College football scores, rankings, highlights: NC State survives scare, SEC teams dominate on Thursday

Max Johnson injured against Minnesota 

North Carolina quarterback Max Johnson exited Thursday's game against Minnesota with an apparent leg injury. Johnson's right leg got caught under him while avoiding a sack late in the third quarter. Trainers initially helped Johnson up before he was moved to a cart and taken off the field. Prior to exiting the game, Johnson completed 12 of his 19 pass attempts for 71 yards with one interception. 

Sophomore Conner Harrell entered the game for the Tar Heels, who trail 14-10 with 3:02 left to play in the third quarter. 

Max Johnson injury: North Carolina QB to miss remainder of 2024 season after undergoing leg surgery

Will Backus

North Dakota State draws within a score

4Q: Colorado 31, North Dakota State 26

Cam Miller scrambled for a 20-yard touchdown with 2:19 remaining to bring North Dakota State within 31-26. The subsequent 2-point conversion attempt failed, meaning the Bison still need a touchdown. They kicked it deep and will use their two timeouts plus the two-minute warning to try and get the football back. No quit in NDSU, which now needs heroics from its defense.

Arkansas zooms past UAPB

FINAL: Arkansas 70, UAPB 0

Arkansas leaned on transfers to cruise past in-state foe UAPB to reach 1-0. The Razorbacks' massive 70-point victory marked the biggest shutout victory for the program since a 73-0 win over Southwestern in 1928. Quarterback Taylen Green threw for two touchdowns and rushed for two touchdowns in his Arkansas debut, while running back Ja'Quinden Jackson needed just eight carries to reach 101 yards and two touchdowns. UAPB quarterback Mekhi Hagens threw for 123 yards, but the Golden Lions mustered just 130 total yards of offense in the loss. 

NC State pulls away from Western Carolina

FINAL: NC State 38, Western Carolina 21

A couple fourth-quarter touchdowns from Jordan Waters paced the 24th-ranked Wolfpack to a season-opening victory over the FCS Catamounts during a matchup that was closer than the final score indicated. NC State trailed, 21-17, as a heavy favorite entering the fourth quarter before finally looking like the team most have projected to be in the thick of the ACC Championship hunt this season. Waters finished with 123 yards rushing in his first game as a Duke transfer while wideout Kevin Concepcion reached the end zone three times, all coming on tosses from quarterback Grayson McCall.

Rising in top form for Utah 

Half: Utah 35, Southern Utah 0 

It's hard not to be encouraged that the night Cam Rising has had. In his first meaningful action since 2022, the seventh-year Utes quarterback completed 10 of his 15 pass attempts for 254 yards and five touchdowns. All of that came in less than a half of football, as he was replaced by freshman Isaac Wilson with time to spare in the second quarter. The best part about Rising's performance? None of his five touchdown passes went to a wide receiver, and seven of his 10 completions were to a running back or tight end. 

A special shoutout to tight end Brant Kuithe, who also made his way back from a knee injury to catch three touchdown passes against Southern Utah. 

Minnesota pulls ahead of UNC

HALF: Minnesota 14, North Carolina 7

Minnesota overcame a slow start against North Carolina to take a lead into the half. The game swung on a devastating interception from UNC QB Max Johnson that set up a rushing touchdown from Gophers RB Marcus Major. With starting running back Darius Taylor sidelined, Major has taken over the game with 73 yards rushing and a score in the first half. After a slow start, quarterback Max Brosmer has completed five of his last seven passes for 52 yards. 

Johnson has struggled mightily for the Tar Heels, completing just two his first eight passes for 10 yards and an interception. UNC posted its worst passing half since 2019. Running back Omarion Hampton had 55 yards, while Johnson also has the Tar Heels' only rushing score. 

Colorado-North Dakota State coming down to the wire

Start 4Q: Colorado 24, North Dakota State 20 

Colorado erased its halftime deficit in the third quarter, thanks to more heroics from quarterback Shedeur Sanders and all-world athlete Travis Hunter. The two connected for a 13-yard touchdown with 7:50 left to play to give the Buffaloes their first lead in almost 20 minutes of game time. The Buffaloes will also have the ball, and are driving, to open the fourth quarter. Momentum seems to be swinging away from the Bison, who had 44 total yards in the third quarter, but it will be interesting to watch the last 15 minutes unfold. 

