Sayin, defense propel No. 3 Ohio State past top-ranked Texas

By Canadian Press on August 30, 2025.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Julian Sayin had a 40-yard touchdown pass to Carnell Tate early in the fourth quarter, Ohio State’s defense got a couple key stops in the red zone and the third-ranked Buckeyes opened their season with a 14-7 victory over top-ranked Texas on Saturday.

It was the fourth time the AP’s No. 1 team in the preseason poll has met the previous season’s national champion in the opener. The defending champ has won the last three.

Arch Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards, a touchdown and an interception for the Longhorns.

Texas was 1 of 5 on fourth down, including being stopped twice in the red zone. The Longhorns were driving for a tying touchdown late in the game but Jack Endries was stopped by Caleb Downs 1 yard short of a first down to end hopes of a comeback.

Sayin was 13 of 20 passing for 126 yards. His best pass of the day came with 13:08 remaining in the game, when Tate beat Texas cornerback Jaylon Guilbeau for the long score. Tate juggled the ball before pulling it down in the end zone to put the Buckeyes up by two touchdowns.

NO. 2 PENN STATE 46, NEVADA 11

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. (AP) — Nicholas Singleton ran for two touchdowns, Penn State forced three turnovers and the No. 2 Nittany Lions pulled away to beat Nevada in the opener for both teams.

Singleton capped Penn State’s opening possession with a 1-yard run then scored on another short plunge early in the third quarter. Kayton Allen cut around the defense for a 13-yard score in the second.

Nevada had already self-destructed by then.

Penn State cornerback AJ Harris recovered Ky Woods’ fumble to spoil the Wolf Pack’s opening drive. Their next possession ended when defensive tackle Zane Durant intercepted Chubba Purdy’s pass deep in his own end.

Ryan Barker kicked four field goals for the Nittany Lions, who led 27-3 at halftime after Kyron Hudson hauled in a 31-yard touchdown pass from Drew Allar with 23 seconds left in the second quarter.

Hudson caught six passes for 89 yards, and Trebor Peña added seven for 74.

NO. 5 GEORGIA 45, MARSHALL 7

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Gunner Stockton enjoyed a promising start to his first full season as No. 5 Georgia’s starting quarterback, running for two touchdowns and adding two scoring passes as the Bulldogs rolled past Marshall in their season opener.

Stockton, a junior, had scoring runs of 13 and 11 yards. He completed 14 of 24 passes for 190 yards and ran for 73 yards.

Zachariah Branch, a transfer from Southern California, had three catches for 95 yards, including a 47-yard touchdown. Stockton added a 2-yard scoring pass to London Humphreys. Backup Ryan Puglisi threw a 23-yard scoring pass to Elyiss Williams.

JacQai Long started at quarterback for Marshall, the defending Sun Belt Conference champion that entered the season with 74 new players. Syracuse transfer Carlos Del Rio-Wilson and Jacksonville State transfer Zion Turner played behind Long.

Georgia led 45-0 before Turner led a touchdown drive capped by Ja’Shon Barbie’s 1-yard scoring run.

NO. 7 OREGON 59, MONTANA STATE 13

EUGENE, Ore. (AP) — Dante Moore started at quarterback for No. 7 Oregon and threw for 213 yards with three touchdowns, and the Ducks routed FCS power Montana State in the opener for both teams.

It was widely assumed that Moore — Dillon Gabriel’s understudy last season — would be the Ducks’ quarterback this season but coach Dan Lanning did not publicly name a starter before the first game.

True freshman Jordan Davison rushed for 26 yards and three touchdowns and Malik Benson caught five passes for 51 yards and a score for the defending Big Ten champion Ducks, who built a 38-3 lead by halftime.

Justin Lamson, who spent the last two seasons at Stanford, threw for 198 yards for Montana State. The defending Big Sky champion Bobcats are trying to replace star quarterback Tommy Mellott after falling to North Dakota State last season in the FCS title game.

