Moore throws for 3 TDs and No. 2 Oregon overcomes a slow start to beat Boise State

Eugene, Ore, (AP) — Dante Moore threw for 388 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 2 Oregon overcame a slow start to down resilient Boise State 34-27 in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.

After trading field goals to tie the game at 27 in the fourth quarter, Dakorien Moore scored on a 62-yard reception to give the Ducks the lead for good with 7:51 left to play.

Oregon has won 16 straight season openers at Autzen Stadium. The Ducks have 39 straight wins at home against nonconference opponents, the longest streak in the nation.

Dante Moore opted to stay at Oregon after throwing for 3,565 yards and 30 touchdowns last season when the Ducks went 13-2.

Boise State returned quarterback in Maddux Madsen, who threw for 181 yards and three scores in the opener after finishing last season with 2,334 yards passing and 18 touchdowns.

The Broncos, who join the rebuilt Pac-12 this year, went 9-5 last season in the Mountain West and fell to Washington 38-10 in the LA Bowl.

NO. 1 OHIO ST. 56, BALL ST. 3

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jeremiah Smith had two highlight reel-worthy touchdown catches, Julian Sayin passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns, and Ohio State tuned up for next week’s matchup against No. 5 Texas with a rout of Ball State.

The Buckeyes (1-0) went three-and-out on their opening drive before finding the end zone on seven of their next nine possessions.

Smith had eight receptions for 151 yards, all in the first half. He started Ohio State’s scoring with a 48-yard, one-handed, over-the-shoulder grab in the end zone off a play-action pass by Sayin. He extended the Buckeyes’ advantage to 28-3 with 10 seconds left in the first half with a 3-yard catch in the back of the end zone.

Sayin completed 21 of 25 passes before coming out midway through the third quarter. He also had the first rushing score of his career on a 3-yard run up the middle on fourth-and-goal to make it 21-0 three minutes into the second quarter.

Bo Jackson (65 yards) and Ja’Kobi Jackson (49 yards) added long rushing TDs in the third quarter. Devin McCuin had six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.

NO. 3 GEORGIA 63, TENNESSEE ST. 3

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Gunner Stockton passed for three touchdowns, Nate Frazier ran for three scores and No. 3 Georgia overwhelmed Tennessee State.

The temperature was 101 degrees at kickoff and the heat likely was a factor in some fans leaving Sanford Stadium at the end of the first quarter when the Bulldogs already led 28-0.

Georgia (1-0) scored touchdowns on its first five possessions, all with Stockton at quarterback. Frazier scored on a 48-yard run on his first carry and added a 14-yard touchdown run on his second carry.

Stockton completed 15 of 16 passes for 202 yards and three touchdowns.

Georgia backup quarterback Ryan Puglisi led two touchdown drives, the first capped by Frazier’s 3-yard scoring run, to open the second half. Frazier ran for 72 yards on only four carries.

The Bulldogs’ third quarterback, Ryan Montgomery, threw a 54-yard scoring pass to Jeremy Bell. A fourth quarterback, Hezekiah Millender, led a touchdown drive capped by Jae Lamar’s 11-yard run.

NO. 5 TEXAS 59, TEXAS ST. 7

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Arch Manning passed for 305 yards and four touchdowns, including two to Cam Coleman, and No. 5 Texas eased into the season with a win over Texas State.

Manning connected with Coleman for Texas’ first touchdown and with Ryan Wingo on the Longhorns’ next possession. Graceson Littleton’s 59-yard fumble return touchdown put Texas ahead 28-0 in the second quarter.

Coleman played his first two seasons at Auburn and was one of the top transfers in the country when he signed with Texas. He caught three passes for 70 yards in his Longhorns debut. Raleek Brown, who transferred from Arizona State, also scored twice.

Manning left the game in the third quarter with Texas leading 42-7.

NO. 6 INDIANA 52, NORTH TEXAS 16

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Josh Hoover threw for 231 yards and four touchdowns, including a 15-yard score on his first pass with No. 6 Indiana, and Turbo Richard rushed for two more scores to help the defending national champs open the season with a rout of North Texas.

After celebrating last year’s title during a pregame ceremony, Indiana extended the Football Bowl Subdivision’s longest active winning streak to 17 games and the FBS’ longest active home winning streak to 16.

Hoover finished 13 of 16 with no turnovers as he steps in for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.

Richard, a transfer from Boston College, had 15 carries for 58 yards and one catch for 38. Charlie Becker had four catches for 64 yards and two scores while Nick Marsh and Davion Chandler each had TD receptions.

Jahiem White rushed 14 times for 61 yards and one score as well as catching seven passes for 36 yards in his North Texas debut.

