Ohio State's defense held Texas quarterback Arch Manning in check, and the No. 3 Buckeyes pulled off a 14-7 victory over the top-ranked Longhorns at Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday in the season opener for both teams.

• CJ Donaldson Jr. scored on a 1-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, and the Buckeyes took advantage of a Manning interception to go ahead 14-0 with 13:08 left in the game when quarterback Julian Sayin connected with Carnell Tate on a 40-yard touchdown pass.

  Manning finally got untracked and threw a 32-yard TD pass to Parker Livingstone with 3:28 remaining. With a chance to pull off a late rally, Manning took the Longhorns to the 47 in the final two minutes, but they turned the ball over on downs with 1:27 remaining to end the threat.

  Manning, the nephew of Super Bowl-winning QBs Peyton and Eli Manning, made his third career start, while the Buckeyes' Sayin made his first. Manning finished 17 of 30 for 170 yards and a TD, with one interception, and Sayin was 13 of 20 for 126 yards and a TD.

  No. 2 Penn State 46, Nevada 11

  Nicholas Singleton rushed for two touchdowns and Dani Dennis-Sutton was a terror on defense as the No. 2 Nittany Lions rolled to an easy victory over the Wolf Pack at University Park, Pa.

  Drew Allar completed 22 of 26 passes for 217 yards and one touchdown as the Nittany Lions controlled the contest. Sutton forced two fumbles and had 2.5 stops for losses, including one sack.

  Penn State outgained the Wolf Pack 438-203 and had a 25-13 edge in first downs. Chubba Purdy was 7-of-15 passing for 97 yards, with one interception, for Nevada. The brother of San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy accumulated a team-leading 55 yards on the ground.

  No. 9 LSU 17, No. 4 Clemson 10

  Garrett Nussmeier threw a tiebreaking touchdown pass in the fourth quarter and LSU rode a stifling defense to a victory over host Clemson in the season opener for both teams.

  Nussmeier completed 28 of 38 passes for 230 yards and LSU outgained Clemson 354-261 to snap a five-year losing streak in openers. On the fifth play of the fourth quarter, Nussmeier threw an 8-yard touchdown pass to Trey'Dez Green to give LSU the lead for the first time, 17-10, with 12:18 to play.

  Clemson drove from its 43 to the LSU 15 on its final possession, but Cade Klubnik's pass on fourth-and-4 was incomplete. Klubnik completed 19 of 38 for 230 yards with one interception.

  No. 5 Georgia 45, Marshall 7

  Gunner Stockton threw for 190 yards and two touchdowns and rushed for 73 yards and two more scores to pace the Bulldogs to the season-opening win over the Thundering Herd in Athens, Ga.

  Dwight Phillips Jr. added 60 rushing yards and a touchdown on just five carries for Georgia, which produced 488 yards and 27 first downs to Marshall's 207 yards and seven first downs.

  After Georgia built a 45-0 lead early in the fourth quarter, Jo'Shon Barbie rushed 1 yard for Marshall's touchdown. Zion Turner came off the bench to hit 6 of 7 passes for 100 yards and Xayvion Turner-Bradshaw made three catches for 58 yards.

  No. 7 Oregon 59, Montana State 13

  Dante Moore showed the college football world what it had been missing in his first start in nearly two years, throwing for 213 yards and three touchdowns as the Ducks trounced the Bobcats in Oregon.

  Moore also set a career high with a 78 percent completion rate, going 6-for-6 on his lone drive in the second half. He helped Oregon outgain Montana State 506-244 in overall yards Saturday.

  Moore's counterpart, Justin Lamson, struggled for the Bobcats, completing 23-of-31 passes for 198 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Running back Adam Jones scored Montana State's only touchdown on the day.

  Florida State 31, No. 8 Alabama 17

  The Seminoles ran for 230 yards and four touchdowns, beginning their 2025 season with a shocking upset of the Crimson Tide in Tallahassee, Fla.

  The Seminoles, 2-10 a season ago after a 13-1 campaign in 2023, looked the part of a new-look team with two new coordinators and a new roster. FSU quarterback Tommy Castellanos, who said this offseason that he didn't believe Bama would be able to stop him, backed up the talk in a major way. He led the Seminoles with 78 rushing yards and scored their first touchdown of the season on a 9-yard first-quarter run. He also completed 9 of 14 passes for 152 yards.

  The Crimson Tide suffered their first season-opening loss since 2001 under second-year head coach Kalen DeBoer. Alabama starting quarterback Ty Simpson, making his first career start in a hostile atmosphere, completed 23 of 43 passes for 254 yards and threw a pair of touchdowns. However, three fourth-down incompletions in FSU territory loomed large during the TIde's comeback attempt.

  No. 11 Arizona State 38, Northern Arizona 19

  Sam Leavitt rushed for two touchdowns and passed for two touchdowns, both to Jordyn Tyson, as the Sun Devils overcame sometimes sloppy play to pull away from the Lumberjacks in Tempe.

