Saturday’s AP Top 25 Summary
No. 1 ALABAMA 35, WESTERN KENTUCKY 0
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — AJ McCarron passed for 219 yards and matched his career high with four touchdown passes to lead No. 1 Alabama to a 35-0 win over Western Kentucky on Saturday.
McCarron had two scoring tosses apiece to Christion Jones and Kevin Norwood in a performance that was more about big plays than consistent, muscle-flexing dominance for the top-ranked Crimson Tide (2-0). The Hilltoppers (1-1) were 40-point underdogs and the sandwich opponent between top 10 opponents Michigan and No. 8 Arkansas.
A running game that produced 232 yards against the Wolverines took a back seat to McCarron and the capitalistic defense. McCarron completed 14 of 19 passes and played all but the final series.
Norwood caught three passes for 92 yards.
Kawaun Jakes competed 20 of 31 passes for 178 yards for the Hilltoppers, who also played LSU last season.
NO. 2 SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA 42, SYRACUSE 29
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Matt Barkley matched a school record with six touchdown passes, and Robert Woods was spectacular with 200 all-purpose yards and two scores in USC’s 42-29 win over stubborn Syracuse.
The rare trip to the Northeast for the Trojans was choppy at times, and Syracuse’s hurry-up offense kept USC working hard for four quarters at MetLife Stadium, the home of the Giants and Jets.
Led by Ryan Nassib, Syracuse kept things close with consecutive touchdowns in the third quarter to make it 21-16 heading into the fourth. Nassib finished with 322 yards passing, two touchdown passes and a touchdown run.
But the Orange simply had no answer for Woods.
The All-American reached over a defender for a 29-yard score in the second quarter and boxed out a defensive back on a 4-yard touchdown in the third. He finished with 10 catches for 93 yards.
NO. 3 LSU 41, Washington 3
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Alfred Blue rushed for 101 yards, including a 21-yard score, and No. 3 LSU racked up 242 yards on the ground in a 41-3 victory over Washington.
Power runner Kenny Hilliard added a pair of short touchdowns and fullback J.C. Copeland powered through for another score for LSU (2-0), which basically ran at will while averaging nearly 5 yards per carry.
Tigers quarterback Zach Mettenberger was an efficient 12-of-18 for 195 yards, including a 32-yard scoring strike to Kadron Boone. James Wright caught five passes for 75 yards.
Keith Price was 17 of 36 for 157 yards for the Huskies (1-1). Normally a good scrambler, Price had trouble with LSU’s speedy defenders, who sacked him four times and intercepted him once.
No. 4 Oregon 42, Fresno State 25
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Kenjon Barner ran for 201 yards and three touchdowns to lead No. 4 Oregon to a 42-25 victory over Fresno State on Saturday.
De’Anthony Thomas ran for 102 yards and two additional scores for the Ducks (2-0), who sprinted to a 35-6 lead in the first half before the Bulldogs were able to slow them a bit in the second. Redshirt freshman quarterback Marcus Mariota completed 19 of 27 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.
Derek Carr, the younger brother of former Bulldogs QB David Carr, completed 29 of 47 passes for 234 yards and a touchdown for Fresno State (1-1), a new member of the Mountain West Conference this season. Quentin Breshears kicked four field goals, including one from 43 yards.
No. 5 Oklahoma 69, Florida A&M 13
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Damien Williams ran for 156 yards and four touchdowns in a record-setting Owen Field debut, Kenny Stills added 120 yards receiving and a score, and No. 5 Oklahoma beat Florida A&M 69-13.
Williams’ rushing total was the most for a player in his first game at the Sooners’ home field, and he became only the fourth player at the school to eclipse 100 yards rushing in each of his first two games. Adrian Peterson was the last to do it, in 2004.
Landry Jones threw for 252 yards and two touchdowns with one interception for the Sooners (2-0), who had dropped a spot in the rankings after an unimpressive 24-7 victory in their opener at UTEP.
Travis Harvey caught a 75-yard touchdown pass from Damien Fleming and finished with 118 yards receiving for Florida A&M (0-2) of the Football Championship Subdivision.
