Month: August 2025

Aug 31, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; South Carolina Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers (16) runs on the sideline against the Virginia Tech Hokies during the first quarter at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

South Carolina leans on defense, special teams to down Virginia Tech in opener

Posted on | by Field Level Media

After sputtering for much of the game, No. 13 South Carolina scored a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns to pull away with a 24-11 win over Virginia Tech in the second Aflac Kickoff Game of the weekend in Atlanta.

With the Gamecocks (1-0) clinging to a 10-8 lead early in the fourth quarter, Vicari Swain returned a punt 80 yards for USC’s first punt-return touchdown since 2013.

After the Hokies (0-1) responded with a field goal, a 64-yard touchdown pass from LaNorris Sellers to Nyck Harbor put the game out of reach for Va. Tech.

Sellers completed 12 of 19 passes for 209 yards with a passing and rushing touchdown in the first game of his second season as a starter.

Va. Tech starting quarterback Kyron Drones was an inefficient 15-of-35 (43 percent) for 221 yards with a pair of interceptions. He relied heavily on the two-headed monster of Donavon Greene (94 yards) and Ayden Greene (71 yards), who combined for 75 percent of the team’s receiving yards.

The Hokies outgained USC 336-327, but they were also held without a touchdown for the first time since a 34-3 loss at Louisville in 2023.

The Gamecocks got off to a roaring start to their season opener, marching down the field on a seven-play, 75-yard touchdown drive. Sellers was 3-for-3 for 54 yards, and reached the end zone on a 15-yard run to cap off the drive.

From there, USC’s offense sputtered out. The Gamecocks managed just three points on their ensuing seven possessions as the Hokies’ defense strung together stops to give the offense a chance to get back into the game.

Va. Tech gradually chipped into the deficit with a safety on a sack of Sellers and a pair of field goals from John Love, including a 56-yarder as time expired in the first half to make it 10-8.

But a host of mistakes prevented the Hokies from ever coming all the way back to take the lead.

Drones threw a first-quarter interception into the end zone to keep the Hokies from scoring on their first red-zone trip. They allowed USC to pick up 30 yards on a second-and-33 carry that set up a second-quarter field goal, and dealt with untimely drops and penalties which also helped the Gamecocks’ cause.

Sellers, who finished the 2024 season with 674 rushing yards, managed just 25 rushing yards on 13 carries and was sacked four times. However, he did have a pair of clutch fourth-quarter scrambles, converting on third-and-13 and fourth-and-5 on the final drive to run out the clock.

Love, who entered Saturday having made 39 of 44 field goals in his career, added a 39-yarder in the fourth quarter to finish the season opener 3-for-3.

–Field Level Media

Notre Dame Fighting Irish running back Jeremiyah Love (4) celebrates after scoring a touchdown during the first half of a game between the Indiana Hoosiers and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish in first round of the College Football Playoff on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, in South Bend.

No. 6 Notre Dame-No. 10 Miami: Preview, Props, Prediction

Posted on | by Field Level Media

A drama-packed Week 1 of the 2025 college football season concludes with a third matchup between top-10 teams with No. 6 Notre Dame traveling to No. 10 Miami on Sunday night.

The Irish played for the national title in their most recent game in January, while Miami narrowly missed the College Football Playoff field.

ODDS AND TRENDS
Notre Dame is a consensus 2.5-point favorite. That includes at BetMGM, where the Irish have drawn 73 percent of the spread-line bets and have been backed by 66 percent of the spread-line money.

The moneyline action has been nearly split. The Irish (-145) have been backed by 51 percent of the bets, although the Hurricanes (+120) have drawn only 41 percent of the money.

PROP PICKS
–Notre Dame RB Jeremiyah Love 70+ Rushing Yards (-190 at DraftKings): This has been the second-most popular prop at the book for this game, impacted heavily by the Irish’s inexperience at quarterback. Love topped 70 rushing yards in eight games last season, but was limited by a knee injury during the CFP. He’s healthy now and the offense is likely to run through him Sunday night.

–Miami QB Carson Beck 250+ Passing Yards (+104 at DraftKings): Beck is returning from a more significant injury that sidelined him from Georgia’s CFP run and ultimately led to his transfer to the Hurricanes. Miami has significant turnover at wide receiver, but that hasn’t prevented this from being the most popular prop play at the book.

