PAC-12: Colorado St thumps Oregon St; Stanford crushes Rice down under

Colorado St opens new stadium by beating Oregon St 58-27

PAT GRAHAM, AP Sports Writer

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Linebacker Tre Thomas scored on a 44-yard interception return to lead a Colorado State defense that forced five turnovers, Nick Stevens threw three TD passes and the Rams opened their new on-campus stadium with a 58-27 win over Oregon State on a steamy Saturday.

Colorado State moved into its new digs this season after nearly five decades of playing down the road at Hughes Stadium. A raucous 37,583 fans showed up to catch a glimpse of the $220-million facility .

Stevens did his part to make sure it was a successful unveiling by throwing for 334 yards — his third career 300-yard passing game.

The Beavers fumbled twice and threw three interceptions on the way to losing their 14th straight road game.

Oregon State’s Jake Luton finished 27 of 47 for 304 yards and two scores. He also threw three interceptions, including the game-changer in the third quarter. Thomas grabbed a tipped pass out of the air and raced 44 yards for the score to make it 34-20.

For a while, all the “firsts” in the new stadium appeared to be going the way of Oregon State:
— Winning the inaugural coin flip.
— Hauling in the first TD pass (Timmy Hernandez ).
— Picking off the first pass (Kyle White ).

But Colorado State ended up earning the biggest first of all in its new facility — a win.

THE TAKEAWAY

OREGON STATE: Coach Gary Andersen stressed the importance of the little things in winning on the road. Costly turnovers, missed receivers and allowing 48 points in the red zone added up to another road loss.

COLORADO STATE: Granted, it is way early. But the Rams took a big step toward a run at a fifth straight bowl game. Their nonconference schedule also includes Colorado and top-ranked Alabama.

THIS & THAT

Colorado State director of athletics Joe Parker said he was so eager for the stadium opener that he arrived at 6:45 a.m. … Rams RB Dalyn Dawkins caught an 18-yard TD pass and scored on a 3-yard run. … Oregon State RB Ryan Nall rushed for 115 yards, including a 75-yard TD run in the second quarter.

UP NEXT

OREGON STATE: Hosts Portland State next Saturday. The Beavers are 4-0 all-time against the Vikings.

COLORADO STATE: Faces in-state rival Colorado in Denver on Friday. Lost 44-7 to the Buffaloes last season.

Christian who? Love stars in No. 14 Stanford’s win over Rice
DENNIS PASSA, AP Sports Writer

SYDNEY (AP) — Bryce Love proved he could fill in quite nicely as Christian McCaffrey’s replacement at Stanford, scoring a touchdown and rushing for 180 yards to lead the No.14 Cardinal to a 62-7 victory over Rice on Sunday in the Sydney College Football Cup.

Love, installed as the No. 1 player in the backfield after McCaffrey was drafted in the first round by the Carolina Panthers, had 13 carries, including a 62-yard burst through the Rice line on Stanford’s opening play from scrimmage. He didn’t play much after the middle of the third quarter.

Cameron Scarlett, a redshirt freshman who also moved up in the Stanford pecking order, had three touchdowns, all rushing, and finished with 68 yards from nine carries. He also had one 56-yard pass reception.

The Cardinal, were 31-point favorites. They led 38-0 at halftime and scored touchdowns on their first four possessions.

Rice, trailing 55-0, finally broke its scoreless drought with six minutes remaining on running back Austin Walker’s 23-yard touchdown run.

THE TAKEAWAY

STANFORD: Quarterback Keller Chryst, who tore the ACL in his right knee in December in the Sun Bowl, showed no sign of the injury, although he did get up slowly and appeared to favor his knee after being sacked in the second quarter. Chryst finished with 14 completions in 24 attempts for 253 yards and two TDs before Ryan Burns and later K.J. Costello took over with Stanford leading 45-0. Costello scored the final Stanford TD on a 25-yard run.

RICE: Redshirt freshman quarterback Sam Glaesmann won the starting job and had a very difficult beginning to his college career. Starting his first play from scrimmage on the Rice 10-yard line, Rice was hit for a delay of game and false start and the Owls later punted from deep in their end zone. Glaesmann was 7 for 18 for 69 yards.

UP NEXT

STANFORD: after a week off, plays at Pac-12 favorite USC on Sept. 9

RICE: The Owls also have a week off before playing the University of Texas at El Paso in El Paso, also on Sept. 9.

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