COLLEGE FOOTBALL RECAP: WEEK 1
1 Florida State vs Oklahoma State (In Arlington)
Florida State took on Oklahoma State in the annual Cowboy Classic and the defending national champions jumped out to an early 10-0 lead on the least experienced team in the country and it looked as if they would add on 7 more when Jameis Winston threw his first career interception in the redzone, as Seth Jacobs picked off the defending Heisman champion on a pass intended for the endzone but Famous Jameis regrouped and mid-2nd quarter the ‘Noles went play action and Winston found Rashad Greene for a 51 yard connection down the left sideline. Let’s skip ahead to the third quarter, a 3 point game and Winston call his own number, can’t make the first down but defensive holding keeps the drive alive and on the very next play Winston runs it himself again, hurdling over a blocker for the score, but those pesky Cowboys would not go away. OK State QB JW Walsh says what you can do I can do better and the Junior took off, 24 yards later he was in the endzone, we are back down to a 3-point deficit and after a Florida State field goal JW Walsh, trying to answer takes off and is taken out from beneath him, Walsh flips head over heels and fumbles the football, Florida State would recover and two plays later Jameis Winston would throw a beautiful pass to Rashad Green who spun between two defenders and took it all the way, 50 yards to the house. The ‘noles survive, 37-31.
Jameis Winston: 25/40, 370 Yds, TD, 2 Int, Rush TD
JW Walsh: 15/27, 203 Yds, TD, 2 Rush TD
West Virginia vs 2 Alabama (In Atlanta)
The #2 team in the country, Alabama faced West Virginia in the annual Chick-fil-a kickoff game and new quarterback Blake Sims did not look good early, he threw a low ball to Amari Cooper on third down on his first deive, but Sims would make up for it on the first play of the 2nd quarter he found Christion Jones on a 22 yard pass down to the Mountaineer 15, TJ Yeldon would punch it in from the one but West Virginia hung around foe a little while, as Florida State transfer Clint Trickett made a beautiful pass into the corner of the endzone to Kevin White to tie it at 10. Late 2nd quarter, after Alabama took a 17-10 lead West Virginia would tie it up immediately as Mario Alford took the kickoff 100 yards after just putting on the jets, man that dude is fast all the way for a touchdown to tie it back up at 17 a piece. Alabama would strike back and after a 5 play, 51 yard drive the Crimson Tide would hand it off to Derrick Henry and the 6-3, 241 pounder powered it around the outside for a 19 yard touchdown. 3rd and 5, last chance for West Virginia Clint Trickett surveying the field and firing over the middle but Landon Collins lays the boom with a huge hit to end the Mountaineers chances of upset.
Clint Trickett: 29/45, 365 Yds, TD
TJ Yeldon: 23 Rush, 126 Yds, 2 TD
14 Wisconson vs 13 LSU (In Houston)
Wisconsin looked to make a statement early against LSU as the badgers jumped out to an early 10-0 lead but LSU was also trying to prove itself as a contender in the SEC West but starting a new quarterback can be tough, just not this time, S0phomore Anthony Jennings throwing it up to Travin Dural and it goes 80 yards to the endzone, touchdown! Wisconsin tried to pull away, it was 24-13 but Jennings found John Diarse over the middle and Diarse broke three tackles on his way to a 36 yard touchdown! They would convert the 2 point conversion to cut the lead to three and next LSU possession Kenny Hilliard finds a hole and takes it28 yards to give LSU a 4-point lead. Late 4th quarter, Wisconsin trying to make a push and Tanner McEvoy throwing deep… but it’s picked off by Jalen Mills that seals the game. The Tigerswere down 17 at one point but came back to win.
Melvin Gordon: 16 Rush, 140 Yds, TD
Anthony Jennings: 9/21, 139 Yds, 2 TD
Arkansas at 6 Auburn
Auburn started the game without star quarterback Nick Marshall who was suspended for the beginning of the game but that didn’t seem to matter as backup quarterback Jeremy Johnson found Melvin Ray who took it down the sideline,48 yards, touchdown. Second quarter now and Johnson fires a bullet over the middle to D’haquille Williams to put the lead at 14 but Arkansas hung around, tying the game up after Jonathan Williams took it for a TD on a pitch but then Nick Marshall came in and found Melvin Ray, for 28 yards moving the chains and then Marshall took it on a read option in for the score and Auburn goes on to win 45-21.
