Football season has kicked off. But for those who didn’t feel like keeping up with all 15 non-Mizzou SEC games, here’s a recap of the conference’s performances.
No. 3 Ohio State 14, No. 1 Texas 7
Well, that’s one way to start the season as the No. 1 team.
For just the fourth time in the history of the AP poll, the preseason No. 1 team matched up with the returning national champion.
The Longhorns trotted out Arch Manning as their new starter and he struggled. His first eight drives on the season ended with:
- turnover on downs
- punt
- punt
- punt
- punt
- turnover on downs
- interception
- turnover on downs
But in all that time, Ohio State put together just one scoring drive, helped by a couple of penalties. But otherwise, Texas‘ defense lived up to its billing.
The Buckeyes led 7-0 at halftime and at the end of the third quarter.
Ohio State extended the lead early in the fourth quarter and never gave it up. Though Texas did finally get on the board in the fourth when Manning found Parker Livingstone for a 32-yard score.
But the Texas offense was stopped on downs once again and Ohio State ran out the remaining time.
Texas finished with 336 total yards, including 170 through the air and 166 on the ground. Ohio State had just 203 total yards with 126 passing and 77 rushing.
Manning completed 17-of-30 passes for 170 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Quintrevion Wisner led the game with 80 rushing yards for the Longhorns, while Texas spread the passing around. Jack Endries led the way with four catches for 50 yards, Livingstone had two catches for 47 and former Mizzou recruiting target Ryan Wingo had two catches for 35 yards.
Texas (0-1) should have a much easier go of it next week when it hosts San Jose State at 11 a.m.
Florida State 31, No. 8 Alabama 17
In one of the more surprising upsets of the weekend, Florida State remembered how to play football.
Led by Thomas Castellanos‘ 152 passing and 78 rushing yards, Florida State jumped ahead with a 10-point second quarter to take a 17-7 lead into halftime.
The Seminoles then scored once in the third and once in the fourth to build their final margin.
Both of Alabama’s touchdowns came through the air as the Crimson Tide amassed just 87 rushing yards.
Ty Simpson tossed a 2-yard touchdown to Josh Cuevas to open the scoring, but then Florida State scored the game’s next 24 points.
Alabama finally got back on the board with a 40-yard field goal with 5:59 left in the third before adding a Simpson touchdown pass to Rico Scott early in the fourth.
Simpson completed 23-of-43 passes for 254 yards and two scores.
Germie Bernard led the game with eight catches for 146 yards for Alabama.
The Tide (0-1) will host Louisiana-Monroe at 6:45 p.m. Saturday.
No. 9 LSU 17, No. 4 Clemson 10
In another of the premiere matchups of the weekend, LSU came out on top after falling behind 3-0 and 10-3.
The Bayou Bengals scored 14 points in the second half and held Clemson scoreless after the break to win.
LSU tied the game at 3 when Damion Ramos hit a 52-yard field goal early in the second quarter, then tied the game at 10 when Caden Durham took a 2-yard run across the goal line with 8:59 left in the third.
In the fourth, Garrett Nussmeier gave LSU the lead for good with an 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey’Dez Green with 12:18 left to play.
LSU totaled 354 yards with 246 in the air and 108 on the ground. Clemson had 261 total with 230 in the air and just 31 rushing.
Nussmeier completed 28-of-38 passes for 230 yards and a touchdown, while Durham led the rushing game with 74 yards.
Aaron Anderson led the game with six catches for 99 yards for LSU.
LSU (1-0) will host Louisiana-Tech at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Auburn 38, Baylor 24
Auburn jumped ahead early at Baylor and ran away with a win against a Big 12 team to open the season.
After Baylor took a 3-0 lead, Jackson Arnold ran in a 24-yard touchdown to give the Tigers the lead for good with 34 seconds left in the first quarter.
Damari Alston put Auburn up 14-3 with a 9-yard touchdown run with 10:29 left before halftime.
Alex McPherson added a 21-yard field goal to extend the lead to 17-3, but Baylor added a touchdown to cut the lead to 17-10 going into the break.
After halftime, Jeremiah Cobb ran in a 2-yard touchdown to make it 24-10, then Rayshawn Pleasant returned a kickoff 98 yards to create a 31-17 advantage going to the fourth.
Arnold added a 27-yard rushing touchdown in the fourth.
Auburn had 415 total yards with just 108 through the air and 307 on the ground.
Baylor had the reverse. The Bears had 483 total yards with 419 through the air and just 64 on the ground.
