Colorado opens Deion era with upset of TCU

FORT WORTH, Texas — Deion Sanders had Colorado ready for prime time after all of the hype and attention in the nine months since Coach Prime was hired.

Shedeur Sanders, the coach’s son, threw for 510 yards with four touchdowns, the game-winner a 46-yard catch-and-run by freshman Dylan Edwards with 4:25 left, and the Buffaloes pulled off an opening shocker with a 45-42 win Saturday over 17th-ranked TCU, last year’s national runner-up.

Edwards caught three touchdowns, including a 75-yarder in the opening minute of the second half when he turned another short pass into a big play. He also ran for another score.

Two-way starter Travis Hunter, the former top recruit who came with the quarterback and coach from FCS school Jackson State, had 11 catches for 119 yards. As a defensive back, he had one of the two interceptions that TCU’s Chandler Morris threw in or near the end zone.

Deion Sanders came to Boulder, Colorado, to revitalize a long-dormant program, and he did so with an unprecedented roster flip.

Hunter, Edwards and Shedeur Sanders are among 87 newcomers at Colorado, which won only one game last season and has only two winning records since 2005.

NO. 7 PENN ST. 38, WEST VIRGINIA 15: Drew Allar threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns in his first career start to help Penn State beat visiting West Virginia in their season opener.

KeAndre Lambert-Smith caught two touchdown passes — including a 72-yard dart launched with a simple flick of Allar’s wrist on his second attempt of the game — while Nick Singleton added a rushing touchdown.

Malik McClain caught another midway through the fourth quarter for the Nittany Lions, who pulled away after leading 14-7 at halftime.

It was the first time the two regional rivals played since meeting every year from 1947 until 1992.

NO. 11 TEXAS 37, RICE 10: Quinn Ewers passed for three touchdowns and ran for another as host Texas overcame a sluggish start with an overwhelming third quarter to beat Rice.

Ewers connected with Jonathan Brooks on a 37-yard TD in the first quarter and Bert Auburn kicked three first-half field goals for the Longhorns, the longest a 49-yarder.

NO. 20 OKLAHOMA 73, ARKANSAS ST. 0: Dillon Gabriel completed 19 of 22 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns in the first half as the host Sooners rolled. Oklahoma freshman Five-star recruit Jackson Arnold played most of the second half, completing all 11 of his passes for 114 yards and a touchdown, and running for 39 yards and another score.

Gabriel also ran for a score in the first half to help Oklahoma take a 45-0 lead. The Sooners gained 437 yards before the break while holding Arkansas State to 106.

TEXAS ST. 42, BAYLOR 31: TJ Finley threw for 298 yards with three touchdowns and ran for another score as Texas State beat Baylor. The Bobcats got their first-ever win over a team from a Power Five conference in coach GJ Kinne’s debut.

After going three-and-out on their opening possession, the Bobcats offense started to resemble the one Kinne assembled as coach at Incarnate Word last season. That team led all FCS teams with 51.5 points a game. They scored touchdowns on six of their next eight possessions after the initial drive.

Blake Shapen threw for 304 yards and two TDs for Baylor.

CINCINNATI 66, E. KENTUCKY 13: Emory Jones threw five touchdown passes and ran for two more scores as Cincinnati opened its first season in the Big 12 Conference with a home rout of FCS-member Eastern Kentucky. Jones’ seven total touchdowns tied a career high. The Florida and Arizona State transfer threw six scores and ran for another against Samford on Nov. 13, 2021, while playing for the Gators.

IOWA ST. 30, NORTHERN IOWA 9: Jeremiah Cooper’s two first-half interceptions set the tone for Iowa State’s home victory over Northern Iowa, easing the pressure on a Cyclones offense rocked by suspensions and departures. Cooper returned his first career interception 58 yards for a touchdown on the fifth play from scrimmage. His second pick set up Chase Contreraz’s 56-yard field goal just before halftime.

HOUSTON 17, UTSA 14: Donovan Smith threw for 233 yards and two touchdowns, Samuel Brown had 106 yards receiving and host Houston held on for a win over UTSA in a season opener and the Cougars’ first game as a Big 12 Conference member. Smith threw touchdown passes of eight yards to Joseph Manjack IV in the first quarter and six yards to Matthew Golden in the third to build a 17-7 lead.

OKLAHOMA ST. 27, C. ARKNASAS 13: Elijah Collins’ 17-yard, fourth-quarter touchdown run gave Oklahoma State breathing room and the Cowboys held on to beat FCS foe Central Arkansas in a season opener. Korie Black blocked two Central Arkansas field-goal attempts for Oklahoma State, which won its 28th straight home opener at Boone Pickens Stadium.