No. 6 Florida State 55, Savannah State 0
TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — Florida State defeated Savannah State 55-0 in a game called midway through the third quarter because of lightning and thunderstorms.
The game was interrupted twice by the inclement weather, once late in the first half for 59 minutes and again for 42 minutes before the game was called.
After the game resumed after the first delay late in the second quarter, the game was played with a running clock and had a 10-minute halftime. Florida State officials said coaches from both schools and Atlantic Coast Conference officials gave their approval to play the remainder of the game with a running clock.
Savannah State (0-2) entered the game after an 84-0 loss to Oklahoma State. The Seminoles (1-0) were installed as 70 1/2-point favorites by Las Vegas odds makers.
Savannah State is collecting paychecks totaling $860,000 for the two games, which will go a long way toward helping the athletic program meet its total budget of $5.1 million.
Florida State (2-0) has outscored its first two opponents 124-3. The Seminoles defeated Murray State 69-3.
No. 7 Georgia 41, Missouri 20
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — Aaron Murray hit Marlon Brown for two of his three touchdown passes, the second for the go-ahead score as No. 7 Georgia recover from a shaky start with 32 second-half points that spoiled Missouri’s SEC debut in a 41-20 victory on Saturday night.
The Bulldogs (2-0, 1-0) trailed 17-9 early in the third quarter before turning Missouri’s SEC debut into an unsatisfying initiation for the Tigers (1-1, 0-1) and a sellout crowd of 71,004 clad in yellow and waving yellow pom-pons.
Up by 21 points with the clock winding down, Georgia’s fan contingent, mostly concentrated in one corner of the end zone, chanted “Old Man Football! Old Man Football!” That was in reference to comments by excitable Missouri defensive tackle Sheldon Richardson, who said he turned off the TV last week during Georgia’s opening victory over Buffalo because he was unimpressed with the Bulldogs’ no-frills style of play.
Louisiana-Monroe 34, No. 8 Arkansas 31, OT
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) — Kolton Browning’s 16-yard touchdown run on fourth-and-one lifted Louisiana-Monroe to a 34-31 overtime win over No. 8 Arkansas.
Browning accounted for 481 yards of total offense and four touchdowns to lead the Warhawks (1-0) to their first win over a Southeastern Conference team since defeating Alabama in 2007.
The Razorbacks (1-1) played the second half without quarterback Tyler Wilson, who suffered a head injury after taking several big hits in the first half.
Wilson, who also missed the second half against New Mexico last season with concussion-like symptoms, was 11-of-20 passing for 196 yards and a pair of touchdowns before leaving the game at halftime.
Louisiana-Monroe outgained Arkansas 550-377 in total yards.
NO. 9 SOUTH CAROLINA 48, EAST CAROLINA 10
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Dylan Thompson completed 21 of 37 passes for 330 yards and three touchdowns in South Carolina’s 48-10 win over East Carolina.
Thompson started the game in place of the injured Connor Shaw, and left little doubt coach Steve Spurrier made the right choice to let Shaw rest.
Thompson’s first completion was a 53-yard pass to Damiere Byrd. He finished the game averaging almost 16 yards a completion and did not throw an interception.
The rejuvenated passing game allowed Spurrier to use star running back Marcus Lattimore sparingly. He gained 40 yards on 13 carries.
East Carolina (1-1) gained 403 yards. But the Pirates turned the ball over five times, including four interceptions and a fumble in just 16 plays.
NO. 11 MICHIGAN STATE 41, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 7
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) — Andrew Maxwell threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns, and the Spartans (2-0) scored 10 points in the final minute of the first half to take a 24-0 lead in their 41-7 win over Central Michigan.
Michigan State was playing at Central Michigan (1-1) for the first time, part of a decade-long series of games against the Chippewas, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan.
Le’Veon Bell had 70 yards on 18 carries with two touchdowns, shouldering a lighter load after carrying 44 times for 210 yards in Michigan State’s opener against Boise State.
The Spartans haven’t allowed an offensive touchdown this season.
NO. 12 CLEMSON 52, BALL STATE 27.
