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(STATS) - The FCS Kickoff had always matched two nationally ranked teams, but Saturday's sixth annual season-opening showcase didn't have any.

Youngstown State apparently wants back in the rankings.

The Penguins took the first step toward what they hope will be a bounce-back season by roaring past Samford 45-22 at the Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Alabama.

YSU (1-0) dominated time of possession, using a 277-yard ground game and forcing four turnovers to hold the ball for 41 minutes, 27 seconds.

The Penguin last beat Samford to open a 2016 FCS playoff run that ended with them finishing as the national runner-up, but coach Bo Pelini's program was a combined 10-11 over the last two seasons, including 4-7 a year ago while facing injuries to key players.

One of the injured, quarterback Nathan Mays returned to open his fifth-year senior season with 214 yards of total offense (124 passing and 90 rushing) and first-half touchdown passes to Samuel St. Surin (16 yards) and Josh Burgett (4).

The Penguins didn't trail after Cash Mitchell returned a fumble by Samford starting quarterback Liam Welch 26 yards for a touchdown late in the first quarter, providing a 14-7 lead as part of 31 unanswered points.

Braxton Chapman had two 1-yard touchdown runs and Christian Turner (89 yards) added a 3-yarder.

In addition to Mitchell's takeaway, the Penguins intercepted Welch three times - Vanderbilt transfer Zaire Jones with a pair and John Harper. Defensive end Justus Reed, who was a medical redshirt last season, had 1½ sacks for the Missouri Valley Football Conference squad.

The Penguins improved to 5-0 all-time against Southern Conference power Samford (0-1), which has posted eight straight winning seasons - the longest streak in program history - but was playing for the first time in four years without all-time FCS passing yardage leader, Devlin Hodges, the 2018 STATS FCS Walter Payton Award recipient. In his first career start, Welch had the four miscues, but he also completed 13 of 22 pass for 142 yards, highlighted by a 55-yard touchdown pass to Robert Adams to open the scoring.

South Florida transfer Chris Oladokun relieved Welch in the fourth quarter and made a case for the starting job. He threw a 64-yard touchdown pass to Montrell Washington and scored on a 10-yard run as part of his 139 total yards, adding a two-point conversion.

With the Samford defense on the field so much, linebackers John Staton and Jaleel Laguins reached double figures in tackles with 12 and 10, respectively.

Samford jumps right back into action next Saturday with a trip to Tennessee Tech. Youngstown State next hosts Howard on Sept. 7 in the first of a three-game homestand.

SAN DIEGO (AP) Tariq Thompson had an interception and a pass breakup in the closing minutes to help San Diego State beat Weber State 6-0 on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.

Redshirt freshman Matt Araiza made a 34-yard field goal late in the second quarter and a 29-yarder early in the fourth. It was SDSU's first shutout since beating Hawaii 55-0 on Nov. 5, 2016.

The Aztecs defense allowed 154 total yards, including 35 rushing, and just five first downs. Weber State, which came in ranked No. 8 in the STATS FCS poll, went three-and-out six times, crossed midfield only once and punted 10 times. Jake Constantine completed 21 of 31 passes for 119 yards.

Jordan Byrd, who finished with five carries for 50 yards, had back-to-back runs of 13 and 15 yards before Araiza's first field goal. Ryan Agnew ran for 14 yards on third-and-9, hit Daniel Bellinger for a 12-yard gain on third-and-8 and then scrambled for a first on third-and-6 to set up the second.

Dwayne Johnson had 12 tackles, including 1 1/2 for losses, for San Diego State.

LAKE CHARLES, La. (AP) Cody Orgeron threw two scores and McNeese held off a late Southern comeback to beat the Jaguars 34-28 on Saturday night in the season opener for both teams.

Elijah Mack's 3-yard touchdown run put McNeese up 34-14 with 5:25 left to play. Southern responded with a 4-play, 75-yard drive to make it 34-21.

McNeese recovered the on-side kick, and the Jaguars defense forced a three-and-out. Bailey Raborn's 37-yard punt went out of bounds at the Southern 1-yard line with 2:36 left. Undeterred, Southern put together a 10-play, 99-yard scoring drive in just under two minutes that ended when Glendon McDaniel plunged in from a yard out. Southern's pooch-kick attempt went out of bounds and the Cowboys escaped with the win.

Orgeron threw for 147 yards in the win.

McDaniel threw for 135 yards and a touchdown and Ladarius Skelton came on in relief and threw two scores.

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (AP) Tyler Johnston III accounted for two touchdowns, Myron Mitchell scored on a 98-yard kickoff return and UAB held off Alabama State 24-19 in a season opener on Thursday night.

Alabama State had its final possession with about six minutes left. KHA'Darris Davis led an eight-play, 37-yard drive to the UAB 46-yard line, but the drive stalled when he threw an interception to Will Boler with 2:54 remaining.

Johnston was 8-of-19 passing and threw a 23-yard touchdown pass to Kendall Parham. Johnston added another 64 yards on the ground and a 1-yard touchdown.

Davis was 18 of 31 for 112 yards passing and connected with Joshua Knight from 7-yards out that capped the scoring with 5:31 remaining in the third quarter. Duran Bell added for 112 yards rushing on just 10 carries and a score for Alabama State.

Mitchell's 98-yard kickoff return into the end zone helped the Dragons build a 14-13 halftime lead.

NEWARK, Del. (AP) - Pat Kehoe ran for one touchdown and threw for two more as No. 22 Delaware won its ninth straight over in-state rival Delaware State, 32-13 Thursday night.

The Blue Hens now have won 19 of their last 26 home openers.

Jose Romo-Martinez connected on field goals of 25 and 30 yards to give the Hornets a 6-3 lead midway through the second quarter, but Kehoe brought Delaware back, running 21 yards for a touchdown before hitting Owen Tyler out of the backfield for a 24-yard score to take a 16-6 lead at intermission.

Kehoe found Thyrick Pitts with a back-shoulder throw from 14 yards out to make it 25-6 and Brian Dennis blocked a Fidel Romo-Martinez punt, scooped up the loose ball and ran 14 yards for the touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

Tylik Bethea threw a 10-yard strike to Bizzet Woodley for the Hornets with 3:30 left to create the final score.

Jake Roth had field goals of 38- and 33-yards, but was 1-for-4 on PATs, missing once and having two more blocked.

