College football's first Friday: Wisconsin cruises, Bryce Love doesn't

Football is here! After 12 games Thursday, the opening weekend fun continued Friday before the main course of 68 games on Saturday. Here’s what you might have missed Friday while enjoying your evening out and about.

Wisconsin beats Western Kentucky 34-3

The Badgers didn’t have any worries against Western Kentucky.

No. 4 Wisconsin ran out to a 24-0 halftime lead and eased to a 34-3 win over the Hilltoppers. Running back Jonathan Taylor got his Heisman campaign off to a good start with 18 carries for 145 yards and two scores.

Quarterback Alex Hornibrook was an efficient 17-29 passing for 257 yards and two scores, including a fourth quarter TD pass that moved the game from “out of reach” to “impossible to win” for WKU.

There was nothing Friday night that made you think Wisconsin was not a contender for the Big Ten title. The same can’t be said for No. 11 Michigan State, who needed a late touchdown to escape Utah State.

Stanford takes care of San Diego State

A running back had a big game Friday night. No, not Stanford’s Bryce Love. San Diego State’s Juwan Washington ran for 158 yards but the No. 13 Cardinal still beat the Aztecs 31-10.

Love, a Heisman favorite, had a tough night. He had just 29 yards on 18 carries. San Diego State’s defensive plan was clearly to focus on him. It worked, save for the whole passing game aspect. Stanford QB K.J. Costello threw for 332 yards and four touchdowns, including an 80-yard touchdown to J.J. Arcega-Whiteside.

Arcega-Whiteside had 226 yards receiving and three of those touchdowns.

Duke beats Army

Duke capitalized on two early Army fumbles and jumped out to a 17-0 lead over the Black Knights. Forcing a triple-option team into an early-deficit is always a good idea. Especially when that team is breaking in a nearly entirely new starting 11 on offense.

Army closed within 10 at 24-14, but Duke scored a fourth-quarter touchdown to cruise to a 31-14 win and set up an intriguing matchup with Northwestern in Week 2.

Colorado State joins New Mexico State at 0-2

The majority of college football teams haven’t played a game yet. There are two teams now at 0-2.

Colorado State was blown out by Colorado 45-13 on Friday. Colorado QB Steven Montez threw for four touchdowns and ran for another while wide receiver Laviska Shenault Jr. had 11 catches for over 200 yards.

The Rams have now given up 88 points over the first two weeks of the season. Hawaii scored 43 in a win a week ago.

Syracuse scores 55 on Western Michigan

If you were looking for offense, Syracuse’s trip to Western Michigan was the game for you. Behind 184 yards passing, 200 yards rushing and three total touchdowns from quarterback Eric Dungey, the Orange put up 560 yards of offense in a 55-42 win over the Broncos.

Cuse jumped out to a 34-7 halftime lead, but WMU clawed back to 34-28 in a wild third quarter. By the third finally ended, the Orange led 48-35 and the teams reached the end zone a combined six times.

There was some chippiness along the way. Dungey got into it with the WMU bench after running out of bounds.

There were punches thrown and ejections on the next play, but things did not escalate afterward.

The game got off to a scary start. For the second night in a row, a college football player was taken off the field on a stretcher following a kickoff, however. On Thursday, it was UCF’s Aaron Robinson. On Friday, it was Western Michigan running back Davon Tucker.

As a member of WMU’s kick return team, Tucker appeared to suffer a head or neck injury while blocking in the first quarter against the Syracuse. Tucker remained on the field for several minutes before being driven off the field on a stretcher. Tucker was able to wave his arm to the crowd as he was taken off the field.

According to the Associated Press, a WMU spokesperson said Tucker was responsive and able to speak to Broncos coach Tim Lester and medical officials while on the field. He was subsequently to Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo.

UCF coach Josh Heupel said Robinson is expected to be fine. Robinson was kept in a hospital overnight for observation.

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