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — DeAndre Hopkins caught three touchdown passes, Andre Ellington rushed for two scores and Spencer Benton kicked a 61-yard field goal to set an Atlantic Coast Conference record in Clemson’s 52-27 win over Ball State.
Ellington’s two short TD runs helped the Tigers (2-0) get off to a fast start, and Tajh Boyd found Hopkins for touchdown passes of 13, 34 and 15 yards in the second period to help increase the lead to 35-10. Benton finished the Tigers’ 45-point half with his record-setting kick as time ran out.
Ball State (1-1) had hoped to use its fast-paced attack to keep up. But Keith Wenning threw two interceptions, both which led to Clemson scores.
The Tigers had 526 yards of offense, surpassing 500 for a second straight week. And they racked up all those yards without record-setting receiver Sammy Watkins, who is set to return after missing the first two games because of a drug arrest.
OREGON STATE 10, NO. 13 WISCONSIN 7
CORVALLIS, Ore. (AP) — Sean Mannion threw for 276 yards and a touchdown, Oregon State’s defense smothered Wisconsin’s Montee Ball and the Beavers upset the No. 13 Badgers 10-7.
Mannion connected with Brandin Cooks on a 20-yard touchdown on the opening drive of the second half to give the Beavers a 10-0 lead then turned it over to the Oregon State (1-0) defense that forced two turnovers and held Ball to 61 yards rushing.
The win snapped Wisconsin’s 33-game non-conference winning streak, the second-longest in the country behind LSU.
Wisconsin finished with 207 yards and only 35 on the ground. It was the lowest total yards for Wisconsin in five years. The previous non-conference loss for Wisconsin (1-1) came early in the 2003 season when the Badgers lost to UNLV.
It took 41 years for a Big Ten team to visit Corvallis after Iowa was handed a 33-19 loss in 1971. With this kind of reception from the Beavers, it might be 41 more.
NO. 14 OHIO STATE 31, UCF 16.
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Braxton Miller became the first Ohio State quarterback to rush for three touchdowns in 34 years, and passed for another score in the Buckeyes’ 31-16 win over Central Florida.
A week after setting a school record for quarterbacks with 161 rushing yards in a 56-10 win over Miami (Ohio), Miller finished with 141 yards on 27 carries. His number kept coming up after starting running back Carlos Hyde left with a first-half knee injury.
Miller’s scoring runs covered 37, 6 and 8 yards. He also found Jake Stoneburner on a 12-yard touchdown pass for the Buckeyes (2-0).
Blake Bortles threw two TD passes for UCF (1-1) but he was also intercepted three times.
Bortles completed 25 of 41 passes, including TDs of 1 yard to Justin Tukes and 2 to Billy Giovanetti. Storm Johnson, starting in place of Latavius Murray, out with a shoulder injury, rushed for 75 yards on 12 carries.
NO. 15 VIRGINIA TECH 42, AUSTIN PEAY 7
BLACKSBURG, Va. (AP) — With the offense struggling, Virginia Tech turned to special teams for a pair of big plays in a 42-17 win over Austin Peay (pee).
Kyshoen Jarrett reeled off a 46-yard punt return to set up the No. 15 Hokies’ first touchdown, and Tony Gregory’s punt block led to their second score before Virginia Tech — playing its second game in six days after a season-opening overtime win over Georgia Tech — finally got untracked.
The Hokies (2-0), long noted for their special teams play, finally put together a 71-yard drive in the closing 1:32 of the first half. That was followed by an 80-yard scoring march on their second possession of the second half for a 28-0 lead, and the rout of an overmatched FCS opponent was finally on.
The Governors (0-2) responded with a six-play, 78-yard drive of their own to extend their string of consecutive games without being shut out to 75. Wes Kitts had a 32-yard run on the drive to go over 100 yards for the second consecutive week, and Terrence Oliver scored on an 8-yard run.
UCLA 36, No. 16 Nebraska 30
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Brett Hundley passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns in an outstanding Rose Bowl debut, Datone Jones sacked Taylor Martinez for a tiebreaking safety with 8:44 to play, and UCLA surprised No. 17 Nebraska 36-30 Saturday night.
