Top-25 College Football Game Capsules
Tuscaloosa, AL (Sports Network) – After outlasting Johnny Manziel and Texas A&M in college football’s fierce new rivalry last week, No. 1 Alabama welcomed back an old friend in Saturday’s home opener. It wasn’t exactly an offensive performance that would’ve made its former coordinator proud. Kenyan Drake ran for a touchdown and blocked a punt in the Crimson Tide’s 31-6 victory over Colorado State in Jim McElwain’s return to Tuscaloosa. McElwain is in his second season as head coach of the Rams after serving as offensive coordinator at Alabama from 2008-11 and winning two national titles. The overmatched Rams don’t have the offensive juggernaut at McElwain’s disposal like he had at Alabama, but the Crimson Tide (3-0) failed to move the chains on each of their first eight third-down attempts against Colorado State’s stingy defense. Alabama finished 2-for-10 on third down. The Rams (1-3) trailed just 17-6 before Alabama pulled away with a pair of scores in the fourth. A.J. McCarron’s 30-yard TD strike to DeAndrew White and Blake Sims’ 14-yard TD flip to Chris Black sealed the win for the hosts. McCarron was 20-of-26 for 258 yards with a touchdown and interceptions for the Crimson Tide, who outgained the Rams just 248-227 while running 17 fewer plays through the first three quarters.
Final Score: (4) Ohio State 76, Florida A&M 0
Columbus, OH (Sports Network) – Ohio State quarterback Kenny Guiton set a school record for touchdown passes in a single game with six as the fourth- ranked Buckeyes annihilated the Florida A&M Rattlers, 76-0, on Saturday. Guiton, filling in again for an injured Braxton Miller, threw all six of his touchdown passes in the first half for the Buckeyes (4-0), who extended the nation’s longest winning streak to 16 games. Guiton completed 24-of-34 passes for 215 yards and an interception. Ezekiel Elliott carried the ball 14 times for 162 yards and two touchdowns for Ohio State, which racked up 603 yards of total offense. Evan Spencer caught four passes for 50 yards and two scores. Damien Fleming connected on 10-of-16 passes for 30 yards and an interception for the Rattlers (1-3), who have lost three in a row.
Final Score: (5) Stanford 42, (23) Arizona State 28
Stanford, CA (Sports Network) – Kevin Hogan hooked up with Ty Montgomery on a pair of touchdown passes, as No. 5 Stanford held off 23rd-ranked Arizona State, 42-28, on Saturday in the Pac-12 opener for both squads at Stanford Stadium. Hogan completed 11-of-17 passes for 151 yards with one interception, while rushing for 37 yards on five carries for the Cardinal (3-0, 1-0 Pac-12), who are off to their fourth straight 3-0 start, a first for the program in the modern football era. Tyler Gaffney rushed for 95 yards and two scores on 19 carries, while Anthony Wilkerson added 68 yards and a touchdown on 18 totes in the victory. Taylor Kelly threw for 367 yards and three touchdowns with two interceptions on 30-of-55 passing, with wideout Jaelen Strong hauling in a career-high 12 passes for 168 yards and a score in the setback. Marion Grice rushed for a touchdown and caught another for the Sun Devils (2-1, 0-1), who were coming off a controversial win over then- No. 20 Wisconsin last week.
Final Score: (6) LSU 35, Auburn 21
Baton Rouge, LA (Sports Network) – Jeremy Hill rushed for a career-high 183 yards and three touchdowns on 25 carries, as No. 6 LSU surged past Auburn, 35-21, on Saturday at Tiger Stadium. Zach Mettenberger completed 14-of-22 passes for 229 yards, one touchdown and one interception, with Jarvis Landry hauling in seven passes for 118 yards and a score for LSU (4-0, 1-0 SEC), which has won 29 consecutive games in Death Valley in the month of September. Nick Marshall struggled under center for Auburn (3-1, 1-1), connecting on just 17-of-33 passes for 224 yards and a pair of interceptions.
