ARLINGTON, Texas — Andy Dalton ran for two touchdowns and threw for another score to make up for his two interceptions and No. 6 TCU opened the season with a 30-21 victory over No. 24 Oregon State on Saturday night.
Eight months after Dalton threw three interceptions in a Fiesta Bowl loss to Boise State that soured the Horned Frogs’ breakthrough season, he scored on a 4-yard keeper at the end of the third quarter to put TCU ahead for good.
Dalton became TCU’s winningest quarterback, his 30th victory snapping a tie with “Slingin’ Sammy” Baugh, who had held the mark alone since the mid-1930s until being matched last year after the Frogs’ first undefeated regular season since 1938.
The Frogs know they will likely have to be perfect again in the regular season to break into the BCS again. They survived a difficult opening test against a Pac-10 team that just missed going to the Rose Bowl last season.
Brothers Jacquizz and James Rodgers scored touchdowns for Oregon State in their first college game in their home state.
Ed Wesley ran 17 times for 134 yards and a TD for TCU and Dalton was 17-of-27 for 175 yards.
Ryan Katz made his first start at quarterback for the Beavers and was 9-of-25 for 159 yards and two touchdowns.
BYU 23, Washington 17
PROVO, Utah — Riley Nelson threw for two touchdowns in his first start in four years and the Cougars’ defense shut out the Huskies in the second half.
Washington star Jake Locker passed for 266 yards, but missed passes on two fourth-down conversion attempts late in the final quarter that could have put the Huskies ahead.
Nelson and freshman Jake Heaps, who are sharing BYU’s quarterback duties, both finished with 131 yards passing.
Locker threw for one touchdown and ran for another and Erick Folk kicked a career-best 54-yard field goal at the end of the second quarter to give the Huskies a 17-13 lead.
No. 11 Oregon 72, N. Mexico 0
EUGENE, Ore. — Oregon didn’t need suspended LaMichael James for this one.
Kenjon Barner replaced the suspended running back for the Ducks and ran for a career-high 147 yards and four touchdowns before catching another score.
Oregon’s point total tied the Autzen Stadium record the Ducks set in 1999 against Nevada. The most points Oregon has ever scored is 115, against Puget Sound back in 1910.
The Ducks did set a team record for total yards — 720.
Quarterback Darron Thomas, making his debut as the Oregon starter, completed 13-of-23 passes for 220 yards and two TDs.
San Diego St. 47, Nicholls St. 0
SAN DIEGO — Ryan Lindley threw for 303 yards and two touchdowns to DeMarco Sampson as the Aztecs cruised. Sampson caught seven passes for 179 yards, a school record for an opening game.
No. 12 Wisconsin vs. UNLV
LAS VEGAS — Late game.
