Top-25 College Football Game Capsules

Sep 2, 2007, 8:19 GMT

Los Angeles, CA - John David Booty threw three touchdowns passes as top-ranked Southern California opened its season with an easy 38-10 victory over Idaho. Booty went 21-of-32 with 206 yards and an interception for the Trojans (1-0), who entered the season with the top-ranking for the third time in the last four years. Stafon Johnson had 12 carries for 64 yards and two scores while Vidal Hazelton had four catches for 44 yards and a touchdown for the Trojans, who picked up their 34th straight home win. Nathan Enderle went 16-for-34 for 155 yards and Deonte Jackson had 22 carries for 99 yards for the Vandals (0-1).

Final Score: (3) West Virginia 62, Western Michigan 24

Morgantown, WV - Patrick White passed for 192 yards on 10-of- 18 completions and two TD's and also ran for 98 yards on nine carries and two scores, as third-ranked West Virginia steamrolled Western Michigan, 62-24, at Mountaineer Field at Puskar Stadium. Steve Slaton rushed 16 times for 112 yards and three touchdowns, and also caught two balls for 61 yards and another score for the Mountaineers (1-0), who travel to intra-state rival Marshall next Saturday. Tim Hiller completed 16-of-25 passes for 160 yards with a pair of interceptions, but also ran for a score for the Broncos (0-1). Jamarko Simmons caught 14 balls for 144 yards and two TD's. Backup signal caller Thomas Peregrin completed 9-of-17 passes for 71 yards and a touchdown in the loss.

Final Score: (4) Texas 21, Arkansas State 13

Austin, TX - Colt McCoy threw a pair of touchdowns passes and Jamaal Charles ran for 112 yards and a score, leading fourth-ranked Texas to a 21-13 win over a pesky Arkansas State squad at Memorial Stadium in the season opener for both clubs. McCoy ended 22-of-33 passing for 223 yards, but did throw a pair of interceptions for the Longhorns (1-0), who overcame a lackluster offensive effort to secure the win. Limas Sweed caught five balls for 93 yards with a touchdown for Texas. Corey Leonard completed 22-of-36 passes for 259 yards and a pick for the Indians (0-1), who kept it close but were never a serious threat. Reggie Arnold ran for 68 yards and a score and Levi Dejohnette had six catches for 92 yards for Arkansas State.

Final Score: Appalachian State 34, (5) Michigan 32

Ann Arbor, MI - Julian Rauch kicked a 24-yard field goal with 26 seconds remaining to give Appalachian State the lead and Corey Lynch blocked a last-second field goal attempt by Michigan's Jason Gingell, as the Mountaineers stunned the fifth-ranked Wolverines with a 34-32 victory in one of the biggest upsets in college football history. Armanti Edwards threw for three touchdowns and ran for another score for the Mountaineers (1-0), who are the top-ranked team in the Football Championship Subdivision, formerly known as Division I-AA. Coming off back-to-back I-AA titles, Appalachian State was not intimidated by the crowd of more than 100,000 in the Big House. Edwards was the unquestioned star for the Mountaineers. He finished 17-of-23 passing for 227 yards, after a near- perfect 10-of-11 effort in the opening half, and totaled 62 yards on the ground. Mike Hart tried to save Michigan (0-1), which lost a season-opener for the first time since 1998. The Heisman Trophy candidate finished with 188 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. His two scoring runs in the second half put the Wolverines ahead.

Final Score: (6) Florida 49, Western Kentucky 3

Gainesville, FL - Tim Tebow threw for 300 yards with three touchdowns and also ran for a score, as sixth-ranked Florida opened its season with a 49-3 rout of Western Kentucky at the Swamp. The game was stopped with just under 8 1/2 minutes to play because of severe weather, including lightning, and was called after a delay of more than an hour. Tebow, taking over as the starter after sharing time last season with Chris Leak during Florida's national championship season, completed 13-of-17 passes. He also ran for 38 yards on eight carries. Kestahn Moore ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries for the Gators (1-0), who outgained the Hilltoppers 510-204. Riley Cooper had four catches for 122 yards with a pair of scores in the victory, while Andre Caldwell hauled in three passes for 103 yards. David Wolke started at quarterback for Western Kentucky (0-1), but was knocked out on the first series with a concussion. K.J. Black took over and finished 10-of-13 for 102 yards.

