| Week 1 Recaps |
| Matchup |
Key Stat |
No. 3 Penn State 41,
No. 4 Arizona 7
Game Recap
Scoring Summary |
41: Number of points Penn State scored before Arizona found the end zone at the end of this rout.
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| Player of the Game |
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Chafie Fields: All he did was rack up 186 total yards -- 110 on three rushes and 76 on three catches -- and score two touchdowns in a scintillating display on offense for the Nittany Lions. |
| CNN/SI.com Analysis |
Arizona was exposed as a has-been from out west, while Penn State showed off a high-powered offense to go along with its punishing defense. One team is still in the national title hunt, the other limps home nursing some big wounds.
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| Matchup |
Key Stat |
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No. 18 Notre Dame 48, Kansas 13
Game Recap
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7.1: Number of yards Notre Dame averaged every time it ran the ball against Kansas. The Fighting Irish racked up 363 yards on the ground and scored five touchdowns running the football.
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| Player of the Game |
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Jarious Jackson: The Fighting Irish quarterback helped Notre Dame build a big lead, helped Kansas get back into the game via some costly interceptions, and then he got things settled down again to restart the blowout. |
| CNN/SI.com Analysis |
| Notre Dame got exactly what it wanted -- an easy opponent to rout in its opener. The Fighting Irish were able to give plenty of players the chance to get some game experience a week before they take to the road to face Michigan and over 100,000 Wolverine fans.
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| Matchup |
Key Stat |
No. 1 Florida St. 41,
Louisana Tech 7
Game Recap
Scoring Summary |
250: Passing yards for Louisiana Tech, which might be of some concern for Bobby Bowden. But the 'Noles allowed only 19 yards on the ground.
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| Player of the Game |
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Peter Warrick: He had his usually strong receiving game (9 catches for 128 yards), but he really saved the 'Noles with his only two runs. On the second-quarter drive that gave FSU the lead, Warrick ran for 21 yards on third down and then snaked 20 yards for the go-ahead score. |
| CNN/SI.com Analysis |
| Let's put it this way: Louisiana Tech was within a touchdown for the first 35:16 against the top-ranked team ... which was about 30 minutes more than No. 4 Arizona was within a touchdown against the third-ranked team from Penn State. Though they finished with the same margin-of-defeat as hapless Arizona, the Bulldogs at least kept you watching into the second half.
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| Matchup |
Key Stat |
North Carolina St. 23,
No. 17 Texas 20
Game Recap
Scoring Summary |
16: Points off of blocked punts for N.C. State -- two TDs, one 2-point conversion and a safety. It might also be the number of "For Sale" signs in the yard of the Texas special teams coach on Sunday morning.
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| Player of the Game |
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Terry Holt: It took him all of one game to break out of his brother's shadow at N.C. State, blocking two punts that both led to TDs. |
| CNN/SI.com Analysis |
| N.C. State is going to have trouble getting these early-season games on the schedule if the Wolfpack keeps knocking people off. Two years ago it was Syracuse, last year it was FSU. With all the attention on Texas' potential QB controversy, maybe somebody ought to check to see if the 'Horns have another punter on the depth chart. |
| Matchup |
Key Stat |
No. 12 Miami 23,
No. 9 Ohio State 12
Game Recap
Scoring Summary |
220: The number of total yards Ohio State's normally robust offense accumulated on Sunday. Not a good sign for the rest of the year.
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| Player of the Game |
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Kenny Kelly: Clearly, football is his best game. This two-sport athlete, he plays outfield in the Tampa Bay organization during the summer, threw for 245 yards and accounted for two touchdowns -- one through the air and one on the ground. |
| CNN/SI.com Analysis |
| Two things are clear after this game. First, Miami is ready to take on practically any team in the country. Second, Ohio State is not going to accomplish much this season with quarterback production like it got from Austin Moherman and Steve Bellisari on Sunday. |