Johnathan Franklin rushed for 217 yards and caught an 8-yard TD pass with 2:13 to play for the Bruins, who improved to 2-0 under new coach Jim Mora with an impressive offensive performance against the Cornhuskers (1-1).
Joseph Fauria caught two TD passes and Steven Manfro grabbed another from Hundley, the redshirt freshman who went 21 for 31 and coolly led the Bruins to 653 total yards.
After Jones’ ferocious sack put the Bruins ahead in a defense-dominated second half, Andrew Abbott intercepted a long pass by Martinez and returned it to the Nebraska 16, setting up Franklin’s TD catch.
No. 17 Texas 45, New Mexico 0
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas quarterback David Ash scored on a 49-yard touchdown run and had receivers turn short throws into two more scores and the No. 17 Longhorns routed New Mexico 45-0 Saturday night.
Ash’s touchdown run came on Texas’ sixth play from scrimmage. Mike Davis caught a 22-yard touchdown pass just before halftime. In the third quarter, Ash flipped the ball to Daje Johnson in the backfield and the freshman scooted around the end for a 45-yard TD.
Ash was 16 of 22 for a career-high 221 yards for Texas (2-0).
New Mexico (1-1) held the ball for nearly 20 minutes in the first half, but starting quarterback B.R. Holbrook was knocked out of the game in the second quarter after taking a blow to the helmet on a tackle.
Arizona 59 No. 18 Oklahoma State 38
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Ka’Deem Carey scored four touchdowns, Matt Scott threw for 320 yards and two scores, and Arizona knocked off No. 18 Oklahoma State 59-38 on Saturday night.
Arizona (2-0) fell into a quick 14-0 hole before scoring the next 30 points as Oklahoma State (1-1) unraveled under a shower of yellow flags. The Cowboys had 15 penalties for a school-record 167 yards before settling down enough to rally within two points late in the third quarter.
The Wildcats wouldn’t let them any closer behind Carey, who ran for 126 yards and scored on two touchdown runs in the fourth quarter to seal an impressive second win under new coach Rich Rodriguez.
Oklahoma State’s Wes Lunt threw for 436 yards and four touchdowns to Tracy Moore, but also had three interceptions, including one returned 48 yards for a touchdown by Jonathan McKnight in the fourth quarter.
NO. 19 MICHIGAN 31, AIR FORCE 25.
ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — Denard Robinson ran for 218 yards, threw for 208 and scored four touchdowns in Michigan’s 21-25 win over Air Force.
Robinson became the first player in major college football history to have at least 200 yards rushing and 200 passing in three games, according to the NCAA records book.
The Wolverines (1-1) bounced back after a 41-14 loss to Alabama, though they had a tough time beating the Falcons (1-1) in a game they were favored to win by three touchdowns.
Cody Getz ran for 130 yards, with his third rushing TD and a 2-point conversion pulling Air Force within three early in the fourth.
Air Force quarterback Connor Dietz was 10 of 19 for 127 yards and ran for 61 of his team’s 290 yards rushing.
No. 20 TCU 56, Grambling St. 0
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Casey Pachall threw three touchdowns passes after No. 20 TCU had already scored touchdowns on special teams and defense in the first 7 minutes of a 56-0 victory over Grambling State on Saturday night.
Pachall threw TD passes of 12 and 66 yards to Josh Boyce in the Horned Frogs’ first game as a Big 12 Conference member, and the debut of their $164 million completely re-done stadium. Pachall played only the first half and was 9-of-9 passing for 201 yards.
Trevone Boykin was 8 of 8 for 75 yards and a TD in the second half.
The combined 17-of-17 passing was the most in FBS history without an incompletion.
It was the 110th career win for coach Gary Patterson, who began his 12th season by becoming the winningest coach in TCU history.
NO. 21 KANSAS STATE 52, MIAMI 13
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Collin Klein threw for 210 yards and ran for 71 more Saturday in a 52-13 rout of Miami.
John Hubert added 106 yards rushing and a touchdown, and Daniel Sams added two scores on the ground as the Wildcats (2-0) rolled up 498 yards of total offense while holding Miami to 262.