Cameron Artis-Payne: 26 Rush, 177 Yds, TD
Nick Marshall: 4/5, 50 YDs
16 Clemson at 12 Georgia
Last year’s game was a thriller and this one was too, for a while at least. 8 minutes into the first quarter Todd Gurley, the Heisman contender took it around the outside 23 yards for the score. Let’s skip ahead, 14-7 Georgia but Clemson answers when Cole Stoudt throws deep to Charone Peake who makes a nice grab, TOUCHDOWN! Georgia started to pull away after a kickoff return touchdown and this put the nail in the coffin, Gurley outrunning everyone on the Clemson team taking it 51 yards for the score and Georgia wins 45-21.
Todd Gurley: 15 Rush, 198 Yds, 3 TD, KO ret TD
Hutson Mason: 18/26, 131 Yds, Rush TD
Louisiana Tech at 4 Oklahoma
Oklahoma, trying to start the road to Arlington with a win, taking on Louisiana Tech. Oklahoma went for it on 4th and 2 in the first quarter for some reason, but it worked. Trevor Knight completes the pass to Dimitri Flowers for a first down and the very next play he would hand it off to Keith Ford who goes 22 yards nearly untouched for the TD. Next drive Knight finds Sterling Shepard on the fade route for another touchdown. Oklahoma cruises, 48-16.
Keith Ford: 9 Rush, 51 Yds, 2 TD
Trevor Knight: 19/34, 253 Yds, TD, Int
South Dakota at 3 Oregon
The Ducks of Oregon had a “pick your score” type of game vs South Dakota as Marcus Mariota looked great, finding Dwayne Stanford over the top on a 62 yard dagger then throwing it to Byron Marshall down the right sideline for a score, the Ducks ran all over SDU. Mariota would find Marshall over the middle again down to the 1 and then Mariota would punch it in himself. The Ducks go on to win 62-13.
Marcus Mariota: 14/20, 267 Yds, 3 TD, Rush TD
Byron Marshall: 8 Rec, 138 Yds, 2 TD
Fresno State at 15 USC
USC warming up for the season against Fresno State and Cody Kessler looked great, he found Nelson Agholor in the corner of the endzone, touchdown. Then Kessler spinning around a defender and finding Aholor who tips it up in the air and then catches it crazy play. Later in the quarter Kessler threw a dart to Adoree Jackson for another touchdown. 2nd half now, USC goes play action and Kessler throws it over the top to Bryce Dixon, USC would win 52-13.
Cody Kessler: 25/37, 394 Yds, 4 TD, Rush TD
Javorious Allen: 22 Rush, 133 Yds, TD
North Texas at Texas
Charlie Strong coaching his first game with the Longhorns against North Texas. First drive of the game David Ash scrambling and finding John Harris for a first down. Then finding Harris again down to the 3 yard line! He then finds Harris again on a screen and he takes it in for the score. Texas went on to win 38-7.
David Ash: 19/34, 190 Yds, TD, Rush TD
Malcolm Brown: 13 Rush, 65 Yds
Penn State vs UCF (in Dublin)
Penn State trying to get Revenge vs UCF in Ireland. On 3rd and 17 Christian Hackenberg throwing deep on third and 17 to Geno Lewis, giving Penn State a 20-10 lead. Late 4th, UCF trying to make a comeback. Justin Holman throwing it up to Josh Reese and he catches it! Next play Holman runs it himself and UCF has a 24-23 lead. Penn State last chance, 4th down, Christian Hackenberg takes off, FIRST DOWN! and now Sam Fricken, remember he missed 4 field goals and an extra point 2 years ago vs Virginia setting up for a 36 yarder, snap, down, kick is up AND GOOD PENN STATE WINS! 26-24!