  The Sun Devils (1-0) were penalized 12 times for 93 yards and converted on just 2-of-10 third-down opportunities. Leavitt closed his night with 257 yards on 25-of-39 passing and his 73 rushing yards matched Kyson Brown for a game-high. Tyson caught 12 passes for 141 yards.

  Ty Pennington went 22-of-35 for 204 yards for Northern Arizona (0-1). Backup Lathan Boone, who came on for Pennington in the fourth quarter, went 4 of 7 for 38 yards. Kenveon Stone, who rushed for a team-high 35 yards, scored a touchdown in the final minute.

  No. 14 Michigan 34, New Mexico 17

  Justice Haynes had 16 carries for 159 yards and three touchdowns, and the Wolverines held firm for a win over the Lobos in Ann Arbor, Mich.

  Highly touted true freshman Bryce Underwood completed 21 of 31 passes for 251 yards and one touchdown in his collegiate debut for the Wolverines (1-0). Marlin Klein finished with six catches for 93 yards and a touchdown. Michigan outgained New Mexico 452-267 in total offense.

  Dorian Thomas had 10 catches for 71 yards and two touchdowns for the Lobos (0-1). Jack Layne completed 31 of 47 passes for 208 yards, one touchdown and three interceptions.

  No. 15 Florida 55, Long Island 0

  Quarterback DJ Lagway fired three touchdowns in the Gators' 38-point first half as they opened the season by pummeling the Sharks in Gainesville, Fla.

  The sophomore signal-caller from Texas finished his season debut by going 15 of 18 for 120 yards. Backup Tramell Jones Jr. was 12 of 18 for 131 yards with two TDs while Jadan Baugh rushed for 104 yards and a score on nine carries. Defensive back Bryce Thornton scored on one of his two fumble recoveries.

  Division I FCS Long Island (0-1) mustered only two first downs to Florida's 28 and was outgained 451-86 in total offense. Sharks quarterbacks Luca Stanzani, Ethan Greenwood and Chris Howell combined to go 4 of 11 for 49 yards.

  No. 16 SMU 42, East Texas A&M 13

  Kevin Jennings threw a pair of touchdown passes and ran for another to lead the Mustangs to a season-opening victory over the visiting Lions in Dallas.

  Jennings completed 22 of 30 passes for 260 yards and one interception in addition to his two scoring tosses to lead the SMU to its seventh consecutive season-opening win. Romello Brinson caught seven passes for 121 yards, including a 63-yard touchdown. Alexander Kilgore and Ahmaad Moses returned interceptions for touchdowns.

  East Texas A&M, which is coming off a 3-9 season and is now eligible to compete for the FCS playoff berth, got two field goals from Ozlo Rigby. Eric Rodriguez entered at quarterback in the second quarter in relief of Will Madonna and completed 14 of 30 passes for 191 yards and an interception. Rodriguez scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 2:55 left in the game for the Lions' only touchdown.

  No. 17 Kansas State 38, North Dakota 35

  Avery Johnson's 6-yard touchdown pass to Joe Jackson with 42 seconds left helped the Wildcats avoid an embarrassing loss to the Fighting Hawks of the FCS.

  The Fighting Hawks (0-1) were looking for the biggest upset in program history and their first victory over an FBS opponent since 2015.

  Johnson finished 28 of 43 for 318 yards and three touchdowns, and Jayce Brown caught 12 passes for 109 yards and one score for the Wildcats (1-1). Jerry Kaminski was 23 of 38 for 231 yards and a touchdown for North Dakota. He also scored two touchdowns on the ground.

  No. 18 Oklahoma 35, Illinois State 3

  John Mateer threw for 392 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another as the Sooners opened the season with a rout of the Redbirds in Norman, Okla.

  Mateer's passing yardage was the most by an Oklahoma quarterback in an opener, topping Baker Mayfield's 388-yard performance to open the 2015 season against Akron. Mateer finished 30 of 37 through the air as the Sooners outgained the Redbirds 495-151.

  Illinois State quarterback Tommy Rittenhouse (6 of 13, 22 yards) left the game early in the third after taking a hard hit from defensive end Taylor Wein. The FCS Redbirds finished with just 34 passing yards. Wenkers Wright rushed for 50 yards on seven carries to lead Illinois State.

  No. 19 Texas A&M 42, UTSA 24

  Marcel Reed passed for four touchdowns and KC Concepcion had an 80-yard punt return for a touchdown and a 31-yard TD catch as the Aggies were too much for the Roadrunners in the season opener for both teams in College Station, Texas.

  Reed was 22 of 34 for 289 yards through the air in the win while Mario Craver, a transfer from Mississippi State, had eight catches for 122 yards and two TDs for the Aggies. Reed also finished as Texas A&M's top rusher with 39 yards on eight carries.

  The Roadrunners stayed close in the first half and were within four points early in the third quarter thanks mostly to the rushing of Robert Henry Jr., who racked up 177 yards and two touchdowns on 16 carries. UTSA quarterback Owen McCown (19 of 32) had just 121 passing yards.