TALE OF TWO QBs
Miami lost No. 1 overall pick Cam Ward from the 2024 team and replaced him with Beck from Georgia.

Riley Leonard completed his eligibility for Notre Dame and redshirt freshman CJ Carr won a tightly contested quarterback competition with third-year sophomore Kenny Minchey.

“I had to make a difficult decision, and I did,” Irish coach Marcus Freeman said of choosing Carr, who will make his first college start in the primetime matchup. “As I told both of them, ‘We’re going to need both of them this year. We’re going to need both, and they both have to be mature enough to handle that decision and understand they’re chasing their full potential.’ No matter if you’re named starting quarterback or you’re the backup quarterback, you have to continue to work.”

Getting the quarterbacks up to speed is a big deal if Notre Dame wants to repeat last season’s success. The Irish went 14-2 and lost 34-23 to Ohio State in the title game.

Miami (10-3) won its first nine games last season and had a headlining quarterback but was passed over as an at-large team by the CFP committee.

Enter Beck, who passed for 7,426 yards and 52 touchdowns with 18 interceptions over the past two seasons for the Bulldogs.

Beck said he doesn’t feel like he has to match Ward, who passed for 4,313 yards, 39 TDs and seven interceptions. He compared his current lot to stepping in as the replacement for Stetson Bennett at Georgia.

“The last school I was at I followed up the two-time national champion, so I didn’t really feel any pressure there,” Beck said. “It’s a game. I’ve played football my whole life. I’ve played quarterback since I was 7 years old, and it’s something that I love to do and I’ve got a lot of good talent around.”

KEY STAT
The Hurricanes experienced some difficulties on the defensive side last season. They allowed more than 30 points on six occasions, including 42 in each of their last two games — losses to Syracuse to end the regular season and to Iowa State in the Pop-Tarts Bowl.

Meanwhile, the Fighting Irish were an elite defense last season. They led the nation with 33 takeaways while ranking fourth in both scoring defense (15.5 points per game) and passing yards allowed (169.4 yards per game).

FOR THE LOVE OF IT
Miami’s defensive scouting report likely doesn’t begin with Notre Dame’s quarterback. Love, who rushed for 1,125 yards and 17 touchdowns last season, is an NFL prospect and scored least one touchdown in 13 consecutive games.

Love said he’s ready for an increased workload as the Irish try to take pressure off Carr.

“I would say I’m more of a physical back,” the 6-foot, 214-pound Love said. “I can hold off bigger defenders, partly because of my weight gain, working in the weight room.”

THEY SAID IT
“These are the games that you train all offseason for, top-10 matchups, two great teams going at it and battling. I’m expecting Hard Rock to be packed because this is not just any regular game. You look back at Miami versus Notre Dame history, it’s always been a great matchup and a pretty crazy game.” –Miami sixth-year defensive end Akheem Mesidor, who had 5.5 sacks last season.

PREDICTION
This is a monumental home opener for Miami as Cristobal’s team attempts to legitimize the program among the nation’s elite. Despite Beck’s experience, we expect a somewhat lower-scoring game as the Hurricanes break in a ton of new receiving threats while the Irish lean heavily on their ground game with a young quarterback on the road in prime time. Notre Dame’s defense ultimately proves the difference. –Notre Dame 24, Miami 23

–Field Level Media

Peyton Manning and Edgerrin James stand with Jim Irsay after receiving their hall of fame rings Sunday, Sept. 19, 2021, during halftime of a game against the Los Angeles Rams at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Colts dedicate season to late owner Jim Irsay, city

Posted on | by Field Level Media

The Indianapolis Colts are dedicating the 2025 season to their late owner, Jim Irsay, and to the city the team has called home since 1984.

The Colts released a trailer to kick off the season on Sunday, narrated by franchise legend Edgerrin James, that remembered Irsay. He died at age 65 on May 21.

“This season hits different,” James says in his opening remarks. “The big man ain’t walking through that tunnel. Big man, you gave your heart to this city. Now it’s on us to carry the weight, to carry your name, to carry your legacy.”

The video shows city skyscapes, game action and Irsay cradling the Super Bowl trophy won following the 2006 season.

