Associated Press
The college football roundup …MEMPHIS, Tenn. ó Jevan Snead sure knows how to finish.
The Mississippi quarterback recovered from an awful start to throw two late touchdowns and Dexter McCluster scored twice to lead the No. 8 Rebels to a 45-14 win over Memphis on Sunday. Snead hit 4 of 5 passes for 73 yards and two touchdowns in the fourth quarter, breaking open a close game.
Those who having been watching Snead at Ole Miss will start to notice a trend. Snead got off to a slow start last season before rallying the Rebels to six straight wins. He did just the same in microcosm in the team’s seventh consecutive victory.
BLOUNT APOLOGY
PORTLAND, Ore. ó Oregon running back LeGarrette Blount called Boise State defensive end Byron Hout and coach Chris Petersen to apologize for the punch he threw following Thursday’s game between the two teams.
Blount and Ducks coach Chip Kelly made the conciliatory phone call on Saturday. A spokesman for Oregon confirmed it took place, but would not discuss what was said.
Blount punched Hout in the jaw following the 16th-ranked Ducks’ 19-8 loss to the 14th-ranked Broncos on Thursday night. Hout was knocked to his knees.
On Friday, Kelly suspended Blount for the rest of the season, effectively ending his career at Oregon. Blount will remain on scholarship and be allowed to practice with the team, but will not play in games or a bowl.
Saturday’s apology was first reported by The Register-Guard newspaper in Eugene and ESPN. Blount had apologized after the game when he spoke with reporters.
“I just apologize to everyone that was watching this, ESPN, national TV. I just apologize to all of our fans, all of Boises fans,” he said. “It was just something that I shouldn’t have done. I lost my head.”
CAA FOOTBALL
RICHMOND, Va. ó A big check and a victory.Three Colonial Athletic Association teams padded their coffers and their records against major college teams on the opening weekend of the football season.
After Villanova’s last-play 27-24 victory against Temple on Thursday night, defending Football Championship Subdivision champion Richmond followed with a 24-16 victory against Duke in Durham, on Saturday, and William & Mary upended Virginia 26-14 in Charlottesville.
“It was a pretty good week for CAA football,” Spiders coach Mike London said Sunday.
MICHIGAN RELIEVED
ANN ARBOR, Mich. ó Michigan athletic director Bill Martin was one of the happiest people at the Big House as coach Rich Rodriguez and the Wolverines had an opening day win in hand by halftime.
It was a welcome relief after a miserable week for both Rodriguez and his boss.
A newspaper report about possible NCAA rule violations was deemed serious enough that the school launched an investigation into the hours football players were training and practicing.
Adding to the “drama” as Rodriguez describes it, a pair of reports followed about his involvement in a troubled real estate investment that included a booster banned at Clemson.
Martin, meanwhile, was hoping as much as anyone on campus that Rodriguez has been following the rules and that his football team is ready to start winning.
With Rodriguez’s spread offense clicking and Michigan leading Western Michigan 31-0 at half on Saturday, Martin acknowledged to a couple reporters he felt a sense of relief.
“I’m smiling,” Martin said with a sly grin.
NOTRE DAME
SOUTH BEND, Ind. ó Charlie Weis sat in front of his players last December and asked them a question.
“Where are we heading here fellas?”
It was his first chance to talk to his team after an embarrassing 38-3 loss to USC and a highly publicized meeting on the West Coast with the athletic director in which he learned he’d return to Notre Dame for a fifth season as coach.
Weis recounted that meeting a day after the 23rd-ranked Fighting Irish opened the season with a 35-0 victory against Nevada.
HEISMAN WATCH
NEW YORK ó Sizing up the Heisman Trophy race after one week is usually a bit pointless. But when one of the favorites (Sam Bradford) goes down with a potentially serious injury and another contender (Max Hall) shines on what may be the biggest stage he’ll play on this season, the Heisman race is fair game.
In leading BYU to victory, Hall put up good numbers, 329 yards and two touchdowns, and came through in the clutch, throwing a go-ahead TD pass with 3:03 left in the game.
Early season games can have a major impact in the Heisman voting, as any BYU fan can attest. When Ty Detmer won the award for the Cougars in 1990, BYU’s upset of No. 1 Miami on Sept. 8 stood as the high point of the quarterback’s season.