Western Kentucky clobbers Union, 51-3

ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. -- Chris Miller had 15 carries for 160 yards Thursday as Western Kentucky opened defense of its Division I-AA title with a 51-3 win over Union, Ky.
The Hilltoppers' win gave 32-year-old David Elson his first victory as a college coach.
Western scored its first seven points with a pair of safeties sandwiched around a 46-yard field goal by Matt Lange. Later, Lerron Moore ran 25 yards for the Hilltoppers' first touchdown toward the end of the first quarter.
Western Kentucky (1-0) had 496 yards in total offense. Justin Haddix completed eight of 16 passes for 181 yards in his first collegiate game.
W. Illinois 35, Wayne St. 3
MACOMB, Ill. -- Attley Lawson rushed for 78 yards and Travis Glasford and Charles Hayden scored two touchdowns each for Western Illinois.
Glasford scored from 1 and 2 yards out in the first quarter and Hayden from 3 and 9 yards away in the second period as the Leathernecks built a 28-3 halftime lead.
S. Illinois 64, Quincy 14
CARBONDALE, Ill. -- Muhammad Abdulqaadir carried 10 times for 142 yards and scored three touchdowns for Southern Illinois.
Abdulqaadir broke off a 59-yard TD run in the first quarter and scored from 7 and 12 yards out in the second quarter as the Salukis took a 33-0 halftime lead.
Southern Illinois had 529 yards total offense, including 377 yards rushing. Curtis Holley had a 56-yard TD run for the Salukis in the fourth quarter.
SW Missouri St. 48, East Central 0
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. -- Cody Pratt ran for a game-high 157 yards and four touchdowns for Southwest Missouri State.
It was the junior college transfer's first game for the Bears, and he became the first player in school history to score four touchdowns in a debut.
Illinois St. 27, Drake 13
NORMAL, Ill. -- Sha-Ron Edwards had 16 carries for 152 yards and a pair of touchdowns for Illinois State.
Edwards had scoring runs of 15 yards in the second quarter and 31 yards in the third quarter as the Redbirds rallied from an early deficit.
Ball St. 31, Indiana St. 7
MUNCIE, Ind. -- Andy Roesch threw for 204 yards and two touchdowns and Mike Langford kicked three field goals to lead Ball State.
The Cardinals built a 15-0 halftime lead on a 1-yard run by Scott Blair and a 47-yard touchdown pass to Ryan Hahaj.