Kehoe finished 18 of 28 for 186 yards. Pitts finished with six catches for 81 yards and his first career touchdown.

BOSTON (AP) No cupcakes, no local rivals to open this season. Boston College jumped right into it with a victory over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.

Anthony Brown threw two touchdown passes and ran for another to lead the Eagles to a 35-28 victory over Virginia Tech Saturday in the schools' opener.

AJ Dillon and David Bailey each had a scoring run for BC, which posted a win over the Hokies for the second straight year. Kobay White (17 yards) and true freshman Zay Flowers (33-yarder) each had a TD catch.

''Winning the opener is extremely important. It validates your offseason work and it gives you positive momentum. But winning your opener against a highly-quality football team, I think you get better from that,'' BC coach Steve Addazio said. ''You can go out, win an opener against a team that maybe you're stronger than, but I don't think that it sometimes helps you because two weeks in, three weeks in you can get shocked at the speed of the game.''

Eagles defensive back Brandon Sebastian knew the importance of the victory.

''It means a lot, especially to the whole team,'' he said. ''They're a tough ACC opponent every year.''

Brown was 15 of 26 for 275 yards and didn't throw an interception. Dillon was held to 81 yards on 23 carries, but sealed it with an 11-yard run on a third-and-9 with just over 2 minutes left.

''Today we started off great, started off fast,'' Brown said.

Ryan Willis competed 29 of 47 passes for 344 yards with four TDs, but also was picked off three times for Virginia Tech, which finished last season with a losing record for the first time since 1992.

''It's tough for our guys to battle back, fight, scratch and claw all the way through and come up short,'' Virginia Tech coach Justin Fuente said. ''Lord knows we made plenty of mistakes out there today.''

Willis, who won the job in preseason camp, knows he's got to be better.

''I need to take care of the ball better,'' he said. ''There's a couple reads I can make better.''

Clinging to a one possession lead, the Eagles marched 56 yards in 10 plays with Bailey capping it with a 1-yard TD to make it 35-21. But the Hokies cut it to 35-28 when Willis hit Kaleb Smith with an 11-yard score with 2:13 to play.

It was tied 14-all before BC capitalized on a pair of turnovers, scoring two TDs in the final 6:02 of the first half.

Cornerback Tate Haynes forced Willis' fumble on a blitz and defensive end Marcus Valdez recovered at Virginia Tech's 17. Two plays later, Brown lofted a TD pass to White, who made an acrobatic catch along the left sideline for a score.

With just under 2 1/2 minutes left in the half, Hezekiah Grimsley fumbled a punt that was recovered by BC's Nolan Borgersen at the Hokies' 28. Brown took off through the left side on an option play and went untouched for a score.

Willis hit tight end James Mitchell on slant pattern for a score, slicing it to 28-21 late in the third quarter.

THE TAKEAWAY

Virginia Tech: The Hokies' defense was 106th in the nation against the run last season, allowing 210 yards per game on the ground. BC exploited them through the air with a handful of deep passes and unless the Hokies get the D shored up it will be a long final season - the 33rd - for defensive coordinator Bud Foster, who announced this will be his last year. They did hold BC to zero yards in the third quarter after 356 in the opening half.

''For whatever reason, we just played extremely tight as a defense,'' Foster said. ''That wasn't the same group that practiced and how they performed. You saw how we played in the second half, it's how I was kind of hoping we'd play the entire game.''

Boston College: Brown, a red-shirt junior, looked like the QB the Eagles have been hoping for, at times. His reads seemed better and his touch improved. But when the Hokies were making their comeback, he made a few bad decisions. If he becomes more consistent it would add a tough one-two punch with quality RB Dillon.

''It was a good day today,'' Brown said. ''But there were still some inconsistencies here and there, I missed some throws. I got complacent a little bit.''

RESPECT

Addazio made sure he had a chance to chat with Foster after the game.

''I just told him how much respect I have for him and that he's had a fabulous career,'' Addazio said.

UP NEXT

Virginia Tech: Faces Old Dominion in its home opener next Saturday.

Boston College: Hosts Richmond next Saturday.

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HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (AP) Isaiah Green threw for a career-high four touchdowns and Talik Keaton returned a punt 67 yards for a score as Marshall opened the season with a dominating 56-17 victory over VMI on Saturday.

Marshall took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter after Keaton's return and pushed that to 21-0 after Green nailed Artie Henry with a 51-yard scoring toss early in the second. Green hit Xavier Gaines on a 4-yard TD pass late in the second quarter and Brenden Knox capped a 14-play, 83-yard scoring drive with a 1-yard plunge for a score to go up 35-7 at the break.

Marshall amassed 620 yards of total offense, while limiting VMI to 257. The Herd had a balanced attack of 340 yards passing and 280 rushing with 35 first downs.

Alex Thomson, who relieved Green, threw for 102 yards and a score. Corey Gammage caught five passes for 82 yards and a score as 11 Marshall receivers recorded catches.

VMI's Reece Udinski threw for 192 yards and one touchdown.

LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) Boise State has long carried the banner for the Mountain West Conference in head-to-head battles against the mighty Power Five teams. On Saturday night, fellow Mountain West member Wyoming made a statement of its own, upsetting Missouri of the Southeastern Conference 37-31.

Quarterback Sean Chambers rushed for 120 yards and a touchdown, Xazavian Valladay had 118 yards rushing and a score to lead Wyoming (1-0).

Earlier Saturday, Boise State beat Florida State 36-31 in Tallahassee, Florida.

Chambers averaged 10 yards on each of his 12 rushing attempts. He also completed 6 of 16 passes for 92 yards for a Wyoming team that took advantage of three Missouri turnovers while giving up 537 yards to the Tigers.

''Anytime I see space, I just think to myself, I'm better than them,'' Chambers said. ''No disrespect to those guys, but that's just my mentality. I gotta think it's gotta take more than one guy to bring me down.''

Valladay averaged 7.9 yards on 15 carries as Wyoming ground out 297 yards on 42 carries as a team.

Missouri was led by Clemson transfer quarterback Kelly Bryant, who completed 31 of 48 passes for 423 yards and two touchdowns. However, Bryant threw a costly interception in the end zone and lost a fumble that was returned by Wyoming for another score. Missouri lost another fumble at Wyoming's 1-yard line.

