UA and ASU start college football season on high note
(KYMA, KECY) - College football is officially back and the University of Arizona and Arizona State University are off to hot starts. Outside of teams in Arizona, Week 1 was action-packed with multiple Associated Press (AP) Top 25 matchups.
As expected, the No. 11 Sun Devils made easy work of Northern Arizona with a 38-19 win. Quarterback Sam Leavitt flashed his dual-threat ability with 257 passing yards and two passing touchdowns to pair with 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
The redshirt sophomore is living up to preseason hype through the first week of play.
Right along with the Sun Devils, the Wildcats made easy work of Hawaii for their first win of the season. In a rush-by-committee approach on offense, Quincy Craig and Kedrick Reescano combined for 176 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries. Ismail Mahdi and Noah Fifita also crossed the goal line for a score.
Around the rest of the country, the No. 1 Texas Longhorns faced the No. 3 Ohio State Buckeyes in what many fans and media members were claiming to be one of the biggest Week 1 matchup in decades.
Ohio State's elite defense, led by new defensive coordinator Matt Patricia, and balanced offense proved decisive, lifting the Buckeyes to a 14-7 victory.
Sophomore wide receiver Jeremiah Smith finished with six receptions for 43 yards, while Texas quarterback Arch Manning’s debut underwhelmed amid defensive pressure.
No. 2 Penn State delivered a commanding performance over Nevada, asserting control early and maintaining dominance throughout. Drew Allar started his Heisman candidacy on the right track, completing 22 passes on 26 attempts for 217 yards and a touchdown.
On the other end of the spectrum, Nevada's Chubba Purdy struggled to sustain drives at quarterback, limiting their offensive production.
In a major upset, the Florida State Seminoles came out with a convincing home win over the No. 8 Alabama Crimson Tide. Thomas Castellanos, the quarterback transfer from Boston College, got the job done through the air and with his feet, throwing for 152 yards and scrambling for 78 yards and a touchdown.
In an AP Top 10 battle between the Southeastern Conference and Atlantic Coast Conference, it was No. 9 Louisiana State pulling out a hard-fought road victory over No. 4 Clemson, by a score of 17-10.
Garrett Nussmeier led the Tigers with a great performance, throwing for 230 yards and a touchdown. Cade Klubnik was underwhelming, throwing an interception and failing to produce any touchdowns for his offense.