At age 24, Irsay was named general manager of the Colts when they relocated from Baltimore. He took over ownership of the team when his father, Robert Irsay, died in 1997.

“It started with one man,” James says of Irsay, “but this ain’t about one man. It’s about all of us. … This is foundation. A foundation built by the big man.

“This season. For the city. For the boss. For the (horse) shoe.”

The Colts open the season at home against the Miami Dolphins on Sept. 7, and will be inducting Irsay into the team’s ring of honor during the game. Irsay’s three daughters have taken over management of the team.

–Field Level Media

Jul 22, 2025; Oxnard, CA, USA; Dallas Cowboys cornerback DaRon Bland (26) during training camp at the River Ridge Fields. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Cowboys’ DaRon Bland agrees to 4-year, $92M extension

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Dallas Cowboys All-Pro cornerback DaRon Bland agreed to terms on a four-year, $92 million contract extension, the team announced on Sunday.

At $23 million per season, Bland’s average annual salary is the fifth-highest among cornerbacks in the NFL, per Spotrac. According to media reports, the contract includes $50 million in guaranteed money.

Bland, 26, was due to earn $5.346 million in 2025 as he entered the last year of his rookie contract.

The reported signing comes three days after the Cowboys traded two-time All-Pro linebacker Micah Parsons to the Green Bay Packers in exchange for three-time Pro Bowl defensive tackle Kenny Clark and first-round draft picks in 2026 and 2027.

After leading the league in 2023 with nine interceptions — including an NFL-record five picks returned for touchdowns, Bland totaled 41 tackles in seven games (all starts) last season. He missed the team’s first 10 games while recovering from surgery to repair a fractured foot.

Bland has recorded 14 interceptions in 41 career games (30 starts) since being selected by the Cowboys in the fifth round of the 2022 NFL Draft out of Fresno State.

–Field Level Media

Hoover's Jonah Winston tries to shake the tackle of Auburn defender Coleman Granberry during their game on August 19, 2022, at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala.

Jameis Winston’s brother following him to Florida State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Jonah Winston is following big brother Jameis Winston to Florida State.

The younger Winston is ranked as a three-star wide receiver in the Class of 2026 by the 247Sports composite. He had offers from about two dozen schools, primarily in the South, including seven in the Southeastern Conference.

He announced his commitment Saturday night, shortly after Seminoles upset No. 8 Alabama 31-17 in the opener for both teams. Florida State finished 2-10 last season.

“The real question is, ‘Why not FSU,’” Jonah Winston told Warchant.com, a Florida State-centered website. “I love this program, and it’s been that way for a long time! FSU treats me like family, and that’s really what we are. … It’s really cool, man. Been at FSU it feels like my whole life. And to have the chance to join this amazing program and bring it back to where it used to be is a blessing.”

Listed at 5-foot-9 and 155 pounds by 247Sports, he plays at Hoover High School in Birmingham, Ala. He scored 11 touchdowns in 2023, according to 247Sports.

Jameis Winston played quarterback at Florida State from 2013-14 and won the Heisman Trophy and a national title following the 2013 season. The No. 1 overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft, he now is a backup quarterback for the New York Giants.

Florida State’s 2026 class now contains 23 recruits and is headlined by five-star cornerback Chauncey Kennon from Sarasota, Fla.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Corvallis, Oregon, USA; California Golden Bears quarterback Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele (3) leaves the field after a win over the Oregon State Beavers at Reser Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Craig Strobeck-Imagn Images

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele, Cal too strong for Oregon State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Freshman Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele threw for three touchdowns to lead California to a 34-15 victory over Oregon State on Saturday in Corvallis, Ore.

It was the season opener for both teams.

Sagapolutele, who completed 20 of 30 passes for 224 yards, was the first Bears’ quarterback to start a season opener as a true freshman since Jared Goff in 2013.

Goff threw for 450 yards and two touchdowns in his debut, a 44-30 setback to Northwestern. He went on to become the top overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft.

Trond Grizzell recorded five catches for 83 yards and a touchdown. Mason Mini and tight end Landon Morris also reeled in a scoring strike for Cal.

