OKLAHOMA, Sporting Alert – Scores, results and box scores from Week 1 opening day of NCAA college football action on Thursday night (3).
No. 2 TCU, No. 16 Georgia Tech, No. 22 Arizona and Utah were all among the winners on the opening night.
Win, But Not The Expected Blowout
The Horned Frogs, the highest ranked team played on the night, beat Minnesota 23-17.
Senior quarterback Trevone Boykin went 26 of 42 on passes and threw for 246 yards and a touchdown and ran for 92 yards and another score to lead the way for the second-ranked team in the country.
TCU rushed out to a 17-3 lead early in the third quarter and it seems as though the Texas-based club was on its way to piling up another healthy score again against the Golden Gophers, who were hammered 30-7 in this fixture last season.
However, that didn’t quite happened as Minnesota, despite a few errors, held its own, cut down on the turnovers and improved on total yards to earn some respect, as the Frogs scored their fewest points since November 2013, when they beat Iowa State 21-17.
“If you had your perfect ballgame so everybody learns a lesson, this would be it,” TCU coach Gary Patterson said. “Because we found out it’s not going to be easy.”
Senior running back Aaron Green finished with 19 carries for 88 yards, while Josh Doctson caught the ball eight times for 74 yards and a touchdown.
Mitch Leidner finished with 19 of 35 for 197 yards and a touchdown for Minnesota, which play at Colorado State in the next fixture next Saturday.
TCU will next play Stephen F Austin, also on Saturday.
Unstoppable Display From Yellow Jackets
Meanwhile, freshman running back Marcus Marshall carried the ball 8 times for 184 yards and ran for two large touchdowns to help No. 16 Georgia Tech rout Alcorn State 69-6 in its college football season opener.
Patrick Skov, playing in his first game with the Yellow Jackets, following his transfer from Stanford after his graduation, rushed 12 times for 72 yards and scored three touchdowns in the comfortable victory.
“It’s a new role,” Skov said after the game. “After four years as a traditional fullback, I’d say this is a unique opportunity.”
Skov scored two of his three TDs in the first half as Georgia Tech, which scored on its first seven possessions, took a commanding and an uncontested 48-0 lead into the halftime break.
“Give Georgia Tech all the credit,” Alcorn State coach Jay Hopson said. “They’re an outstanding team and they proved why they’re the Orange Bowl champion and a playoff-contending team.”
Elsewhere on the night, No. 22 Arizona started its season with a 42-32 victory over Texas San Antonio.
Anu Solomon went 22 of 36 for 229 yards and four touchdowns with no interception to lead the way for the Wildcats, although All-America linebacker Scooby Wright injured his left knee early and had to leave the pitch.
Blake Bogenschutz was very impressive for Texas San Antonio in the defeat after he threw for 332 yards and two touchdowns.
Meanwhile, Utah registered a 24-17 win over Michigan as new coach Jim Harbaugh started his period with the Wolverines with a defeat.
Running back Devontae Booker had 124 combined yards and a touchdown and Travis Wilson threw for 208 yards to lead the way for the Utes.
“We beat Michigan for the third time in a row,” Utah coach Kyle Whittingham revealed. “That’s a heck of an accolade for our program.”
In the meantime, Oklahoma State beat Central Michigan 24-13, South Carolina rallied to beat North Carolina 17-13, Western Kentucky edged Vanderbilt 14-12 and Duke scored a 37-7 victory over Tulane.
College Football Selected Scores, Box Scores and Results
Thursday, September 3 – Week 1
No. 2 TCU 23, Minnesota 17
Alcorn State 6, No. 16 Georgia Tech 69
Texas San Antonio 32, No. 22 Arizona 42
Michigan 17, Utah 24
North Carolina 13, South Carolina 17
Oklahoma State 24, Central Michigan 13
Villanova 16, Connecticut 20
Western Kentucky 14, Vanderbilt 12
Duke 37, Tulane 7