NC State looks like it'll survive Western Carolina

4Q: NC State 31, Western Carolina 21

It took 3.5 quarters, but the 24th-ranked Wolfpack look like they're going to avoid a massive FCS upset against the Catamounts after Jordan Waters' powerful touchdown run with 6:32 left. The Duke transfer's score pushed NC State's lead to 10 points and for the first time since the first quarter, brought what's left of the home crowd to its feet. NC State has much to improve upon ahead of Tennessee next weekend.

NC State takes lead on Concepcion's third TD

4Q: NC State 24, Western Carolina 21

Several times, there were audible gasps on that go-ahead possession in the press box at NC State before Kevin Concepcion's third touchdown of the night supplied the Wolfpack with a three-point lead. The AP Poll's 24th-ranked team in the preseason hasn't looked the part as a heavy favorite here at home.

100-yard pick six for Tulane

Tulane is getting an encouraging first look at quarterback Darian Mensah, a redshirt freshman who beat out Oregon transfer Ty Thompson for the starting job. But the Green Wave's defense is also doing its part in the program's first game under coach Jon Sumrall. Rayshawn Pleasant returned an interception 100 yards for a touchdown late in the first half to make it 21-0.

Bison start second half with improbable interception 

Looks like the bounces -- quite literally -- are on North Dakota State's side. Colorado opened the second half on fire, with quarterback Shedeur Sanders connecting on a couple big passes to work the ball all the way to NDSU's 5-yard line. Then, on third-and-goal, he pulled the rope on a pass that bounced off of a North Dakota State defender's calf and into the waiting arms of linebacker Nick Kubitz. Colorado's defense did buckle down and force a three-and-out on the ensuing drive. 

North Carolina strikes first 

1Q: North Carolina 7, Minnesota 0 

North Carolina opened the scoring in Thursday's only game between Power Four opponents, courtesy of some savvy scrambling from quarterback Max Johnson. The Texas A&M transfer dodged two Golden Gophers defenders and dove through a third's tackle to break the plane and give his team an early one-score lead. It took 19 minutes of game time for either team to put any points on the board in what has been a defensive slugfest thus far. 

NC State's officially on upset alert

3Q: Western Carolina 21, NC State 17

Heavy underdog Western Carolina has traded punches with nationally-ranked NC State throughout Thursday's opener and just pushed ahead with 4:36 left in the third quarter on Branson Adams' 17-yard touchdown scamper that followed a personal foul penalty. NC State's crowd has been out of this one since early in the first half. NC State hasn't lost to an FCS opponent since East Tennessee State in 1987.

Coastal up big at half

Half: Coastal Carolina 31, Jacksonville State 10

Jacksonville State was trailing 31-3 before going 75 yards on nine plays score its first touchdown just before half. That was a huge score for the Gamecocks, who get the football to start the third quarter. Coastal has found a lot of success on the ground with Ja'Vin Simpkins and Braydon Bennett. Ethan Vasko has also connected on a couple of huge gainers to Tray Taylo as CCU leads in total yardage 295-116.

Uneasiness in Raleigh as NC State leads

3Q: NC State 17, Western Carolina 14

NC State needed a fourth-down conversion from Jordan Waters to get into field goal range and eventually took its first lead of the game with 8 minutes left in the third quarter against upset-minded Western Carolina. In his first start after transferring from Coastal Carolina, Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall is 18-of-28 through the air with 192 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. NC State has had trouble moving Western Carolina in the trenches and the Catamounts have looked well-prepared in this one from the FCS ranks.