  No. 20 Indiana 27, Old Dominion 14

  New quarterback Fernando Mendoza rushed for a touchdown, new running back Roman Hemby added 110 yards on the ground, and the Hoosiers shrugged off a sluggish start for a win over the Monarchs in Bloomington, Ind.

  Indiana's 309 rushing yards were on brand with last year's 11-2 team, and the Hoosiers controlled the ball for 41:28 but managed only one second-half touchdown. Mendoza, who started for California last season, threw for 193 yards on 18-of-31 accuracy and rushed 5 yards for a score.

  Old Dominion quarterback Colton Joseph accounted for most of his team's offense with touchdown runs of 75 and 78 yards. He rushed for 179 yards on 10 carries and completed 11 of 22 passes for 96 yards but was intercepted three times.

  No. 21 Ole Miss 63, Georgia State 7

  Austin Simmons completed 20 of 31 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns, helping the Rebels rout the Panthers in Oxford, Miss.

  Simmons also threw two interceptions in his first career start, while Kewan Lacy ran for 108 yards and three touchdowns on 16 carries. Logan Diggs rushed for 91 yards and a score for the Rebels, who outgained Georgia State 695-260 in total offense in both team's season opener. Harrison Wallace III made five catches for 130 yards and a touchdown.

  Christian Veilleux was 4-of-11 passing for 52 yards, a touchdown and an interception for outmatched Georgia State. Rashad Amos led the Panthers with 68 rushing yards.

  No. 22 Iowa State 55, South Dakota 7

  Rocco Becht completed 19 of 20 passes for 278 yards and three touchdowns, and the Cyclones cruised past the FCS Coyotes in Ames, Iowa.

  Becht set a school record by completing 95 percent of his passes and established another school mark with a TD pass in 20 consecutive games. Benjamin Brahmer caught seven passes for 47 yards and two TDs for Iowa State (2-0), which won its home opener one week after starting the season in Ireland. Kyle Konrardy added two field goals, including a 63-yarder that set a school record.

  Aidan Bouman completed 15 of 29 passes for 126 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions for South Dakota (0-1). Bouman was making his return to Ames, where he was a reserve signal-caller for Iowa State before transferring in 2022 to South Dakota to become a starter.

  No. 23 Texas Tech 67, Arkansas Pine-Bluff 7

  Behren Morton threw four touchdown passes before departing in the second quarter with an injury as the Red Raiders routed the Golden Lions in each team's season opener in Lubbock, Texas.

  Morton, who completed 16 of 18 attempts for 201 yards, left the game after linebacker Tayvon Hardwick hit him on the lower right leg and was called for roughing the passer. Morton stayed in for one more play and went to the locker room for treatment. That and a weather delay were the only things to slow down the Red Raiders. The teams agreed to play eight-minute quarters in the second half, but Texas Tech still wound up with 608 total yards and 34 first downs.

  The Golden Lions, an FCS program that plays in the Southwestern Athletic Conference, avoided a shutout with Christian Peters' 7-yard touchdown pass to Ellis Stewart with 6:16 left in the game.

  No. 24 Tennessee 45, Syracuse 26

  Joey Aguilar threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns as the Volunteers topped the Orange at Atlanta in the season opener for both teams.

  Playing his first game for Tennessee, Aguilar was a somewhat erratic 16-of-28 passing but benefited from a dominant rushing attack. The Volunteers averaged 6.2 yards per carry, including a strong performance from Star Thomas, who had 12 carries for 92 yards.

  Yasin Willis had three rushing touchdowns for Syracuse and finished with 91 yards on 23 carries.

  --Field Level Media

Star receiver Ryan Williams exited Alabama's season-opening 31-17 loss Saturday at Florida State in the fourth quarter due to a concussion, according to head coach Kalen DeBoer.

• Williams took a blow to the head after dropping a pass with 6:07 left in the contest. Two Seminoles were in the area and Earl Little Jr. was called for targeting before the ruling was reviewed and subsequently overturned.

  Williams made his way off the field and didn't return to the contest for No. 8 Alabama. DeBoer said the 6-foot sophomore will be evaluated leading up to next week's home game against UL Monroe.

  Williams finished with five receptions for just 30 yards in the shocking loss to a Florida State team coming off a 2-10 campaign. His long gain was 11 yards.

  Williams excelled last season by catching 48 passes for a team-high 865 yards and eight touchdowns. He also rushed for two scores and returned punts for the Crimson Tide.

  --Field Level Media

Arch Manning pointed the finger at himself as his coach criticized outside expectations as No. 1 Texas opened the season with a 14-7 loss at Ohio State on Saturday.

• Manning completed 17 of 30 passes for 170 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

  "Ultimately not good enough," Manning said of his performance, sipping on an orange Gatorade in his postgame news conference. "Obviously, you don't want to start off the season 0-1, and they're a good team, but I thought we beat ourselves a lot and that starts with me. I've got to play better for us to win. I think I beat myself today."