Final Score: (7) Wisconsin 42, Washington State 21

Madison, WI - Tyler Donovan passed for 284 touchdowns and three touchdowns and ran for another score as seventh-ranked Wisconsin defeated Washington State, 42-21, at Camp Randall Stadium. Donovan was 19- of-29 passing and P.J. Hill rushed for 84 yards on 21 carries and two scores for Wisconsin (1-0). Luke Swan pulled in eight catches for 170 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Alex Brink was 17-of-27 for 171 with a touchdown pass and Dwight Tardy had 21 carries for 96 yards and a score for Washington State (0-1).

Final Score: (8) Oklahoma 79, North Texas 10

Norman, OK - Freshman DeMarco Murray scored five touchdowns and redshirt freshman Sam Bradford threw for 363 yards and three touchdowns in as the eighth-ranked Oklahoma Sooners crushed North Texas 79-10 in the season opener for both programs. Bradford finished 21-of-23 and Murray rushed for 87 yards on 17 carries for Oklahoma (1-0), which scored a touchdown on seven of its eight first half possessions. Juaqu Iglesias caught seven passes for 128 yards and Malcolm Kelly had 4 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns. Starting quarterback Daniel Meager went 15-of-27 for 107 yards and one interception and Casey Fitzgerald had seven catches for 125 yards and a touchdown for North Texas (0-1). Backup quarterback Giovanni Vizza went 4- of-11 for 124 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions.

Final Score: (9) Virginia Tech 17, East Carolina 7

Blacksburg, VA - Sean Glennon completed 22-of-33 passes with one touchdown and one interception, and the ninth-ranked Virginia Tech Hokies came back from an early deficit to top the East Carolina Pirates, 17-7, in the season opener for both teams. The game was opened with a ceremony honoring the victims of the April massacre on campus which included a moment of silence, the releasing of 32 orange balloons into the air, one for each victim, and a video tribute. Brandon Ore finished with only 70 yards on 23 carries for the Hokies (1-0), who struggled against a tough East Carolina front line which held Virginia Tech to 33 yards on the ground. Sam Wheeler had seven catches for 81 yards and a score, and Justin Harper had five grabs for 64 yards for the Hokies, who will face a real challenge next week, when they head to LSU to battle the second-ranked Tigers. The Pirates (0-1) were playing without starting quarterback Rob Kass, who was suspended for the game by head coach Skip Holtz for violating a team policy. His replacement Pat Pinkney completed 14-of-25 passes for 115 yards for East Carolina, adding 48 yards on the ground on nine rushes. Backup quarterback Brett Clay took the field in the first half, and his interception, returned by Virginia Tech's Victor Harris for a touchdown, quickly earned him a spot back on the bench. Dominique Lindsay gained 50 yards on 10 carries, and Phillip Henry had four catches for 30 yards for the Pirates.

Final Score: (11) Ohio State 38, Youngstown State 6

Columbus, OH - Todd Boeckman passed for 225 yards and two touchdowns as the 11th-ranked Ohio State Buckeyes hammered Youngstown State 38-6 at Ohio Stadium. Boeckman, trying to fill the shoes of 2006 Heisman Trophy quarterback Troy Smith, completed 17-of-23 passes for Ohio State (1-0), which will continue its soft non-conference, early-season schedule when it hosts Akron on September 8. Brandon Saine ran for 42 yards on 10 carries with a touchdown and Taurian Washington had a 37-yard catch for another score from backup quarterback Antonio Henton. Dane Sanzenbacher also caught a three-yard touchdown pass for the Buckeyes. Tom Zetts threw for only 86 yards on 10-of-18 passing for Youngstown State (0-1).