Jayhawks on fire

HALF: Kansas 34, Lindenwood 0

The Jayhawks are rolling in the return of quarterback Jalon Daniels, scoring 34 unanswered points in the first half. Daniels had some early struggles, but finished with 148 yards passing and a touchdown, 111 of which game to top receiver Luke Grimm. Devin Neal dominated with 112 yards and two touchdowns in the half. It's an FCS opponent, but the Jayhawks are averaging more than 10 yards per play under first-year coordinator Jeff Grimes. 

North Dakota State pushing Colorado 

Half: North Dakota State 20, Colorado 17 

It's not been an auspicious start to Deion Sanders' second year in Boulder. Though Colorado has provided some fireworks -- thanks in large part to Shedeur Sanders' arm -- the Buffaloes still looked inconsistent and a little bit sloppy over the first 30 minutes. The defense struggled to cover the middle of the field and couldn't keep up with North Dakota State's motion as the Bison scored touchdowns on two methodical 10-play drives. 

Colorado did average 11.9 yards per play, including an absurd 21.2 yards per pass completion. Sanders hit on 12 of his 15 attempts for 254 yards and two touchdowns while showing improved poise and decision-making on extended plays. Colorado also looks much-improved on the defensive line of scrimmage, particularly against the run. 

The bad news for the Buffs? They had a 2-6 record last season when trailing at halftime. 

Welcome back, Cam Rising 

Good news, Utah fans: Cam Rising looks quite healthy. After missing all of the 2023 season due to a devastating knee injury, the longtime Utes starter came back for his seventh year of college football and made his return to the field in Thursday night's game against Southern Utah. So far, so good. Rising capped Utah's first drive with a 64-yard touchdown pass to running back Dijon Stanley, who found himself wide open on a wheel route. 

It's the longest touchdown pass of Rising's lengthy career and a good sign in his first real action in almost two years. 

NC State struggles through frustrating first half

HALF: NC State 14, Western Carolina 14

After the season-opening half of football in Raleigh, No. 24 NC State doesn't look the part as one of the ACC's perceived top contenders. Just before the half, Duke transfer RB Jordan Waters was tripped up on 4th-and-1 for a loss on Western Carolina's 14-yard line, the second straight possession ending in a turnover on downs for the Wolfpack. The teams head to the locker room knotted at 14 following a relatively pedestrian opening 30 minutes from NC State.

Wake Forest starting slow

3Q: Wake Forest 17, NC A&T 10

Wake Forest has gotten off to a slow start to its 2024 season and kick off to NC A&T to open the second half in Winston-Salem. The Demon Deacons have played two different quarterbacks -- Hank Bachmeier and Michael Kern -- but neither has found much consistency. If not for a 48-yard run from Demond Claiborne to set up a touchdown run, Wake Forest might be in more trouble. Claiborne has 94 yards rushing, but NC A&T quarterback Kevin White has completed passes to six different receivers. 

Western Carolina landing haymakers at NC State

2Q: NC State 14, Western Carolina 14

FCS foe Western Carolina is giving 24th-ranked NC State all it can handle at Carter-Finley Stadium as a 33.5-point underdog. Catamounts quarterback Cole Gonzales has a couple touchdown passes in the first half, his first coming after an interception from NC State's Grayson McCall was returned inside the 5-yard line midway through the first quarterback. Thus far, the Wolfpack defense has struggled tackling following the ejection of Caden Fordham on the first series.

Wolfpack sophomore KC Concepcion has two scores from McCall, twice capping 75-yard drives with trips to the end zone. Concepcion set NC State freshman records for receptions and receiving yards as a freshman last fall, earning ACC Rookie of the Year and ACC Offensive Rookie of Year accolades.

KJ Jefferson off to slow start with UCF 

Half: UCF 29, New Hampshire 3

KJ Jefferson's UCF debut could be going better. The former Arkansas star got off to a slow start, completing just one of his first six passes for eight yards, that he couldn't quite shake off as the first half wore on. He threw the ball just three times in the second quarter, with two completions. He did extend UCF's lead with a powerful 3-yard touchdown run at the start of the second quarter. 

But the Golden Knights largely kept the ball out of Jefferson's hand over the final 15 minutes of the first half. Instead, they turned to star running back RJ Harvey, who had nine carries for 111 yards and two touchdowns at halftime. Jefferson had 69 yards passing by comparison. 

