ACC & Big 12 Week 1 Roundup: Big 12 unbeaten after impressive Week 1 showing
The Big 12 conference went a perfect 10-0 during the season’s opening weekend, setting the table for an exciting Week 2 slate that includes a primetime mega-matchup between Texas and LSU.
The weekend started with an Oklahoma State rout of Oregon State on Friday and ended with an impressive Oklahoma victory over Houston on Sunday in former West Virginia coach Dana Holgorsen’s first game with the Cougars.
In between, fans across Texas in Austin, Lubbock, Waco and Fort Worth saw their teams crush visiting foes by an average of 34.25 points at home, while the post-Bill Snyder effort at Kansas State got off to a solid start with a 49-14 victory over Nicholls in coach Chris Klieman’s first game at the helm of the Wildcats.
Not every Big 12 squad escaped without a fight, however, as Les Miles’ Kansas debut was nearly spoiled by Indiana State, while West Virginia held off FCS powerhouse James Madison 20-13. However, the biggest thriller of the weekend may have come in Ames, as No. 21 Iowa State needed three overtimes to shake off Northern Iowa.
“I think some really good things occurred today,” Iowa State head coach Matt Campbell said following the game. “I think that the greatest thing that occurred obviously for us was the fact our leadership and guys that needed to make plays when it mattered most stepped up and made great plays.”
Up next, the Cyclones will host in-state rival Iowa as it looks to snap a four-game losing streak to the Hawkeyes.
ACC & Big 12 News and Notes:
• Defending Camping World Bowl champion Syracuse opened its season with a 24-0 road shutout of Liberty. However, the story of the game wasn’t the 22nd-ranked Orange’s stout run defense — which held Liberty to minus-4 yards rushing on 34 carries — but rather, Flames head coach Hugh Freeze, who coached from a hospital bed due to a staph infection.
• Florida State was unable to make the most of an unexpected home field advantage in a 36-31 loss to Boise State on Saturday afternoon. The game was previously scheduled for Saturday night in Jacksonville before being moved to Tallahassee due to concerns over Hurricane Dorian. The Seminoles ran out to an early 24-6 lead and later led 31-13 before surrendering 23 unanswered points to end the game, leading head coach Willie Taggart to question whether his team was properly hydrated during the game.
• Longtime Texas coach Mack Brown was victorious in his return to the North Carolina sidelines (and busted a move after the win) as the Tar Heels outscored South Carolina 15-0 in the fourth quarter of a 24-20 victory over the Gamecocks. The win was North Carolina’s first season-opening victory over a Power 5 opponent since 1997 — when Mack Brown was the coach of the Tar Heels.