NO. 13 ALABAMA 48, EAST CAROLINA 10

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Keelon Russell accounted for 335 yards and a touchdown, and Alabama opened the season with a victory over East Carolina.

Russell, a sophomore making his first career start after beating out Austin Mack during training camp, ran for 86 yards and a score. He also threw for 249 yards, including 130 of those to Ryan Coleman-Williams.

Russell directed five consecutive scoring drives to start the game, and Alabama (1-0) finished with 480 yards and 27 first downs.

The Crimson Tide, who ranked 15th in the Southeastern Conference in rushing last season, totaled 227 yards on the ground.

East Carolina (0-1) managed just 162 yards and five first downs. The Pirates were 0 for 9 on third down and gained 2 yards on 22 carries. Mitch Griffis completed 10 of 16 passes for 137 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.

NO. 18 PENN ST. 45, MARSHALL 0

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Rocco Becht threw for 271 yards with four touchdowns and No. 18 Penn State beat Marshall to begin the Matt Campbell era.

Becht, a transfer who followed Campbell from Iowa State to Happy Valley, was in command in his Beaver Stadium debut and secured his FBS-leading 27th win as a starter.

He had plenty of help from familiar teammates who also left the Cyclones, and a host of new ones who stuck around after former coach James Franklin was fired midway through last season.

Koby Howard, one of those holdovers who was used sparingly by the previous staff, had six catches for 161 yards with a touchdown. Brett Eskildsen, Benjamin Brahmer and Zay Robinson caught touchdown passes, and new defensive coordinator D’Anton Lynn’s defense held Marshall to just 147 yards.

The Thundering Herd (0-1) crossed midfield just three times, one thanks to a facemask penalty against Penn State.

NO. 20 TENNESSEE 56, FURMAN 9

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Faizon Brandon threw for 226 yards and three touchdowns and ran for two more to lead No. 20 Tennessee to a victory over Furman.

In a little over two quarters, the freshman hit Mike Matthews on scoring passes of 55 and 57 yards to spark the Volunteers to a 42-0 lead before redshirt freshman quarterback George MacIntyre took over.

DeSean Bishop rushed for 97 yards and a score but lost a fumble. Justin Baker’s 73-yard TD run was a fourth quarter highlight.

Tennessee defensive tackle Xavier Gilliam, who transferred from Penn State, sacked Furman quarterback Jake Garcia three times.

The Paladins, who play in the Football Championship Subdivision, scored all their points after Tennessee turnovers. Garcia was 8 for 17 for 36 yards. Isaiah Davis hada 23-yard touchdown run.

NO. 22 IOWA 40, N. ILLINOIS 0

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Kamari Moulton ran for a career-high 183 yards and two touchdowns and No. 22 Iowa’s defense shut down Northern Illinois in a victory in the season opener for both teams.

Moulton, Iowa’s leading rusher last season, passed his previous career high of 114 yards in the first quarter, when he had 132 yards with touchdown runs of 50 and 37 yards.

It was the first regular-season look at the Iowa quarterback battle between Hank Brown and Jeremy Hecklinski, who came into the game sharing the top spot on the depth chart.

Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz said earlier in the week that each would get playing time in the game. Brown got the start, leading the Hawkeyes to touchdowns on their first three series before Hecklinski made his first appearance.

Brown finished 12 of 20 passing for 129 yards. Hecklinski was 7 of 16 for 76 yards with an interception. Brown threw a 6-yard touchdown pass to Tony Diaz on Iowa’s opening series of the game, and Hecklinski threw a 8-yard touchdown pass to Xavier Williams in the second quarter.

NO. 23 HOUSTON 33, OREGON ST. 20

HOUSTON (AP) — Conner Weigman threw for 305 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score, Re’Shaun Sanford II and Mekhi Hughes added rushing scores and Houston beat Oregon State in the teams’ season opener.

Weigman completed 20 of 30 passes and tossed a 31-yard scoring pass to Amare Thomas in the first quarter. Weigman also scored on a 1-yard rush with five minutes left in the fourth, increasing Houston’s lead to 33-20.

Sanford had a 56-yard touchdown run with 6 1/2 minutes left in the second quarter to put the Cougars up 16-7. Hughes added a 1-yard score with 6:40 remaining in the third to increase the lead to 26-7.

Thomas caught eight passes for 133 yards, and Hughes rushed for 98 yards for Houston, which outgained Oregon State 533 yards to 402.

Braden Atkinson finished 29 of 48 for 376 yards and a touchdown, and Jesse Legree caught five passes for 136 yards and a TD for the Beavers.

_____