Arnold completed 11-of-17 passes for 108 yards, but led the game with 137 rushing yards and two scores on 16 tries. Alston added 84 rushing yards and Cobb had 74 more.
No Auburn receiver reached 30 yards.
Auburn (1-0) will host Ball State at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
No. 24 Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26
Tennessee sprinted out to a 17-0 lead at the end of the first quarter and never looked back.
The Volunteers led 31-14 at halftime and 38-20 at the end of the third quarter.
Tennessee totaled 493 yards with 247 in the air and 246 on the ground.
New Volunteer QB Joey Aguilar completed 16-of-28 passes for 247 yards and three touchdowns, while Star Thomas led the way on the ground with 92 yards on 12 tries.
DeSean Bishop added 82 rushing yards and a score for Tennessee, while Peyton Lewis had 38 rushing yards and another score.
Braylon Staley led the game with 95 yards and a touchdown on four catches for Tennessee, while Chris Brazzell had five catches for 62 yards.
The two other Tennessee receiving touchdowns went to Miles Kitselman and Thomas.
Tennessee (1-0) will host East Tennessee State at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Mississippi State 34, Southern Miss 17
The Bulldogs jumped ahead early, but took just a 13-10 lead into halftime after a buzzer-beating field goal to break a tie at 10. After the break, it was all Mississippi State.
The Bulldogs scored three third-quarter touchdowns to build a 34-10 advantage heading to the fourth.
Mississippi State had 465 total yards, with 277 in the air and 188 on the ground.
Blake Shapen completed 26-of-34 passes for 270 yards, one touchdown and one interception.
Davon Booth led the way on the ground with 79 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Fluff Bothwell had 43 rushing yards and two scores on the ground.
Brenen Thompson led the receiving game with 92 yards, while Seydou Traore had 77 yards and a touchdown.
Mississippi State (1-0) will host Arizona State (1-0) at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
Kentucky 24, Toledo 16
An early Kentucky touchdown put the Wildcats up for good, but a Toledo safety sent Kentucky into the break leading just 10-2.
In the fourth quarter, the teams traded touchdowns to create the final margin. Toledo was within a score twice.
Kentucky amassed 305 total yards, with just 85 passing and 220 rushing.
Zach Calzada completed 10-of-23 passes for 85 yards and an interception.
Dante Dowdell led the rushing game with 129 yards and a touchdown on 14 attempts, while Seth McGowan had 78 yards and a score and Calzada added 14 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Josh Kattus was the leading receiver for Kentucky at just 43 yards on three catches.
Kentucky (1-0) will kick right into SEC play by hosting Ole Miss (1-0) at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
No. 5 Georgia 45, Marshall 7
We’re into the very easy games.
Georgia scored 45 unanswered points before Marshall finally got on the board with 10:27 left to play.
The Bulldogs amassed 388 total yards with 249 in the air and 239 on the ground.
Gunner Stockton completed 14-of-24 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns for Georgia, while also leading the rushing game with 73 yards and two touchdowns.
Dwight Phillips added 60 rushing yards and a touchdown on just five carries.
Zachariah Branch led the Georgia receivers with 95 yards and a touchdown. The other receiving touchdowns came from Elyiss Williams (23 yards on one catch) and London Humphreys (8 yards on three catches).
Georgia (1-0) will host Austin Peay at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
Arkansas 52, Alabama A&M 7
Alabama A&M tied the game at 7 with 6:28 left in the first quarter, then it was all Arkansas.
The Razorbacks had 552 total yards with 358 in the air and 194 on the ground.
Taylen Green completed 24-of-31 passes for 322 yards and six touchdowns, while KJ Jackson went 2-for-4 with 36 yards and a score.
Mike Washington was the leading rusher for Arkansas at home 79 yards.
O’Mega Blake led the Razorbacks with seven catches for 121 yards and a touchdown, while CJ Brown had four catches for 49 yards and two scores. Jalen Brown added a score on three catches for 44 yards, while Raylen Sharpe had three catches for 41 yards and a touchdown.
Mike Washington added two catches for 26 yards and a touchdown, while Andreas Passke caught one 5-yard pass for a score.
Arkansas (1-0) will host Arkansas State at 4 p.m. Saturday.
No. 18 Oklahoma 35, Illinois State 3
The was never a question for the Sooners, who jumped ahead 21-0 at halftime before Illinois State finally got on the board with a field goal in the third.
Oklahoma amassed 495 total yards, with 392 in the air and 103 on the ground.