  Manning was shaky from the start and had only 26 passing yards at halftime. He was stuffed at the goal line trying to score in the third quarter.

  "We've gotta have those," Manning said. "And I've gotta make more of a push because that was a big swing in the game."

  All in all, he came up short in his debut as the full-time starter for the Longhorns, but didn't want to talk about injured receivers or excessive turnover on the offensive line from the 2024 College Football Playoff version of Texas.

  As Manning said he hoped he would be able to look back at Saturday's loss as his worst performance of the season, head coach Steve Sarkisian was quick to remind Manning and Texas not to put too much stock in the first chapter of what the Longhorns expect to be a memorable season.

  "For Arch, the expectations were out of control on the outside," he said. "But I'd say let's finish the book before we judge it. This is one chapter, and we've got a long season to go play."

  --Field Level Media

Da'Realyst Clark returned a kickoff 100 yards for a go-ahead touchdown with 5:28 left in the game as Kent State notched a 21-17 home victory over FCS Merrimack to end the nation's longest losing streak at 21 games.

• Clark's return came immediately after Merrimack's Carlton Thai booted a 45-yard field goal to give the Warriors a three-point lead. Thai kicked three field goals.

  The victory was the first for the Golden Flashes since defeating Central Connecticut State 38-10 on Sept. 16, 2023. Kent State lost its final nine games that season and went 0-12 in 2024.

  Dru DeShields and CJ Montes each threw a touchdown pass for Kent State. Cade Wolford had two catches for 109 yards and two touchdowns, including a 79-yard scoring pass from DeShields.

  Ayden Pereira had one scoring throw for Merrimack.

  --Field Level Media

Transfer quarterback Jake Retzlaff will start for Tulane against Northwestern on Saturday, ESPN reported.

• Retzlaff started at BYU last season and was 11-2 but transferred mid-summer rather than face a lengthy suspension for violating the school's honor code.

  He passed for 2,947 yards, throwing 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. The 6-foot-1, 205-pound quarterback is a redshirt senior.

  Brendan Sullivan, who previously was with both Iowa and Northwestern, will dress, ESPN reported. He had been limited in practice by a foot and ankle injury.

  Retzlaff and Sullivan are two of four transfer quarterbacks on the roster for head coach Jon Sumrall, who is starting his second season with Tulane.

  The Green Wave went 9-5 last season (7-1 American) but lost to Florida 33-8 in the Gasparilla Bowl.

  Northwestern finished the 2024 season with a 4-8 (2-7 Big Ten) record.

  --Field Level Media

Missouri quarterback Sam Horn is sidelined indefinitely and underwent an MRI exam on Friday, one day after sustaining a serious right leg injury during a season-opening victory over Central Arkansas.

• Horn was injured on a quarterback keeper in the first quarter on his first snap of the game. He was later seen sporting crutches and a full-length brace on his leg.

  Missouri coach Eliah Drinkwitz said Friday that he is waiting to receive more information.

  "It's still a little bit of a wait-and-see game," Drinkwitz told SEC This Morning. "We have an MRI this morning, and then we'll know more on what the diagnosis is and the next step toward recovery. He'll be out an extended period of time."

  The plan was for Horn and Penn State transfer Beau Pribula to share the workload in the 61-6 win over Central Arkansas.

  Drinkwitz said recently he wanted game tape of both players in the opener to dissect before he would name a starting quarterback.

  With Horn hurt, Pribula will move forward as the starter after completing 23 of 28 passes for 283 yards and two touchdowns against Central Arkansas. He also rushed for 65 yards and two scores.

  The injury is a blow to Horn, who missed all of last football season while recovering from Tommy John surgery. A right-handed pitcher, he also missed the Missouri baseball season but was chosen in the 2025 draft by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 17th round.

  Horn subsequently signed with the Dodgers for just less than $500,000 with the club agreeing he would play football this season and then join the Dodgers following the season.

  Missouri's next game is Sept. 6 against visiting Kansas.

  --Field Level Media

Oklahoma State starting quarterback Hauss Hejny broke a bone in his left foot during the Cowboys' season-opening victory over UT Martin and will miss multiple weeks, the university said Friday.

• A redshirt freshman transfer from TCU making his debut for the Cowboys in their 27-7 victory in Stillwater, Hejny had surgery on Friday, multiple media outlets reported.

  "We're proud of the way Hauss played last night and wish him a full and speedy recovery," coach Mike Gundy said in a statement Friday. "I'm thankful for our medical staff and their ability to provide prompt, top-tier care for our team."

  Hejny played the first three offensive series. He was 5-for-10 passing for 96 yards, including a 10-yard touchdown to Gavin Freeman. Hejny also rushed four times for 27 yards, including a 6-yard TD.

  His running ability helped earn him the starting nod for the opener over Zane Flores, who replaced him on Thursday night. Flores went 13 of 20 for 136 yards and rushed three times for a net of eight yards.

