FCS Top 25 Roundup - Week 1

Aug 31, 2014 - 4:45 AM (SportsNetwork.com) - Here's a number that's higher than the 24 seniors whose departure was supposed to make North Dakota State vulnerable this season:

Twenty-five - as in the Bison's new record winning streak on the FCS level.

On Saturday, the three-time reigning FCS champions ignored their offseason losses and picked up where they left off in January with a 34-14 victory over Iowa State in Ames.

As first-year head coach Chris Klieman won his debut, NDSU pulled away from the 1992-95 Penn and 2001-02 Montana squads that also had 24-game winning streaks on the FCS level. It also marked the fifth straight season in which the Bison (1-0) have beaten an FBS opponent, including three from the Big 12 (Iowa State as well as Kansas in 2010 and Kansas State last year).

Senior running back John Crockett stole the show from Iowa State. On NDSU's first play from scrimmage after the Cyclones (0-1) had taken a 14-0 lead in the opening minute of the second quarter, Crockett ran for a career-long 80-yard touchdown to reverse the momentum. He went on to rush for two more touchdowns and finish with 138 yards on 18 carries.

The Bison scored 34 unanswered points. New starting quarterback Carson Wentz settled in well while completing 18-of-28 pass attempts for 204 yards.

Also, the Bison defense was its usual stifling self in holding the Cyclones to 253 yards. Defensive end Kyle Emanuel collected nine total tackles, four tackles for loss and two sacks, while safeties Christian Dudzik and Colten Heagle each had an interception.

The Bison, who next visit Weber State, entered the season ranked No. 2 behind Eastern Washington, but they could leap-frog the Eagles in Monday's new rankings.

The Sports Network FCS Top 25

Saturday, Aug. 30

No. 1 Eastern Washington (2-0) 41, Montana-Western (0-1) 9

EWU quarterback Vernon Adams was 27-for-30 for 360 yards and five touchdowns, including a pair each to Cory Mitchell (10 receptions, 113 yards) and Kendrick Bourne.

Running back Mario Brown had 108 yards and a touchdown on only nine carries.

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No. 3 Southeastern Louisiana (1-0) 44, Jacksonville (0-1)

Southeastern Louisiana quarterback Bryan Bennett was dominant in totaling 404 yards over less than three quarters of action.

He threw for 311 yards on only 11 completions, including an 89-yard touchdown to Dylan Bossier and a 73-yard score to Rasheed Harrell. In addition, he rushed for an 83-yard TD and finished with 93 yards on only seven carries.

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Toledo (1-0) 54, No. 4 New Hampshire (0-1) 20

Toledo closed the game on a 44-6 run and rolled up 674 yards of offense.

For UNH, quarterback Sean Goldrich threw for 291 yards and two touchdowns, and wide receiver R.J. Harris caught nine passes for 149 yards and one touchdown.

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Wyoming (1-0) 17, No. 5 Montana (0-1) 12

In a game delayed twice by lightning for nearly an hour, former North Dakota State coach Craig Bohl won his debut at Wyoming against Montana, which fell to 0-14 all-time against the Cowboys.

Griz quarterback Jordan Johnson was 24-for-44 for 185 yards and a touchdown pass to tight end Mike Ralston. Junior linebacker Kendrick Van Ackeren led the defense with a career-high 14 tackles and senior defensive end Zack Wagenmann added two sacks and seven tackles.

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No. 7 Coastal Carolina (1-0) 31, The Citadel (0-1) 16

Coastal Carolina junior quarterback Alex Ross had 321 total yards and threw a touchdown for a school-record 15th straight game. Bruce Mapp, who caught the score, hauled in 10 passes for 108 yards.

The visiting Chanticleers overcame The Citadel's 381 rushing yards.

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No. 8 McNeese State (0-0), Idle

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Iowa (1-0) 31, No. 9 Northern Iowa (0-1) 23

UNI quarterback Sawyer Kollmorgen threw for 380 yards and two touchdowns with two interceptions, while running back David Johnson had 203 receiving yards, including 53-, 60- and 70-yard (a touchdown) catches.

The Panthers had beaten Iowa, 27-16, when they last met in 2012.

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Missouri (1-0) 38, No. 10 South Dakota State (0-1) 18

Missouri scored the game's final 17 points to pull away from South Dakota State. All-American running back Zach Zenner rushed for 103 yards and two touchdowns on 17 carries in the loss.

Jackrabbits quarterback Austin Sumner was knocked from the game in the first quarter with a foot injury. Zach Lujan came on to complete 21-of-28 pass attempts for 239 yards.

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No. 11 Fordham (1-0) 52, Saint Francis, Pa. (0-1) 23

Fordham's running game (241 yards) outperformed its passing attack (186) as Chase Edmond rushed for 181 yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries. Michael Nebrich threw for 188 yards and three touchdowns.

SFA's Khairi Dickson rushed for 244 yards and two touchdowns.

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Central Connecticut State (1-0) 31, No. 13 Towson (0-1) 27

Towson, the 2013 FCS national runner-up, fell in stunning fashion after Rob Hollomon's 1-yard run with 36 seconds remaining erased CCSU's 27-24 deficit.

Hollomon finished with 280 all-purpose yards, including 161 on the ground, and scored two touchdowns, which helped offset Towson quarterback Connor Frazier's 205 yards of total offense and three total touchdowns.