Final Score: (12) California 45, (15) Tennessee 31

Berkeley, CA - Nate Longshore threw for a pair of touchdowns and ran for another score, as 12th-ranked California opened its season with a 45-31 triumph over No. 15 Tennessee. Longshore completed 19-of-28 passes for 241 yards, and Justin Forsett ran for 156 yards and a TD for the Golden Bears (1-0), who got revenge for a 35-18 loss at Tennessee in the season opener a year ago. Worrell Williams returned a fumble 45 yards for a score and DeSean Jackson electrified the home crowd by returning a punt 77 yards for another touchdown. Erik Ainge, fighting off a broken pinkie on his throwing hand he suffered earlier in the week, connected on 32-of-47 passes for 271 yards and three touchdowns for the Volunteers (0-1), who also got 103 receiving yards from Lucas Taylor.

Final Score: (13) Georgia 35, Oklahoma State 14

Athens, GA - Sophomore Matthew Stafford completed 18-of-24 passes for 234 yards with two touchdowns to lead 13th-ranked Georgia to a 35-14 victory over Oklahoma State in the season opener for both teams. Thomas Brown rushed for 48 yards and scored two touchdowns for the Bulldogs (1-0), who scored 14 points in the second half while keeping Oklahoma State off the board. Freshman tight end Bruce Figgins and Michael Moore each caught a touchdown pass in the victory. Bobby Reid threw for 191 yards on 16-of-30 passing with a touchdown and interception for the Cowboys (0-1), who were in the contest in the first half, but couldn't put together much offense in the third and fourth quarters.

Final Score: (14) UCLA 45, Stanford 17

Palo Alto, CA - Ben Olson threw five touchdown passes and Kahlil Bell ran for 195 yards as the 14th-ranked UCLA Bruins torched the Stanford Cardinal, 45-17, in the season opener for both programs at Stanford Stadium. Olson finished 16-of-29 for 286 yards for UCLA (1-0, 1-0 Pac-10), which piled up 624 total yards. Brandon Brazell caught six passes for 111 yards and a touchdown while Joe Cowan had 96 yards and two touchdowns on two receptions. T.C. Ostrander went 27-of-59 for 331 yards and two touchdowns for Stanford (0-1, 0-1 Pac-10), which failed to win in Jim Harbaugh's debut as Head Coach. Richard Sherman caught four balls for 100 yards and a touchdown, Evan Moore recorded 87 yards on six catches and Jim Dray had 72 yards receiving and one touchdown on four receptions.

Final Score: (17) Penn State 59, Florida International 0

University Park, PA - Anthony Morelli completed 23-of-38 passes for a career-best 295 yards and three scores as 17th-ranked Penn State crushed Florida International, 59-0, at Beaver Stadium. It was a raucous season opener for Penn State head coach Joe Paterno, who returned to the sideline for his 42nd season and for the first time since breaking his leg last November in a sideline collision at Wisconsin. Evan Royster rushed eight times for 70 yards with a touchdown and Rodney Kinlaw added 67 yards on eight carries with a score for the Nittany Lions (1-0), who welcome Notre Dame next Saturday. Jordan Norwood added five catches for 92 yards, Mickey Shuler had a TD catch while Austin Scott rushed 11 times for 47 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Wayne Younger threw for 117 yards on 12-of-25 passing and was sacked four times for the Golden Panthers (0-1). Julian Reams gained just 15 yards on eight carries and Greg Ellingson had three catches for 31 yards.

Final Score: (18) Auburn 23, Kansas State 13

Auburn, AL - Gabe McKenzie's three-yard touchdown reception late in the fourth quarter helped 18th-ranked Auburn avoid a season-opening loss to Kansas State as the Tigers came from behind to down the Wildcats, 23- 13. Brandon Cox completed 17-of-30 passes for 229 yards with a touchdown and two interceptions for the Tigers (1-0), who scored 14 points in the fourth quarter en route to victory. Prechae Rodriguez added six catches for 73 yards in the victory while Ben Tate rushed for 82 yards. Josh Freeman threw for 268 yards with two interceptions on 32-of-57 passing for the Wildcats (0-1), who led going into the final quarter. Jordy Nelson caught nine passes for 90 yards and also threw for a touchdown in the loss.

