Big Ten

Jim Tressel has said all along that he wanted his Ohio State teams to play their best games at the end of the season and not the beginning.

That shouldn’t be too hard.

Jonathan Wells rushed for 119 yards and scored twice, but the 24th-ranked Buckeyes, favored by four touchdowns, were less than impressive in a 28-14 victory over Akron at Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.

“We’re not perfect,” said Tressel, hired to replace the fired John Cooper after spending the last 15 seasons at Youngstown State. “I knew that coming in.”

Akron (1-1) made things interesting on Rickie Coble’s 87-yard interception return in the fourth quarter. Coble’s return matched the second longest by an opponent in the history of 79-year-old Ohio Stadium, which was rededicated before the game after a three-year, $210-million reconstruction project.

A crowd of 102,602 in the expanded stadium was the largest ever to watch an Ohio State home game.

Ohio State’s Steve Bellisari threw two touchdown passes but fumbled four times and had passes go through the hands of defenders three other times.

Michigan State 35, Central Michigan 21-The Chippewas’ James King blocked four punts to tie a Division I-A record, but the Spartans still managed to win their opener at East Lansing, Mich.

Michigan State scored three touchdowns in the final 4:23 of the first half and one early in the third quarter, but Central Michigan trailed by only 14 points with 6:41 left after King blocked his third and fourth punts of the game--both returned for touchdowns.

Michigan State fumbled on the ensuing possession, but Central Michigan could not capitalize.

Minnesota 44, Louisiana Lafayette 14-Marion Barber III, a surprise starter at tailback, rushed 26 times for 173 yards and his first two college touchdowns for the Golden Gophers at Minneapolis.

Barber, a true freshman whose father starred for Minnesota (1-1) as a running back from 1977-80, ran for 95 yards in the first 18 minutes to help the Golden Gophers build a 17-0 lead.

Ricky Calais blocked a field-goal kick and returned an interception for a score for Louisiana Lafayette (1-1).

Iowa 44, Miami (Ohio) 19-Kyle McCann threw a career-high four touchdown passes and Chris Smith returned an interception for a touchdown for the Hawkeyes at Iowa City, Iowa.

Iowa (2-0) held Miami (0-2) to 26 yards and one first down in the first half. McCann, a senior who hadn’t thrown more than two touchdown passes in a college game, was 13 for 16 for 201 yards.

Illinois 17, Northern Illinois 12-Kurt Kittner threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes as the Illini (2-0) struggled to beat the Huskies (1-1) at Champaign, Ill.

Illinois managed 102 yards rushing, 42 in the fourth quarter.