The blowout stood in stark contrast to last season’s meeting in Coral Gables, Fla., when Kansas State needed a dramatic goal-line stand in the closing minutes to secure a 28-24 victory.
Stephen Morris threw for 215 yards for Miami (1-1), but was sacked five times. The Canes lost three fumbles and managed just 40 yards rushing — an average of 1.4 per attempt.
The Wildcats improved to 6-0 at home against BCS non-conference opponents under Bill Snyder, who has the program he elevated to elite status humming again.
Miami (1-1) scored its only touchdown in the closing minutes, when backup quarterback Ryan Williams completed a short scoring pass following a long kickoff return.
NO. 22 NOTRE DAME 20, PURDUE 17
SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Tommy Rees relieved starter Everett Golson late in the fourth quarter and led Notre Dame on a winning drive in the final minutes to win, 20-17.
Kyle Brindza kicked a 27-yard field goal with seven seconds to go.
Rees, who was suspended for the opener after he was involved in a skirmish with police at a party in May, started 12 games last season.
Purdue (1-1) tied the game at 17-17 when Caleb TerBush threw a 15-yard TD pass to Antavian Edison with 2:12 left, the score set up by Josh Johnson’s recovery of a fumble by Golson. He was shaken up on the play and the Irish turned to Rees.
Rees connected on key third down passes of 10 yards to John Goodman and 21 yards to Robby Toma to get Brindza in position for the game-winning kick. Notre Dame is 2-0 for the first time since 2008.
NO. 23LOUISVILLE 35, MISSOURI STATE 7
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Teddy Bridgewater kept No. 23 Louisville’s offense clicking Saturday by passing for a career-high 344 yards and two touchdowns in a 35-7 rout.
Despite a statistical falloff from last week’s 19-of-21 effort against Kentucky, Bridgewater still completed 30 of 39 passing attempts. He once again involved others and often, with seven of his 10 targets catching at least three passes.
Eli Rogers led the way with six receptions, while Charles Gaines had a game-high 73 yards. Tight ends Nate Nord and Ryan Hubbell caught TDs as the Cardinals totaled 475 yards, eight more than last week.
Missouri State (0-2) did little against Louisville’s defense, gaining just 222 yards with its lone touchdown of the season coming late in the first half. Ashton Glaser was just 14-of-23 passing for 125 yards with a sack and an interception.
NO. 24 FLORIDA 20, TEXAS A&M 17
COLLEGE STATION, Texas (AP) — Mike Gillislee ran for 83 yards and two touchdowns and No. 24 Florida shut down Texas A&M’s offense 20-17 in the Aggies’ first Southeastern Conference game after moving from the Big 12.
Florida trailed 17-10 at halftime after a first half where Texas A&M’s offense under new coach Kevin Sumlin pretty much did what it wanted. Things changed in the second half as the Gators clamped down and forced punts each of A&M’s six possessions after the break.
Caleb Sturgis helped Florida cut A&M’s lead to 17-13 with a 25-yard field goal early in the third quarter.
Florida quarterback Jeff Driskel looked indecisive most of the day and was sacked eight times. But he made a play when he had to, finding Omarius Hines on a 39-yard completion to propel a drive early in the fourth quarter.
Texas A&M freshman quarterback Johnny Manziel threw for 173 yards and ran for 60 more, but he couldn’t move A&M’s offense after halftime.
No. 25 Stanford 50, Duke 13
STANFORD, Calif. (AP) — Drew Terrell returned a punt 75 yards for a score and caught a 19-yard touchdown pass, Ed Reynolds took one of his two interceptions for another touchdown and No. 25 Stanford rebounded from a disappointing debut to roll past Duke 50-13 on Saturday night.
Josh Nunes completed 16 of 30 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns, showing more flair in his second start since No. 1 overall pick Andrew Luck left for the NFL. The redshirt junior overcame his first interception to move the Cardinal (2-0) offense with a strong and steady hand that never surfaced in a 20-17 win over San Jose State last week.
Jordan Richards also picked off a pass by Duke’s Sean Renfree to highlight a dominant defensive effort by Stanford in a final tuneup before hosting second-ranked Southern California next week.