Final Score: (20) Nebraska 52, Nevada 10

Lincoln, NE - Marlon Lucky rushed for a career-high 233 yards and found the end zone four times as the 20th-ranked Nebraska Cornhuskers rolled past the Nevada Wolf Pack, 52-10, in their season-opener at Memorial Stadium. Three of Lucky's scores came on the ground while he added three catches for 33 yards and a touchdown for Nebraska (1-0), which won its 22nd straight season opener. Sam Keller, a transfer from Arizona State who had to sit out last season, completed 14-of-25 passes for 193 yards with one touchdown and one interception in his debut with the Cornhuskers, Nick Graziano struggled behind center for Nevada (0-1), completing just 8- of-24 passes for 109 yards with an interception.

Final Score: (21) Arkansas 46, Troy 26

Fayetteville, AR - Darren McFadden ran for 151 yards and a touchdown and also threw for a score in No. 21 Arkansas' 46-26 victory over Troy. Casey Dick completed 11-of-20 passes for 108 yards and a touchdown, while freshman Alex Tejada added four field goals for Arkansas (1-0), the most by a Razorback since 2003. Felix Jones also had a huge game, rushing for 129 yards and score on 12 carries, then tacking on 144 yards in kick returns -- including a 90-yard run back on a kickoff for a TD. Omar Haugabook went 15- of-43 for 204 yards and a touchdown with an interception for Troy (0-1) before leaving with an injury in the fourth quarter. The Trojans' running game also struggled, as Kenny Cattouse was held to 44 yards on 15 carries with a score.

Final Score: (22) TCU 27, Baylor 0

Fort Worth, TX - Andy Dalton completed 18-of-30 passes for 205 yards and a touchdown, as the 22nd-ranked TCU Horned Frogs blanked the Baylor Bears, 27-0, at home. Joseph Turner rushed for 56 yards on nine carries for the Horned Frogs, who are riding a nine-game win streak during which they have outscored opponents by a 206-13 margin in the first half. Ryan Christian had 40 yards rushing on nine attempts with a touchdown, and Marcus Brock caught five balls for 47 yards for TCU. Shae Reagan added a 50- yard reception, and Jimmy Young notched 35 yards on two catches. Blake Szymanski completed 23-of-47 passes for 216 yards with three interceptions for Baylor, which got blanked in a season opener for the first time since a 13-0 loss to Nebraska to open the 1990 season.

Final Score: (23) Hawaii 63, Northern Colorado 6

Honolulu, HI - Colt Brennan picked up right where he left off last season, throwing for six touchdowns, all in the first half, as 23rd- ranked Hawaii routed Northern Colorado, 63-6, in its season opener. Hawaii (1-0) came into the game ranked in the preseason polls for the first time in program history on the heels of a record-breaking season for Brennan, who set a new mark with 58 passing scores. Eleven times the program scored at least 40 points, hitting for 61 or more in three straight and four of five outings during one stretch. The Warriors got off to another spectacular start Saturday, as Brennan completed 34-of-40 passes for 416 yards. Brennan shattered or tied 18 NCAA records, 17 WAC marks, 41 school standards, and was the first Warrior quarterback since 1978 to earn All-America status last year. After the season, speculation of Brennan leaving early to enter the NFL Draft was put to rest when the junior announced his intention to stay at the school for his senior season. Michael Washington ran a punt back 81 yards for a score and Malcolm Lane returned a kickoff 93 yards for a score. Ryan Grice-Mullen had nine receptions for 130 yards and a pair of TDs for the Warriors, who outgained Northern Colorado, 565-202. Dominic Breazeale went 9-of-16 passes for 62 yards with an interception for the Bears (0-1), who also got 70 yards through the air from Mike Vlahogeorge.

Final Score: (25) Texas A&M 38, Montana State 7

College Station, TX - Stephen McGee ran for 121 yards and two scores as 25th-ranked Texas A&M routed Montana State, 38-7. McGee carried the ball nine times while he went 10-for-20 with 112 yards passing for the Aggies (1-0), who have won 21 straight home openers. Mike Goodson had 10 carries for 65 yards and a touchdown. Jack Rolovich went 21-for-39 for 267 yards and a touchdown while Josh Lewis had five receptions for 86 yards for the Bobcats (0-1).

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