STAT WATCH: 4 RBs break through with 200-yard performances

By ERIC OLSON
AP College Football Writer

It took until Week 3 for a player to rush for 200 yards in game. It happened four times Saturday.

Eastern Michigan’s Samson Evans carried 36 times for 259 yards and a touchdown against Arizona State, picking up 108 yards in the fourth quarter alone. In his 19 other career games, he had never gone for more than 89 yards.

UNLV’s Aidan Robbins ran 29 times for 227 yards and three TDs against North Texas. The Louisville transfer had never run for more than 84 yards in any of his previous six games.

UAB’s DeWayne McBride had his second career 200-yard game, carrying 28 times for 223 yards and four TDs against Georgia Southern.

Minnesota’s Mohammed Ibrahim had 23 carries for 202 yards and three touchdowns against Colorado, his fourth career 200-yard outing.

BUCKEYES BONANZA

Ohio State scored 77 points for the third time since 2016 in its 77-21 win over Toledo. The Buckeyes also hung 77 on Oregon State in 2018 and Bowling Green in 2016.

The Buckeyes’ 763 total yards were the most by a Bowl Subdivision team since North Carolina amassed 778 against Miami on Dec. 12, 2020.

‘DOG DEFENSE

Top-ranked Georgia has allowed seven points or fewer in each of its first three games of the season for the first time since 1954, according to ESPN.

The Bulldogs allowed their first touchdown Saturday. South Carolina scored against backups in the final minute of Georgia’s 48-7 win.

Georgia replaced five defenders who were NFL first-round draft picks and has shown no drop-off from the 2021 unit that led the nation in scoring defense.

The Bulldogs have allowed a total of 10 points in three games. The ’54 team gave up 13 in its first three games and held each of its first four opponents to seven points or less.

STARTING FAST

Washington has scored on its first possession in all three of its games and on 14 of 16 first-half possessions, with 12 touchdowns. The Huskies went 77 yards in seven plays to start their 39-28 win over Michigan State.

Michigan State’s goal-line stand in the first quarter marked just the second time this season that a UW first-half possession didn’t end with a score and the first time a first-quarter possession didn’t result in a touchdown.

GOPHERS’ GAUDY NUMBERS

Minnesota is scoring at a rate not seen in the Twin Cities for more than a century. The Gophers’ 149 combined points against New Mexico State, Western Illinois and Colorado are the most through three games since the 1916 team totaled 169 against South Dakota State, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The caveat is that Minnesota’s first three opponents are a combined 0-10, and 0-3 Western Illinois is from the Championship Subdivision.

Things get real this week when the Gophers visit Michigan State for their Big Ten opener.

TURNOVERS GALORE

UTEP committed a national season-high seven turnovers in its 27-10 loss at New Mexico, including five in the second half.

Gavin Hardison threw three interceptions and Calvin Brownholtz was picked off on his only attempt. All three fumbles came in the second half.

New Mexico did not convert any of those turnovers into points. In fact, the Lobos have netted just one touchdown on 10 takeaways over three games.

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