  Flores is a redshirt freshman in his third year at Oklahoma State. He did not see action in the 2023 season, then received a medical hardship waiver in 2024 due to a foot injury.

  Oklahoma State visits No. 7 Oregon on Sept. 6.

  --Field Level Media

Wide receiver Emmett Mosley V, who is dealing with an ongoing leg injury, is expected to be available to play but in a limited capacity when the No. 1 Texas Longhorns kick off the season Saturday against No. 3 Ohio State, according to multiple reports Friday.

• Mosley, a sophomore transfer Stanford, is not expected to start or play a significant number of snaps in Saturday's game against the host Buckeyes, ESPN reported Friday.

  Longhorns coach Steve Sarkisian told reporters on Wednesday that Mosley has been dealing with the lower leg injury since he arrived in Texas after transferring in April from Stanford, where he caught 48 passes for 525 yards and six touchdowns in his freshman season.

  "We've just tried to be cautious with it. Quite frankly, even going back into July, I didn't want this to linger all season long," Sarkisian said. "So we've been cautious with him. I feel like he's in a really good place right now, which is a positive for us."

  Redshirt freshman Parker Livingstone and true freshman Jaime Ffrench Jr. should see more playing time given Mosley's injury. The former has been taking first-team reps in Mosley's absence, per CBS.

  --Field Level Media

Miami Hurricanes linebacker Adarius Hayes is facing three counts of vehicular homicide from a May crash in Florida that killed a 78-year-old woman and two children.

• Hayes turned himself in to police on Friday in his hometown of Largo, Fla., and was booked into the Pinellas County Jail, according to officials.

  The school said the sophomore has been indefinitely suspended from all athletic-related activities.

  On May 10, police said Hayes was driving a Dodge Durango nearly 80 mph in a 40-mph zone when the SUV collided with a Kia Soul at an intersection.

  Three people in the Kia died from injuries suffered in the collision, including two boys ages four and 10. The children's father, who was sitting in the front passenger seat, also sustained serious injuries.

  According to police, the Kia was making a legal left-hand turn when Hayes' vehicle "made a rapid and dangerous maneuver" and crashed into the car.

  Hayes played in 12 games as a freshman in the 2024 season, primarily on special teams. He had four tackles and one interception. Coming out of Largo High School, he was a four-star prospect in the Class of 2024.

  --Field Level Media

Wisconsin starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr. is expected to be recovered from a leg injury in 1-2 weeks, a timeline that indicates he will be available to play against Alabama.

• According to multiple reports on Friday, Edwards avoided a major leg injury when he was forced out of his debut Thursday night in a game the Badgers went on to win 17-0 over Miami (Ohio) in Madison, Wis.

  Edwards, who passed for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns last season as the starter at Maryland, completed 6 of 13 passes for 68 yards before the injury.

  Multiple trainers tended to Edwards while he was seated on the turf in the second quarter. He eventually walked to the locker room under his own power but didn't return to the game.

  Sophomore Danny O'Neil, a transfer from San Diego State, replaced Edwards. He completed 12 of 19 passes with one touchdown and an interception. He was sacked three times but rushed for 13 yards and a touchdown.

  Wisconsin hosts Middle Tennessee on Sept. 6, then visits No. 8 Alabama on Sept. 13 in a marquee nonconference game before facing Edwards' former team Sept. 20 in Madison.

  --Field Level Media

No. 9 LSU will be down a starter for the first half of its opener at No. 4 Clemson on Saturday, as safety A.J. Haulcy will serve a suspension.

• The former Houston player was involved in an on-field fight during the final game of the 2024 season against BYU and was ejected.

  Confusion over his status arose as Houston was incorrectly informed following the game that he had been ejected for unsportsmanlike conduct, not fighting. The latter carries a half-game suspension. Haulcy wasn't informed of the suspension, and he subsequently entered the transfer portal in April, committing to LSU shortly thereafter.

  LSU first became aware of the possibility of suspension on Wednesday, according to coach Brian Kelly.

  "We're practicing him, preparing to play him and we'll wait for further guidance," Kelly said prior to news of the suspension coming down.

  Haulcy was one of the most highly ranked players in the transfer portal after racking up 74 tackles, five interceptions and seven passes defensed for the Cougars last fall.

  --Field Level Media

College football fans concerned about missing one of the opening weekend's marquee matchups can breathe easier after Fox and YouTube TV reached a full carriage agreement on Thursday.

• The sides' dispute had threatened to prevent YouTube TV's 9 million-plus subscribers from watching the Saturday matchup between No. 1 Texas and No. 3 Ohio State. Fox and YouTube TV had agreed to a short-term extension on Wednesday, keeping Fox's channels available with talks ongoing.

  Financial terms of the agreement weren't announced.

  YouTube TV wrote in a statement, "We're happy to share that we've reached an agreement with Fox to keep their content on YouTube TV, preserve the value of our service for our subscribers, and offer more flexibility in the future. This means that Fox channels, including the Fox broadcast network, Fox News, and Fox Sports, remain available for our subscribers along with 100+ channels and football fans will not miss any of the action this weekend."

