Florida’s Zook Wins His Debut

The Ron Zook era at sixth-ranked Florida got off to a shining start with a 51-3 victory over Alabama Birmingham on Saturday at Gainesville, Fla.

Just like the guy he replaced--new Washington Redskin Coach Steve Spurrier--Zook knows Rex Grossman, Taylor Jacobs and Earnest Graham have the ability to make any coach look brilliant.

Jacobs had 246 receiving yards to break the school single-game record of 237, set by Carlos Alvarez in 1969. The mark had stood as one of only a handful not rewritten during Spurrier’s 12 seasons as coach.

“This game was bigger for me than any of the other games are going to be,” Jacobs said. “A lot of people didn’t think me, or the rest of the receivers, could do anything.”

Grossman passed for 337 yards and two touchdowns and Graham ran for 182 yards and two touchdowns. It marked the first time the Gators have had a 150-yard rusher and a 200-yard receiver in a game.

No. 8 Georgia 31, Clemson 28--Backup quarterback D.J. Shockley ran for one touchdown and passed for another as the Bulldogs rallied to win at Athens, Ga.

Billy Bennett kicked a 43-yard field goal with 5:19 remaining to break a 28-28 tie. Clemson’s Aaron Hunt missed a 46-yard field-goal with 1:43 remaining that would have tied the score and probably forced overtime.

No. 4 Tennessee 47, Wyoming 7--Casey Clausen threw for 238 yards and a touchdown as the Volunteers won their eighth consecutive opener and 16th consecutive nonconference game, at Nashville, Tenn.

No. 22 South Carolina 34, New Mexico State 24--Lou Holtz tied former Michigan coach Bo Schembechler with the 234th victory of his career, but the Gamecocks struggled throughout in a less-than-impressive victory at Columbia, S.C.

Mississippi 31, Louisiana Monroe 3--Although quarterback Eli Manning struggled, completing 17 of 31 passes for 192 yards, Robert Williams came through for the Rebels, rushing for 100 yards and two touchdowns at Oxford, Miss.

Alabama 39, Middle Tennessee 34--Tyler Watts passed for 236 yards and two touchdowns and Freddie Roach returned a late interception for a score as the Crimson Tide, which charged to a 22-0 lead, held off the Blue Raiders at Birmingham, Ala.