half, and they results in two interceptions, two punts, and a turnover on downs.
DePauw would add another touchdown in the fourth quarter and hold on for a 33-21 victory. The Tigers would outgain Rose-Hulman 535 to 268 including 259 yards on the ground. They also controlled the ball with over 40 minutes of time of possession as they ran 29 more plays than the Fightin’ Engineers.
Robertson led the Fightin’ Engineers with 202 yards and 3 touchdowns through the air on 25-37 passing. Grand Ripperda added 12 carries for 45 yards.
Daniel Huery led the team with 13 catches for 85 yards, and Chase Wilkinson added 4 catches for 68 yards and a touchdown. Jailen Hobbs also had two catches through the air.
On the defensive side, Kayden Pierre led the team with 11 tackles. Adam Field, Cameron Dorsey, Riley Lopian, and Jakey Ovanic all added 8 tackles.
Field also hauled in the only interception for the team while Ovanic recorded the lone Rose-Hulman sack.
Andrew Toler showed his Preseason All-American leg with 5 punts for 229 total yards, an average of 45.8 yards. He added 2 punts downed inside the 20 and two punts over 50 yards including his long of 62.
The Fightin’ Engineers will hit the road next Saturday night for a 7 PM tilt with Trine University.
ANDERSON FOOTBALL
RAVENS FALL IN SEASON OPENER
Trine University put together a 61-0 win against the Anderson University football team on Saturday at Macholtz Stadium.
The Thunder (1-0) held a 444-149 advantage against the Ravens (0-1) in total offense.
Jacob Simpson recovered a fumble and led the Ravens with six tackles. DeMarco Cooley forced a fumble and recorded a quarterback hurry. Marcus Ellis returned an interception 39 yards while Aaron Bau returned an interception 20 yards. Rodrigo Gause and Connor Huffman each provided a quarterback hurry while Ellis added a pass breakup.
Anderson battled DePauw University (1-0) on Saturday, Sept. 9 at 1 p.m. in Greencastle.
TRINE FOOTBALL
THUNDER START SEASON WITH LARGEST VICTORY SINCE 2010
ANDERSON, Ind. – Both the defensive and offensive units were in midseason form as the Trine University football team opened the season with a dominating 61-0 victory over their hosts from Anderson (Ind.) University.
The 61 points is the highest total for the Thunder since 2017 when the team defeated Monmouth College by the score of 63-24 in the opening round of the NCAA Division III Football Championship tournament. It is the largest margin of victory for Trine since 2010 when the program defeated Bluffton University 76-6.
The Ravens received the opening kickoff in the game, but after seven plays, they were forced to punt. Senior Xaine Kirby broke a run for 24 yards on the first play from scrimmage for the Thunder offense with 15 more added on after a face mask call against the home team. Kirby gained five more before senior Alex Price finished off the drive with two more runs to reach the endzone.
The next Anderson drive ended with a more emphatic turnover. This time sophomore Konstantine Thrasivoulou picked off a pass and ran it 45 yards back to the endzone. The pick-six gave the team a 14-0 lead.
After another defensive stop, the Thunder would put together a three minute, 37-yard drive that ended with Kirby scampering into the endzone for another touchdown. Price threw a touchdown pass to sophomore Jermaine Williams a few drives later to build the lead to 28-0.
Senior Jamon Gibson made the next splash play for the defense when he picked off a pass that was made errant by pressure against the Raven quarterback. Gibson ran back the interception 70 yards, just missing out on a pick-six of his own by stepping out of bounds at the Anderson 15 yard line. The play was the highlight of a mammoth game for Gibson who led the team with a pair of sacks while finishing third with four total tackles.
Freshman Ridge Howard also turned in a strong defensive performance leading the team with six tackles while recording an interception of his own. Senior Joseph Johnson finished in second with five tackles.
The Thunder led 34-0 at halftime. They scored again on the opening drive of the second half before pulling the offensive starters for the remainder of the game. Kirby finished his day with a 10-yard run during that final drive bringing his total to 72, enough to not just lead the team but to also help him surpass 2000 career rushing yards at Trine. He is fourth in program history since the school joined NCAA Division III.
Price led the way through the air. He finished the night with three touchdown passes on 184 yards. He added 28 yards on the ground along with a rushing touchdown. Senior Brandon Kline and sophomore John Clampitt joined Williams in catching touchdowns during the game.
Juniors Dominic Crowder and Adam Dafoe along with freshman Craig Nichols added rushing touchdowns in the second half as the Thunder built the final lead of 61-0.
The lone mar to the perfect scorecard were a pair of missed extra points that kept the Thunder from reaching 63 points. Extra points and kickoffs were the lone action that special teams saw during the evening, with Trine never punting the ball.