Myles Sansted kicked a pair of 42-yard field goals and Adam Jones ran for a fourth-quarter touchdown for the Bobcats.

Oregon went ahead quickly, scoring just 63 seconds into the game on Jayden Limar’s 16-yard run down the left edge.

FLORIDA STATE 31, NO. 8 ALABAMA 17

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) — New quarterback Tommy Castellanos led a punishing rushing attack for Florida State with 78 yards and a touchdown as the Seminoles stunned No. 8 Alabama, ending the Crimson Tide’s streak of 23 straight wins in season openers.

Coming off a 2-10 season, Florida State handed a crushing setback to Alabama, which was viewed as a College Football Playoff contender under second-year coach Kalen DeBoer.

Students and fans swarmed the field at Doak Campbell Stadium to celebrate the upset by the Seminoles, who were 13 1/2-point underdogs according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

Under new offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn — who spent eight seasons as Auburn’s head coach — Florida State was physical from the start, finishing with 230 rushing yards and averaging 4.7 yards per carry. The Seminoles averaged just 89.9 yards during their disastrous 2024 season.

The Crimson Tide had not dropped a season opener since losing 20-17 to UCLA in 2001 under Dennis Franchione, and this defeat will ratchet up the pressure on DeBoer from the demanding Tuscaloosa faithful. His predecessor, Nick Saban, led Alabama to six national titles.

NO. 20 INDIANA 27, OLD DOMINION 27

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Fernando Mendoza scored on a 5-yard run in his debut as Indiana’s quarterback, Jonathan Brady returned a punt 91 yards for a score, and the 20th-ranked Hoosiers wore down Old Dominion.

Mendoza, the starter at California last season, finished 18 of 31 for 193 yards and ran six times for 34 yards. His TD run late in the first half gave the Hoosiers a 17-7 lead.

Indiana’s 309-yard rushing attack was led by Maryland transfer Roman Hemby, who had 23 carries for 110 yards. Kaelon Black added 92 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries.

Indiana won its ninth straight home game to improve to 9-0 at Memorial Stadium under second-year coach Curt Cignetti — but not without some stress.

NO. 22 IOWA STATE 55, SOUTH DAKOTA 7

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Rocco Becht threw for 278 yards and three touchdowns, two to tight end Benjamin Brahmer, and No. 22 Iowa State defeated South Dakota.

Iowa State (2-0), which beat Kansas State 24-21 in Ireland last week, opened with back-to-back wins for the fourth time under coach Matt Campbell.

Becht completed his first 14 passes and finished 19 for 20, a school-record 95%. He threw a touchdown pass in a program-record 20th straight game.

Kyle Konrardy set the school record for longest field goal with a 63-yarder as time expired in the first half. Konrardy’s kick was second-longest in Big 12 history behind Martin Gramatica’s 65-yarder for Kansas State in 1998.

Brahamer caught seven balls for 47 yards and tight end Gabe Burkle had four catches for 85 yards and a touchdown.

Iowa State’s Dylan Lee led all rushers with 81 yards and a touchdown, all in the second half.

NO. 24 TENNESSEE 45, SYRACUSE 26

ATLANTA (AP) — Joey Aguilar passed for 247 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 24 Tennessee held off Syracuse.

Aguilar was 16-for-28 passing in his first game with the Volunteers. He threw a 73-yard touchdown pass to Braylon Staley in the second quarter and found Star Thomas for a 7-yard TD in the third. He also helped close out the win when he passed to Miles Kitselman for a 2-yard TD in the fourth.

Star Thomas had 92 yards on 12 carries for Tennessee, which opened a 38-14 lead in the third. DeSean Bishop and Peyton Lewis each rushed for a TD.

Tennessee (1-0) rolled to 493 yards of offense, compared to 377 for Syracuse (0-1).

Syracuse quarterback Steve Angeli was 23 for 40 for 247 yards and a touchdown in his first start with the Orange. He also threw an interception and was sacked five times.

The Associated Press