''We were driving the ball down the field,'' Bryant said. ''We just couldn't punch it in. We just kept shooting ourselves in the foot.''

Missouri entered the game favored by more than two touchdowns. The game began that way with the Tigers scoring on their first two possessions - a 3-yard TD pass from Bryant to Jonathan Nance and a 2-yard scoring run by Larry Rountree III - and dominating the Cowboys in total offensive yardage, 144-28 in the first quarter.

But Wyoming reversed its fortunes in the second quarter, outscoring the Tigers 27-3 in a scoring spree that included a 30-yard fumble return by cornerback C.J. Coldon, a 61-yard scoring run by Valladay and a 75-yard TD run by Chambers. The runs by Chambers and Valladay were the longest of their young college careers.

The Cowboys extended their lead to 34-17 entering the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run by Trey Smith.

Missouri closed the Wyoming lead to 37-31 in the final period on a 1-yard TD run by Tyler Badie and a 53-yard TD pass from Bryant to Nance. But Missouri turned the ball over on downs at the Wyoming 24-yard line with 29 seconds left on an incomplete pass from Bryant to Johnathon Johnson.

Missouri had 32 more offensive plays than Wyoming, but the Cowboys had no turnovers in the game.

THE TAKEAWAY

Missouri: A major setback for the Tigers who were on the cusp of the Associated Press Top 25 poll entering the game.

''The challenge of looking in the mirror and realizing the reality of what took place, making corrections, quit talking about it and it starts with me,'' Missouri coach Barry Odom said.

Wyoming: A signature win under sixth year coach Craig Bohl and a major statement for the Mountain West Conference on the whole.

''We beat an SEC team, I think a good SEC team, and we didn't play our best football,'' Bohl said.

SEC IN LARAMIE

Missouri's visit to Laramie was only the second time in history that Wyoming hosted an SEC opponent. In 2004, Wyoming hosted Ole Miss and defeated the Rebels 37-32. The Cowboys played at Missouri last year and lost 40-13. Overall, Wyoming has a 4-10 record against SEC teams.

MISSOURI ROAD WOES

The Tigers have started the season on the road only 27 times in their history. The trip to Laramie was only the fifth overall for Missouri since 1980. The Tigers are 6-18-1 (26 games) in those road games.

UP NEXT

Missouri heads home for a nonconference showdown with West Virginia on Saturday.

Wyoming hits the road for a game next Saturday at Texas State.

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More AP college football: https://apnews.com/Collegefootball and https://twitter.com/AP-Top25

CINCINNATI (AP) Thursday night lights. National television. Power Five opponent.

Cincinnati was more than ready for prime time - even sophomore safety Ja'von Hicks.

Hicks led an opportunistic Bearcats defense with an interception and fumble recovery, junior running back Michael Warren II scored one touchdown on the ground and caught one of sophomore quarterback Desmond Ridder's two scoring passes, and Cincinnati beat the UCLA Bruins 24-14 on Thursday in the teams' season-opener before a raucous crowd of 38,032 at venerable Nippert Stadium.

''Big stage, great atmosphere,'' said Warren, who finished with 92 yards on 26 carries while Ridder was 18-for-26 for 242 yards.

Despite losing his voice in the first half, forcing the offense to use silent counts, Ridder also connected with graduate-transfer tight end Josiah Deguara for a touchdown. Senior kicker Sam Crosa added a 44-yard field goal.

''Desmond did a good job of managing the game,'' said third-year coach Luke Fickell, who led Cincinnati to an 11-2 record last season. ''He was slinging and the throwing the ball well early.''

Hicks came up with a fumble recovery and an interception for the Bearcats, earning a game ball while starting in place of injured junior James Wiggins.

''Everybody was very proud of Ja'von,'' said senior linebacker Perry Young, who also had an interception. ''He got a little emotional when he got the game ball in the locker room.''

Hicks didn't have a perfect night. The local product whiffed on an open-field tackle in the middle of the field on junior wide receiver Demeric Felton's 75-yard touchdown catch-and-run in the second quarter and was whistled for a facemask penalty in the third quarter, but Fickell liked the way Hicks responded to the mistakes.

''Overcoming mistakes is huge,'' said Fickell, pointing out that Hicks symbolized the whole Bearcats team. ''They have the confidence that comes from winning. They learned last year how to work through it. There wasn't a panic.''

UCLA sophomore quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson was 8-for-26 for 156 yards and two TDS, the 75-yarder to Felton and a seven-yard scoring toss to sophomore wide receiver Chase Cota. Thompson-Robinson also lost his grip on the football twice and threw two interceptions, personally accounting for all four UCLA turnovers.

''I was horrible,'' Thompson-Robinson said. ''We have to look at the film It was very disappointing, not only because we didn't get the win but looking at these guys faces.''

''Fumbles and interceptions aren't always the quarterback's fault,'' UCLA coach Chip Kelly said. ''We will look at the film and reassess what happened. Dorian has a confident way about him. You could tell it hurt, but I don't worry about him.''

Cincinnati knocked off UCLA in the opener for the second straight season. The Bearcats beat the Bruins 26-17 at the Rose Bowl last season.

Displaying first-game rust, the two teams combined for 19 penalties, costing them a total of 123 yards. Fickell admitted it ''wasn't the prettiest thing in the world.''

''It wasn't very clean,'' Fickell said. ''To get this under our belt is huge.''

''We have 87 freshmen and sophomores,'' Kelly said. ''We have 48 players that weren't here last year. It was their first game, their first time on a plane. We have to pack Similac instead of Gatorade.''

The Bearcats never trailed after Ridder and Deguara teamed up on a 16-yard scoring pass following Hicks' recovery of a Thompson-Robinson fumble at Cincinnati's 17-yard line on UCLA's first possession of the season.

Warren scored on a bruising 12-yard run on Cincinnati's fifth play after senior linebacker Perry Young intercepted Thompson-Robinson at UCLA's 30-yard line on the Bruins' first possession of the second half. The junior running back celebrated by dancing across the end zone and tugging his right fist up-and-down as if he was tooting a train whistle.

GOING NOWHERE

Bruins' sophomore cornerback Elijah Gates pried the ball out of Bearcats' junior running back Gerrid Doaks's grasp and senior linebacker Jason Harris recovered for UCLA, but the Bruins went nowhere but backward on the ensuing possession in the second quarter.

