Idaho 28, Sacramento State 6
MOSCOW, Idaho (AP) — Aaron Duckworth rolled up 191 all-purpose yards and Matt Linehan threw for two touchdowns as Idaho opened the season with a 28-6 victory over Sacramento State on Thursday night.
Duckworth finished with 142 yards rushing and 49 receiving while Linehan was 14 of 19 for 163 yards, but also threw two interceptions.
Idaho had only 24 yards offense in the first quarter but finished with 356 in running its win streak to six, its longest since 1994.
The Vandals scored twice for a 14-6 halftime lead, though it turned the ball over three times and its rebuilt offensive line gave up all four Hornets sacks during the half.
Linehan threw 8 yards to Jacob Sannon for the Vandals' first touchdown, finishing a drive that included a 49-yard pass play to Duckworth. On Idaho's next drive, Linehan threw a 35-yard score to Reuben Mwehla.
Sacramento State's Devon Medeiros provided the Hornets' only points with two first-half field goals, including a 52-yarder that was a yard short of the school record set in 1998.
Defensive lineman DJ Henderson joined the Idaho backfield on fourth down and covered the final yard of a 60-yard drive for a 21-6 lead in the third quarter. Duckworth had a 28-yard run on the drive.
Duckworth made it 28-6 with an 18-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter.
Tennessee State 17, Georgia State 10
ATLANTA (AP) — Seth Rowland and Treon Harris each had a touchdown run and Tennessee State came up with a huge defensive stand, ruining Georgia State's debut at the refurbished stadium formerly known as Turner Field with a 17-10 victory Thursday night.
"I appreciate everybody who came out here tonight," said Shawn Elliott, Georgia State's new coach. "It was a great way to open this stadium — except for the game itself."
The Panthers were eager to make a good impression at the former home of the Braves, whose decision to build a new stadium in the suburbs left Georgia State with a huge gift — a major league-quality stadium near its downtown campus, a facility that is only 21 years old but filled with plenty of history. It started out as Centennial Olympic Stadium, the centerpiece of the 1996 Atlanta Games, and spent the past two decades as a 50,000-seat baseball park.
"You want to start your new stadium with a win," nose guard Julien Laurent said. "You can't get that first one back. So, yeah, it does hurt."
Rowland scored on a 4-yard run in the second quarter and broke off a 59-yard gain right up the middle to set up Harris' 12-yard scoring play late in the third. The big run came two plays after the Tigers, clinging to a 10-3 lead, stopped burly Kyler Neal about an inch shy of the stick on a fourth-down run at the Tennessee State 4.
The Panthers gave themselves a chance, finally reaching the end zone on a 36-yard touchdown pass from second-string quarterback Aaron Winchester to Taz Bateman with 11½ minutes to go. But a fumble near midfield deprived Georgia State of a shot at the tying score, and an interception by Dajour Nesbeth clinched it for the Tigers.
Winchester finished the game after starting QB Conner Manning went out in the second half with a ding to the head. Elliott said it wasn't diagnosed as concussion, but the senior felt a bit dizzy so he didn't go back in.
Memphis 37, ULM 29
MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) — Darrell Henderson rushed for 169 yards and two long touchdowns, and Tony Pollard returned a kickoff 99 yards to lead Memphis to a 37-29 win over Louisiana Monroe in the season opener on Thursday night.
Henderson, who had just 12 carries, scored from 55 and 63 yards. Patrick Taylor had a 66-yard touchdown and finished with 131 yards on 15 carries. Both backs were at 106 yards at halftime, the first time either sophomore has topped 100 yards.
Henderson, Taylor and quarterback Riley Ferguson had rushing touchdowns for a 20-7 halftime lead before Pollard opened the second half with his school record third kickoff return. It was the second-longest in school history after his 100-yarder last year.
Memphis finished with 416 total yards, 319 on the ground but just 72 in the second half.
Warhawks quarterbacks Caleb Evans and Garrett Smith each threw for a late fourth-quarter touchdown but after each one, Memphis recovered the onside kick to run time off the clock and squelch the comeback.
Memphis picked up its fourth straight season-opening win on the ninth birthday of the Bengal Tiger mascot Tom III.
New Mexico State at Arizona State
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — Arizona State stumbled on offense in the second quarter and its defense gave up three late touchdowns, but Manny Wilkins threw for 300 yards and two touchdowns, Kalen Ballage had two scoring runs and Arizona State opened the season with a 37-31 victory over New Mexico State on Thursday night.
Arizona State jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead, allowed the Aggies back in it, then pulled away in the second half to win its 19th straight home opener.
Wilkins showed off his strong arm on a 60-yard scoring strike to John Humphrey and finished 22 for 27. Ballage had scoring runs of 7 and 20 yards, carrying most of the load with Demario Richard on the sideline with a right-knee injury.
New Mexico State's Tyler Rogers threw for 398 yards and three touchdowns on 40-of-57 passing. He also had two interceptions, including one returned for a 49-yard touchdown by Kobe Williams.
Jason Huntley and Jaleel Scott each scored two touchdowns for the Aggies.
"This is a good football team we played," New Mexico State coach Doug Martin said. "They will be competing with everybody this year. There some positive signs."
New Mexico State put together two long drives in the second quarter, pulling within 14-13 by halftime on Scott's spectacular 16-yard touchdown catch and Rogers' 1-yard keeper.
New Mexico State made a late push, pulling within 37-25 after Huntley scored on a 50-yard run and a 23-yard reception. Scott scored on a 29-yard pass as time expired, but the run came too late.
"We were a little bumpy coming out," Rogers said. "We shot ourselves in the foot with a couple of stupid penalties. I made a couple of dumb decisions on throws. Other than that, we responded."