Associated Press
COLUMBUS, Ohio ó Terrelle Pryor took charge of Ohio State’s offense, throwing four touchdown passes to lead the sluggish Buckeyes over Troy.
In the wake of an ugly 35-3 defeat at top-ranked Southern California, Buckeyes coach Jim Tressel had said that the nation’s top quarterback recruit last spring and fifth-year senior Todd Boeckman would split the job 50-50 against Troy (2-1).
Pryor became the first true freshman to start for the Buckeyes (3-1) in 30 years, since Art Schlichter in 1978. He played all but two snaps until the game was decided.
Pryor’s touchdown passes covered 39 and 16 yards to Brian Hartline, 13 yards to Rory Nicol and 38 yards to Brian Robiskie. The 6-foot-6 standout from Jeannette, Pa., who won’t attend his first college class until next week, completed 10 of 16 passes for 139 yards with one interception. He also ran 14 times for 66 yards.
No. 7 Texas 52, Rice 10AUSTIN, Texas ó Colt McCoy threw four touchdown passes, setting the Texas career record, and the Longhorns romped over Rice.
McCoy finished with 329 yards passing and led the Longhorns (3-0) in rushing for the second time this season with 83 yards on eight carries.
Jordan Shipley caught five passes for 155 yards and touchdowns of 30 and 60 yards in the first half for Texas.
No. 9 Alabama 49, Arkansas 14FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. ó Javier Arenas and Justin Woodall scored on long interception returns and No. 9 Alabama opened Southeastern Conference play with a rout of Arkansas.
Alabama (4-0) led 35-7 at halftime, and six of the Crimson Tide’s seven touchdowns covered at least 25 yards. After Mark Ingram scored on a 1-yard run, Glen Coffee made it 14-0 for Alabama on what appeared to be a basic run up the middle from deep in Crimson Tide territory. Coffee found a hole and suddenly was in the clear, outrunning the Razorbacks for an 87-yard touchdown.
No. 11 Texas Tech 56, Massachusetts 14LUBBOCK, Texas ó Graham Harrell threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns and Shannon Woods ran for three scores to help Texas Tech rout Massachusetts. Harrell, who completed passes to 10 different receivers, threw TDs of 17, 12, 2 and 4 yards ó and that was in the first half alone.
He was 27-of-34 and no interceptions.
No. 12 South Florida 17, FIU 9MIAMI ó Mike Ford ran for two short touchdowns and South Florida spoiled FIU’s debut in its new on-campus stadium.
Matt Grothe completed 14 of 22 passes for 137 yards for South Florida (4-0)but was held without a passing or rushing touchdown for just the second time in his 30-game career.
FIU (0-3), which came in ranked last among all FBS schools in total offense (178.5 yards per game) and scoring (5.0),
No. 14 BYU 44, Wyoming 0PROVO, Utah ó Max Hall threw three touchdown passes and BYU extended the nation’s longest winning streak with a second straight shutout in beating Wyoming.
The Cougars (4-0, 1-0 Mountain West) have won 14 straight, matching their longest winning streak of the decade and got back-to-back shutouts for the first time in 23 years. BYU last held two straight opponents scoreless in 1985, beating Wyoming 59-0 and Utah State 44-0 ó identical scores to the 2008 shutouts.
No. 16 Penn State 45, Temple 3STATE COLLEGE, Pa. ó Penn State built another huge halftime lead, then cruised to an easy win over Temple with Hall of Famer Joe Paterno coaching from the press box in the second half.
Daryll Clark threw two touchdown passes and ran for an 11-yard score and Stephfon Green ran for 132 yards and a 69-yard TD as the Nittany Lions rolled to 4-0 in beating the Owls (1-3).
Linebacker Navorro Bowman had three sacks and an interception to pace a Penn State defense that held Temple to 138 yards and 10 first downs.
The 81-year-old Paterno walked gingerly at times along the sideline in the first half as Penn State built a 31-0 lead, then moved upstairs alongside his assistants in the second. He had been complaining this week of a sore right leg.
Boise State 37, No. 17 Oregon 32EUGENE, Ore. ó Kellen Moore threw for 386 yards and three touchdowns in his first road start and Boise State upset Oregon (3-1) as the Ducks’ quarterback troubles continued.
Jeremiah Masoli, a junior college transfer who was projected as Oregon’s third-string quarterback going into the season, started but left the game in the first half with a reported concussion.
Moore, a redshirt freshman, was composed in completing 24 of 36 passes as the Broncos (3-0) got their first road win over a Pacific-10 team. Vinny Perretta had three catches for 91 yards and a touchdown.
No. 19 Kansas 38, Sam Houston State 14LAWRENCE, Kan. ó Todd Reesing threw for 356 yards and two touchdowns, and ran for another score to lead Kansas over Sam Houston State.
Sam Houston State (1-1) had last week’s game against Prairie View A&M postponed because of Hurricane Ike and couldn’t practice until Tuesday because of power outages and cleanup from the storm. Despite the hardships, the Bearkats didn’t make it easy on Kansas, stifling its running game, repeatedly finding seams in its defensive secondary.
Kansas (3-1) survived for its 12th straight home win ó 17th straight in non-conference. The Jayhawks ran on eight of their first 10 plays and 47 times overall, hoping to improve on a 105-yard per-game average that ranks 101st in the nation.
No. 20 Utah 30, Air Force 23AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. ó Darrell Mack scored three second-half touchdowns, including a 9-yard run up the middle with 58 seconds remaining, to help Utah rally past Air Force.
The Utes are 4-0 for the first time since 2004, when they went 12-0 in Urban Meyer’s last season.
Utah (4-0, 2-0 Mountain West Conference) kept Air Force’s vaunted ground game in check, allowing just 53 yards. The Falcons (3-1, 1-1) entered the game with the second-best rushing offense in the nation, averaging 358 yards a game.