OUT OF CONTROL

Bruins sophomore CB Jay Shaw intercepted Ridder at the goal line and returned it to the Cincinnati 34-yard line before being flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct. Senior center Boss Tagaloa was called for the same penalty on the next play.

HALFTIME ADJUSTMENTS

UCLA's first four offensive plays of the second half went penalty, two-yard run, incompletion, interception.

SIGH OF RELIEF

UCLA senior linebacker Krys Barnes thought he had a touchdown after recovering a Warren fumble late in the game, but officials ruled that Warren was down before the ball came loose, a ruling confirmed by replay. Warren was shaken up on the play but walked off.

THE TAKEAWAY

UCLA: Kelly will have to wait another week to log the 50th win of his college career. He is 3-10 in his second season with Bruins, more losses than the seven he incurred in four seasons with Oregon.

UC: Despite losing three starters from a line that anchored the American Athletic Conference's best defense last season, the Bearcats limited UCLA to 62 rushing yards.

UP NEXT

UCLA: The Bruins are scheduled to play their home opener on September 7 against San Diego State.

UC: The Bearcats are scheduled to travel to Columbus, Ohio, to face No. 5 Ohio State on September 7.

JONESBORO, Ark. (AP) Xavier Jones ran for three touchdowns as SMU held on late for a 37-30 win over Arkansas State on Saturday in a season opener.

SMU led by seven when Arkansas State began its final drive with just over two minutes left. The Red Wolves were threatening when, with seven seconds remaining, the Mustang's Delontae Scott sacked ASU quarterback Logan Bonner, forcing a fumble which was recovered by teammate Nelson Paul, sealing the win for SMU.

SMU trailed early but took a 16-9 edge at halftime with the help of field goals by Kevin Robledo of 29 and 25 yards.

Bonner opened the second half with a pair of touchdowns to Omar Bayless to give the Red Wolves a 23-16 lead with 7:36 to go in the third. C.J. Sanders answered for the Mustangs with a 98-yard punt return for a score and Jones ran for a touchdown, lifting SMU to a 30-23 lead at the end of the third. Jones ran for another TD midway through the fourth to stretch it to 37-23.

Shane Buechele threw for 360 yards for the Mustangs. Ke'Mon Freeman ran for 86 yards and Jones finished with 56 yards.

Bonner threw for 324 yards and four touchdowns for the Red Wolves.

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) Coach Kirby Smart thinks his third-ranked Georgia Bulldogs showed him a glimpse of just how good they might be this season in a rare season opener inside the Southeastern Conference on the road.

And Smart also sees plenty of room for improvement.

Jake Fromm threw for 156 yards and a touchdown, and third-ranked Georgia routed Vanderbilt 30-6 Saturday night.

The Bulldogs won their 20th opener in 23 seasons and stayed perfect to kick off coach Kirby Smart's fourth season. They also easily won their 14th straight against the SEC's Eastern Division in their first league game to open a season since 1995.

It sure didn't feel like a road trip with fans taking advantage of a holiday weekend to paint the stadium Georgia red. The Bulldogs rewarded them by scoring a touchdown on their first three possessions, giving the fans plenty to start celebrating early.

''I think it's pretty obvious, it seemed like they took over a majority of that stadium,'' Smart said. ''It sure felt like a home game with the people there, the fourth-quarter lights. Pretty special. I think they travel well, and I think Nashville's a great place to go and our fans all came to be a part of it.''

D'Andre Swift ran 16 times for 149 yards, and Brian Herrien added 65 and a TD run as the Bulldogs rolled up 326 yards rushing. Georgia finished with a 481-225 edge in total offense, and the Bulldogs also had two sacks and recovered a fumble.

''We have a chance to be explosive offensively, and we're going to try to be aggressive defensively,'' Smart said. ''The backs I kind of knew about. The wide-outs got some chances to make some plays, a couple balls.''

Vanderbilt debuted a new starting quarterback in Riley Neal, a graduate transfer from Ball State, along with new offensive coordinator Gerry Gdowski. The Commodores also had Ke'Shawn Vaughn, the SEC's top returning rusher who ran for 1,244 yards last season, and the league's top returning receiver in Kalija Lipscomb.

But the Commodores were without three starters, including two on the offensive line with both left tackle Devin Cochran and left guard Saige Young out with injuries. That left Neal with little time to throw against a Georgia defense that returned seven starters on a unit that was 15th nationally giving up just 19.2 points a game last season.

Neal finished 15 of 25 for 85 yards before being replaced by Deuce Wallace for the final possession. Vaughn was held to 74 yards on 15 carries.

''We were never able to really get the pass game started and going,'' Vanderbilt coach Derek Mason said. ''Don't know what that is. We'll get back and look at it and figure out where we need to go. I thought at times we ran the ball effectively. We've got to have more balance to what we do.''

Vanderbilt managed only a pair of field goals by Ryley Guay of 26 and 46 yards.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Beating a league opponent, on the road no loss, to open the season should be more than enough to keep Georgia at No. 3.

THE TAKEAWAY

Georgia: The Bulldogs came into this season needing to replace their top six pass catchers from 2018 with four of those going to the NFL. Fromm showed he had no issues finding someone else to throw to, going 7 of 8 for 97 yards to open the game. Fromm completed passes to eight different receivers. But they struggled to pad their lead in the second half, settling for a trio of field goals by Rodrigo Blankenship. Kearis Jackson also fumbled at the Vandy 5 in the fourth quarter after a 32-yard reception.

''First game sometimes you get a little bit of focus, not playing as clean as you wanted to,'' Fromm said.

Vanderbilt: The Commodores now have lost three straight to Georgia since pulling off a 17-16 win in Athens in 2016. They also gave up more yards rushing than in any game last season.

TOO MANY PENALTIES

Smart wasn't happy with the Bulldogs being flagged 10 times for 117 yards, penalties that included a late hit and a grabbed face mask that kept Vanderbilt drives alive. ''We basically gave them 45 yards and two field goals on undisciplined penalties,'' Smart said.

NO DAWG WALK

Georgia fans expecting the Bulldogs to make the regular Dawg Walk into a stadium before the game missed out when the team wound up taking a much shorter route to their locker room. Smart said it was unplanned, but the Bulldogs lost their lead trooper to an altercation on the sidewalk. The replacement took a different route.