Christian Hackenberg: 32/47, 454 Yds, TD, 2 Int
Justin Holman: 9/14, 204 Yds, TD, 2 Rush TD
5 Ohio State vs Navy (in Baltimore)
After Braxton Miller went down with injury a couple of weeks back, JT Barrett would be the quarterback for the Buckeyes and it did not start well, 2nd quarter OSU driving and Barrett IS PICKED OFF by Parrish Gaines! 3rd quarter and Navy’s DeBrandon Sanders runs with it for 13 yds down to the 4 they would score. JT Barrett would strike back throwing deep to Devin Smith, 80 yds after a couple of broken tackles TD! OSU would pull away 34-17.
JT Barrett: 12/15, 226 Yds, 2 TD, Int
Ohio State: 15 straight season opening wins
Appalachian State at Michigan
Last time these two played Appalachian State pulled off the biggest upset in history, not this time Devin Gardner found Devin Funchess early for a score and it was all Wolverines from there! Michigan goes on to win, 52-14.
Devin Gardner: 13/14, 173 Yds, 3 TD
Devin Funchess: 7 Rec, 95 Yds, 3 TD
California at Northwestern
Cal lost to Northwestern last year but not this time. Jared Goff would find Kenny Lawler over the middle for a score to give the Golden Bears a 14-point lead. Then one of the craziest trick plays ever, Trevor Siemian throws a screen to Jayme Taylor who throws it right back to Siemian who runs it for the touchdown. Northwestern down 7 trying to tie it up, Siemian looking, throwing, and it’s picked off by Jalen Jefferson and Cal wins 31-24.
Jared Goff: 21/34, 281 Yds, 3 TD, Int
Trevor Siemian: 23/44, 229 Yds, TD, Rec TD
Rice at 17 Notre Dame
Notre Dame looking to cruise over Rice and Everett Golson throwing up top to William Fuller who spins around a defender, touchdown! Later in the first half, on third down Golson calls his own number and takes it all the way diving into the endzone TOUCHDOWN!Then Golson, late in the half chucking it deep, hit as he throws and it is caught by CJ Prosise! 53 yards! Notre Dame goes on to win: 48-17.
Everett Golson: 14/22, 295 Yds, 2 TD, 3 Rush TD
Rice: 22-game losing streak vs ranked opponents
UC Davis at 11 Stanford
This is basically a warm-up game for Stanford. Kevin Hogan was great, and he even had a 40 yard pass to Michael Rector to give Stanford a 21-0 lead. Then on 4th down screen pass to Ty Montgomery who makes everyone miss, touchdown, that makes it 35-0. STanford would go on to win 45-0.
Kevin Hogan: 12/16, 204 Yds, 3 TD, Int
Stanford: 17-game home winning streak
Question of the Week
Q: Agree or Disagree: There will be more controversy with the College Football Playoff than there was with the BCS
I disagree what do you think, answer in the comments below?
7 UCLA at Virginia
Virginia, winless in the ACC last year took on UCLA Saturday. Brett Hundley was sacked 5 times by the Washoos but what killed Virginia was turnovers, UCLA had 3 defensive touchdowns in a quarter, including a fumble that was picked up and ran all the way back (I thought his knee was down) to give the Bruins a 14-0 lead. Virginia fought to within four but UCLA sealed the game when Brett Hundley took it himself, touchdown! UCLA wins 28-20
Brett Hundley: 20/33, 242 Yds, Rush TD
Virginia: 5th straight loss vs ranked opponent
Overreacting?
I’m calling it now Ohio State and UCLA are OVERRATED!
Projected College Football Playoff
1. Florida State
2. Georgia
3. Oklahoma
4. Texas A&M
Idaho at Florida
On the opening kickoff Valdez Showers returned it for 64 yards but then the game was suspended for lightning.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
VOTE!
Options
1. John Crockett, North Dakota State: 17 Rush, 138 Yds, 3 TD
2. Cody Kessler, USC: 25-37, 394 Yds, 4 TD, Rush TD
3. Dak Prescott, Mississippi State: 18-26, 284 Yds, 4 TD, Int
4. Rashad Greene, Florida State: 11 Rec, 203 Yds, TD
FUNNIEST MOMENT
Eastern Michigan knocked down a brick wall before running out onto the field.
PLAY OF THE DAY
Behind the back catch!