Kris Mitchell caught nine passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns, and Florida International made a series of defensive stands in the second half to spoil Maine’s football season opener, holding on for a 14-12 win Saturday night in Miami.
Maine’s only touchdown was a 5-yard run by freshman running back Tristen Kenan in the third quarter. The Black Bears missed their attempt for a tying 2-point conversion, then were stopped on downs on three subsequent drives into FIU territory. Late in the third, Maine passed up an opportunity to kick a short field goal, and Kenan was held to a 1-yard gain on fourth-and-3 from the 7.
Kenan finished with 24 carries for 155 yards. Maine quarterback Derek Robertson was 21 of 43 for 213 yards, and Cody Williams kicked two field goals, from 48 and 28 yards.
UNE 44, COAST GUARD 28: Jarrett Henault completed 35 of 44 passes for 329 yards and three touchdowns as the Nor’easters cruised to a 44-28 win over the Bears season opener in Biddeford.
Henault also rushed 16 times for 53 yards and a touchdown.
UNE took a 30-28 lead late in the third quarter on a safety, then scored a pair of rushing touchdown in the fourth to secure the win. Holden Wilson scored on a 5-yard run with 13:38 left, and Rob Young scored from the 2 with 1:36 remaining.
AJ DeFilio caught 11 passes for 93 yards. Shane LaPorte had 13 receptions for 84 yards.
Joey Armentrout was 22 for 41 passing for 217 yards and two touchdowns for Coast Guard.
(1) GEORGIA 48, TENNESSEE-MARTIN 7: Carson Beck overcame a sluggish first half to throw a 54-yard touchdown pass to Mekhi Mews, and the Bulldogs, the two-time defending national champions, leaned on their defense to overwhelm the Skyhawks in Athens, Georgia.
Georgia showed it must make progress on offense if it can realize its dream of becoming the first team to win three straight national championships in The Associated Press poll era. The Bulldogs were outgained in the opening quarter and led only 17-0 at halftime against the Football Championship Subdivision Skyhawks.
(2) MICHIGAN 30, EAST CAROLINA 3: J.J. McCarthy threw three touchdown passes to Roman Wilson, helping the Wolverines beat the Pirates in their opener in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Wolverines were without Coach Jim Harbaugh, who began serving a school-imposed three-game suspension for breaking NCAA rules.
(3) OHIO STATE 23, INDIANA 3: Miyan Williams rushed for two touchdowns and new quarterback Kyle McCord picked up his first win since being named the starter for the Buckeyes, beating the Hoosiers in Bloomington, Indiana.
The Buckeyes have won 23 consecutive season openers and extended the longest active winning streak in a Football Bowl Subdivision series to 28.
Indiana has lost nine of its last 10 dating to last season.
(12) TENNESSEE 49, VIRGINIA 13: Joe Milton III threw two touchdown passes and ran for two scores as the Volunteers routed Virginia in Nashville, Tennessee, in the season opener for both teams – and the Cavaliers’ first game in 294 days.
The teams marked the Cavs’ first football game since a shooting left three Virginia players dead last November with a moment of silence before kickoff. The Vols also wore a sticker on the back of their helmets with the numbers of the late Devin Chandler, Lavel Davis Jr. and D’Sean Perry.
(13) NOTRE DAME 56, TENNESSEE STATE 3: Sam Hartman passed for 194 yards and two touchdowns and Notre Dame’s defense didn’t allow a touchdown for a second straight game as the No. 13 Irish the Tigers in South Bend, Indiana.
It was the first time Notre Dame played a program from the historical Black college and university ranks or an opponent from the Football Championship Subdivision.
COLORADO 45, (17) TCU 42: Deion Sanders had Colorado ready for prime time after all of the hype and attention in the nine months since he was hired.
Shedeur Sanders, the coach’s son, threw for 510 yards and four touchdowns, including the winner on a 46-yard catch-and-run by freshman Dylan Edwards with 4:25 left, and the Buffaloes pulled off an opening shocker with a win over TCU, last year’s national runner-up, in Fort Worth, Texas.
Edwards caught three touchdown passes, including a 75-yarder in the opening minute of the second half when he turned a short pass into a big play.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS 27, BOSTON COLLEGE 24: Rocky Lombardi scored on a 1-yard quick-snap quarterback sneak to end the first overtime, and the Huskies recovered after blowing a 14-point, fourth-quarter lead to beat the Eagles in Boston.
VILLANOVA 38, LEHIGH 10: Connor Watkins threw a pair of touchdown passes to Rayjuon Pringle, and Jalen Jackson ran for 144 yards and two scores as the Wildcats rolled past the Wildcats in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to win their season opener for the seventh straight year.
NEW HAMPSHIRE 51, STONEHILL 17: Max Brosmer threw for 284 yards and five touchdowns, and Dylan Laube returned a punt for a score, caught a TD pass and ran for third touchdown – all in the first quarter – as the Wildcats cruised past the Skyhawks in the season opener for both schools in Easton, Massachusetts.
NOTES
ARMY: The American Athletic Conference has been in contact with Army as it looks for a replacement for Atlantic Coast Conference-bound SMU, two people with direct knowledge of the discussions told The Associated Press.
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