Duke transfer Maalik Murphy completed 21 of 33 passes for 244 yards with an interception for the Beavers. He also rushed for a touchdown and Trent Walker had nine catches for 136 yards.

The Bears limited Oregon State’s rushing attack to just 65 yards on 27 carries.

Cal got the early jump on its former Pac-12 rival as Sagapolutele connected with Grizzell on a 35-yard reception on an opening drive. Sagapolutele found Mini three plays later for a 19-yard touchdown pass to open the scoring.

Grizzell reeled in a 32-yard touchdown pass to give Cal a 14-0 lead with 7:56 remaining in the first quarter.

The teams exchanged long field goals in the second quarter before Sagapolutele capped a four-play opening drive in the third with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Morris.

A 2-yard run from the Beavers’ Anthony Hankerson’s finished off an 11-play, 84-yard drive to close the deficit to 24-9, however Oregon State was unable to successfully complete the two-point conversion.

Hezekiah Masses returned an interception to the 2-yard line to set up a touchdown run by Brandon High Jr. early in the fourth quarter. High had 10 carries for 41 yards while Kendrick Raphael had nine for 37 for the Bears.

–Field Level Media

Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback Julian Sayin (10) hands the ball off to Ohio State Buckeyes running back James Peoples (20) in the first half at Ohio Stadium on Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025 in Columbus, Ohio.

Top 25 roundup: No. 3 Ohio State shuts down Arch Manning, No. 1 Texas

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Ohio State’s defense held Texas quarterback Arch Manning in check, and the No. 3 Buckeyes pulled off a 14-7 victory over the top-ranked Longhorns at Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

CJ Donaldson Jr. scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and the Buckeyes took advantage of a Manning interception to go ahead 14-0 with 13:08 left in the game when quarterback Julian Sayin connected with Carnell Tate on a 40-yard touchdown pass.

Manning finally got untracked and threw a 32-yard TD pass to Parker Livingstone with 3:28 remaining. With a chance to pull off a late rally, Manning took the Longhorns to the 47 in the final two minutes, but they turned the ball over on downs with 1:27 remaining to end the threat.

Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning, made his third career start, while the Buckeyes’ Sayin made his first. Manning finished 17 of 30 for 170 yards and a TD, with one interception, and Sayin was 13 of 20 for 126 yards and a TD.

No. 2 Penn State 46, Nevada 11

Nicholas Singleton rushed for two touchdowns and Dani Dennis-Sutton was a terror on defense as the No. 2 Nittany Lions rolled to an easy victory over the Wolf Pack at University Park, Pa.

Drew Allar completed 22 of 26 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown as the Nittany Lions controlled the contest. Sutton forced two fumbles and had 2.5 stops for losses, including one sack.

Penn State outgained the Wolf Pack 438-203 and had a 25-13 edge in first downs. Chubba Purdy was 7-of-15 passing for 97 yards, with one interception, for Nevada. The brother of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy accumulated a team-leading 55 yards on the ground.

No. 9 LSU 17, No. 4 Clemson 10

Garrett Nussmeier threw a tiebreaking touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and LSU rode a stifling defense to a victory over host Clemson in the season opener for both teams.

Nussmeier completed 28 of 38 passes for 230 yards and LSU outgained Clemson 354-261 to snap a five-year losing streak in openers. On the fifth play of the fourth quarter, Nussmeier threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green to give LSU the lead for the first time, 17-10, with 12:18 to play.

Clemson drove from its 43 to the LSU 15 on its final possession, but Cade Klubnik’s pass on fourth-and-4 was incomplete. Klubnik completed 19 of 38 for 230 yards with one interception.

No. 5 Georgia 45, Marshall 7

Gunner Stockton threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 73 yards and two more scores to pace the Bulldogs to the season-opening win over the Thundering Herd in Athens, Ga.

Dwight Phillips Jr. added 60 rushing yards and a touchdown on just five carries for Georgia, which produced 488 yards and 27 first downs to Marshall’s 207 yards and seven first downs.

After Georgia built a 45-0 lead early in the fourth quarter, Jo’Shon Barbie rushed 1 yard for Marshall’s touchdown. Zion Turner came off the bench to hit 6 of 7 passes for 100 yards and Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw made three catches for 58 yards.