  Federal Communications Commission chairman Brendan Carr, who earlier this week called for the sides to reach a deal, tweeted Thursday night, "I'm very pleased that Google and Fox have now reached a deal. This is great news for college football fans and avoids blackouts. Enjoy the games this weekend!"

  --Field Level Media

Wisconsin starting quarterback Billy Edwards Jr., making his debut Thursday night after transferring from Maryland, left midway through the second quarter of the nonconference opener against Miami (Ohio) with a lower-body injury and will not return.

• Edwards, who passed for 2,881 yards and 15 touchdowns last season as the starter at Maryland, completed 6 of 13 passes for 68 yards before the injury.

  Sophomore Danny O'Neil, a transfer from San Diego State, replaced Edwards.

  Wisconsin led 3-0 at the half.

  --Field Level Media

Two days before its 2025 season begins, the Tennessee football team landed a huge recruiting win on Thursday.

• Five-star wide receiver Tristen Keys announced on Instagram that he has flipped his commitment from LSU to the Volunteers. He had previously been committed to the Tigers since March.

  Keys, the No. 6 overall recruit and No. 1 wide receiver in the 2026 class according to the 247Sports composite rankings, is coming off a breakout junior season at Hattiesburg (Miss.) High in which he amassed 58 catches for 1,275 yards and 14 touchdown catches.

  With his flip, Keys becomes the third five-star prospect in Tennessee's 2026 class, joining quarterback Faizon Brandon and offensive tackle Gabriel Osenda. The Vols' 2026 class ranks eighth nationally in the 247Sports composite class rankings.

  --Field Level Media

Bill Belichick has named his first North Carolina starting quarterback.

• Belichick announced Wednesday that South Alabama transfer Gio Lopez will get the start for his UNC (and collegiate) coaching debut vs. TCU.

  "Gio has made a ton of progress," Belichick said. "We've evaluated things through training camp, and now as we get ready for TCU, he'll be our starting quarterback."

  Lopez, a redshirt sophomore, is coming off his first season as a collegiate starter. Last season, he led the Jaguars to a 7-6 record and the program's third straight bowl appearance, completing 66 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,559 yards and 18 touchdowns and running for 465 yards and seven scores.

  He beat out incumbent Max Johnson for the job. Johnson entered 2024 as UNC's starter but broke his femur in last year's season opener at Minnesota.

  "(Belichick) just kind of told me I've looked good during fall camp and told me that I'm going to get the reins of the offense," Lopez said. "I'm just thankful for the opportunity. Talking to my dad, (I was) like, ‘I'm going to be Coach Belichick's first starting quarterback in college.'"

  Belichick's much-anticipated UNC coaching debut will cap off this five-day Week 1 marathon of college football Monday night in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

  --Field Level Media

The rebuilding Pac-12 has signed a multiyear broadcast deal with The CW through the 2030-31 season.

• The deal announced with The CW on Wednesday calls for the network to broadcast 66 events in the 2026-27 season: 13 regular-season football games, 35 regular-season men's basketball games, 15 regular-season women's basketball games, and the women's basketball tournament semifinal and championship games.

  Pac-12 Enterprises, the broadcast production arm of the conference, will produce each of the events.

  Financial terms were not disclosed.

  This is the latest broadcast agreement for the Pac-12, which in June announced a deal with CBS Sports and Paramount+ to air or stream football and basketball games through the 2030-31 season.

  More member networks could be added.

  Decimated by the departure of all but two member schools prior to the 2024-25 academic year, the Pac-12 was dormant last season. But it will launch again next fall, with seven schools joining holdovers Oregon State and Washington State.

  Joining the conference are five Mountain West programs: Boise State, Utah State, Colorado State, Fresno State and San Diego State. It also has added Gonzaga and Texas State.

  --Field Level Media

Texas A&M running back Le'Veon Moss received a clean bill of health from head coach Mike Elko and will be ready for Saturday night's season opener against UTSA.

• The senior is returning from a season-ending knee injury sustained last November after he had rushed for 765 yards and 10 touchdowns in 10 games.

  "Yeah, Le'Veon's good to go," Elko said Tuesday during media availability. "He's had a really, really strong two weeks and we're excited to get him back out there and see him perform."

  The No. 19 Aggies have a deep backfield with Rueben Owens II, Amari Daniels and CJ Smith, the son of NFL legend Emmitt Smith.

  Moss has rushed for 1,363 yards and 16 touchdowns and has 22 receptions for 233 yards in 25 career games over three seasons in College Station.

  --Field Level Media

The ramifications of the Southeastern Conference's decision to move to a nine-game conference schedule next season are already coming into play, as Alabama and West Virginia mutually agreed on Tuesday to cancel their home-and-home series for 2026 and 2027.

• The Crimson Tide replaced the West Virginia contest with a home game against East Carolina.

