TOP 25 ROUNDUP Top-ranked Sooners cruise in opener

Bo Pelini's defense helped Nebraska upset No. 24 Oklahoma State.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) -- Jason White threw three touchdown passes and Oklahoma's defense was as good as advertised as the No. 1 Sooners opened the season with a 37-3 victory over North Texas on Saturday night.
The Sooners limited North Texas to 50 yards through three quarters before the Mean Green's only scoring drive, which began against the second-stringers. Midway through the second quarter, North Texas had more penalty yards (29) than offensive yards (18) and didn't cross midfield until just before halftime.
The two-time defending Sun Belt champions' frustration showed early after quarterback Scott Hall narrowly avoided a sack in the end zone by lofting the ball to unsuspecting right guard Nick Zuniga. The lineman spiked the ball in disgust as all four officials threw flags at the penalty.
White, a senior making only his fifth career start because of knee injuries the past two seasons, started slowly before getting into a rhythm.
He went 23-of-35 for 248 yards, including a 64-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brandon Jones early in the second quarter that left a defender sprawled on the ground and gave Oklahoma a 17-0 lead.
Jones finished with 10 receptions for 121 yards and Jejuan Rankins caught two touchdown passes, including one from backup quarterback Paul Thompson.
No. 8 USC 23, No. 6 Auburn 0
AUBURN, Ala. -- Southern California used a smothering defense to turn a much-hyped matchup into an ugly mismatch.
Matt Leinart passed for 192 yards in his first start and the eighth-ranked Trojans set up 17 points with three turnovers.
The Trojans, who won the final eight games of last season, hardly seemed to miss Heisman Trophy winner Carson Palmer.
The Tigers hadn't been a preseason Top 10 team since 1995, but were shut out at Jordan-Hare Stadium for the first time since a 19-0 loss to Virginia in the 1998 opener. They never got past USC's 33-yard line and were outgained 315-164.
The Trojans muzzled the Tigers' heralded tailbacks Carnell Williams and Ronnie Brown, and harassed quarterback Jason Campbell into a fumble and an interception.
No. 7 Kansas St. 41, Troy St. 5
MANHATTAN, Kan. -- Ell Roberson ran for three touchdowns and threw for 234 yards and another score as Kansas State overcame its own mistakes.
Roberson was 9-for-23 with two interceptions and ran for 69 yards for the Wildcats (2-0), who lost star running back Darren Sproles to an apparent leg injury late in the first half.
Sproles left the game after being tackled hard by Robby Farmer at the end of a 5-yard gain. Kansas State does not release information on injuries, but Sproles appeared to be favoring his left leg as he was helped to the locker room.
He left the game with 49 yards on 12 carries. Kansas State's last game without a 100-yard rusher was a 27-20 win over Southern California on Sept. 21, 2002.
No. 11 Georgia 30, Clemson 0
CLEMSON, S.C. -- David Greene threw for one touchdown and ran for another as Georgia handed Clemson its first shutout under coach Tommy Bowden.
Greene went 12-of-17 for 203 yards, including a 56-yard touchdown pass to Fred Gibson. Greene added a 3-yard touchdown run and D.J. Shockley closed the scoring with a 29-yard scoring run.
The defending Southeastern Conference champions were supposed to struggle early on. They had a new offensive line. They were without injured defensive starters Will Thompson and Kentrell Curry. Eight other Bulldogs were suspended by coach Mark Richt. And that's not counting the embarrassing Ring-gate episode where several players sold their rings from the school's first SEC title in 20 years.
No. 12 Tennessee 24, Fresno State 6
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. -- Casey Clausen threw two touchdown passes and Jabari Davis ran 44 yards for another score as Tennessee beat Fresno State.
The Volunteers were determined to show an improved offense from the one that sputtered last year to an 8-5 record, which included an embarrassing 30-3 loss to Maryland in the Peach Bowl.
Tennessee racked up 433 yards of total offense, the most since a six-overtime win over Arkansas last October, and 274 yards rushing behind a stronger and healthy offensive line.
Cedric Houston led Tennessee with 161 yards on 19 rushes.
James Banks had seven catches for 80 yards and a touchdown to lead the receivers, who were criticized last season for not making big plays.
Fresno State was expected to be a formidable opponent considering the Bulldogs are used to playing teams from BCS conferences in season openers.
Fresno State, which beat Georgia Tech in last year's Silicon Valley Bowl, beat Colorado in the 2001 season opener but lost to Ohio State in 2000 and Wisconsin last year.
The Bulldogs were not intimidated, but Tennessee seemed to have an answer for everything they tried on offense, holding them to 117 yards of total offense.
No. 16 N.C. State 59, Western Carolina 20
RALEIGH, N.C. -- Tramain Hall had a 67-yard punt return for a touchdown, and Philip Rivers threw three touchdown passes for North Carolina State.
Hall also had a 6-yard touchdown catch in his Wolfpack debut as N.C. State won its seventh straight season opener. Western Carolina fell to 0-21 against current Atlantic Coast Conference schools and 0-5 against the Wolfpack.
N.C. State had no trouble in this one, scoring touchdowns on five of its six first-half possessions and moving the ball at will against the Div. I-AA Catamounts. The Wolfpack punted only once and finished with 494 total yards.
No. 18 Virginia 27, Duke 0
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Virginia beat Duke 27-0 Saturday night, but the No. 18 Cavaliers lost quarterback Matt Schaub to an injury on the opening series and he watched the second half with his arm in a sling.
In Schaub's absence, redshirt freshman Anthony Martinez took over at quarterback and shook off some early jitters to help send Duke to its 26th consecutive loss in conference play.
The defense also helped, posting its first shutout since the Cavaliers blanked the Blue Devils 24-0 in 1998. Duke gained just 272 yards and was turned away on downs after driving to Virginia's 25 in the closing minute.
Martinez threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Heath Miller just before halftime, giving the Cavaliers a 17-0 lead. Virginia also got touchdown runs from Wali Lundy and Marques Hagans, who took in a lateral from Martinez from 14 yards out.
Nebraska 17, No. 24 Oklahoma St. 7
LINCOLN, Neb. -- Josh Davis and Jammal Lord combined for 185 yards rushing and Nebraska limited Oklahoma State to 57 yards in the second half.
The victory was Nebraska's 17th straight in a season opener and ended its six-game losing streak against ranked opponents.
Nebraska's defense, under new defensive coordinator Bo Pelini, forced five Oklahoma State turnovers. The Cornhuskers converted two of the five into third-quarter touchdowns to turn a 7-3 halftime deficit into a 17-7 lead.
OSU tailback Tatum Bell dropped the ball as he was putting a move on Demorrio Williams, and Barrett Ruud recovered and ran it back 15 yards for a touchdown.
Davis fumbled deep in OSU territory on Nebraska's next possession, but the Huskers got the ball back a couple minutes later when Ryon Bingham recovered quarterback Josh Fields' fumble at the OSU 13.
Judd Davies scored from 2 yards out to put the Huskers up 17-7.
Davis ran 20 times for 95 yards and Lord 18 times for 90.