No. 7 Oregon 59, Montana State 13

Dante Moore showed the college football world what it had been missing in his first start in nearly two years, throwing for 213 yards and three touchdowns as the Ducks trounced the Bobcats in Oregon.

Moore also set a career high with a 78 percent completion rate, going 6-for-6 on his lone drive in the second half. He helped Oregon outgain Montana State 506-244 in overall yards Saturday.

Moore’s counterpart, Justin Lamson, struggled for the Bobcats, completing 23-of-31 passes for 198 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Running back Adam Jones scored Montana State’s only touchdown on the day.

Florida State 31, No. 8 Alabama 17

The Seminoles ran for 230 yards and four touchdowns, beginning their 2025 season with a shocking upset of the Crimson Tide in Tallahassee, Fla.

The Seminoles, 2-10 a season ago after a 13-1 campaign in 2023, looked the part of a new-look team with two new coordinators and a new roster. FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos, who said this offseason that he didn’t believe Bama would be able to stop him, backed up the talk in a major way. He led the Seminoles with 78 rushing yards and scored their first touchdown of the season on a 9-yard first-quarter run. He also completed 9 of 14 passes for 152 yards.

The Crimson Tide suffered their first season-opening loss since 2001 under second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer. Alabama starting quarterback Ty Simpson, making his first career start in a hostile atmosphere, completed 23 of 43 passes for 254 yards and threw a pair of touchdowns. However, three fourth-down incompletions in FSU territory loomed large during the TIde’s comeback attempt.

No. 11 Arizona State 38, Northern Arizona 19

Sam Leavitt rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two touchdowns, both to Jordyn Tyson, as the Sun Devils overcame sometimes sloppy play to pull away from the Lumberjacks in Tempe.

The Sun Devils (1-0) were penalized 12 times for 93 yards and converted on just 2-of-10 third-down opportunities. Leavitt closed his night with 257 yards on 25-of-39 passing and his 73 rushing yards matched Kyson Brown for a game-high. Tyson caught 12 passes for 141 yards.

Ty Pennington went 22-of-35 for 204 yards for Northern Arizona (0-1). Backup Lathan Boone, who came on for Pennington in the fourth quarter, went 4 of 7 for 38 yards. Kenveon Stone, who rushed for a team-high 35 yards, scored a touchdown in the final minute.

No. 14 Michigan 34, New Mexico 17

Justice Haynes had 16 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns, and the Wolverines held firm for a win over the Lobos in Ann Arbor, Mich.

Highly touted true freshman Bryce Underwood completed 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and one touchdown in his collegiate debut for the Wolverines (1-0). Marlin Klein finished with six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. Michigan outgained New Mexico 452-267 in total offense.

Dorian Thomas had 10 catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns for the Lobos (0-1). Jack Layne completed 31 of 47 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

No. 15 Florida 55, Long Island 0

Quarterback DJ Lagway fired three touchdowns in the Gators’ 38-point first half as they opened the season by pummeling the Sharks in Gainesville, Fla.

The sophomore signal-caller from Texas finished his season debut by going 15 of 18 for 120 yards. Backup Tramell Jones Jr. was 12 of 18 for 131 yards with two TDs while Jadan Baugh rushed for 104 yards and a score on nine carries. Defensive back Bryce Thornton scored on one of his two fumble recoveries.

Division I FCS Long Island (0-1) mustered only two first downs to Florida’s 28 and was outgained 451-86 in total offense. Sharks quarterbacks Luca Stanzani, Ethan Greenwood and Chris Howell combined to go 4 of 11 for 49 yards.

No. 16 SMU 42, East Texas A&M 13

Kevin Jennings threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another to lead the Mustangs to a season-opening victory over the visiting Lions in Dallas.

Jennings completed 22 of 30 passes for 260 yards and one interception in addition to his two scoring tosses to lead the SMU to its seventh consecutive season-opening win. Romello Brinson caught seven passes for 121 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown. Alexander Kilgore and Ahmaad Moses returned interceptions for touchdowns.

East Texas A&M, which is coming off a 3-9 season and is now eligible to compete for the FCS playoff berth, got two field goals from Ozlo Rigby. Eric Rodriguez entered at quarterback in the second quarter in relief of Will Madonna and completed 14 of 30 passes for 191 yards and an interception. Rodriguez scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:55 left in the game for the Lions’ only touchdown.