  "We are proud of the number of high-quality home-and-home nonconference games we have scheduled for the next 10 years," Alabama athletic director Greg Byrne said in a statement. "That being said, we know that college athletics has been evolving and changing rapidly over the last few years, and it made sense for us to make these adjustments on our future schedules.

  "We have a bit more flexibility as we transition to a nine-game format in the Southeastern Conference, and it gives us the opportunity to further evaluate how strength of schedule is evaluated for the College Football Playoff.

  "Between the other home-and-homes as well as conference games, we will continue to have a solid strength of schedule, which is good for our team, fans and college football."

  Alabama currently has eight nonconference home-and-homes scheduled across the next eight years, including one that starts with this Saturday's matchup against Florida State. The Crimson Tide will visit Tallahassee next year.

  West Virginia will replace the 2026 Alabama game with a home matchup against Coastal Carolina.

  Last week, the College Football Playoff announced it was adding a new metric to account for strength of schedule in its decision process. The next day the SEC announced the new nine-game conference schedule, a move likely to boost the strength of schedule within the conference.

  Other notable home-and-homes scheduled for Alabama are with Ohio State (2027 and '28), Oklahoma State (2028 and '29) and Notre Dame (2029 and '30).

  --Field Level Media

Dave Portnoy, the Barstool Sports founder and recent addition to Fox's "Big Noon Kickoff" pregame show, won't be allowed inside Ohio Stadium this weekend. The only question is who made the decision.

• Front Office Sports reported Monday night that Ohio State banned Portnoy -- a controversial media figure and outspoken Michigan fan -- from entering the stadium when the No. 3 Buckeyes face No. 1 Texas in the season opener on Saturday.

  Ohio State athletic director Ross Bjork responded Tuesday by telling Yahoo Sports the school did not make that decision. Bjork said Fox decided Portnoy would not appear "on the main desk" during his "Big Noon Kickoff" debut, and those not part of the main desk before the game don't normally get to enter the field.

  A spokesperson from the Big Ten Conference also told Yahoo that its understanding from Fox was that Portnoy would not appear on the pregame show's main stage inside the stadium of any conference school this season.

  Portnoy threw water on those claims on social media and tried to appeal to Ohio State fans while taking aim at their football program.

  "I want Michigan vs Ohio to mean something again. And I love the people of Columbus outside the football team they root for. Good clean hardworking people," Portnoy wrote on X, formerly Twitter. "So I am going to give Buckeye Nation free advice. Stop pointing the finger. Look in the mirror. Get better. Get tougher.

  "Ohio State should stop worrying about Michigan," he said in another post. "Focus on Texas. Big game coming up. Don't let your Michigan inferiority complex destroy your entire season."

  Michigan is unranked to start the season but has defeated Ohio State in four straight meetings, including 13-10 in Columbus last season, when the Wolverines were unranked and before the then-No. 2 Buckeyes went on to win the national championship.

  --Field Level Media

Former South Florida football coach Jim Leavitt was arrested on Monday evening in St. Petersburg, Fla., on a felony grand theft charge and misdemeanor charges of simple battery and domestic battery.

• Leavitt, 68, grabbed his ex-girlfriend by the arm as she tried to walk away and took her Louis Vuitton purse, clutch bag and wallet and would not give them back as she attempted to leave, according to arrest affidavits filed in Pinellas County, Fla. Leavitt admitted to authorities that he withheld the items, which are valued between $5,000 and $10,000.

  According to a separate affidavit, Leavitt shoved a man in the chest a few minutes later. Leavitt told authorities that the man "walked into his right hand, making contact with the victim's chest," per the affidavit.

  Leavitt was USF's first football coach, hired in 1996 and leading the Bulls for 13 seasons (1997-2009). His teams went 95-57 -- including the first four as an NCAA Division I-AA independent (1997-2000) before moving up to Division I-A -- and went 3-2 in bowl games. The Bulls were ranked as high as No. 2 in the nation (2007).

  USF fired Leavitt in January 2010 after its investigation found that during halftime of a game against Louisville, he grabbed one of his players by the throat, slapped him in the face and later lied about it.

  Leavitt at the time called the allegations "absolutely false" and later sued the university for wrongful termination. The lawsuit was settled for $2.75 million, per an ESPN report.

  He is scheduled to be inducted into the USF Athletic Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2025 on Oct. 2.

  Leavitt served as linebackers coach with the NFL's San Francisco 49ers (2011-14) before returning to the college ranks. He was the defensive coordinator at Colorado (2015-16), Oregon (2017-18), Florida Atlantic (2020) and SMU (2021), as well as a defensive analyst at Florida State (2019).

  --Field Level Media

Colorado named its replacement for departed quarterback Shedeur Sanders, with Liberty transfer Kaidon Salter set to take over under center for the Buffaloes.

• Salter passed for 1,886 yards and 15 touchdowns, six interceptions in 11 games during his fourth season at Liberty last year. He also rushed for 579 yards and seven more TDs.

