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Colorado beats No. 17 TCU 45-42 in back-and-forth shootout, coach Deion Sanders’ debut

TCU head coach Sonny Dykes, left, and Colorado head coach Deion Sanders shake hands after an NCAA college football game Saturday, Sept. 2, 2023, in Fort Worth, Texas. (AP Photo/LM Otero)

By The Associated Press

FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Coach Deion Sanders’ son, Shedeur, threw for 510 yards with four touchdowns and Colorado pulled off a season-opening shocker Saturday with a 45-42 win over 17th-ranked TCU, last season’s national runner-up.

Shedeur Sanders threw a touchdown to freshman Dylan Edwards with 4:25 left to take the lead in the back-and-forth game.

Edwards caught three touchdowns, including a 75-yarder in the opening minute of the second half when he turned another short pass into a big play. He also ran for a score.

Two-way starter Travis Hunter, the former top recruit who came with the quarterback and coach from FCS school Jackson State, had 11 catches for 119 yards. As a defensive back, he had one of the two interceptions that TCU’s Chandler Morris threw in or near the end zone.

Hunter, Edwards and Shedeur Sanders are among 87 newcomers at Colorado, which won only one game last season and has only two winning records since 2005.

Morris was 24-of-42 passing for 279 yards and two touchdowns. Emani Baily ran for 165 yards. Trey Sanders had three TD runs for TCU.

NO. 1 GEOGIA 48, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 7

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Carson Beck overcame a sluggish first half to throw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Mews and Georgia, the two-time defending national champion, leaned on its defense to overwhelm Tennessee-Martin.

Georgiashowed it must make progress on offense if it can realize its dream of becoming the first team to win three straight national championships in The Associated Press poll era. The Bulldogs were outgained in the opening quarter and led only 17-0 at halftime against the Football Championship Subdivision Skyhawks,

Beck, placed in the difficult position of following Stetson Bennett’s back-to-back championship seasons at quarterback, gained momentum in the second half. He threw a short completion to his left to Mews, who cut back to the middle of the field, dodged a would-be tackler and used his speed for his first career scoring catch.

It was the longest career completion for Beck, a junior who beat out Brock Vandagriff for the starting job. Beck opened Georgia’s next possession with a 47-yard completion to C.J. Smith before adding a 25-yarder to Mews.

Beck, who had a 4-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, completed 21 of 31 passes for 294 yards with one touchdown. Vandagriff entered the game late in the third quarter and completed a 56-yard pass to Rara Thomas in the fourth before adding a 21-yard scoring pass to tight end Oscar Delp.

NO. 2 MICHIGAN 30, EAST CAROLINA 3

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — J.J. McCarthy threw three touchdown passes to Roman Wilson, helping Michigan rout East Carolina.

The Wolverines were without coach Jim Harbaugh, who began serving a school-imposed, three-game suspension for breaking NCAA rules.

McCarthy completed 26 of 30 passes for 280 yards and threw a touchdown pass to Wilson in each of the first three quarters.

All-America running back Blake Corum, coming off knee surgery, ran for 73 yards on 10 carries and had a 2-yard touchdown run.

Quarterback Mason Garcia was 11 of 18 for 80 yards for the Pirates and had a deflected pass picked off by Mike Sainristil. Garcia shared time with Alex Flinn, who was 6 of 11 for 52 yards.

NO. 3 OHIO ST 23, INDIANA 3

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Miyan Williams rushed for two touchdowns and new quarterback Kyle McCord picked up his first victory since being named the starter for Ohio State in a win over Indiana.

The Buckeyes have won 23 consecutive season-openers and extended the FBS’ longest active winning streak in a series to 28.

Indiana has lost nine of its last 10 dating to last season.

After Williams capped Ohio State’s opening possession with a 7-yard scoring run, the teams traded field goals to make it 10-3 at halftime. The Buckeyes added a short field goal to make it 13-3 midway through the third quarter before Williams finally broke through with a 3-yard TD run to give the Buckeyes a 20-3 lead with 1:51 remaining in the third.

All-America receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. caught two passes for 18 yards and also had a touchdown nullified by an illegal touching call.

Second-year quarterbacks Tayven Jackson and Brendan Sorsby split snaps for Indiana, combining to go 9 of 21 with 82 yards.

NO. 10 WASHINGTON 56, BOISE ST 19

SEATTLE (AP) — Michael Penix Jr. threw for 450 yards and matched his career high with five touchdown passes and Washington overwhelmed Boise State.

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. He connected with Jalen McMillan on two of his TD passes, and McMillan added a 19-yard touchdown run off a direct snap on the first play of the fourth quarter to give Washington a 42-19 lead.

McMillan finished with eight receptions for 95 yards and touchdowns of 7 and 38 yards.

The 56 points were the most allowed by Boise State since an overtime win over Nevada in 2007.

Boise State’s Taylen Green threw for 244 yards, including a 50-yard screen pass touchdown to Ashton Jeanty early in the second half that pulled the Broncos within 28-19. But Green was intercepted twice and had too many unsuccessful drives to keep up with Washington.

NO. 11 TEXAS 37, RICE 10

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Quinn Ewers passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as Texas overcame a sluggish start with an overwhelming third quarter to beat Rice.