Sneaky good G5 matchup

Coastal Carolina (Sun Belt) and Jacksonville State (Conference USA) were predicted to finish third in their respective divisions, which makes this a sneaky good Group of Five matchup on CBS Sports Network. The Chanticleers are dominating early, up 17-3 on the road after the first quarter. A 17-yard fumble return for a touchdown aided Coastal's cause. Ja'Vin Simpkin's has 61 yards rushing on eight attempts for the Chanticleers.

Track meet breaks out in Boulder 

1Q: Colorado 14, North Dakota State 10

North Dakota State and Colorado both decided to leave the defense on the bus to open the 2023 season. The two teams have combined for 24 points through the first 12 minutes of action. Colorado has scored on plays of 41 and 69 yards -- both touchdown passes from quarterback Shedeur Sanders -- and the Buffaloes are averaging a whopping 18.8 yards per play. North Dakota State's approach has been a bit more methodical, but equally effective. 

The Bison have emptied the play-calling bag with some interesting motion looks and it's clearly made Colorado's defense uncomfortable. CU has also had a bit of trouble covering the middle of the field, though it has held up well against the run. 

Rough start for NC State in Raleigh 

NC State is taking a while to get into the groove of the 2024 season. Especially new Wolfpack quarterback Grayson McCall, who threw a brutal interception on his fifth pass attempt of the game that Western Carolina almost returned for a touchdown. Though the Catamounts didn't house the turnover, they did turn it into points on the very next play as quarterback Cole Gonzalez found tight end Jake Young for an 8-yard touchdown. With that, WCU roared to a 7-0 lead with just under six minutes to play in the first quarter. 

Colorado vs. North Dakota State prediction 

Expectations outside Colorado have cooled, but the hype is still hot in Boulder. Deion Sanders wants a more balanced offense after the bulk of the pressure to produce was on his son, Shedeur, to throw the ball in 2023. North Dakota State provides a great first test for the revamped offense, particularly on the ground. Though NDSU has experience and plenty of elite FCS talent, the Buffaloes have proven Power 4 starters at every position on the field, unlike last season. This is an improved Colorado team and the Buffaloes will prove it in Prime Time. Prediction: Colorado -9.5

Colorado needs to bring its best 

Colorado gets Year 2 of the Deion Sanders era underway Thursday night against North Dakota State. Though the Buffaloes are almost double-digit favorites against their FCS foe, keen college football fans know that it's not smart to sleep on the Bison. They have five wins against current Power Four opponents since 2010, including a 3-1 record against the modern Big 12 -- and that one loss came by three points against Arizona in 2022. All of those wins were on the road, as well. New NDSU coach Tim Polasek will absolutely be looking to make an impression against one of college football's most buzz-worthy teams. 

What a start at Bowling Green

It didn't take Bowling Green long to gain the edge in its matchup with FCS Fordham. The Falcons returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown. Welcome to the 2024 season!.

North Carolina vs. Minnesota prediction 

These teams combined for just 44 points last season when North Carolina had a future first-round draft pick at quarterback in Drake Maye and when both teams already had two games under their belt. Now, both are breaking in new quarterbacks — the Tar Heels haven't even named a starter yet — and are likely going to be relying on their run games as they get their feet underneath them in a new season. Points should be at a premium. Prediction: Under 50.5

Minnesota star RB ruled out 

Minnesota will be without arguably its top offensive player for Thursday night's game against North Carolina, as running back Darius Taylor was listed as "Out" on the Golden Gophers' injury report. Taylor injured his left leg during Minnesota's fall camp slate. He led the Gophers with 891 all-purpose yards as a true freshman last season. The good news for Minnesota is that it does have decent depth at the running back position. Jordan Nubin, who had 559 yards rushing last year, is back for his redshirt junior season. The Gophers also dipped into the transfer portal to add Sieh Bangura (Ohio) and Marcus Major (Oklahoma). Both should factor heavily into the rotation. They will certainly see a good bit of work against the Tar Heels.