By Tim Letcher
NCAAFootball.com
Week One of the 2010 NCAA Football season finished with a bang, as the third-ranked Boise State Broncos came from behind in the last two minutes to beat No. 10 Virginia Tech.
The first half was a tale of two quarters. Boise State bolted out of the gate, scoring 17 straight points and building an early lead behind several big plays. However, Virginia Tech was able to answer, outscoring the Broncos 14-3 in the second quarter to trail 20-14 at the break.
Virginia Tech’s defense buckled down early in the second half, while Ryan Williams and Tyrod Taylor rallied the offense for a 30-26 fourth quarter lead.
But when Kellen Moore hit Austin Pettis with 1:09 left, Boise State took the lead for good, and closed out a 33-30 win over the Hokies.
Could this be the start of a BCS Championship run for a non-automatic qualifier? Boise State hopes to make history, and with this win on Monday, the Broncos are off to a great start.
Stock up – Teams on the rise after Week 1
TCU – The Horned Frogs held off No. 24 Oregon State, 30-21 at Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas. As he always seems to do, quarterback Andy Dalton led TCU to the victory, his 30th as a starter, which moved him past the legendary Sammy Baugh. The Horned Frogs have now placed themselves in strong contention for another BCS bid, pending tough games against BYU and Utah.
Utah – Kyle Whittingham’s Utes survived a tough challenge, beating No. 15 Pittsburgh, 27-24 in Salt Lake City. The Utes, after having a great deal of success over the past three seasons, came into 2010 unranked. But after beating one of the best teams in the Big East Conference, Utah should be back in the polls on Tuesday.
Michigan – No one knew what to expect from the Wolverines in week one. In fact, some experts were calling for Connecticut to pull the upset in the Big House. But Denard Robinson led Michigan’s offense, rushing for 197 yards and passing for 186. Rich Rodriguez’s team now has momentum heading to South Bend this weekend to face Notre Dame.
Oregon – The Ducks were without running back LaMichael James on Saturday, and quarterback Jeremiah Masoli had previously been dismissed from the team. But it was hard to tell that Oregon was missing anyone on offense, as the Ducks blanked New Mexico 72-0. Kenjon Barner filled in nicely for James, rushing for 147 yards and four touchdowns.
Wisconsin – Bret Bielema’s Badgers could have made excuses, having to travel all the way to Las Vegas to face UNLV. Instead, John Clay and company rolled to a 41-21 win. Many believe that Wisconsin, along with Iowa, will be the teams challenging Ohio State in the Big Ten this season, and Saturday’s win was a good start for Wisconsin.
Stock down – Teams needing to regroup after Week 1
Ole Miss – Not much was expected of the Rebels this season, but after the news that Oregon transfer Jeremiah Masoli was eligible, things were looking up. That feeling lasted less than 24 hours, as Houston Nutt’s team was stunned, at home, by FCS member Jacksonville State.
Illinois – This was not the start that Ron Zook and his Illini were hoping for, as they lost to rival Missouri, 23-13. Illinois led 13-3 at the break, and appeared to have momentum after Derek Dimke’s 52-yard field goal. But the Illini were blanked in the second stanza, as they had no answer for Tiger quarterback Blaine Gabbert.
North Carolina – The Tar Heels were missing 13 players, including eight starters, in Saturday’s contest against LSU. Butch Davis’ team put up a good fight before losing 30-24. However, one has to wonder if the Tar Heels’ eligibility issues will be cleared up in time for the ACC campaign.
Florida – Sure, the Gators beat Miami (Ohio) 34-12, but it was certainly not the performance that Urban Meyer was hoping to see. Florida was sloppy on offense, committing three turnovers and having numerous problems out of the shotgun formation. The Gators need to get things together before this week’s game against South Florida.
Washington – The Huskies are expecting a big season, with stud quarterback Jake Locker behind center. Steve Sarkisian’s team had a chance to make a statement in the season opener, but the Huskies came up short, losing 23-17 at BYU.
Statistical Studs – Week One
Dominique Davis, East Carolina – Davis passed for 383 yards and five touchdowns, including a Hail Mary pass as time expired, giving the Pirates a 51-49 win over Tulsa.
Kendall Hunter, Oklahoma State – Hunter carried the ball 21 times for 257 yards and four touchdowns in a 65-17 win over Washington State.
Jheraine Boyd, North Carolina – Boyd caught just six passes, but they went for 221 yards and a score as the Tar Heels came up short, losing 30-24 to LSU.
Daniel Thomas, Kansas State – Thomas rushed 28 times for 234 yards and a pair of touchdowns as the Wildcats beat UCLA 31-22. Thomas’s 35-yard touchdown with 58 seconds left closed the door on the Bruins.
Nick Foles, Arizona – The Wildcat quarterback connected on 32-of-37 passes for 360 yards and two touchdowns in a 41-2 win over Toledo.
Games We’ll Be Watching in Week 2
No. 13 Miami at No. 2 Ohio State
No. 19 Penn State at No. 1 Alabama
No. 20 Florida State at No. 7 Oklahoma
No. 11 Oregon at Tennessee
Michigan at Notre Dame
FCS Headlines
Jacksonville State stunned FBS opponent and SEC member Ole Miss, 49-48 in double overtime.
No. 2 Montana crushed Western State, 73-2.
Division II Headlines
In the weekend’s biggest game, No. 14 Texas A&M-Kingsville upset top-ranked Northwest Missouri State, 16-7.
Second-ranked Grand Valley State got past No. 8 West Texas A&M, 34-31.
Division III Headlines
Top-ranked Wisconsin-Whitewater blanked Adrian, 35-0, in the season opener.
Ursinus upset No. 9 Albright, 21-13.