LOS ANGELES (AP) — No. 6 Southern California blew out Nevada 66-14 for its second consecutive win to open the season. Caleb Williams threw for 319 yards and hit Tahj Washington with two of his five touchdown passes in another dominant performance by the Heisman Trophy winner. Zachariah Branch, Michael Jackson III and Brenden Rice also caught TD passes. Stanley Ta’ufo’ou returned a fumble 23 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. Nevada freshman AJ Bianco threw a 77-yard touchdown pass to Jamaal Bell on his first career pass attempt during the fourth quarter of the Wolf Pack’s season opener.
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Deion Sanders already has a big win for Colorado. Shedeur Sanders, the coach’s son, threw for a school-record 510 yards with four touchdowns as the Buffaloes pulled off an opening shocker with a 45-42 win over 17th-ranked TCU, last year’s national runner-up. The game-winner was a 46-yard catch-and-run by freshman running back Dylan Edwards on a fourth-down play with 4:25 left. Edwards caught three TD passes and ran for another score. Two-way starter Travis Hunter, the former top recruit who came with the quarterback and coach from FCS team Jackson State, had 11 catches for 119 yards and an interception.
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SEATTLE (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. threw for 450 yards and matched his career-high with five touchdown passes, and No. 10 Washington overwhelmed Boise State in a 56-19 win in the teams’ season opener. Penix kicked off his final college season and a Heisman Trophy campaign with a terrific passing performance following a couple shaky drives in the opening moments. Penix was 29 of 40 passing and threw touchdowns to four different receivers. Penix threw four of his five touchdown passes in the second quarter when the Huskies scored 28 points. The 56 points were the most allowed by Boise State since an overtime win over Nevada in 2007.
EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Bo Nix threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns before heading for the bench early in the third quarter and No. 15 Oregon built a 43-point halftime lead en route to an 81-7 victory over Portland State on Saturday. It was the most points for the Ducks in a game in the modern scoring era, and a scoring record at Autzen Stadium. It was also Oregon’s 19th straight win in a home opener. The Ducks have won 30 straight non-conference games at Autzen Stadium, dating to 2008.
PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — Dante Moore threw two touchdowns in his first collegiate game and UCLA pulled away in the second half for a 27-13 victory over Coastal Carolina. Moore, the first five-star recruit during Chip Kelly’s six seasons in Westwood, directed the Bruins to scores in four of his six drives. The 18-year old from Detroit came into the game in the second quarter and completed 7 of 12 passes for 143 yards with an interception. J.Michael Sturdivant, a transfer from California, had five receptions for 136 yards, including a 62-yard touchdown early in the fourth quarter that extended UCLA’s lead to 21-13. The Chanticleers dropped Tim Beck’s debut as coach despite three interceptions by safety Clayton Isbell, including two in the end zone.
TUCSON, Ariz. (AP) — Jayden de Laura accounted for four touchdowns, Tacario Davis returned a blocked field goal 85 yards for a score and Arizona opened the season a 38-3 win over Northern Arizona. Arizona lost to the FCS Lumberjacks at home two years ago at the start of coach Jedd Fisch’s desert rebuild. The Wildcats had a hard time getting out of their own way in the first half of the rematch before rolling over Northern Arizona in the second. Sparked by Davis’ return, Arizona turned an 11-point halftime lead to 32 by the end of the third quarter. De Laura punctuated the outburst with a 53-yard TD run, nearly losing his balance before racing up the sideline.
FORT COLLINS, Colorado (AP) — Cameron Ward threw for three touchdowns and ran for another and Jaden Hicks returned an interception 37-yards for a touchdown and Washington State beat Colorado State 50-24. Ward was 37 of 49 for 451 yards passing, including touchdowns of 3 yards to Kyle Williams, 12 yards to Nakia Watson and 25 yards to Josh Kelly. Ward also rushed for 40 yards, including a 1-yard score. Lincoln Victor led a productive group of Washington State playmakers with 11 catches for 168 yards. Dean Janikowski kicked a career-best 55-yard field goal and John Mateer, who spelled Ward several times, had touchdown runs of 1 and 3 yards. Kobe Johnson returned a kick 98 yards for a touchdown early in the fourth quarter for Colorado State.
DENTON, Texas (AP) — Jaydn Ott rushed for 188 yards and two touchdowns, Isaiah Ifanse scored three times and California beat North Texas 58-21 a day after the Golden Bears agreed to join the Atlantic Coast Conference. Cal was playing about 40 miles from SMU. The Dallas school is another ACC newcomer along with longtime Bay Area and Pac-12 rival Stanford. Stone Earle had three TD passes but was intercepted twice in the debut of North Texas coach Eric Morris. It was the first game for the Mean Green as members of the American Athletic Conference.
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