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What a way to start

UCLA upset among many stunners in first full weekend

Colorado's Nate Wright, Jr. couldn't prevent a third-quarter touchdown reception by CSU's Frank Rice. AP

By Stewart Mandel, CNNSI.com

What looked on paper to be a ho-hum opening weekend would by the end of the day on Saturday provide all the drama and surprise we've come to expect of college football.

The No. 3 team in the country (Alabama) losing its opening game?! To a team (UCLA) that went 4-7 last year? Come on. But yes, the Tide, 35-24 losers, became the first top three team to start 0-1 since Miami fell to BYU in 1990.

Speaking of 1990, that was the last time Penn State started 0-2 -- until now. And unlike that team, which fell to two top 20 teams, this one lost 24-6 to Toledo.

Elsewhere, Colorado State made it two in a row over supposedly stronger rival Colorado, Notre Dame got a big season-opening win over Texas A&M and Heisman hopefuls Drew Brees and Michael Vick got off to big starts.

Week 2 Recaps
(1) Nebraska 49, San Jose State 13
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	120: Fourth-quarter temperature on the Memorial Stadium turf.
Player of the Game
Dan Alexander, RB, Nebraska. Huskers' bruising I-back went for 208 yards and two TDs
CNNSI.com's Analysis
Meticulous Husker fans will likely bemoan the defense, which surrendered 346 yards to the Spartans, including 147 to tailback Deonce Whitaker. Even the No. 1 team can't be perfect. On all other aspects, the Huskers were as advertised, bulldozing a far smaller San Jose line en route to 596 yards of offense. QB Eric Crouch was only 4-of-10 with two interceptions, but ran for three touchowns.
UCLA 35, (3) Alabama 24
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	74.5: Average rushing yards allowed last year by Alabama, which surrendered 171 this game.
Player of the Game
DeShaun Foster, RB, UCLA. Tied school record with 42 carries for three TDs and 187 yards -- half of his total last season.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
The Pac-10 too soft? Try telling that to the SEC's Alabama, which couldn't stop Foster and UCLA's running game. The Tide got off to a good start, with Freddie Milons returning a punt 71 yards to the end zone. But it became obvious fairly quickly this would not be a stellar day for the Tide. QB Andrew Zow was 8-for-22, failing to capitalize on several Bruins fumbles. And UCLA's Ryan McCann, stepping in when Cory Paus went down early with a separated shoulder, burned Alabama's secondary on big plays to receivers Brian Poli-Dixon and Freddie Mitchell.
(4) Wisconsin 19, Western Michigan 7
Matchup	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	11: Wisconsin players who missed the season opener while serving NCAA-mandated suspensions.
Player of the Game
Michael Bennett, RB, Wisconsin: The replacement for Ron Dayne did his job, rushing 30 times for 128 yards and a touchdown.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
The Badgers were clearly off-kilter throughout the game, following the announcement earlier in the day that 26 players had been suspended by the NCAA, but they had enough to get by. Bennett didn't blow anyone away with his performance, but Wisconsin needed it -- QB Brooks Bollinger threw only 11 passes on the evening. Western Michigan got a strong game from QB Jeff Welsh in his first game as a starter, but if he could have put together a few more good drives, the Broncos might have pulled the upset.
(5) Miami 61, McNeese State 14
Matchup	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	628: Total yards rolled up by the Hurricanes.
Player of the Game
Santana Moss, WR, Miami: The Heisman candidate did his job in the opener, running back a punt 77 yards for a score and taking a reverse 75 yards for a touchdown before resting much of the second half. He had 204 all-purpose yards.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
Yikes. This one probably was more useful than an intrasquad scrimmage for the Hurricanes, but not much. Butch Davis' crew did exactly what was expected in running the Cowboys out of town before the end of the first quarter. Ken Dorsey was solid as he took over the quarterback reins from the departed Kenny Kelly, and Moss was Moss. Can we get to next week's Washington game, already?
(6) Michigan 42, Bowling Green 7
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	554: Michigan's total offense, its highest since Nov. 28, 1998 (Hawaii).
Player of the Game
John Navarre, QB, Michigan. Fill-in for Drew Henson completed 15 of 19 throws for 265 yards and four TDs.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
Navarre looked awesome in the first of at least three starts for the injured Henson. But then, it could be that anyone can look good with receivers like David Terrell, who sprang for a 41-yard touchdown in the first quarter, and sophomore Ronald Bellamy, who caught his first two career scores. The Wolverines also produced a pair of 100-yard rushers, Anthony Thomas (108) and frosh Chris Perry (103).
(8) Kansas State 54, Louisiana Tech 10
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	5: Number of turnovers forced by the Wildcat defense.
Player of the Game
