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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, September 6, 2009

BYU opens with upset over No. 3 Oklahoma


Associated Press

Hawaii news photo - The Honolulu Advertiser

BYU wide receiver McKay Jacobson hauls in a touchdown pass behind Oklahoma linebackers Ryan Reynolds (4) and Travis Lewis (28).

TONY GUTIERREZ | Associated Press

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ARLINGTON, Texas — With Heisman Trophy winner Sam Bradford helplessly watching on the sideline, his right arm in a sling, BYU upset No. 3 Oklahoma, 14-13, last night.

Max Hall threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to wide-open McKay Jacobson in the back of the end zone with 3:03 left.

The Sooners' last hope to recover and win without their star quarterback Bradford ended when Tress Way came up short on a 54-yard field goal with 1:23 left. BYU players exchanged flying chest bumps right away, then celebrated even more wildly when their upset was complete, a stunning end to the first college football game — and first regular-season game — ever played at the nearly $1.2 billion Cowboys Stadium.

"This loss hurts," Sooners offensive lineman Brian Simmons said. "But the last two or three years, the national champion has had one loss. There's still a chance for us to accomplish our goals."

The Cougars last victory versus a ranked nonconference opponent was against No. 1 Miami in 1990.

"Unbelievable," said Hall, a nephew of former Cowboys quarterback Danny White. "For us to come out and pull off a win is a special night. I'll never forget it."

Hall was 26 of 38 for 329 yards and two touchdowns. The numbers that matter most: a 16-play, 78-yard drive that included converting a fourth-and-4 and throwing the winning touchdown after being shoved back from the 2 on a delay-of-game penalty.

Hall was intercepted twice and sacked four times.

Bradford sprained his throwing shoulder when he was tackled to the turf on a hard, clean hit by linebacker Coleby Clawson in the closing seconds of the first half. Oklahoma kicked a field goal on the next play to go up 10-7, but backup Landry Jones wasn't able to stretch it very much.

NO. 1 FLORIDA 62, CHARLESTON SOUTHERN 3

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Tim Tebow accounted for two touchdowns, Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps had scoring runs, and the top-ranked and defending national champion Gators routed the Buccaneers.

Tebow completed 10 of 15 passes for 188 yards and a touchdown, a 28-yard strike to Aaron Hernandez. Tebow also ran for a score, the 44th of his career. It tied him with former LSU star Dalton Hilliard for fourth place on the Southeastern Conference list.

NO. 2 TEXAS 59, LOUISIANA-MONROE 20

AUSTIN, Texas — Colt McCoy passed for 317 yards and two touchdowns as the Longhorns routed the Warhawks at Austin, Texas.

Last season's runner-up for the Heisman Trophy connected with Jordan Shipley for a 78-yard touchdown pass in the second quarter. Cody Johnson scored Texas' first three TDs on short runs and freshman D.J. Monroe returned a first-half kickoff 89 yards for a TD.

NO. 5 ALABAMA 34, NO. 7 VIRGINIA TECH 24

ATLANTA — The Crimson Tide overcame a 98-yard kickoff return, two costly turnovers and several silly penalties, finally wearing down the Hokies in the final quarter at the Georgia Dome.

Mark Ingram rushed for 150 yards and finished off Virginia Tech with two fourth-quarter touchdowns. Greg McElroy threw for 230 yards in his debut as Alabama's starting quarterback, taking quite a beating but standing tall at the end.

NO. 9 PENN STATE 31, AKRON 7

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Daryll Clark completed 29 of 40 passes for 353 yards and three touchdowns, as coach Joe Paterno returned to the Nittany Lions' sideline for the first time since hip replacement surgery last November.

A tenacious defense overwhelmed the Zips' spread attack, holding Akron to 186 yards of total offense in the season opener for both teams. Akron didn't record a first down until the third quarter.

NO. 11 LSU 31, WASHINGTON 23

SEATTLE — Jordan Jefferson threw three touchdown passes to help the Tigers overcome a slow start and hand the Huskies, led by new coach Steve Sarkisian, their 15th consecutive loss.

NO. 9 OKLAHOMA STATE 24, NO. 13 GEORGIA 10

STILLWATER, Okla. — Zac Robinson threw two touchdown passes to Dez Bryant and also scored on a quarterback sneak as the Cowboys proved themselves deserving of their highest preseason ranking ever.

NO. 12 CALIFORNIA 52, MARYLAND 13

BERKELEY, Calif. — Jahvid Best ran 73 yards for one of his two first-quarter touchdowns and Kevin Riley threw a career-high four TD passes as the Golden Bears jumped on top 45-6 in rolling past the Terrapins at Berkeley, Calif.

NO. 15 GEORGIA TECH 37, JACKSONVILLE STATE 17

ATLANTA — Jonathan Dwyer, the 2008 Atlantic Coast Conference player of the year, scored on the first play from scrimmage, taking an option pitch for a 74-yard touchdown as the Yellow Jackets rested many of their starters in the second half of the opener for both.

NO. 21 NORTH CAROLINA 40, THE CITADEL 6

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — T.J. Yates threw two touchdown passes in the first half and Da'Norris Searcy returned a late punt 77 yards for a touchdown to help the Tar Heels rout the Cadets.

NO. 22 IOWA 17, NORTHERN IOWA 16

IOWA CITY, Iowa — Jeremiha Hunter blocked the Panthers' second field goal try in the closing seconds as the host Hawkeyes held on. The Hawkeyes blocked Billy Hallgren's 40-yard attempt on a first down, but UNI recover the ball with a second left, which gave them a second kick.

NO. 24 NEBRASKA 49, FLORIDA ATLANTIC 3

LINCOLN, Neb. — Roy Helu Jr. ran for 152 yards and three touchdowns and Zac Lee passed for 213 yards and two scores in his first start, helping the Cornhuskers win their 24th consecutive opener with a rout of the Owls at Lincoln, Neb.

NO. 25 KANSAS 49, NORTHERN COLORADO 3

LAWRENCE, Kan. — Todd Reesing completed 13 of 20 passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns and scored on runs of 2 and 13 yards to lead the Jayhawks past the Bears before a Memorial Stadium record crowd of 53,530.