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No. 15 Tennessee State (1-0) 58, Edward Waters (0-1) 6

Tennessee transfer Tom Smith rushed for 151 yards and four touchdowns on only 12 carries as Tennessee State overpowered Edward Waters.

Defensive end Anthony Bass, the game's defensive MVP, had two sacks and an interception.

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No. 17 Sam Houston State (1-1) 51, Alabama State (0-1) 20

Zachary Stevens recovered a fumble in Alabama State's end zone just 2:15 into the game, jump-starting Sam Houston State in new coach K.C. Keeler's first victory.

Sophomore quarterback Jared Johnson passed for 386 yards and three touchdowns.

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Arkansas State (1-0) 37, No. 18 Montana State (0-1) 10

Montana State was outgained 558-228 in total yards and new quarterback Dakota Prukop threw a pair of interceptions. Arkansas State scored the game's final 24 points after the Bobcats pulled within 13-10 early in the second half.

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Virginia Tech (1-0) 34, No. 19 William & Mary (0-1) 9

William & Mary quarterback Steve Cluley (8-for-21, 108 yards; lost fumble) struggled in his first start and the Tribe's usually stout defense surrendered 488 yards.

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No. 20 Richmond (1-0) 55, Morehead State (0-1) 10

Twelve different players caught passes for Richmond, whose starting quarterback, Michael Strauss, was 17-for-23 for 259 yards and three touchdowns.

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No. 21 Furman (1-0) 13, Gardner-Webb (0-1)

Furman scored the game's only touchdown on a Reese Hannon-to-Jordan Snellings 6-yard connection with 1:08 left in the second quarter, and the Paladins allowed only 194 yards.

But Hannon suffered a fractured left ankle in the third quarter and will be lost for the remainder of the season.

Gardner-Webb All-American wide receiver Kenny Cook also was injured and sat out the final three quarters.

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No. 22 Bethune-Cookman (1-0) 14, FIU (0-1) 12

Bethune-Cookman denied FIU of a two-point conversion with 5:16 left to play and held on for the win. The Wildcats improved to 4-0 all-time against FIU.

Michael D. Jones scored on a 1-yard run and Quentin Williams connected with Frank Brown for a 55-yard touchdown pass.

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San Diego State (1-0) 38, No. 23 Northern Arizona (0-1) 7

Casey Jahn rushed for 62 yards and a touchdown and Alex Holmes caught five passes for 106 in Northern Arizona's loss.

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Illinois (1-0) 28, No. 24 Youngstown State (0-1) 17

Despite controlling two-thirds of the game clock, Youngstown State fell in a credible effort against its Big Ten counterpart. Penguins sophomore Martin Ruiz rushed for 115 yards and a touchdown on 33 carries.

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No. 25 Maine (1-0) 10, Norfolk State (0-1) 6

Defending CAA Football champion Maine limited Norfolk State to 100 total yards and two field goals. The game's only touchdown came on Dan Collins' 33-yard pass to Damarr Aultman in the second quarter.

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Thursday, Aug. 28

Central Michigan (1-0) 20, No. 14 Chattanooga (0-1) 16

Chattanooga quarterback Jacob Huesman and wide receiver Tommy Hudson connected on a pair of second-quarter touchdowns to spark the Mocs to a 16-0 lead, but Central Michigan ran off the final 20 points to win the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

Blake Serpa's interception of Huesman (12-for-23, 137 yards, three interceptions) set up Cooper Rush's 26-yard touchdown pass to Courtney Williams midway through the third quarter to give the Chippewas the lead for good, 20-16.

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Minnesota (1-0) 42, No. 16 Eastern Illinois (0-1) 20

A year after leading the FCS in scoring offense at 48.2 points per game, Eastern Illinois was held scoreless in new coach Kim Dameron's debut until it managed three touchdowns in the game's final seven minutes.

EIU quarterback Andrew Manley rushed for a touchdown and threw for two, finishing 18-for-34 for 200 yards. Jalen Whitlow also saw plenty of action at quarterback, gaining 187 yards of total offense, as the Panthers moved on from having 2013 Walter Payton Award winner Jimmy Garoppolo behind center.

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Friday, Aug. 29

Syracuse (1-0) 27, No. 12 Villanova (0-1) 26, 2 OTs

Quarterback John Robertson (305 total yards) was stuffed on an attempted two- point conversion up the middle at the end of the second overtime, denying Villanova an upset. The Wildcats had closed within 27-26 on Robertson's 9-yard touchdown pass to Gary Underwood.

Villanova had the chance to pull out a win in the fourth quarter, but kicker Chris Gough missed a 25-yard field goal attempt with 12 seconds left.

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Michigan State (1-0) 45, No. 6 Jacksonville State (0-1) 7

Jacksonville State running back DaMarcus James, who rushed for 1,477 yards and an Ohio Valley Conference-record 29 touchdowns last season, was limited to 17 yards on three carries. Starting quarterback Eli Jenkins threw a pair of interceptions as the Gamecocks fell behind 38-0 in the first half.

The Gamecocks' lone touchdown came on Max Shortell's 9-yard touchdown pass to Markis Merrill early in the third quarter. Shortell was 10-of-18 for 117 yards.