Quincy Morgan, WR, Kansas State. Caught only four passes, but made them count; He finished with 128 yards and two TDs.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
K-State worked out a few of the kinks left over from its unsatisfying season opener against Iowa a week ago with this rout. The Wildcats didn't have to punt until 1:27 remained in the third quarter and generally had their way with the Bulldogs, even without injured standout David Allen. His replacement, Chris Claybon, rushed for 121 yards as the Wildcats ran away with things early. Meanwhile, Louisiana Tech begins to realize how much it will miss Tim Rattay.
(9) Florida 40, Ball State 19
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	327: Passing yards for Florida's Jesse Palmer, who completed only 21 of 46 passes.
Player of the Game
Robert Gillespie, RB, Florida. Carried 17 times for 112 yards and a pair of touchdowns -- but was also tackled for a safety.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
The Gators got their 'W' but it wasn't pretty. The crowd at The Swamp booed their team throughout the contest as Florida struggled to bury the lowly Cardinals, now losers of 18 in a row. Palmer wasn't particularly sharp, and the Gators' defense didn't drop the hammer on Ball State as one might expect -- pass-rush specialist Alex Brown made only one tackle on the night, even if it was a sack. Oh well, there's always Middle Tennessee State to beat up on next week.
(10) Georgia 29, Georgia Southern 7
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	0: Touchdowns Saturday for Georgia Southern star Adrian Peterson, who scored 74 the last two seasons.
Player of the Game
Quincy Carter, QB, Georgia. Threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to lead the Bulldogs.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
It took the Bulldogs awhile to get their offense cranked up against the defending Division I-AA champs. Georgia tacked on a last-minute touchdown just to take a 14-0 lead into the locker room at halftime -- not exactly the kind of output the Bulldogs expected. Peterson got his yards for the Eagles, but he never found the end zone. That was a key for the Bulldogs as they faced one of the best backs they'll see all year. The worst news of the game for Georgia was the loss of standout linebacker Boss Bailey (torn ACL) for the season in the first quarter.
(11) Virginia Tech 52, Akron 23
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	7 for 7: Success on extra points by new Hokies kicker Carter Warley.
Player of the Game
Michael Vick, QB, Virginia Tech. Picked up right where he left off: TD runs of 16 and 63 yards, TD passes of 59 and 34.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
That Vick and the offense shone is no surprise. With super receivers to work with like Andre Davis, Vick completed 7 of 11 passes for 186 yards, while rushing eight times for 102 in three quarters' work. Tailback Lee Suggs was also impressive. But the big concern for the Hokies has to be the defense, which showed every bit of its inexperience in allowing 408 yards to the Falcons (though did score two defensive TDs).
(13) Tennessee 19, (22) Southern Miss 16
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	108,064: The Neyland Stadium-record crowd that saw the Vols win their 700th game.
Player of the Game
Travis Henry, RB, Tennessee. Filling a key hole with Jamal Lewis gone, he rushed for 135 yards.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
This was a triumph of defense for the Vols, who looked shaky on the other side of the ball. And that defensive show in itself was encouraging, considering the talent Tennessee lost to the NFL. Tennessee's fans knew quarterback was a concern, and Joey Mathews didn't do much to alleviate those fears. However, A.J. Suggs made the most of his opportunity later in the game, and could be the answer the Vols need there. For Southern Miss, it was just another near-miss in a series of them over the years. Jeff Kelly looked good directing the offense, but he couldn't get the Eagles into the end zone enough.
(14) Washington 44, Idaho 20
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	6: Idaho fumbles, four of them recovered by UW.
Player of the Game
Todd Elstrom, WR, Washington. Caught a 32-yard TD for Huskies' first score, en route to a 104-yard day.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
Idaho was actually effective on offense, with QB John Welsh completing 23 of 29 passes and Willie Alderson running for 140 yards on 18 carries. But the turnovers killed the Vandals, with UW scoring on a fumble return. Meanwhile, Washington QB Marques Tuiasosopo was deadly as always, throwing for 233 yards and running for 80 and a touchdown.
(15) Purdue 48, Central Michigan 0
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	44: Central Michigan rushing yards.
Player of the Game
Steve Ennis, RB, Purdue. Scored three 1-yard touchdowns in first collegiate start.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
With his top receiver, Vinny Sutherland, sitting out a one-game suspension, Drew Brees managed to find several new targets en route to a 24-of-41, 317-yard day. But more impressive was the Boilermakers' defense, known to falter against even a Central Michigan in the past. Even on the Chippewas' last attempt to score, Purdue forced a fumble at the 1-yard line in the final two minutes.