No. 17 Kansas State 38, North Dakota 35

Avery Johnson’s 6-yard touchdown pass to Joe Jackson with 42 seconds left helped the Wildcats avoid an embarrassing loss to the Fighting Hawks of the FCS.

The Fighting Hawks (0-1) were looking for the biggest upset in program history and their first victory over an FBS opponent since 2015.

Johnson finished 28 of 43 for 318 yards and three touchdowns, and Jayce Brown caught 12 passes for 109 yards and one score for the Wildcats (1-1). Jerry Kaminski was 23 of 38 for 231 yards and a touchdown for North Dakota. He also scored two touchdowns on the ground.

No. 18 Oklahoma 35, Illinois State 3

John Mateer threw for 392 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another as the Sooners opened the season with a rout of the Redbirds in Norman, Okla.

Mateer’s passing yardage was the most by an Oklahoma quarterback in an opener, topping Baker Mayfield’s 388-yard performance to open the 2015 season against Akron. Mateer finished 30 of 37 through the air as the Sooners outgained the Redbirds 495-151.

Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse (6 of 13, 22 yards) left the game early in the third after taking a hard hit from defensive end Taylor Wein. The FCS Redbirds finished with just 34 passing yards. Wenkers Wright rushed for 50 yards on seven carries to lead Illinois State.

No. 19 Texas A&M 42, UTSA 24

Marcel Reed passed for four touchdowns and KC Concepcion had an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 31-yard TD catch as the Aggies were too much for the Roadrunners in the season opener for both teams in College Station, Texas.

Reed was 22 of 34 for 289 yards through the air in the win while Mario Craver, a transfer from Mississippi State, had eight catches for 122 yards and two TDs for the Aggies. Reed also finished as Texas A&M’s top rusher with 39 yards on eight carries.

The Roadrunners stayed close in the first half and were within four points early in the third quarter thanks mostly to the rushing of Robert Henry Jr., who racked up 177 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. UTSA quarterback Owen McCown (19 of 32) had just 121 passing yards.

No. 20 Indiana 27, Old Dominion 14

New quarterback Fernando Mendoza rushed for a touchdown, new running back Roman Hemby added 110 yards on the ground, and the Hoosiers shrugged off a sluggish start for a win over the Monarchs in Bloomington, Ind.

Indiana’s 309 rushing yards were on brand with last year’s 11-2 team, and the Hoosiers controlled the ball for 41:28 but managed only one second-half touchdown. Mendoza, who started for California last season, threw for 193 yards on 18-of-31 accuracy and rushed 5 yards for a score.

Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph accounted for most of his team’s offense with touchdown runs of 75 and 78 yards. He rushed for 179 yards on 10 carries and completed 11 of 22 passes for 96 yards but was intercepted three times.

No. 21 Ole Miss 63, Georgia State 7

Austin Simmons completed 20 of 31 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Rebels rout the Panthers in Oxford, Miss.

Simmons also threw two interceptions in his first career start, while Kewan Lacy ran for 108 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. Logan Diggs rushed for 91 yards and a score for the Rebels, who outgained Georgia State 695-260 in total offense in both team’s season opener. Harrison Wallace III made five catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.

Christian Veilleux was 4-of-11 passing for 52 yards, a touchdown and an interception for outmatched Georgia State. Rashad Amos led the Panthers with 68 rushing yards.

No. 22 Iowa State 55, South Dakota 7

Rocco Becht completed 19 of 20 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns, and the Cyclones cruised past the FCS Coyotes in Ames, Iowa.

Becht set a school record by completing 95 percent of his passes and established another school mark with a TD pass in 20 consecutive games. Benjamin Brahmer caught seven passes for 47 yards and two TDs for Iowa State (2-0), which won its home opener one week after starting the season in Ireland. Kyle Konrardy added two field goals, including a 63-yarder that set a school record.

Aidan Bouman completed 15 of 29 passes for 126 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for South Dakota (0-1). Bouman was making his return to Ames, where he was a reserve signal-caller for Iowa State before transferring in 2022 to South Dakota to become a starter.

