GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Nico Gramatica hit a 20-yard field goal as time expired and South Florida stunned No. 13 Florida 18-16 to give the Bulls consecutive wins against ranked opponents to start the season. Gramatica missed a 58-yarder with 2:52 remaining but got a chance to redeem himself after Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett spit at a South Florida player on the Bulls’ next possession. Bett was ejected with a little more than 2 minutes to play, and the Bulls got 15 yards and an automatic first down to spark an 87-yard drive. It was the latest setback for embattled Florida coach Billy Napier, whose team is 1-1 for the fourth consecutive year.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida coach Billy Napier is back on the proverbial hot seat after an 18-16 home loss to South Florida. Napier raved about his team's character and composure heading into his fourth season in Gainesville. Yet the 13th-ranked Gators melted down in nearly every way possible while losing to the Bulls in the Swamp. No one should be surprised if that was Napier’s last game at Florida Field. After all, he dropped to 20-20 overall, including 14-7 at home, and has consecutive road games upcoming against No. 3 LSU and No. 5 Miami. Lose both and Florida could make a change during its first off week.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida defensive lineman Brendan Bett was ejected for spitting at a South Florida player late in the No. 13 Gators’ 18-16 upset loss to South Florida on Saturday night. Florida committed 11 penalties for 103 yards, including two major infractions on South Florida’s winning drive, and questionably managed the clock as the Bulls stunned the Gators on Nico Gramatica’s 20-yard field goal as time expired. Bett was flagged and ejected on the final drive for spitting into offensive lineman Cole Skinner’s facemask, a play after Dijon Johnson was called for pass interference. Bett’s spitting foul came two days after Philadelphia Eagles defensive tackle Jalen Carter was ejected for spitting on Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott in the NFL opener.
NORMAN, Okla. (AP) — John Mateer ran for two touchdowns and passed for another, and No. 18 Oklahoma defeated No. 15 Michigan 24-13. Mateer is a Washington State transfer who was playing in his first marquee game for the Sooners. He passed for 270 yards and ran for 74. Oklahoma got a much-needed signature win for coach Brent Venables. Deion Burks caught seven passes for 101 yards and Jaren Kanak added five catches for 69 yards for the Sooners. Freshman quarterback Bryce Underwood struggled for Michigan, completing 9 of 24 passes for 142 yards. Justice Haynes ran for 125 yards for the Wolverines.
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Ty Simpson completed a school-record 17 consecutive passes, with three of them going for touchdowns, and No. 21 Alabama rebounded from a season-opening loss with a 73-0 drubbing of Louisiana-Monroe. The Crimson Tide scored on each of their 11 possessions, with 10 touchdowns and a field goal, and held Louisiana-Monroe to 148 total yards. Alabama finished with seven TD passes despite playing without star wideout Ryan Williams. Backup quarterbacks Austin Mack and Keelon Russell also shined in Alabama’s home opener, with each of them throwing two TD passes.
BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) — Garrett Nussmeier passed for 237 yards and a touchdown and No. 3 LSU held Louisiana Tech to 154 total yards in a 23-7 victory. Caden Durham rushed for a 3-yard touchdown for LSU, which was favored by about five touchdowns but didn’t lead by more than 10 points until late in the third quarter. LSU shut out the Bulldogs until quarterback Blake Baker’s 33-yard scoring pass to Devin Gandy with 4:02 left in the game. The Tigers outgained Louisiana Tech by 211 yards and LSU had the ball for nearly 37 minutes. Barion Brown caught eight passes for 94 yards for the Tigers, while Aaron Anderson had eight catches for 73 yards.
ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia failed to gain momentum for next week’s Southeastern Conference opener at Tennessee as the fourth-ranked Bulldogs stumbled on offense in a weather-delayed 28-6 win over Austin Peay. Chauncey Bowens and Nate Frazier each ran for two touchdowns. Frazier and wide receiver London Humphreys lost fumbles. Georgia made a goal-line stop to set up a 99-yard touchdown drive in the fourth quarter. Lightning delayed the start of the second half for 1 hour, 46 minutes. The opening kickoff was moved up by an hour due to the ominous weather forecast.
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — Vicari Swain returned two punts for touchdowns, helping No. 10 South Carolina beat South Carolina State 38-10 in a game that started about two hours late because of lightning The Gamecocks scored more from special teams and defense than offense. Jaron Willis also returned a fumble for a score. Swain is the first FBS player with two punt return touchdowns in a game since 2023. He also returned a punt for a TD in the opener against Virginia Tech and his three scores tie South Carolina's single-season record. Gamecocks quarterback LaNorris Sellers struggled with just 128 yards passing.