''Ironically, it was closer to the place we come in,'' Smart said. ''We typically have to walk across the field.''

UP NEXT

Georgia: Hosts Murray State on Saturday.

Vanderbilt: Visits Purdue on Saturday.

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Follow Teresa M. Walker at www.twitter.com/teresamwalker

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LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) As happy as he was with his defense, Scott Frost was in no mood to celebrate after Nebraska's opener against South Alabama.

Frost's coaching resume is built on offense, and he didn't like what he saw in the No. 24 Cornhuskers' 35-21 victory Saturday.

''That's as anemic an offensive effort I've been a part of in a long time,'' Frost said. ''That's not the offense I've been seeing all fall camp. We have to go back to the drawing board and figure out what happened today. I give credit to South Alabama for the coaching job they did. Their kids came in and fought.''

Two defensive touchdowns and one on special teams bailed out an offense that generated only 276 yards, including just 66 in the second half, and never established a ground game against an opponent from the Sun Belt Conference that ranked 101st against the run last season.

''It's no secret we played very poor,'' quarterback Adrian Martinez said. ''It's probably the worst we've played in a long time, and it's not acceptable. We're happy we got the win. Our defense played great, special teams made some plays, but offensively we need to be a lot better. It's pretty simple.''

The five-touchdown favorite Huskers led only 14-7 at halftime, and the anxiety at Memorial Stadium was palpable.

But the defense had five takeaways, the biggest one Eric Lee Jr.'s 38-yard interception return for a touchdown, and JD Spielman ran back a punt 76 yards to make it a three-touchdown game early in the third quarter.

South Alabama wouldn't go away. The Jaguars converted two straight turnovers into touchdowns to cut it to 28-21 and had the ball heading into the fourth quarter.

Things started turning for Nebraska when Cam Taylor hammered Jaguars quarterback Cephus Johnson, popping the ball loose, and Alex Davis picked it up at the goal line and stepped into the end zone for a touchdown.

Then, with South Alabama threatening from the Nebraska 12, Taylor stepped in front of Johnson's pass and ran in back to midfield.

The Huskers had three non-offensive touchdowns for the first time since 2005.

''Defensive-wise, getting to the ball, everyone was competing for tackles, everyone was competing to get turnovers,'' Taylor said. ''Everybody wants to get to the ball.''

It was the second straight time the Huskers struggled against a Sun Belt team. Last year they lost at home to Troy, one of the lowest points in a 4-8 season.

The Huskers averaged just 2.2 yards per carry against the Jaguars and finished with 98 on the ground. They were outgained by 38 yards and had 15 first downs to South Alabama's 19.

''Disappointing loss,'' Jaguars coach Steve Campbell said. ''When you have more total yards, more first downs, I think we were a little better than them on third down efficiency... Then to come up short, that tells you what a big stat turnovers is. You can look at explosives and all that stuff all you want to. Still, it's a game of turnovers.''

Martinez was intercepted once and nearly two other times, had difficulty handling center Cam Jurgens' high snaps and the offensive line was beaten often by pass rushers.

The Huskers' best series was their first, when they drove 81 yards in nine plays for a touchdown. Only three of their remaining possessions lasted more than five plays.

Martinez, the most productive freshman quarterback in the nation last year, passed for 178 yards but was held to 6 yards on 13 carries.

''I'm not worried about Adrian because I know how he can play and who he is,'' Frost said. ''I don't think he had his best game. If that's our fault for putting him in bad situations, we'll get it fixed.''

THE TAKEAWAY

South Alabama: The Jaguars look like they could be better than the 3-9 team in Campbell's first year.

Nebraska: The Huskers will be facing questions all week about their poor production on offense. They were outgained 314-276.

FACTS AND FIGURES

Freshman Dylan Jorgensen handled the place-kicking with Barret Pickering injured. ... Redshirt freshman Cam Jurgens became the first freshman (true or redshirt) to start at center for Nebraska since freshman eligibility was reinstated in 1972. ... The Jaguars are 1-3 against ranked opponents.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

Nebraska was in the preseason Top 25 for the first time since 2014. The voters must decide if the Huskers still merit a spot after having to fight for four quarters against a Sun Belt Conference opponent.

UP NEXT

South Alabama hosts Jackson State.

Nebraska visits Colorado, which came from behind to win in Lincoln last year.

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PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Anthony Russo passed for 409 yards and four touchdowns and Temple breezed to a 56-12 victory over Bucknell on Saturday in a season opener for both teams.

Russo, who finished 32-of-41 passing, completed 23 of 31 attempts with three TDs in the first half as the Owls opened up a 35-9 lead at intermission. Russo led the Owls on a 12-play, 75-yard drive on their first possession, capped by an 8-yard scoring strike to Jadan Blue. Jager Gardner added TD runs of 11 and 1 yards on Temple's next two possessions for a 21-0 first-quarter lead. Russo made it four straight TD drives when he hooked up with Isaiah Wright for a 12-yard score and a 28-0 lead early in the second quarter.

Bucknell got on the scoreboard for first-year coach Dave Cecchini when Gavin Pringle picked off a Russo pass and returned it 36 yards for a TD and Ethan Torres hit the first of his two field goals to cut the deficit to 28-9. But Russo answered with a 51-yard scoring strike to Re'mahn Davis with 1:02 left in the first half and the Owls coasted from there. Backup QB Todd Centeio completed 4 of 5 passes for 98 yards, including an 89-yard scoring strike to Travon Williams in the fourth quarter.

Temple piled up 695 yards of offense, while holding Bucknell to 211 yards. The Bison rushed 26 times for just 21 yards. Brandon Sanders had nine catches for 115 yards for Bucknell.

Bucknell leads the all-time series 21-17-8 and the two schools played every season from 1927-1970 in the battle for The Old Shoe.

MOREHEAD, Ky. (AP) Redshirt junior Pat Pappas threw for three touchdowns and ran for two more scores in his first career start and Morehead State won its season opener 44-7 against NAIA member Union College on Thursday night in the programs' first gridiron matchup in 73 seasons.

Pappas completed 15 of 21 passes for 236 yards, with scoring strikes of 21 yards to Jacob Peters, 48 yards to Jordan Huffman and 34 yards to Hunter Richardson. Pappas opened the scoring with a 1-yard run, and Jova Smith's 2-yard run made it 16-0 in the second quarter.