(16) Ohio State 43, Fresno State 10
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	96,583: Record-setting crowd at first game in renovated Ohio Stadium.
Player of the Game
David Mitchell, CB, Ohio State. Returned both a fumble and interception for touchdowns.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
Offense was not the name of the game for either team, with Fresno turning the ball over six times, producing four defensive touchdowns for the Buckeyes. Quarterback Steve Bellisari, who took the brunt of criticism during OSU's struggles last year, failed to impress again. But the Buckeyes did combine for 223 yards on the ground, including 88 on 14 carries by speedy tailback Derek Combs.
(17) Clemson 38, The Citadel 0
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	14: Consecutive wins by Clemson against The Citadel, which last prevailed over the Tigers in 1931.
Player of the Game
Woodrow Dantzler, QB, Clemson. Completed 16 of 17 passes for 192 yards and three touchdowns.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
One thing's for sure: This could have been a lot uglier. Clemson took its time, letting Dantzler pick apart the Bulldogs with help from tailback Travis Zachery as the Tigers rumbled to their 35th consecutive win over a Southern Conference opponent. It's hard to draw any overwhelming conclusions from a game like this -- Clemson basically did what it was supposed to do, and the Tigers will take that.
(18) Mississippi 49 , Tulane 20
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	29: Rushing yards for Heisman candidate Deuce McAllister, who still managed three TDs.
Player of the Game
Romaro Miller, QB, Mississippi. Tied Archie Manning with third career 300-yard game.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
The Rebels like to tout their dynamic backfield, but the passing game was front and center in dismantling the Green Wave. Miller looked smooth in the pocket, completing 18 of 26 passes, and was spelled late by youngster Eli Manning. Prolific Tulane passer Patrick Ramsey was under heavy pressure throughout, completing only 12 of 28 throws and leaving the game early with a sprained right shoulder.
(19) Oklahoma 55, UTEP 14
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	5: Fumbles lost by UTEP.
Player of the Game
Renaldo Works, RB, Oklahoma. Freshman nailed down the victory with three touchdown runs in the fourth quarter.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
Oklahoma didn't go all out on the Miners, with Josh Heupel chipping in a relatively pedestrian 274 yards through the air, but that didn't keep the Sooners from a romp in their opener. The most encouraging development may have been Works' rushing late in the game. Sure, UTEP was worn out by then, but the Sooners need to be able to move the ball consistently on the ground if they expect to hang with the big boys on the Big 12 schedule.
(21) Illinois 35, Middle Tennessee St. 6
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	305: Rushing yards, on 49 carries, for Illinois.
Player of the Game
Antoineo Harris, RB, Illinois. Sophomore backup broke for 128 yards on 21 carries.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
Illinois QB Kurt Kittner (18-of-26, 185 yards) did not put up the gaudy numbers so common for him last year, but he got the job done in helping the Illini eventually pull away. But the running game was phenomenal, with Harris, whose previous high was 65 yards last year, combining with established tailback Rocky Harvey (15 carries, 112 yards) to dominate Middle Tennessee.
Colorado State 28, vs. (23) Colorado 24
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	38.2: Average length of Matt Newton's four touchdown passes for CSU.
Player of the Game
Frank Rice, WR, Colorado State. Sliced through Colorado's secondary for 108 yards on four catches.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
An impressive offensive performance by Colorado (542 yards) went to waste as the Buffs' secondary was torched for four touchdowns of 29 yards or longer. The Buffs' running backs were dominant: Cortlen Johnson gained 123 yards on 18 carries, freshman Marcus Houston 94 on 18. But QB Bobby Pesavanto made some questionable decisions late in the game, and CSU, on the heels of Newton's 329 yards, was able to knock off its rival for the second straight year.
Notre Dame 24, (25) Texas A&M 10
Recap	Key Stat
Game Recap Game Summary	4-0: Irish record against the Big 12 since its '96 formation.
Player of the Game
Tony Driver, S, Notre Dame. Game-icing interception with 4:09 left capped impressive day in the secondary.
CNNSI.com's Analysis
New Irish QB Arnaz Battle, looking very similar to old Irish QB Jarious Jackson, stayed cool and composed leading the offense. He was 10 of 16 for 133 yards, including two TD passes. But mostly, this one was a defensive struggle, with A&M's Mark Farris able to move the ball on Notre Dame's defense but unable to cash in. The Irish looked much more physical than during most of last year's woes.

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