No. 23 Texas Tech 67, Arkansas Pine-Bluff 7

Behren Morton threw four touchdown passes before departing in the second quarter with an injury as the Red Raiders routed the Golden Lions in each team’s season opener in Lubbock, Texas.

Morton, who completed 16 of 18 attempts for 201 yards, left the game after linebacker Tayvon Hardwick hit him on the lower right leg and was called for roughing the passer. Morton stayed in for one more play and went to the locker room for treatment. That and a weather delay were the only things to slow down the Red Raiders. The teams agreed to play eight-minute quarters in the second half, but Texas Tech still wound up with 608 total yards and 34 first downs.

The Golden Lions, an FCS program that plays in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, avoided a shutout with Christian Peters’ 7-yard touchdown pass to Ellis Stewart with 6:16 left in the game.

No. 24 Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26

Joey Aguilar threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns as the Volunteers topped the Orange at Atlanta in the season opener for both teams.

Playing his first game for Tennessee, Aguilar was a somewhat erratic 16-of-28 passing but benefited from a dominant rushing attack. The Volunteers averaged 6.2 yards per carry, including a strong performance from Star Thomas, who had 12 carries for 92 yards.

Yasin Willis had three rushing touchdowns for Syracuse and finished with 91 yards on 23 carries.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Seattle, Washington, USA; Colorado State Rams running back Jalen Dupree (2) celebrates after rushing for a touchdown against the Washington Huskies during the second quarter at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images

Jonah Coleman runs for 177 yards, 2 TDs as Washington tops Colorado State

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Jonah Coleman rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns on 24 carries to help Washington record a 38-21 victory over Colorado State on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams in Seattle.

Demond Williams Jr. completed 18 of 24 passes for 226 yards and one touchdown and Denzel Boston caught five passes for 92 yards and one score for the Huskies. Adam Mohammed and Kade Eldridge each rushed for a touchdown as Washington won its 21st consecutive home game.

Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi was 17-of-32 passing for 180 yards, one touchdown and one interception for the Rams. Jalen Dupree rushed for 92 yards and one score, Jaxxon Warren caught six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown and Tahj Bullock rushed for a TD for Colorado State.

The Rams were outgained 509-265 while losing their season opener for the eighth straight season.

Makell Esteen intercepted a pass for Washington in the third quarter.

Washington scored the game’s final 17 points and moved ahead to stay when Williams threw a 12-yard scoring pass to Boston for a 28-21 lead with 3:01 left in the third quarter.

Grady Gross added a 24-yard field goal to boost the lead to 10 with 12:11 remaining in the game.

Coleman ripped off a 38-yard run midway through the fourth quarter to move the ball to the Colorado State 3-yard line. He ran it in on the next play to make it 38-21 with 1:41 left in the game.

Earlier, the Huskies took a 21-14 lead on Eldridge’s 1-yard run with 11:17 left in the third quarter.

Colorado State tied the game for the third time when Warren caught a 27-yard touchdown pass from Fowler-Nicolosi.

Washington outgained the Rams 260-160 in the first half though the game was tied at 14 at the break.

Coleman started the scoring with a 26-yard run with 11:08 left in the opening quarter.

Colorado State answered with Bullock’s 2-yard run to tie it with 6:47 remaining.

Adam Mohammed scored from the 1 to give the Huskies a 14-7 lead with 10:43 left in the first half. The Rams knotted the score on Dupree’s 15-yard run with 10 seconds to go.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Pasadena, California, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) runs the ball against the Utah Utes during the first half at Rose Bowl. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Devon Dampier accounts for 3 TDs as Utah takes down UCLA

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Devon Dampier passed for 206 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another 87 yards and a score, helping Utah to a 43-10 rout of UCLA in the season opener for both teams on Saturday night in Pasadena, Calif.

Dampier, a junior transfer from New Mexico, completed 21 of 25 passes in his team debut for the Utes, who went 14-for-16 on third downs while holding the Bruins to 2-for-11.

UCLA quarterback Nico Iamaleava, who went through a much higher publicized transfer from Tennessee in the offseason, completed 11 of 22 passes for 136 yards with a touchdown and an interception. He also ran for a team-high 47 yards on 13 carries.