John Mateer led the Sooners, completing 30-of-37 passes for 392 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Tory Blaylock led the Sooners with 44 rushing yards and a score, while Mateer added 24 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Keontez Lewis led the Sooners with 119 receiving yards and two touchdowns, while Jaren Kanak had 90 yards and Deion Burks added 88 yards and a touchdown.
No. 18 Oklahoma (1-0) will host No. 14 Michigan (1-0) in one of the premiere matchups of next weekend. Kickoff will be at 6:30 p.m. at Oklahoma.
No. 15 Florida 55, Long Island 0
Well, that’s unfair.
Florida totaled 451 yards and gave up just 86. The Gators had 251 passing and 200 rushing yards.
DJ Lagway completed 15-of-18 passes for 120 yards and three touchdowns, then Tramell Jones Jr. completed 12-of-18 passes for 131 yards and two scores.
Jaden Baugh led the Gators with 104 rushing yards and a touchdown.
Vernell Brown led the receivers with 79 yards, while Hayden Hansen had three catches for 27 yards and a score. Tony Livingston, Taylor Spierto, J.Michael Sturdivant and Eugene Wilson caught the other receiving touchdowns.
Florida (1-0) will host USF at 3:15 p.m. Saturday.
No. 19 Texas A&M 42, UTSA 24
Texas A&M jumped ahead, then scored 28 points across the second and third quarters to run away with a season-opening win.
The Aggies had 399 total yards with 291 in the air and 108 on the ground.
Marcel Reed completed 22-of-34 passes for 289 yards and four touchdowns. He also led the Aggies with 39 rushing yards.
Mario Craver was his primary target, catching eight passes for 122 yards and two scores. KC Concepcion added 72 yards and a touchdown, while Theo Melin Ohrstrom had the other Aggie receiving touchdown.
Texas A&M (1-0) will host Utah State at 11:45 a.m. Saturday.
Vanderbilt 45, Charleston Southern 3
Vanderbilt scored 45 unanswered points to start the game as the Commodores kicked off the season with a runaway win.
Vandy had 481 total yard, including 280 in the air and 201 on the ground.
Diego Pavia completed 20-of-25 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 44 rushing yards.
Sedrick Alexander led the ground game with 83 rushing yards. Jamezell Lassiter, Makhilyn Young and AJ Newberry had Vanderbilt’s three rushing scores.
Eli Stowers was the Commodores’ primary receiver with 86 yards, while Tre Richardson had 74. Junior Sherrill, Kayleb Barnett and Alexander had the three receiving touchdowns.
Vanderbilt (1-0) will go on the road to face Virginia Tech at 6:30 p.m. Saturday.
No. 21 Ole Miss 63, Georgia State 7
Ole Miss put up 25 first-half points, then added another 38 after the break to run away from Georgia State.
The Rebels had an astounding 695 total yards with 400 in the air and 295 on the ground.
Austin Simmons completed 20-of-31 passes for 341 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. Trinidad Chambliss came in and completed 4-of-6 passes for 59 yards and a score.
Former Tiger Kewan Lacy led the way on the ground for Ole Miss, rushing 16 times for 108 yards and three touchdowns. Logan Diggs added 91 yards and score.
Harrison Wallace led the receivers with five catches for 130 yards and a score, while Dae’Quan Wright had four receptions for 78 yards and a score. Caleb Odom added 57 yards and a touchdown, while Izaiah Hartrup caught the other Rebel touchdown.
Ole Miss (1-0) will play at Kentucky (1-0) to kick off SEC play at 2:30 p.m. Saturday.
No. 13 South Carolina 24, Virginia Tech 11
In the final matchup of Week 1, South Carolina needed a 14-point fourth quarter to pull away.
LaNorris Sellers put the Gamecocks in front with a 15-yard touchdown run, but Virginia Tech responded with a safety and a field goal to cut the lead to 7-5.
South Carolina’s William Joyce hit a 27-yard field goal to create a 5-point lead, then Virginia Tech responded with a 56-yard field goal at the halftime buzzer to go to the break down just 10-8.
But then came the fourth quarter as Vicari Swain returned a punt 80 yards for a score and Sellers connected with Nyck Harbor on a 64-yard touchdown pass to create the final margin after another Hokie field goal.
South Carolina ended with 328 total yards, including 209 in the air and 119 on the ground.
Sellers completed 12-of-19 passes for 209 yards and a touchdown, while also rushing 13 times for 25 yards and a score.
Oscar Adaway led the Gamecocks’ rushing attack with 60 yards.
Harbor was Sellers’ primary target with three catches for 99 yards.
South Carolina (1-0) will host South Carolina State at 6 p.m. Saturday.