BLOOMINGTON, Ind. (AP) — Josh Hoover threw for 231 yards and four touchdowns, including a 15-yard score on his first pass with No. 6 Indiana, and Turbo Richard rushed for two more scores to help the defending national champs open the season with a 52-16 rout of North Texas on Saturday.
After celebrating last year’s title during a pregame ceremony, Indiana extended the Football Bowl Subdivision’s longest active winning streak to 17 games and the FBS’ longest active home winning streak to 16.
Hoover finished 13 of 16 with no turnovers as he steps in for Heisman Trophy winner Fernando Mendoza.
Richard, a transfer from Boston College, had 15 carries for 58 yards and one catch for 38. Charlie Becker had four catches for 64 yards and two scores while Nick Marsh and Davion Chandler each had TD receptions.
Jahiem White rushed 14 times for 61 yards and one score as well as catching seven passes for 36 yards in his North Texas debut.
NO. 1 OHIO ST. 56, BALL ST. 3
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Jeremiah Smith had two highlight reel-worthy touchdown catches, Julian Sayin passed for 320 yards and three touchdowns, and Ohio State tuned up for next week’s matchup against No. 5 Texas with a rout of Ball State.
The Buckeyes (1-0) went three-and-out on their opening drive before finding the end zone on seven of their next nine possessions.
Smith had eight receptions for 151 yards, all in the first half. He started Ohio State’s scoring with a 48-yard, one-handed, over-the-shoulder grab in the end zone off a play-action pass by Sayin. He extended the Buckeyes’ advantage to 28-3 with 10 seconds left in the first half with a 3-yard catch in the back of the end zone.
Sayin completed 21 of 25 passes before coming out midway through the third quarter. He also had the first rushing score of his career on a 3-yard run up the middle on fourth-and-goal to make it 21-0 three minutes into the second quarter.
Bo Jackson (65 yards) and Ja’Kobi Jackson (49 yards) added long rushing TDs in the third quarter. Devin McCuin had six catches for 97 yards and a touchdown.
NO. 13 ALABAMA 48, EAST CAROLINA 10
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Keelon Russell accounted for 335 yards and a touchdown, and Alabama opened the season with a victory over East Carolina.
Russell, a sophomore making his first career start after beating out Austin Mack during training camp, ran for 86 yards and a score. He also threw for 249 yards, including 130 of those to Ryan Coleman-Williams.
Russell directed five consecutive scoring drives to start the game, and Alabama (1-0) finished with 480 yards and 27 first downs.
The Crimson Tide, who ranked 15th in the Southeastern Conference in rushing last season, totaled 227 yards on the ground.
East Carolina (0-1) managed just 162 yards and five first downs. The Pirates were 0 for 9 on third down and gained 2 yards on 22 carries. Mitch Griffis completed 10 of 16 passes for 137 yards, with a touchdown and an interception.
NO. 23 HOUSTON 33, OREGON ST. 20
HOUSTON (AP) — Conner Weigman threw for 305 yards and a touchdown and rushed for another score, Re’Shaun Sanford II and Mekhi Hughes added rushing scores and Houston beat Oregon State in the teams’ season opener.
Weigman completed 20 of 30 passes and tossed a 31-yard scoring pass to Amare Thomas in the first quarter. Weigman also scored on a 1-yard rush with five minutes left in the fourth, increasing Houston’s lead to 33-20.
Sanford had a 56-yard touchdown run with 6½ minutes left in the second quarter to put the Cougars up 16-7. Hughes added a 1-yard score with 6:40 remaining in the third to increase the lead to 26-7.
Thomas caught eight passes for 133 yards, and Hughes rushed for 98 yards for Houston, which outgained Oregon State 533 yards to 402.
Braden Atkinson finished 29 of 48 for 376 yards and a touchdown, and Jesse Legree caught five passes for 136 yards and a TD for the Beavers.
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