Get your calculator out after big-scoring openers
Thirty teams put up 60 or more points Saturday
With the first college football Saturday of 2015 in the books, the scoring parade featured an astonishing 30 teams putting up 60 or more points across all NCAA divisions and the NAIA. A year ago, there were seven teams that scored 60 or more points on opening Saturday.
There’s more. After a review of the scores on the opening Saturday over the past five years, there’s been a grand total of 36 teams that scored 60 or more. That’s COMBINED!
An asterisk is needed for No. 9 Georgia. The Bulldogs beat Louisiana-Monroe 51-14, but the game was called off with 9:54 to go. If you use a points-per-minute projection, Georgia would have ended up with 60 points, too.
So, from the 77 points from D-III teams Guilford and Hardin-Simmons and NAIA Morningside, to the measly 61 from No. 7 Oregon, Florida, D-II Mississippi College and FCS NC A&T, here’s some highlights:
Florida 61, New Mexico St. 13: Quarterbacks Will Girer and Treon Harris accounted for five TDs, and the Gators scored their most points for a coach – Jim McElwain – making his debut at the school.
Rutgers 63, Norfolk St. 13: First-half suspension over and their team ahead by eight points, QB Chris Laviano and WR Leonte Carroo teamed up for TDs of 55, 56 and 18 yards in a 28-point third quarter.
(7) Oregon 61, Eastern Washington 42: Vernon Adams led the Ducks on four straight scoring drives against the school he used to play for in his first game as Marcus Mariota’s replacement.
Middle Tennessee 70, Jackson St. 14: With coach Rick Stockstill’s son Brent leading the offense with 336 yards passing and four TDs, the point-total was six off the school record set in 1927 – a 76-7 win over North Alabama. The combined point total was well shy of MTSU’s 70-58 win over Idaho in 2001.
(17) Mississippi 76, UT Martin 3: Already ahead 27-0 after the first quarter, Ole Miss allowed 296-pound defensive lineman Robert Nkemdiche to play offense – and he rumbled 31 yards for touchdown after catching a pass. The play, he said, was for his mother, Beverly, who made a rare trip to attend the game. The point total was the most for the Rebels since 1935.