The Pioneer League Eagles scored all five times they reached the red zone and outgained the Bulldogs 587 total yards to 315. Morehead State had a 294-34 edge in rushing yards, led by Issiah Aguero, (131 yards on 13 carries). Beau Griego, Eldee Edwards and Isaiah Tigler each grabbed interceptions, with Tigler's fourth-quarter pick leading to Earl Stoudemire's 7-yard TD run on the following drive.

The Bulldogs scored late in the fourth quarter on backup quarterback Conn Marchionda's second pass attempt of the game, an 80-yarder to Earl Wells, who caught four passes for 143 yards. Starter Kendric Furness was 14 of 38 for 196 yards passing, with three interceptions.

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) Don't tell coach P.J. Fleck that Minnesota's narrow win against FCS South Dakota State on Tuesday wasn't good enough.

The Big Ten Gophers were double-digit favorites for the season's first game against their neighbors from the southwest, who nearly beat Minnesota in 2009, long before Fleck joined the Gophers.

So, when Mohamed Ibrahim finally put the Gophers ahead late in the fourth quarter, Fleck was ready to enjoy a win no matter how others perceive the narrow victory.

''There's hard wins, there are no bad wins, and that is my message to the football team today,'' Fleck said. ''There are no bad wins. That's a really good football team out there.''

Ibrahim plunged up the middle for a 1-yard touchdown run with 5:39 remaining and Minnesota avoided an upset with a 28-21 win at home against South Dakota State on Thursday night.

Winston DeLattiboudere recovered a fumbled exchange between Jackrabbits quarterback J'Bore Gibbs and running back Pierre Strong with South Dakota State holding a 21-20 lead in the fourth quarter.

Minnesota capped a five-play, 34-yard drive with Ibrahim's touchdown to pull ahead and extend the nation's longest winning streak of nonconference games to 16 in a row.

''These guys just spent 30 days practicing for fall camp and champing at the bit to get the chance to play against somebody else,'' Jackrabbits coach John Stiegelmeier said. ''That stings a little bit, the fact that we could've won on the road against a Big Ten school - and I think a pretty good Big Ten program - stings a little bit.''

Minnesota entered the season with plenty of hopes built on an offense with nine returning starters and four running backs that brought 6,503 combined rushing yards into this season.

The Gophers were tested by one of the best in FCS. South Dakota State ranked third and fourth, respectively, in the two major preseason FCS polls. Minnesota finished with 132 yards rushing on 42 carries for a 3.1-yard average.

''We were tested tonight and our players passed the test,'' Fleck said. ''Whether we won by 40 or 20 or seven, we won. Now, are there a lot of things we have to get better at? Yes.''

Tanner Morgan was 13-of-18 passing for 176 yards, one touchdown and one interception for Minnesota.

BATEMAN'S BITTERSWEET NIGHT

Rashod Bateman had five catches for 132 yards for the Gophers, including a one-handed, 42-yard touchdown pass from Morgan in the first half. The performance comes two weeks after the sophomore receiver's uncle died.

''He was like a father figure to me,'' Bateman said. ''It was tonight just going out there and playing for him. He was pretty special. I know he's always there with me, so I've just got to continue to ball for him.''

NEW QB IN TOWN

In his first start for the Jackrabbits in replacing Taryn Christion, the program's all-time leading passer, Gibbs was 13 of 26 for 193 yards passing and a touchdown and he added another touchdown rushing. But the redshirt freshman threw an interception that was returned 43 yards for a touchdown by Chris Williamson.

''The ball was snapped on the ground, so I was trying to pick it up and throw it away, not obviously throw it to him,'' Gibbs said. ''I was trying to throw it away. Coach was telling me, when that happens, just fall on it and go on to the next play. That's what happened.''

THE TAKEAWAY

South Dakota State: The Jackrabbits were looking to be the latest FCS team to post a win over an FBS team. Nicholls State was the last FCS team to beat a Power 5 conference team when it beat Kansas last season. North Dakota State was the last FCS team to beat a Big Ten opponent when it handed No. 13 Iowa a loss in 2016. Mistakes ultimately proved the difference. South Dakota State had the fumbled handoff and the interception returned for a touchdown. It also had a kickoff return for a touchdown nullified due to a penalty.

Minnesota: The Gophers can exhale. This was not the start Minnesota fans likely envisioned, another lackluster performance against a neighboring school. But the Gophers come away with a win. The defense will need examining after giving up 367 yards. Part of the trouble running the ball offensively was due to a down game from the offensive line. Fleck noted the line will need to play better.

UP NEXT

South Dakota State: Four straight home games await the Jackrabbits, who will host LIU on Sept. 7.

Minnesota: The Gophers will go on the road to face Fresno State on Sept. 7.

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VERMILLION, S.D. (AP) - Dalton Sneed threw for a career-high 430 yards and had three passing touchdowns and another rushing to lead 25th-ranked Montana to a 31-17 win over South Dakota in the season opener for both teams on Saturday.

Sneed was 37 of 52 with two interceptions for the Big Sky squad. His 16-yard pass to Samori Toure put the Grizzlies up 7-3 and he followed with a 2-yard run to help build a 17-10 lead at the half. In the third quarter, Sneed connected with Samuel Akem for a 43-yard score and Marcus Knight from 6 yards out.

Akem and Toure both had nine receptions, Akem for 158 yards and Toure for 142. Jerry Louie-McGee had eight catches to push his career total to 185 and is now seven shy of matching the school record.

Austin Simmons, who threw for 3,142 yards last season, was 23 of 33 for 246 yards and two touchdowns for the Coyotes. Kody Case had 11 catches for 144 yards with touchdown plays of 3 and 9 yards.

South Dakota had won 16 straight home openers.

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. (AP) Carlos Blackman threw his only pass of the night, an 80-yard scoring strike to Lujuan Winningham, and followed it with a 1-yard rushing score as Central Arkansas rallied to score three fourth-quarter touchdowns to knock off Western Kentucky 35-28 in the opening game of the season for both schools on Thursday night.

The Bears trailed 28-14 going into the final quarter. Breylin Smith hit Winningham from the 20 for a TD to close to 28-21 before Central Arkansas took its first lead of the game after Blackman's rushing score.

