College football top plays: Northwestern, FSU, Illinois earn wins

Faculty soccer is again! The 2022-23 season kicked off with an action-packed Week 0 slate Saturday.

The motion began on FOX, as Northwestern took down Massive Ten West rival Nebraska, 31-28, in Dublin, Ireland.

In different motion, defending Mountain West champion Utah State defeated UConn, 31-20, in Jim Mora‘s debut as Huskies head coach. And Illinois dealt with Wyoming with ease, 38-6.

Later, in ACC motion, Florida State cruised to a win over Duquesne, whereas North Carolina took on Florida A&M. 

Vanderbilt battles Hawaii in Honolulu to shut issues out this night.

Listed here are the highest performs from Week 0.

Vanderbilt at Hawaii

Hawaii took a fast 7-0 with this 37-yard sprint by Dedrick Parson.

However Vandy would quickly be within the lead, after a giant hit led to a fumble return to pay grime.

Florida A&M at North Carolina

The Tar Heels scored their first TD of the season when Kamari Morales hauled in a 19-yard cross from Drake Maye.

UNC upped its tally to 14 by the tip of 1, and within the second quarter, Maye did his greatest acrobat impression with a deft show of pocket maneuvering, discovering an open man at the back of the tip zone for his third TD of the half. The Tar Heels led 28-14 on the half.

The second half was extra of the identical, because the Heels constructed a large lead. Working again George Pettaway was a giant purpose for that, as he confirmed fancy footwork on this 29-yard scoring sprint.

Florida State 47, Duquesne 7

Made you look!

FSU QB Jordan Travis faked out the Duquesne protection to place the Seminoles on the board early.

Pouring it on

Florida State prolonged its result in 33-0 within the third quarter. Travis accomplished a deep cross after a low snap to arrange a landing run for Treshaun Ward.

One other exclamation level for the Seminoles

Trey Benson made a 43-yard landing run look straightforward, shaking off a Duquesne security to make it 40-7 FSU late within the third, they usually cruised from there.

Utah State 31, Connecticut 20

Gentle work

The Huskies made essentially the most of their first possession, capping off a nine-play, 79-yard drive with six factors.

Rely it!

UConn began its third possession of the sport with big back-to-back runs from Nathan Carter and Cale Millen. That arrange this stunning cross from Zion Turner to Keelan Marion for the rating. The catch was reviewed and dominated a landing, giving the Huskies a 14-0 lead.

For the primary time since 2015, UConn had greater than a 10-point lead on the finish of the primary quarter.

Twisted up

The Aggies got here again to tie issues up, because of a TD cross from Logan Bonner to Kyle Van Leeuwe, then a clean 23-yard rush from Robert Briggs.

Aggies coming via

Utah State took the lead, 21-14, as the primary half got here to a detailed when Bonner discovered Justin McGriff within the nook of the tip zone. McGriff was in a position to cling on regardless of big-time cross interference from the Huskies.

Within the nook!

Brian Cobbs made a formidable landing seize to increase Utah State’s result in 31-20 late within the fourth, and that will be the ultimate rating.

Illinois 38, Wyoming 6

Off to the races

It solely took the Preventing Illini two performs to get on the board, as Tommy DeVito related with operating again Chase Brown for a 14-yard TD.

Extending the lead

Illinois added to its lead within the second quarter with an 11-yard rush from Brown to make it 14-3.

Working away with it

Illinois turned up the warmth within the second half, beginning with a 6-yard landing from wideout Pat Bryant.

Hat Trick!

It was extra of the identical from Brown, who got here up along with his third rating of the day within the fourth quarter. Similar to that, Illinois jumped out to a 31-6 lead early within the last body.

You did not sort out me!

Reggie Love added a fifth landing on the day for the Illini when he ran a sweep. He was introduced down by a Wyoming defender, however his physique by no means hit the turf, so he bought again up and took the ball into the tip zone to increase Illinois’ result in 38-6.

That ended up being the ultimate rating of the sport, giving Illinois its first win of the season.

Northwestern 31, Nebraska 28

And we’re off!

Nebraska was the primary to strike on this one, as quarterback Casey Thompson, a switch from Texas, hit Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda with a 32-yard landing that introduced Cornhuskers followers to their toes in Dublin’s Aviva Stadium.

Closing the hole

Northwestern got here up huge on third down, as Illinois switch Donny Navarro reeled in a monster catch from QB Ryan Hilinski whereas taking a giant hit. The massive acquire helped the Wildcats get on the board with a field goal, making it 7-3.

No give up

On the primary play of the second quarter, Thompson turned a possible colossal mistake right into a 15-yard acquire for the Cornhuskers.

Coming via!

Thompson capped that drive off with a 1-yard TD rush on third down to increase Nebraska’s lead, 14-3.

Returning the favor

Northwestern answered with a rating of its personal, going 74 yards in simply 4 performs — together with this clutch 41-yard throw from Hilinski to a wide-open Raymond Niro — to make it a four-point recreation, 14-10.

Mayhem!

Nebraska’s first main mistake got here in the midst of the second quarter when Garcia-Castaneda fumbled.

Northwestern operating again Evan Hull made the a lot of the turnover, taking off for 42 whole yards on the next drive, together with this robust 25-yard pickup that required some fancy footwork.

Hull, now a junior, led Northwestern in all-purpose yards (1,276) final season as a redshirt sophomore.

Sadly for Northwestern followers, the drive ended with none factors.

It wasn’t all dangerous, nonetheless, as followers from either side lucked out on the concession stand … 

The tables have turned

Northwestern transformed on a large fourth-and-1 play with 1:45 remaining within the first half. The dangerous transfer paid off when the Wildcats capped off the 13-play, 82-yard drive with six factors.

With that rating, Northwestern took a 17-14 lead heading into the break.

Magic!

Nebraska opened up the second half with some fireworks. Thompson scrambled for nearly 12 seconds earlier than launching the ball to Garcia-Castaneda for a 59-yard acquire for an important first down.

The drive ended with a landing, because the Cornhuskers regained the lead, 21-17, early within the third quarter.

Textbook fumble

What began off trying like a robust run for the Wildcats led to catastrophe when Cam Porter misplaced the ball close to midfield.

To the home!

The fumble resulted in six fast factors for Nebraska, as Anthony Grant took off for 46 yards on the next drive, making it an 11-point recreation.

Forwards and backwards

It did not keep that method for lengthy, nonetheless, as Nebraska opted for an onside kick early within the third quarter.

Northwestern got here away with the ball and went 43 yards in 5 performs, as Porter redeemed himself with a brief TD run. Similar to that, it was a four-point recreation, 28-24.

One-possession recreation

It was a one-score recreation to begin the fourth quarter, however that was short-lived after a Nebraska turnover. Then, Hull discovered the tip zone on a 4-yard rush, giving the Wildcats a three-point edge, 31-28.

Northwestern sealed the win with a late fourth-quarter interception, handing Frost his twenty first one-score loss as Nebraska’s head coach.

THE BEST OF THE REST:

First!

It was Western Kentucky that served up the primary landing of the 2022-23 season when Hilltoppers QB Austin Reed related with wideout Malachi Corley for a rating in opposition to Austin Peay.

Bombs away!

Wild issues had been occurring in Montgomery, Alabama between Stephen F. Austin and Jacksonville State.