LSU can thank an Oregon State kicker who could not make extra points for its season-opening win.
Alexis Serna missed three extra points Saturday night, including one that would have forced a second overtime, and No. 4 LSU escaped with a 22-21 victory.
PHOTO: AFP
The defending BCS champion Tigers trailed throughout the game, were shut out in the first half, and behind 15-7 with 1:38 left.
The Tigers got the ball back for their final possession of regulation with 1:38 left. After JaMarcus Russell threw two incompletions, he hooked up with Dwayne Bowe for a 26-yarder then a 38-yard touchdown to cut Oregon State's lead to 15-13.
On the conversion, Russell ran to the left, stretched out the ball and leaped into the end zone for two points to tie it at 15.
In the overtime period, LSU scored on its first possession. Marcus Randall, who started the game at quarterback, came in when Russell was injured, and ran for a 5-yard touchdown, giving LSU it's first lead of the game, 22-15 with the extra point.
The Beavers weren't done.
Derek Anderson found Joe Newton with a 19-yard scoring pass, pulling the Beavers to 22-21. But Serna, a redshirt freshman who kicked a 40-yard field goal in the second quarter, sent the extra point wide right, giving LSU the victory.
No. 8 Michigan 43, Miami, Ohio 10
In Ann Arbor, Michigan, Freshman Chad Henne threw two touchdowns in a surprising start for Michigan, helping the Wolverines to an easy victory over Miami of Ohio that ended the nation's longest winning streak.
Matt Gutierrez was supposed to start, but he was relegated to holding on kicks because of a sore arm, creating an opportunity for Henne. Rick Leach is the only other quarterback to start as a freshman in a season opener for the Wolverines. Leach led Michigan to a victory on Sept. 13, 1975, at Wisconsin.
Henne was 14-of-24 for 142 yards with one interception. Braylon Edwards caught six passes for 91 yards and two TDs, and David Underwood gained 61 yards with two touchdowns on 22 carries.
The RedHawks (1-1) had won 14 straight games, 13 times last year with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
No. 15 Clemson 37,
Wake Forest 30, 2OT
At Clemson, South Carolina, Charlie Whitehurst threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Kyle Browning in the second overtime that lifted Clemson to an Atlantic Coast Conference victory.
The Tigers led 19-3 early in the second quarter, but the Deacons rallied for 24 straight points and led 27-19 after Chris Barclay's 50-yard touchdown run with 12:20 to go in the game.
Yusef Kelly's short TD run and Kelvin Grant's tying two-point conversion catch with 1:52 left in the regulation tied it at 27 for Clemson.
The teams traded field goals in the first extra session. Then Whitehurst found Browning on a screen pass to give Clemson the lead.
Wake Forest could not respond as Cory Randolph's final two passes went incomplete.
No. 2 Oklahoma 40,
Bowling Green 24
At Norman, Oklahoma, Kejuan Jones rushed for a career-high 148 yards and a touchdown and Mark Clayton caught two of Jason White's three touchdown passes for the Sooners.
White, the returning Heisman Trophy winner, completed 21 of 31 passes for 238 yards, but also threw an interception that was returned for a touchdown.
Adrian Peterson, the Sooners' top-rated high-school recruit, flashed brilliance with a 35-yard touchdown run and finished with 100 yards on 16 carries.
Charles Sharon had two touchdown catches and Keon Newson's 28-yard interception return for a touchdown helped Bowling Green stay in the game.
No. 9 Ohio State 27, Cincinnati 6
At Columbus, Ohio, Lydell Ross rushed for 141 yards and a touchdown, and Ohio State's swarming defense stymied Cincinnati.
Justin Zwick threw two interceptions and had four fumbles in his first start for the Buckeyes. He completed 14 of 26 passes for 213 yards and a touchdown. Backup Troy Smith played far less but produced two scores in three drives, including a TD pass.
No. 19 Iowa 39, Kent State 7
At Iowa City, Drew Tate threw two touchdowns in his first start and the No. 19 Hawkeyes held the Golden Flashes to 110 total yards and minus-13 yards rushing.
Kent State, playing without suspended quarterback Josh Cribbs, crossed midfield just once, late in the third quarter. Iowa linebacker Chad Greenway had two interceptions, returning his second 30 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter.
No. 21 Wisconsin 34,
Central Florida 6
At Madison, Wisconsin, John Stocco threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score in his first start for the Badgers.
Anthony Davis rushed for 78 yards and a touchdown for the Badgers but left late in the first half after taking a hard hit at the end of a 21-yard run. He moved into second place on the school's all-time rushing list behind Ron Dayne, college football's career rushing leader.
Stocco threw touchdown passes of 16 and 52 yards in the Badgers' biggest win in a season opener since whipping Murray State 49-10 in 1999.
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