The team will look to follow up the dominating performance when they return home for their next contest. The home opener is scheduled for Saturday, September 9 at 7 p.m. and features a recently formed rivalry matchup against the Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. This will be just the third time the two teams have met on the gridiron, but both previous iterations have featured one-point score margins. The first game went to the Fightin’ Engineers while last season the Thunder came out on top.
DEPAUW FOOTBALL
TIGERS KICK OFF 136TH SEASON WITH 33-21 WIN AT ROSE-HULMAN
Terre Haute, Ind. – DePauw scored on three of its first four possessions of the 2023 season, but Rose-Hulman took a lead into the halftime before the Tigers rallied with a pair of second-half touchdowns for a 33-21 win in the season opener for both schools.
DePauw’s defense held Rose-Hulman to just 11 total yards in the first quarter and no first downs while building a 13-0 lead.
After a three-and-out defensive stand on the opening drive of the game, DePauw struck first as Nathan McCahill completed a pass to Jaylon Smith who scampered for a 45-yard score to cap a 3-play drive.
Another three-and-out followed for the DePauw defense before McCahill teamed with Gabe Quigley for a 55-yard score to make it 13-0 with 8:31 left in the first.
DePauw’s defense again forced a Rose-Hulman punt and the offense picked up four first downs before being forced to punt, its only one of the game, on the final play of the opening stanza.
The Fightin’ Engineers seemed to have new life with the new quarter as they drove 85 yards in 13 plays with Miguel Robertson teaming with Jailen Hobbs for an 11-yard score to made it 13-7 with 10:53 remaining in the half.
Calen Whitehead’s 46-yard kickoff return to the Tigers’ 47 gave DePauw excellent field position and the Tigers needed eight plays to get on the board again as Gus Baumgartner scored on a 1-yard run with 6:43 left in the half to make it 20-7.
The Fightin’ Engineers countered with another long drive as they used 10 plays to cover 75 yards with Robertson and Hobbs again connecting with a 3-yard touchdown pass with 3:01 left in the half to cut the DePauw lead to 20-13.
Rose-Hulman’s Adam Field picked off McCahill at the Rose-Hulman 25 on the fourth play of DePauw’s ensuing drive and the hosts took their first lead of the game after Robertson connected with Chase Wilkinson for a 39-yard score and Kyle Rehberg booted the extra-point with 49 seconds remaining.
Whitehead again gave the Tigers excellent field position with a 41-yard kickoff return and DePauw drove to the Rose-Hulman 29 before Ben Gomez attempted a 46-yard field goal that was off the mark.
DePauw took the opening kickoff of the second half and marched down the field with Baumgartner giving the Tigers the lead for good at 26-21 with a 5-yard run with 11:47 left in the third.
The Tigers’ Cortez Stoudemire picked off Robertson to end a Rose-Hulman threat on its opening drive of the second half. The Tigers drove to the Engineers’ 33, but couldn’t convert on fourth down.
DePauw possessed the pigskin at the beginning of the fourth but a bad snap was recovered by Rose-Hulman’s Jack LeCrone at the Tigers’ 8-yard line.
Poised to regain the lead, Robertson was intercepted by Stoudemire at the DePauw 5 on the first play of the drive.
The Tigers then drove 95 yards in 14 plays and 6:30 with McCahill tossing a 21-yard strike to Robby Ballentine on fourth-and-seven to make it 33-21 with 7:30 left in the contest.
After forcing Rose-Hulman to punt, the DePauw offense kept the ball for 4:14, but were unsuccessful on a 30-yard field goal.
Robertson completed a 21-yard pass on first down, but four straight incomplete passes gave DePauw the ball as the Tigers sealed the win.
Baumgartner rushed for 122 yards on 25 carries, while Whitehead had 83 yards on 12 tries.
McCahill completed 17 of 30 passes for 276 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. Quigley and Whitehead each caught for passes for 85 and 39 yards, respectively.
Grant Ripperda rushed for 45 yards on 12 carries, while Robertson completed 25 of 37 passes for 202 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions. Daniel Huery caught 13 for 85 yards.
Jake Comer and Luke Marsh each recorded nine tackles with Comer having two tackles for losses totaling nine yards.
Kayden Pierre totaled 11 tackles for Rose-Hulman with Field adding 10.
The Tigers outgained Rose-Hulman 510-268 including 234-66 on the ground. DePauw also held an edge in first downs, 30-16.
DePauw opens the home portion of its schedule on Saturday, Sept. 9, with a 1 p.m. game against Anderson at Blackstock Stadium.
HANOVER FOOTBALL
HANOVER DEFEATS CENTRE IN DEFENSIVE BATTLE
DANVILLE, Ky. – Hanover (1-0 overall) snapped a nine game winless streak against the Colonels of Centre on Saturday evening winning the non-conference contest 10-7.