WKU drove to UCA's 33 in the final minute, but Isaiah Macklin broke up a fourth down pass attempt and the Bears took over with 50 seconds remaining.

Smith passed for 324 yards and three scores. Winningham caught eight passes for a career-best 222 yards and three TDs.

Gaej Walker, who sprinted 68 yards for a score on Western Kentucky's first offensive play of the season, finished with 152 yards rushing.

NEW YORK (AP) — Francis Cole kicked a 31-yard field goal as time expired and Central Connecticut rallied last in a season-opening 26-23 victory over Fordham on Saturday.

Central Connecticut led 8-0 after one quarter on the strength of Kenyata Huston's 34-yard touchdown run and a two-point conversion pass from Tyshaun James to quarterback Aaron Winchester.

Fordham answered with an 8-yard scoring pass from Tim DeMorat to Hamze El-Zayat, but the two-point try failed and left the Rams trailing 8-6. The Blue Devils added to their lead in the second quarter when Winchester kept a drive alive with a 14-yard run on third-and-11 then connected with James for a 14-yard TD and a 15-6 halftime lead.

Andrew Mevis booted a 24-yard field goal on the Rams' first possession of the third quarter to cut their deficit to 15-9 and Fordham took a 16-15 lead when DeMorat found El-Zayat for a 14-yard score with 2:26 remaining in the quarter. Fordham forced a three-and-out, but Dexter Lawson intercepted a DeMorat pass and returned it 48 yards for a touchdown. Winchester passed to Theo Zidor for a two-point conversion and the Blue Devils led 23-16 with 14:09 left to play in the game.

The Blue Devils drove to the Fordham 28-yard line, but Ellis Taylor blocked Brandon Desautels attempt at a 45-yard field goal and 10 plays later DeMorat hooked up with Dequece Carter for a 13-yard TD to knot the score at 23 with 1:53 remaining.

That was more than enough time for Winchester, who set the stage for Cole by completing a 28-yard pass to Arthur Gilmore on third-and-3 that gave Central Connecticut the ball at the Rams' 14.

PROVO, Utah (AP) Utah's defense picked up where it left off last season. BYU paid a steep price for it.

The No. 14 Utes scored three touchdowns off three BYU turnovers to pull away for a 30-12 victory on Thursday night in the opener for both teams. Utah left no doubt about how strong its defense could be this season.

Over the final 30 minutes, the Cougars gained just 104 yards on 18 total plays.

''We heard all the time about how they had a great offense,'' safety Julian Blackmon said. ''They have a great team for sure, but we know that man-for-man we're the better team. So at the end of the day, we just wanted to come out and prove that.''

Utah's defense did its part, and Zack Moss highlighted the offensive effort.

Moss ran for 181 yards and a touchdown to help the Utes (1-0) earn their ninth straight victory in the 100th game in the Holy War rivalry.

The senior suffered a hand injury in fall camp and wore a protective splint after the game. It didn't seem to limit it him at all. Moss propelled the offense after halftime by gashing the Cougars for a series of big runs. He averaged 6.2 yards on 29 carries.

The defense took care of the rest.

''It was a big confidence builder for me,'' Moss said. ''I had so many nerves coming into this game. Just getting hit a few times really hurt at first, but I was just able to start to be myself again. It was good to go out like that.''

Zach Wilson totaled 208 yards on 21-of-33 passing and added 43 yards on the ground to lead BYU (0-1). Wilson also threw a pair of interceptions that Utah returned for touchdowns.

''It's hard to spot them two touchdowns on pick-sixes,'' BYU coach Kalani Sitake said. ''That's difficult for a defense and we felt we were getting in some good positions. I'd like our guys to respond better, defensively, especially those last nine minutes.''

Utah gained just 125 yards in the first half. The Utes totaled only three points on their first two drives after starting on their own 40 and the BYU 33.

With their offense sputtering before halftime, the Utes turned to their defense get some points on the board. Utah took a 9-3 lead in the second quarter when Francis Bernard stepped in front of a wobbly pass from Wilson, as he tried to avoid a sack, and returned it 58 yards, untouched, for a score.

''We just shot ourselves in the foot pretty much every drive in the first half,'' tight end Matt Bushman said.

Utah's offense sprang to life on the opening drive of the third quarter. Jaylen Dixon capped an 11-play, 75-yard drive with a 2-yard sprint to push the Utes' lead to 16-6. Moss gave Utah a spark with back-to-back 14-yard gains that moved the ball to the BYU 44.

The Utes capitalized on two more BYU turnovers and put the Cougars away in the fourth quarter. Moss punched in a 4-yard touchdown after Mika Tafua recovered a fumble by Williams at the BYU 22. Then, Julian Blackmon returned an interception 39 yards to put Utah up 30-6 with 12:25 remaining.

A lightning delay with 9:01 left in the fourth quarter suspended play for 54 minutes before the game resumed at just after midnight local time.

SPECIAL TEAMS STRUGGLES

Utah endured a rare off night on special teams. UCLA transfer Andrew Strauch went 1 of 2 on field goal attempts, making his first kick from 41 yards and then missing from 25 yards on the opening play of the fourth quarter.

Strauch also missed his first PAT attempt in the second quarter, snapping a streak of 182 consecutive made PATs by the Utes dating to 2014. It was the third-longest such streak in the nation heading into the game.

Jadon Redding took over at placekicker for the remainder of the fourth quarter.

''Special teams were a disappointment tonight,'' Utah coach Kyle Whittingham said. ''We've got to be much better on special teams.''

CLOUD NINE

Getting defensive scores have become a staple for Utah in rivalry games with BYU during the Utes' nine-game winning streak. Since 2011, the Utes have return six interceptions and three fumbles for touchdowns.

''That's what great defenses do,'' Whittingham said. ''They make big plays and they score.''

THE TAKEAWAY

Utah: Just like a year ago, the Utes woke up from a first-half slumber and dominated on both sides of the ball over the final 30 minutes. Utah allowed BYU to gain just 29 yards in nine plays on the Cougars' first three second-half drives. The Utes also forced back-to-back turnovers that allowed them to score 21 unanswered points and put the game out of reach.

BYU: Mistakes doomed the Cougars yet again against their archrival. BYU's defense held Utah's offense in check during the first half and gained 196 yards on offense. But three turnovers led to 20 points for the Utes and turned a close game into a blowout.