Final Score: (7) Louisville 72, FIU 0
Louisville, KY (Sports Network) – Teddy Bridgewater threw for 212 yards with four touchdowns to power seventh-ranked Louisville to a 72-0 rout of overmatched FIU at Papa John’s Cardinal Stadium. Bridgewater played three quarters and completed 17-of-22 passes. Six went to DeVante Parker, who had 74 yards and two scores in the lopsided triumph. Senorise Perry, Dominique Brown and Michael Dyer each had rushing scores for Louisville (4-0), which was coming off a solid road win at Kentucky last week and wrapped up its non- conference slate. The Cardinals will take next Saturday off before their first American Athletic Conference matchup at Temple in two weeks. FIU (0-4) was shut out for the second time in three weeks and has been outscored by a combined 187-23 in its four losses this season.
Final Score: (8) Florida State 54, Bethune-Cookman 6
Tallahassee, FL (Sports Network) – Jameis Winston had two touchdown passes and Karlos Williams ran in for two scores as eighth-ranked Florida State took a 54-6 win over Bethune-Cookman on Saturday. Winston went 10-of-19 for 148 yards, while Williams totaled 83 yards on nine carries and Devonta Freeman had a touchdown and 112 yards on 10 carries for the Seminoles (3-0), who have won their first three games by a combined 131 points. Jackie Wilson and Quentin Williams combined to go just 8-of-17 for 60 yards and an interception for the Wildcats (3-1), who were coming off a 21-point win over FIU.
Final Score: (9) Georgia 45, North Texas 21
Athens, GA (Sports Network) – Georgia’s first game against an unranked opponent sure wasn’t as easy as the final score made it appear. The ninth- ranked Bulldogs had last week off after opening the season with a loss to Clemson and a win over South Carolina, both top-10 programs, but it took a strong second half Saturday to pull away for a 45-21 win over North Texas at Sanford Stadium. Aaron Murray threw for 408 yards with three touchdowns and added a rushing score for Georgia (2-1), which ripped off the final 24 points of the contest. Todd Gurley ran for 91 yards with a touchdown and Reggie Davis had the longest pass play in school history, a 98-yard touchdown reception.
Final Score: (10) Texas A&M 42, SMU 13
College Station, TX (Sports Network) – Texas A&M had a significant drop-off in competition, but the 10th-ranked Aggies experienced no letdown in a 42-13 win over SMU. Coming off last week’s tough setback to No. 1 Alabama, quarterback Johnny Manziel ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score while sitting out the majority of the second half on Saturday. Manziel completed 14-of-21 passes for 244 yards with an interception and added 102 yards rushing for Texas A&M (3-1). Ben Malena carried the ball 13 times for 71 yards and two touchdowns. Garrett Gilbert finished with 310 yards, a touchdown and one interception on 37-of-62 passing for the Mustangs (1-2).
Final Score: (13) UCLA 59, New Mexico State 13
Pasadena, CA (Sports Network) – Jordon James ran for 164 yards and two scores in No. 13 UCLA’s 59-13 rout of New Mexico State. Brett Hundley was 23-of-36 passing for 281 yards with three touchdowns and two interceptions for the Bruins (3-0), who tallied 38 unanswered points in last week’s 41-21 win over Nebraska in Lincoln. Steven Manfro caught a touchdown pass and ran in for a score, while Devin Fuller and Shaquelle Evans each hauled in a TD pass in the triumph. Brandon Betancourt ran for 95 yards and a touchdown for New Mexico State (0-4).
Final Score: (15) Michigan 24, Connecticut 21
East Hartford, CT (Sports Network) – For the second straight week, No. 15 Michigan flirted with disaster against an inferior opponent but ultimately prevailed with a 24-21 victory over Connecticut in front of the largest crowd to ever watch a game at Rentschler Field. Fresh off a narrow 28-24 win at home against Akron, Michigan (4-0) traveled to Hartford looking to get back on track, but trailed 21-7 before responding with 17 unanswered points to finish the game. Fitzgerald Toussaint ran for two scores while Brendan Gibbons kicked the decisive 21-yard field goal with 4:36 remaining in the contest. Turnovers were an issues for the Wolverines, who coughed it up four times. They will have a much-needed week off before returning home to face Minnesota and begin Big Ten conference play. Connecticut (0-3) had a chance to win late despite gaining just 206 yards and converting 1-of-11 on third down. After receiving the kickoff following Gibbons’ field goal, Martin Hyppolite ran for a first down to the Michigan 48. But on 4th-and-29 following Frank Clark’s second sack of the contest, Chandler Whitmer hooked up with Deshon Foxx for 26 yards, just shy of the first down marker. Devin Gardner completed 11- for-23 for 97 yards and two interceptions. The Michigan signal caller also lost a fumble but ran for 64 yards and a score. Toussaint netted 120 yards on the ground.