The Hanover defense deemed the deciding factor led by senior Brody Luker (New Palestine, Ind.) with a team-high eight total tackles. As a unit, the Blue and Red recorded 274-yards of offense with 148-yards coming through the air.
After deferring to the second half, the Colonels recorded a 23-yard return opening the contest at the Hanover 38-yard line. Centre wasted little time traveling 62-yards over a two-and-a-half-minute span for the 7-0 lead.
The Panther offense refused to be stifled scoring with 7:42 to play in the opening frame. After the defense forced a four-an-out, quarterback senior Kolton Richards (Kissimmee, Fla.) and the Panther offense went deep into their bag of tricks finding senior Hunter Eads (Batavia, Ohio) in the backfield for a 42-yard gain. With the football well in Centre territory, Richards handled the rest throwing for a nine-yard touchdown pass to junior Jalen Peck (Bloomington, Ind.) for the game tying score, 7-7.
Hanover got the final strike of the first half moving the ball 62 yards on six plays. Junior Austin Oppel (Brandenburg, Ky.) led the charge rushing up the middle for 49-yards before being forced out of bounds at the Centre 28-yard line. Junior Pedro Paixao (Serra, Brazil) propelled HC into the half with the lead following a 32-yard field goal attempt, 10-7.
Centre looked to knot the contest late in the third frame as they were able to travel 45-yards on 12 plays before the Panther defense stalled the surge. The Colonels attempted a 35-yard field goal that missed wide right.
Hanover snapped the nine game drought against Centre after forcing a Colonel four-an-out with 1:29 remaining in the contest.
Hanover returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 16 when they travel to Olivet. Kick-off is slated for 1:00 PM.
ST. FRANCIS FOOTBALL
TALE OF TWO HALVES: USF SUFFERS FIRST LOSS TO (#13) SXU
FORT WAYNE, IN – On Saturday night, the University of Saint Francis Cougars (Ind.) kicked off their season by facing the #13 ranked Saint Xavier Cougars (0-0) at Bishop D’arcy Stadium. Although they kept it close and had momentum on offense in the first half, they struggled to capitalize on that momentum in the second half, ultimately suffering their first loss of the season with a final score of 45-28.
The Cougars started the game strong on defense when Emmanuel Davis recovered a fumble on a fourth-down attempt by Saint Xavier’s offense during their opening drive. This turnover gave USF’s offense excellent field position, commencing their first drive at the 27-yard line. On that drive, the Cougar offense capitalized, culminating in a 16-yard touchdown pass from Garrett Yoon to Crosley Maceachen.
In the subsequent drive, the Cougar defense once again came up big, recovering another fumble, this time by Corey Norris, at around the 11:35 mark in the first quarter. During the following drive, the USF offense executed a bit of trickery with Grant Gremel in the game. The Cougars ran a half-back option play to Cam Gillentine, who completed a pass to Adjaye Dandridge for a 28-yard touchdown pass in the endzone, making it 14-0 in the first quarter.
However, the defense began to slow down as the Saint Xavier Cougars scored a 1-yard rushing touchdown on a wildcat formation, narrowing the score to 14-7, still in the first quarter. The USF offense then stalled, and on the next drive, Saint Xavier advanced down the field, starting with a 60-yard rush and culminating in a 10-yard run at the 4:47 mark, tying the game at 14-14, still in the first quarter.
The second quarter saw back-and-forth action. An 11-yard pass with a quarterback switch to Grant Gremel found Derek Overbay in the endzone, making it 21-14 at the 8:38 mark. Shortly after this drive, Nate Newcomer intercepted a pass at the 7:21 mark, giving the USF offense great field position at the 15-yard line. After some successful ball movement, Eli Patchett scored a 1-yard touchdown, extending the lead to 28-14 at the 6:47 mark.
Saint Xavier, however, responded swiftly, scoring on a 32-yard fade pass to the endzone, making the score 28-21 with 3:34 left in the second quarter. The USF offense couldn’t generate any further points, and Saint Xavier took advantage, scoring on a 6-yard wide-open catch in the endzone just before halftime with 0:01 second remaining.
The second half proved less exciting for the Cougars, as their offense struggled and couldn’t get anything going, resulting in their first loss of the season. Notable stats from the second half included two interceptions by Nate Newcomer and Bailey Parker, totaling 5 total takeaways for the game for USF’s defense.
The Cougars will resume play next Saturday when they travel to Joliet, Illinois, to take on the Saint Francis Saints (1-0) with kickoff set for 2:00 PM | 1:00 PM CDT.
Cougar fans can stay updated with all events and recaps by visiting SaintFrancisCougars.com or by downloading the Saint Francis Cougars app.