Cameron Rising tossed a career-high five touchdown passes in his return from a major knee injury and No. 12 Utah crushed Southern Utah 49-0 on Thursday night in the season opener for both schools in Salt Lake City.
Brant Kuithe caught a career-best three touchdown passes as he returned from his own serious knee injury for the Utes. The contest was Rising’s first in nearly 20 months and fellow seventh-year player Kuithe’s first in nearly two years.
Rising completed 10 of 15 passes for 254 yards before exiting the contest after his fifth TD late in the first half. He tore multiple ligaments and meniscus cartilage in his knee in the Rose Bowl against Penn State on Jan. 2, 2023.
Dijon Stanley came out of the backfield to catch scoring passes of 64 and 79 yards for the Utes. He had three receptions for 150 yards and Kuithe had four catches for 69 yards to help Utah outgain the FCS Thunderbirds 513-150.
No. 11 Missouri 51, Murray State 0
Brady Cook passed for one touchdown and ran for another as the Tigers routed the Racers of the FCS in Columbia, Mo., in both teams’ season opener.
Cook completed 19 of 30 passes for 218 yards. He added 22 rushing yards on four carries. Luther Burden III caught a touchdown pass and Nate Noel, Marcus Carroll and Jamal Roberts rushed for touchdowns.
The Tigers outgained the Racers 489-85 in total yardage and built a 30-5 edge in first downs. Missouri got rolling immediately. After recovering Murray State’s onside kick to open the game, the Tigers needed just 2:18 to score their first touchdown on Cook’s 16-yard touchdown pass to Burden.
No. 22 Kansas 48, Lindenwood 3
No. 22 Kansas scored four touchdowns in the second quarter en route to a wipeout of the Lions, an FCS team, in Kansas City, Kan. It was the season opener for each team.
Devin Neal rushed for 112 yards and the first two scores of the game for the Jayhawks. Kansas quarterback Jalon Daniels completed 9 of 15 passes for 148 yards and one touchdown. He was picked off once.
Lindenwood quarterback Nate Glantz went 18-for-31 for 127 yards and threw one interception that was returned by Mello Dotson for a 33-yard touchdown.
No. 24 North Carolina State 38, Western Carolina 21
Grayson McCall threw for 318 yards and three touchdowns as the Wolfpack held off an upset bid from the Catamounts, an FCS foe, to win in Raleigh, N.C.
McCall, who transferred to NC State (1-0) from Coastal Carolina in the offseason, completed 26 of 40 passes and threw one interception. Kevin Concepcion caught nine passes for 121 yards and all three of McCall’s touchdowns.
Jordan Waters, who came to NC State this offseason from rival Duke, paced the Wolfpack’s rushing attack with 123 yards and two touchdowns on 20 carries. For Western Carolina (0-1), Cole Gonzales threw for 211 yards and two scores while rushing for a team-high 75 yards.