Final Score: (16) Miami-Florida 77, Savannah State 7
Miami, FL (Sports Network) – Gus Edwards totaled 113 yards and three touchdowns on 12 carries, as No. 16 Miami-Florida used a strong first half to blitz Savannah State, 77-7, in the first-ever meeting between the programs. Dallas Crawford scored twice more on the ground, Duke Johnson added a TD rush and Eduardo Clements finished with 75 yards on 11 attempts for the Hurricanes (3-0), who showed no signs of slowing down two weeks after a narrow win over Florida. The combined efforts of Stephen Morris, Ryan Williams and Gray Crow under center accounted for 20-of-23 completions for 313 yards and four touchdowns. Stacey Coley posted a 25-yard TD reception and returned a kick 88 yards for another score, while Allen Hurns, Beau Sandland and Crawford each hauled in a scoring pass for Miami. Dequan Daniels exploded for a 75-yard touchdown run for the Tigers (1-3), who have already surrendered 240 points this season, including two defeats where their opponents have topped the 70- point plateau.
Final Score: (17) Washington 56, Idaho State 0
Seattle, WA (Sports Network) – Keith Price passed for 213 yards and three touchdowns Saturday and No. 17 Washington beat FCS Idaho State 56-0 — the biggest Huskies blowout in more than 31 years. Things are about to get a lot tougher. Washington (3-0) won its first three games for the first time since 2001 under Rick Neuheisel, but a daunting stretch of Pac-12 opponents looms in the coming weeks. The Huskies open conference play next week vs. Arizona at home before going to Stanford, then hosting Oregon and playing at Arizona State. After wins over Boise State and Illinois, Saturday’s game against the Bengals gave Washington’s second- and third-stringers an opportunity to see snaps. Cyler Miles threw for 97 yards and a touchdown behind Price and led all players with 89 yards rushing, including a 61-yard run. Price was 16-of-21 and Miles went 5-of-7. Idaho State (2-1) was coming off wins over Dixie State and Western State and will open Big Sky play next Saturday at UC Davis. Justin Arias was 18-of-39 for 140 yards and two interceptions for Idaho State.
Final Score: (18) Northwestern 35, Maine 21
Evanston, IL (Sports Network) – Northwestern’s offense failed to generate any consistency for much of the contest, but its defense scored twice and forced three turnovers to help guide the 18th-ranked Wildcats to a 35-21 win over the Maine Black Bears. Kain Colter took the majority of the quarterback snaps for the Wildcats (4-0), tossing for 85 yards, a touchdown and an interception on 5-for-9. Colter also ran 12 times for 38 yards and a score while quarterback Trevor Siemian went 5- for-8 for 37 yards. With starting running back Venric Mark hampered for a third straight game with a lower body injury, Mike Trumpy rushed for 94 yards and a score on a season- high 17 attempts. Damien Proby and Dean Lowry each had a pick-six in the triumph, giving Northwestern a school-record four interception returns for touchdowns on the season. The Wildcats collected a season-low 373 total yards in what was supposed to be a tune-up game before conference play. The Wildcats, who have won 17 of 21 non- bowl games dating back to 2011, have next week off before hosting Ohio State in their Big Ten opener. Marcus Wasilewski passed for 237 yards, two touchdowns and a pair of picks on 25-of-40 for Maine (3-1), which converted 9- for-16 on third down. Nigel Jones ran for 73 yards and a score.