Ewers connected with Jonathan Brooks on a 37-yard TD in the first quarter and Bert Auburn kicked three first-half field goals for the Longhorns, the longest a 49-yarder. Ewers connected with Georgia transfer Adonai Mitchell for a 9-yard score that put Texas ahead 23-3. Another TD pass to J.T. Sanders and Ewers’ own short scamper to the end zone finished the Texas scoring.

Texas put Rice quarterback J.T. Daniels under relentless pressure and allowed the Owls only 172 total yards.

NO. 12 TENNESSEE 49, VIRGINIA 13

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Joe Milton III threw two touchdown passes and ran for two other scores as Tennessee routed Virginia.

Tennessee and Virginia marked the Cavs’ first football game since a shooting left three players dead last November with a moment of silence before kickoff. The Vols also wore a sticker on the back of their helmets with the numbers of the late Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry.

Tennessee scored on its opening drive and never trailed. Milton’s 1-yard run just before halftime put the Vols up 21-3. Dylan Sampson caught a 9-yard TD pass that capped Tennessee’s first drive. He also had three TD runs of 3 yards or less.

Tony Muskett started for Virginia after transferring from Monmouth and quickly found Southeastern Conference defense is nothing like the Colonial Athletic Association. He was 9 of 17 for 94 yards before being replaced late.

NO. 13 NOTRE DAME 56, TENNESSEE ST 3

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (AP) — Sam Hartman passed for 194 yards and two touchdowns and Notre Dame’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown for a second straight game as the Irish beat Tennessee State.

Hartman completed 14 of 17 passes and delighted the Notre Dame Stadium fans in his home debut when he somersaulted into the end zone on a 5-yard run. Hartman turned things over to backup Steve Angeli with the Irish (2-0) leading 35-3 early in the third quarter.

Audric Estime ran 13 times for 116 yards and a touchdown. His longest run went for 50 yards and set up Hartman’s leaping touchdown.

The Irish’s defense has not allowed a touchdown over eight quarters. Tennessee State scored on a field goal in the first quarter.

NO. 15 OREGON 81, PORTLAND ST 7

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Bo Nix threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns before heading for the bench early in the third quarter and Oregon built a 43-point halftime lead en route to a victory over Portland State.

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 back to 2008.

Dante Chachere threw for 35 yards and the lone touchdown for Portland State.

NO. 19 WISCONSIN 38, BUFFALO 17

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — Chez Mellusi ran for 157 yards and two touchdowns, Braelon Allen added 141 yards and two more scores and Wisconsin started the first season of Luke Fickell’s coaching tenure with a victory over Buffalo.

Mellusi, a Clemson transfer who came to Wisconsin in 2021, had an 89-yard touchdown run in which he navigated through the defense to make it 21-10 in the third quarter. He had 13 carries.

Allen had 14 rushes, and caught seven passes for 25 yards. His 37-yard touchdown run extended the lead to 28-10 in the third.

SMU transfer Tanner Mordecai threw for 189 yards and a touchdown, and two interceptions, in his first start for the Badgers.

NO. 20 OKLAHOMA 73, ARKANSAS ST 0

NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — Dillon Gabriel completed 19 of 22 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns — all in the first half — and Oklahoma beat Arkansas State.

Gabriel also ran for a score in the first half to help Oklahoma take a 45-0 lead. The Sooners gained 437 yards before the break while holding Arkansas State to 106.

Oklahoma freshman quarterback Jackson Arnold, a consensus five-star recruit, played most of the second half. He completed all 11 of his passes for 114 yards and a touchdown and ran for 39 yards and another score.

The Sooners held the Red Wolves to 208 total yards and 10 first downs. Arkansas State committed 14 penalties for 111 yards.

Colorado transfer J.T. Shrout connected on 12 of 26 passes for 148 yards for Arkansas State.

NO. 22 MISSISSIPPI 73, MERCER 7

OXFORD, Miss. (AP) — Jaxson Dart threw four touchdown passes, including three to Tre Harris in the opening four minutes as Mississippi rolled to a rout of Mercer.

Ole Miss opened with four consecutive touchdown drives and built a 38-7 halftime lead. Dart was 11 of 11 for 237 yards in the early surge and finished 18 of 23 passing for 334 yards before yielding to Oklahoma State transfer Spencer Sanders midway through the third quarter.

Harris, a transfer from Louisiana Tech after earning All-Conference USA honors last season, had touchdown receptions of 38, 28, 20 and 16 yards to break a school record for TD receptions in a single game.

Mercer, ranked No. 22 in the AFCA poll of FCS schools, scored on its first offensive snap, a 75-yard run by quarterback Carter Peevy. The Bears finished with 237 yards of total offense, including 138 from Peevy on 16-of-29 passing, but never seriously threatened again.

NO. 25 IOWA 24, UTAH STATE 14

IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Cade McNamara threw for 191 yards and two touchdowns in his Iowa debut to help the Hawkeyes beat Utah State.

The touchdowns came on Iowa’s first two offensive possessions, and the Hawkeyes didn’t get into the end zone again until Kaleb Johnson’s 3-yard run in the fourth quarter. Iowa, which had one of the worst offenses in the nation last season, finished with 284 yards.

Utah State got field goals from William Testa and Elliott Nimrod and a 16-yard touchdown pass from Cooper Legas to Terrell Vaughn late in the fourth quarter.

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AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll

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