Arizona State Dominates, 63-16

Freshman Keegan Herring rushed for 134 yards in 12 carries in the most prolific debut by a running back in Arizona State history, and the 20th-ranked Sun Devils beat Temple, 63-16, in Thursday night’s opener at Tempe, Ariz.

Sam Keller threw for four touchdowns, two to Derek Hagan, then sat out the final quarter as Arizona State finished off the Owls’ 22nd consecutive loss to a ranked team and ninth straight defeat on the road.

Herring, 18, had runs of 33 and 28 yards, along with a four-yard touchdown run, en route to the school record for most yards in the first game of a career. The old mark of 117 yards, on 21 carries, was set by Woody Green against Houston in 1971.

The Owls got a safety in the second quarter, when Keller, under pressure from Temple’s Antwon Burton, fumbled in the Arizona State end zone and Sun Devil Zach Krula recovered.

Oregon 38, Houston 24 -- Kellen Clemens threw for 348 yards and two touchdowns, and his 43-yard scramble set up the go-ahead score in Oregon’s victory at Houston.

With Oregon down 21-20 early in the third quarter, Clemens made his long dash to the one-yard line, where his backup, Dennis Dixon, dived in for the touchdown a play later.

It was a successful debut for Oregon’s spread offense, installed in the off-season by new offensive coordinator Gary Crowton. It was also step one in the Ducks’ quest to bounce back from last year’s 5-6 season, their first losing season since 1993.

Houston scored 21 points in the first quarter but failed to score again until a field goal with three seconds left.

Oregon scored only one touchdown in the first half, but kicker Paul Martinez kept it close by booting three field goals, including a 51-yarder early in the second quarter.

Minnesota 41, Tulsa 10 -- Laurence Maroney rushed for a career-high 203 yards and two long touchdown runs, and Gary Russell added two late touchdown runs for Minnesota at Tulsa, Okla.

On the first play from scrimmage, Maroney took a handoff and darted around the left end and down the left sidelines for a 63-yard touchdown run. He started the Golden Gophers’ third drive by running around right end, stopping safety Bobby Klinck with a hesitation move and zooming across toward the left sideline as he crossed the goal line for a 73-yard score to make it 17-0 for Minnesota late in the first quarter.

Washington State 38, Idaho 26 -- Alex Brink threw three touchdown passes, and Jerome Harrison rushed for two more scores for Washington State at Pullman, Wash. Brink, a sophomore who beat out junior Josh Swogger for the start, completed 17 of 29 passes for 230 yards. He was intercepted twice.

Harrison, the Cougars’ leading rusher last season with 900 yards in just five starts, had 134 of his 165 yards at the half.

Harrison sprinted 80 yards to score on the Cougars’ first play from scrimmage. On the next kickoff, Antwaun Sherman fumbled and Adam West recovered for Washington State on the Idaho 19. Harrison scored three plays later on a four-yard run to put the Cougars up 14-0 just 1:09 into the game.

Cincinnati 28, Eastern Michigan 26 -- Dustin Grutza threw for two touchdowns and rushed for a third, leading the host Bearcats’ first game as a member of the Big East.

Cincinnati erased a 20-14 halftime deficit on Grutza’s 21-yard touchdown run on the first drive of the third quarter. Bradley Glathaar scored on an 11-yard run to increase the lead to 28-20 with 13:13 left.

Eastern Michigan freshman Tim Connor scored his second touchdown on a 33-yard run with 10:59 left. Matt Bohnet’s pass for Eric Deslauriers on the tying two-point conversion attempt fell short.

With the Bearcats trying to run out the clock, Grutza fumbled on a hit by Daniel Holtzclaw and Steven Lewis recovered for the Eagles on their 49. Cincinnati’s defense held at its 40, and Andrew Wellock’s punt stopped on the Bearcats’ two with 6:18 to play.

Vanderbilt 24, Wake Forest 20 -- Jeff Jennings scored from five yards out with 1:48 to play at Winston-Salem, N.C., to help Vanderbilt win an opener for the first time in eight years.

Jay Cutler threw for 276 yards and a score while running for 89 more for the Commodores. Jennings ran for 43 yards but finished with two scores.