Final Score: (19) Florida 31, Tennessee 17
Gainesville, FL (Sports Network) – Tyler Murphy backed up an injured Jeff Driskel, throwing a touchdown pass and running for another score Saturday to help No. 19 Florida continue its mastery of Tennessee with a 31-17 win. Murphy, a redshirt junior, saw extensive action following the first-quarter injury to Driskel, who will miss the rest of the season, according to Gators coach Will Muschamp. Driskel will need surgery after fracturing the fibula in his right leg. Murphy finished 8-of-14 for 134 yards, 52 coming on a scoring strike to Solomon Patton. He added 84 rushing yards on 10 carries for Florida (2-1, 1-0 SEC), which has beaten Tennessee nine consecutive times — the Gators’ longest winning streak in the history of the series. The Volunteers (2-2, 0-1) sputtered offensively while redshirt freshman quarterback Nathan Peterman was in the game. They turned the ball over on each of their first three drives, and Peterman’s day was done following a second interception in the second quarter. Peterman had only five yards on 4-of-11 passing before being replaced by junior Justin Worley late in the first half. Worley connected on 10-of-23 passes for 149 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions.
Final Score: (20) Baylor 70, UL-Monroe 7
Waco, TX (Sports Network) – Bryce Petty had four touchdown passes and ran in a score as No. 20 Baylor took a 70-7 victory over Louisiana-Monroe on Saturday. Petty went 18-for-27 for 351 yards and Antwan Goodley caught five passes for 156 yards and two scores for the Bears (3-0), who have won their first three games of the season by a combined score of 209-23. Kolton Browning was just 17-for-41 for 219 yards and a touchdown along with two interceptions, both of which were returned for touchdowns, for the Warhawks (2-2), who were coming off wins over Grambling State and Wake Forest.
Final Score: (22) Notre Dame 17, Michigan State 13
South Bend, IN (Sports Network) – Cam McDaniel’s touchdown run early in the fourth quarter proved to be the difference, as 22nd-ranked Notre Dame bested rival Michigan State, 17-13, at Notre Dame Stadium. The key score offset a sub-par performance from Tommy Rees, who completed only 14-of-34 passes for 142 yards and one touchdown for the Fighting Irish (3-1), who were coming off a narrow victory at Purdue. Corey Robinson totaled 54 yards on three catches, and T.J. Jones added a 2-yard TD reception. Connor Cook was 16-of-32 for 135 yards and one score for the Spartans (3-1), who had outscored their opponents by a 102-36 count to start the season. Jeremy Langford rushed for 68 yards on 14 carries and Macgarrett Kings, Jr. hauled in a 12-yard scoring strike as part of his 33-yard, four-catch performance in defeat.
Final Score: (24) Wisconsin 41, Purdue 10
Madison, WI (Sports Network) – Melvin Gordon rushed for 147 yards and three touchdowns as No. 24 Wisconsin cruised to a 41-10 win over Purdue at Camp Randall Stadium. James White added 145 yards and a touchdown on 16 rushes and Corey Clement finished with 83 yards and a score on 13 carries for the Badgers (3-1, 1-0 Big Ten), who bounced back from a controversial loss to Arizona State last week. Joel Save completed 12-of-19 passes for 158 yards and an interception in the victory. Rob Henry was 18-for-36 passing for 135 yards and an interception and also rushed for a score for the Boilermakers (1-3, 0-1), who have dropped eight straight to Wisconsin.
Final Score: (25) Texas Tech 33, Texas State 7
Lubbock, TX (Sports Network) – Davis Webb had two touchdown passes to help No. 25 Texas Tech to a 33-7 win over Texas State on Saturday. Webb was just 19- for-43 and was picked off twice, but did throw for 310 yards for the Red Raiders (4-0), who have won every game by double digits. Jace Amaro had nine catches for 86 yards, while Bradley Marquez and Eric Ward each caught a score in the win. Tyler Arndt, Jordan Moore and Duke DeLancellotti combined to go 15-for-31 for just 133 yards and an interception for the Bobcats (2-1), who had opened the season with wins over Southern Miss and Prairie View.
Categorized in: NCAA Football