Utah scored on its first three drives, with two of the touchdowns scored by players who normally play defense for the Utes.

Wayshawn Parker capped the opening 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 13-yard touchdown run. Dillon Curtis missed the point-after try to keep the score 6-0.

After stopping the Bruins on downs on their opening drive, Utah extended its lead to 13-0 when Smith Snowden broke a tackle in the backfield on third-and-3 and cut into the end zone for an 8-yard touchdown run.

Snowden also starts at cornerback for the Utes.

Utah defensive end Logan Fano had a tackle for loss and a sack on consecutive plays to snuff out UCLA’s second drive.

Utah took possession and Dampier hit Lander Barton for a 14-yard touchdown pass off a play-action to make it 20-0 with 12:44 left in the first half.

Barton is a linebacker who was Utah’s leading tackler last season.

Iamaleava hit Anthony Woods out of the backfield for a 19-yard touchdown to cut it to 20-7 with 6:46 left in the half.

Utah converted its first six third-down situations before Dampier was taken down for a loss by UCLA linebacker Isaiah Chisom and the Utes punted with 3:09 left in the half, but the Bruins couldn’t capitalize.

Instead, the Utes got the ball back and Curtis booted a 54-yard field goal with four seconds left to give Utah a 23-7 lead at the half.

Mateen Bhaghani kicked a 46-yard field goal for UCLA on the first drive of the second half to cut it to 23-10, but the Utes answered with a 20-play drive capped by a 2-yard touchdown run by Dampier on fourth-and-goal with 2:50 left in the third quarter to extend the lead to 30-10.

Dampier later hit Dallen Bentley for a 2-yard touchdown pass to make it 36-10 with 10:05 left in the game, and NaQuari Rogers finished off a 1-yard run with 6:29 remaining for a 43-10 lead.

–Field Level Media

Aug 30, 2025; Tucson, Arizona, USA; Arizona Wildcats quarterback Noah Fifita (1) passes the ball during the first quarter of the game against the Hawaii Rainbow Warriors at Arizona Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Aryanna Frank-Imagn Images

Arizona’s defense leads way to dominant win over Hawaii

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Arizona’s defense produced five turnovers that resulted in 23 points, and it held Hawaii to 67 yards on the ground in the Wildcats’ 40-6 season-opening victory Saturday at Tucson, Ariz.

The Wildcats routed the Rainbow Warriors (1-1) despite having a time-of-possession deficit of 35:44 to 24:16.

Big plays, including a 54-yard touchdown run by Quincy Craig, and playing with a short field after many of the turnovers made up for the disparity in time of possession.

Craig, a transfer from Portland State, finished with 125 yards on seven carries.

Arizona quarterback Noah Fifita, playing for new offensive coordinator Seth Doege, completed 13 of 23 attempts for 161 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

Hawaii’s Michael Alejado, who engineered the Rainbow Warriors’ comeback victory over Stanford last week despite an ankle sprain, was unable to finish against Arizona.

Alejado aggravated his ankle injury with 5:22 left in the third quarter and did not return. He was 18 of 31 for 157 yards with an interception.

After Chase Kennedy strip-sacked Alejado and recovered the fumble, Craig broke free for his 54-yard touchdown run with 12:26 remaining in the second quarter, giving the Wildcats a 14-3 lead.

Kansei Matsuzawa, who converted the game-winning field goal against Stanford last week, nailed a 41-yard field goal as time expired to cut Arizona’s lead to 17-6 going into halftime.

Fifita ended the 65-yard drive that opened the second half with a 5-yard touchdown pass to Sam Olson.

After Arizona junior linebacker Taye Brown snagged his first interception since he was a junior in high school, Fifita scored the second rushing touchdown of his career.

His 10-yard scamper to the end zone increased the Wildcats’ lead to 31-6 with 6:46 left in the third quarter.

Michael Salgado-Medina drilled a 52-yard field goal with 13:14 remaining after Arizona’s Julian Savaiinaea recovered a fumble at the Hawaii 24.

An interception in the end zone by defensive back Gavin Hunter that was returned to the Arizona 28 ultimately led to another touchdown for the Wildcats.

Ismael Mahdi capped Arizona’s subsequent drive with a 5-yard touchdown run.

–Field Level Media