  Colorado head coach Deion Sanders used his son Shedeur at quarterback in 24 of the 25 games since he arrived to lead the Buffaloes program. Shedeur Sanders, who was a fifth-round draft pick for the Cleveland Browns, completed 74.0 percent of his passes last season for 4,134 yards and 37 touchdowns with 10 interceptions.

  Salter's best season at Liberty came in 2023 when he completed 61.0 percent of his passes for 2,876 yards, 32 touchdowns and six interceptions. He guided the Flames to a 13-1 record that season with a spot in the Fiesta Bowl where they lost 45-6 to Oregon.

  "Kaidon is off the chain," Deion Sanders said at Big 12 media day. "He's been there, done that. He can get the job done. I wouldn't have brought him here if I didn't trust him."

  Colorado begins its 2025 season against Georgia Tech at home on Friday.

  --Field Level Media

Virginia Tech junior linebacker Caleb Woodson is scheduled to appear in court Sept. 9 after his arrest on a charge of misdemeanor driving while intoxicated.

• Woodson, 21, was arrested Saturday in that incident.

  He also has a Sept. 16 court date for a reckless driving citation in which he reportedly was going 96 mph in a 70-mph zone on July 30.

  "We are aware of an incident involving Caleb Woodson," Virginia Tech said in a statement on Tuesday morning. "We take this matter seriously and will handle it according to athletic department policy and university policy. As this is a legal matter, we will have no further comment until the process is complete."

  Hokies head coach Brent Pry told reporters on Tuesday that there has yet to be a determination about the status of Woodson, a captain, for the team's season opener against No. 13 South Carolina on Sunday in Atlanta.

  "We removed his captain status with the opportunity to earn it back," Pry said.

  Woodson recorded 72 tackles, two sacks and an interception in 13 games (11 starts) last season.

  --Field Level Media

Kansas State running back Dylan Edwards avoided a significant injury on his right ankle, but his status for Saturday's contest against visiting North Dakota is unclear.

• X-rays on Edwards' ankle came back negative after he was hurt in the opening minutes of last Saturday's 24-21 loss to Iowa State in Dublin, Ireland.

  Still, Wildcats coach Chris Klieman isn't sure if Edwards will be able to practice Tuesday.

  "I know the X-ray came back negative, so that was a positive thing," Klieman told reporters Monday. "But we won't know much because we don't practice until Tuesday. So the treatments don't even start until (Monday) afternoon and we were gonna do nothing with the kids this morning. ... I think we'll probably have a better idea maybe on Wednesday."

  Edwards is in his second season at Kansas State after transferring from Colorado. He rushed for 546 yards and five touchdowns and caught 19 passes for 133 yards and two scores last season.

  Edwards left before he even had a carry Saturday. He muffed a punt three minutes into the game and took a hit from an Iowa State defender.

  Joe Jackson rushed for 51 yards on 12 carries with Edwards sidelined.

  --Field Level Media

Florida quarterback DJ Lagway is cleared to start the opening game of the season for the 15th-ranked Gators on Saturday against FCS Long Island.

• Lagway's status was uncertain entering the season with an assortment of injuries. He was unable to throw in spring practice while fighting a shoulder injury. He hurt his calf in a team run over the summer, briefly requiring a walking boot.

  The sophomore will lead the Gators' offense to start the game, but how long he's around is undetermined. The sophomore hasn't taken true live snaps since the Gators played Tulane in the Gasparilla Bowl in December, but head coach Billy Napier said there is no anxiety or concern about how his QB prepares for a game.

  "Last year, at this point in time, he had no clue what he was walking into. Until you run out there, you don't quite understand," Napier said.

  As of Monday, the Gators were undecided on Lagway's backup. Aidan Warner, a transfer from Yale, freshman Tramell Jones Jr. and former Louisville quarterback Harrison Bailey are competing to be the next man up if Lagway is injured.

  "(Lagway) gets better every day," Napier said Monday. "He's having a lot of fun playing football and competing. He's smiling a lot more often now. He truly enjoys practicing, preparing. It's the opportunity to get better. I think the kid is consumed with improvement, and he knows the value of practice, so him getting to do that, I think he's happy."

  --Field Level Media

Kentucky is naming transfer Zach Calzada as its starting quarterback for Saturday's season opener against Toledo, ESPN reported Monday.

• The former Texas A&M (2019-21), Auburn (2022) and Incarnate Word (2023-24) signal-caller won a camp competition with redshirt freshman Cutter Boley.

  Calzada finished No. 2 in the FCS last season in passing touchdowns (35) and No. 5 in passing yards (3,744).

  For Calzada, now a seventh-year grad student, his career totals include 8,660 yards and 73 touchdowns through the air and 380 yards and 11 scores on the ground.

  Calzada's career highlight came on Oct. 9, 2021 when he passed for 285 yards and three touchdowns in Texas A&M's 41-38 upset of No. 1 Alabama and quarterback Bryce Young.

  --Field Level Media