CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Illinois rallied from a 20-point deficit, and Pierre Thomas' 2-yard touchdown run in overtime gave Illinois a 33-30 win over Rutgers on Saturday in Ron Zook's first game as coach.
Trailing 27-10 when the fourth quarter began, the Illini (1-0) tied the game 27-27 when Tim Brasic hit running back E.B. Halsey with a swing pass, which he ran in from 13 yards out with 1:13 to go.
Illinois' Jason Reda missed a 52-yard field goal attempt with 3 seconds left in regulation.
Rutgers (0-1) scored first in the overtime on Jeremy Ito's 40-yard field goal, but the Illini had the last chance. They overcame a penalty and got a 20-yard run from E.B. Halsey to put the ball on the 2 for Thomas' winning dive.
AIR FORCE 20, WASHINGTON 17
In Seattle, a 13-point fourth quarter rally by Air Force spoiled the debut of Tyrone Willingham as coach at Washington.
Quarterback Shaun Carney scored on a 1-yard run with 34 seconds left, and the Falcons came from behind to beat the Huskies.
With Air Force down 17-13, Carney directed a 14-play, 83-yard drive that ate most of the final 6 minutes. The Falcons converted on fourth-and-2 with 4 minutes left after Carney scrambled for four yards.
Carney found Jason Brown for a 20-yard completion on third down, then hit Greg Kirkwood for 14 yards to the 1 on third-and-9 with 1:02 left. Carney scored two plays later.
It was a frustrating outcome for Washington, which dropped its seventh in a row dating back to last season.
WISCONSIN 56, BOWLING GREEN 42
In Madison, Wis., Brian Calhoun, a transfer from Colorado, rushed for a career-best 258 yards and a school record-tying five touchdowns on 43 carries as Wisconsin beat Bowling Green.
Calhoun, a Milwaukee-area native, spurned the Badgers for the Buffaloes in 2002 but soured on Gary Barnett's program after running backs coach Eric Bienemy left for UCLA following his freshman year, and he balked at moving to receiver after his sophomore season.
Calhoun returned home and sat out last season while awaiting his chance to join the long list of premier running backs at Wisconsin.
The wait was well worth it.
Nobody in the proud program's history ever rushed for more yards in his debut, and his five scores tied the school mark set by Billy Marek in 1974 and tied by Anthony Davis in 2002, both against Minnesota.
Calhoun scored on runs of 20, 5, 5, 1 and 9 yards.
COLORADO 31,
COLORADO STATE 28
In Boulder, Colo., like a couple of brothers going at it in the backyard, Colorado and Colorado State looked like they could've kept playing forever. The team that scored last won, as usual, and this time, that win went to the so-called big brother, the Buffaloes.
Mason Crosby kicked a 47-yard field goal with 4 seconds left to lift the Buffs to a come-from-behind victory over the Rams, the team often condescendingly referred to as Colorado's little brother.
The teams combined for 20 points - two touchdowns and two field goals - over the frantic final 2:32, adding yet another fantastic chapter to one of the most underrated rivalries in the country.
When it was over, Colorado fans flooded Folsom Field, and the record crowd of 54,972 - save the small cloister of Rams fans - celebrated yet another thriller in this season-opening series.
PENN STATE 23,
SOUTH FLORIDA 13
In State College, Pa., Alan Zemaitis returned a fumble 16 yards for a score, and Tony Hunt rushed for a touchdown and set up another score with a long run as Penn State's new-look offense clicked early before struggling late in a win over South Florida.
MICHIGAN STATE 49,
KENT STATE 14
In East Lansing, Mich., Jehuu Caulcrick rushed for 140 yards and three touchdowns as Michigan State had 685 total yards - second-most in school history - on the way to beating Kent State in the first meeting between the schools.
KANSAS STATE 35,
FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL 21
In Manhattan, Kan., Thomas Clayton ran for 177 yards and two scores to lead Kansas State to its 16th consecutive season-opening victory, beating Florida International in the Golden Panthers' first game as a full member of Division I-A.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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