POLL IMPLICATIONS

A dominant second-half showing could see the Utes climb a spot or two in the poll on Monday.

UP NEXT

Utah: The Utes host Northern Illinois in their home opener on September 6.

BYU: The Cougars travel to Rocky Top for the first time to take on Tennessee on September 6.

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AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AP) Air Force was in no rush to pass. So the Falcons just rushed their way to a runaway win.

Donald Hammond III scored three of Air Force's seven rushing touchdowns and the Falcons ran their record to 24-0 against teams from the Football Championship Subdivision by beating Colgate 48-7 on Saturday.

Kadin Remsberg added two scores for Air Force, which moved to 13-0 in season openers under coach Troy Calhoun. The Falcons didn't throw a pass until the third quarter - their only attempt of the game. There was no need to air it out as they amassed 423 yards on the ground. Fullback Taven Birdow gained 80 yards to lead a balanced rushing attack.

''We were more physical than them. They weren't ready for us to be physical with them,'' Hammond said. ''They were playing kind of soft so we shoved it down their throat.''

With lightning in the area at halftime, the crowd was encouraged to head to their cars and wait out the approximately 30-minute delay. Many didn't return with the score already 35-0.

Air Force's defense did its part with an interception, fumble recovery, two sacks and a fourth-down stop. It all added up to a long afternoon for Colgate (0-2), the preseason pick to win the Patriot League. Quarterback Grant Breneman and the Raiders avoided a shutout late in the third when Breneman found Nick Gill for a 13-yard score.

A play that typified the day for Colgate was late in the first half when the ball was snapped over the head of Breneman and recovered by Air Force linebacker Lakota Wills. Hammond scored on the next play from a yard out to give the Falcons a commanding 35-0 lead.

''It felt like we were really in control of the situation the whole game,'' Remsberg said.

The Raiders could never get on track after throwing an interception on their first possession.

''We didn't handle their offense very well. We didn't handle their defense very well,'' Colgate coach Dan Hunt said. ''At the end of the day, at a lot of positions, we're a pretty young football team, and we played like it. And Air Force, they came out ready to play and beat us in every facet.''

Hammond matched a career high with three rushing TDs. He won the QB battle over Isaiah Sanders, who took over in the third quarter and completed the only pass - a 41-yard strike to Geraud Sanders. Reserve QBs Mike Schmidt, Jake Smith and Zachary Larrier also got time under center.

It was the first time the Falcons registered just one pass attempt in a game. They've had five contests where they attempted no passes, with the last occasion being 2012 against Hawaii.

''Our intent was not to keep anything close to the vest,'' Calhoun said. ''We had everything at our disposal and prepared that way.''

THE TAKEAWAY

Colgate: The Raiders start the season 0-2 for the first time since 2015. They began 0-3 that year before turning it around and advancing to the quarterfinals of the FCS playoffs.

Air Force: Two seems to be a magic number for the Falcons. The team is 19-3 since 2014 when they produce two or more defensive turnovers.

POWER OF III

Air Force cornerback Milton Bugg III intercepted a pass on Colgate's opening drive. Hammond III capitalized by scoring six plays later on a 2-yard run.

It was Bugg's first interception at the Academy.

''Feels great to make an impact for my team,'' Bugg said.

BIG MARGIN

Calhoun's Air Force teams have won the season opener by an average margin of 37.9 points. The Falcons beat Colgate 38-13 in 2013.

As far as opening games go, anything more he could have asked from his team?

''Is there going to be ice cream on top of the apple pie?'' Calhoun cracked.

BIG KIDS ON THE BLOCK

Since facing Air Force in `13, the Raiders have played a FBS school each season: Ball State (2014), Navy ('15), Syracuse ('16), Buffalo ('17) and Army ('18). They're taking on Western Michigan and Syracuse next season.

UP NEXT

Colgate: Bye week before traveling to William & Mary on Sept. 14.

Air Force: After a bye week, the Falcons travel to Boulder, Colorado, on Sept. 14 to face the Buffaloes for the first time 1974. Colorado leads the all-time series 12-4.

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CULLOWHEE, N.C. (AP) Robert Riddle threw for four touchdowns and Tyray Devezin ran for two more as Mercer got off to a fast start on its way to a 49-27 victory over Western Carolina in the season opener and initial Southern Conference encounter of the season on Saturday.

David Durden returned the opening kickoff 82 yards and three plays later Riddle hit Devezin on a 12-yard scoring strike and the Bears were on their way to victory.

On the next series, Riddle hit Durden for a 32-yard TD toss to go up 14-0. The Bears continued the onslaught in the second period as Riddle found Tucker Cannon for an 85-yard touchdown bomb, the second longest offensive play in school history. Deondre Johnson broke for a 64-yard scoring scamper on Mercer's next possession.

Riddle threw for 190 yards and four scores in the first half.

Western Carolina's Tyrie Adams, who threw for 360 yards, ran for 185 and scored four touchdowns in a 59-46 loss last year, threw for 318 yards and had 34 yards on the ground this year. He threw for two scores and added a rushing touchdown.

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) Ross Bowers threw a pair of touchdown passes to Tyrice Ritchie, including a 66-yard fourth-quarter bomb to put the Huskies on top for good, and Thomas Hammock won his coaching debut at his alma mater as Northern Illinois knocked off Illinois State, 24-10 in a season opener Saturday night.

The game marked the 57th meeting between the in-state rivals, but the first since September 9, 2000 when the Huskies pummeled the Redbirds 52-0. Hammock made his first career start at tailback for NIU in that game, rushing for 140 yards on 29 carries.

The teams traded first-half field goals and neither team managed to get into the end zone until Bowers found Ritchie from 22-yards out with 2:11 left in the third quarter.

Illinois State answered on its next series when Brady Davis found Taylor Grimes with a 42-yard touchdown pass to start the fourth quarter. On the first play of the Huskies' next possession, Bowers hit Ritchie on a short pass that turned into a 68-yard go-ahead score. Jalen McKee added a 32-yard interception return of a Davis pass with 2:31 left to set the final score.

Bowers was 20 of 33 for 299 passing yards with an interception. Ritchie finished with three catches for 102 yards. Tre Harbison carried 23 times for 99 yards.

Northern Illinois held the Redbirds to just 51 yards rushing. Davis was 14 of 32 for 187 yards.