Swoopes' TD leads Longhorns over Irish
Ex-USC coach Sarkisian discussing job with 'Bama; Trojans DE suspended
Tyrone Swoopes scored on a lunging 6-yard touchdown run in the second overtime, giving Texas a 50-47 victory over No. 10 Notre Dame on Sunday night.
The Texas quarterback broke a tackle, burst up the middle and stretched the ball across the line as the Longhorns earned a huge victory for embattled coach Charlie Strong after two losing seasons.
Freshman Shane Buechele got the start over Swoopes, but the senior played a huge role in Texas' running game with two scores and big runs that punished Notre Dame defenders in overtime.
Buechele, the first freshman quarterback to start a Longhorns season opener since Bobby Layne in 1944, passed for 280 yards and two touchdowns.
Notre Dame quarterback DeShone Kizer rallied the Fighting Irish from a 31-17 deficit in the third quarter and finished with 215 passing yards and five touchdowns.
Texas went ahead 37-35 on D'Onte Foreman's 18-yard touchdown run before Notre Dame blocked the extra point and Shaun Crawford returned it for a 2-point score that tied it at 37 with just under 4?minutes left.
Ex-USC coach Sarkisian might join Alabama: The morning after offensive coordinator Lane Kiffin helped top-ranked Alabama dismantle No. 20 Southern California, it appeared that another former Trojans coach, Steve Sarkisian, might join the Crimson Tide staff.
Sarkisian is on his way to Tuscaloosa, Ala., to “discuss a role” as special assistant to the offense for the No. 1-ranked team, TideSports.com reported and The Los Angeles Times confirmed Sunday.
Sarkisian has been out of college football since 2015, when USC fired him at midseason because of erratic behavior and other alcohol-related issues.
The former coach filed a multimillion-dollar lawsuit against the university, claiming he should have been allowed to seek treatment for alcoholism. The suit is headed for binding arbitration.
—?David Wharton, Los Angeles Times
Trojans' Ruffin suspended after stomp: USC defensive end Jabari Ruffin will be suspended for part of the Trojans' next game after stomping on the groin of an Alabama player.
USC coach Clay Helton said Sunday that Ruffin will sit out the first half when the Trojans host Utah State on Saturday. The fifth-year senior also will write an apology letter.
Ruffin was ejected from the Trojans' 52-6 loss to the Crimson Tide in the second quarter when he stepped on Alabama's Minkah Fitzpatrick following a kickoff return.
As Nebraska honors Foltz, thieves hit his brother's home: While Nebraska honored punter Sam Foltz who died in a car crash this summer, on Saturday, someone broke into his brother's home and car.
Greeley County Sheriff David Weeks said the burglary happened sometime between the time the Foltz family left home around noon to attend Saturday's game against Fresno State in Lincoln and their return around 3 a.m. Sunday.
The thieves took items worth roughly $1,400, including a television and tools, from Jordan Foltz's home and vehicle.
Sam Foltz, who would have been a senior at Nebraska this fall, died in a car crash in Wisconsin in July along with former Michigan State punter Mike Sadler. Foltz's parents presented a scholarship in his name and two of his nephews helped lead the team out before Saturday's game.
Assistant fired a day after loss: Louisiana-Lafayette fired defensive coordinator Melvin Smith on Sunday, a day after a season-opening 45-10 loss to Boise State.
Ragin' Cajuns coach Mark Hudspeth said linebackers coach Mike Lucas will be the defensive coordinator for the rest of the season.
Saturday night's games:Deshaun Watson passed for 248 yards, including 174 to Mike Williams in his return from an injury, and No. 2 Clemson (1-0) escaped with a 19-13 victory over Auburn (0-1).
True freshman quarterback Jalen Hurts threw two touchdown passes to ArDariusStewart and ran for two more scores as Alabama (1-0) began its national championship defense with a 52-6 victory over USC (0-1) in Arlington, Texas.
Kenny Hill accounted for five touchdowns after a shaky start in his TCU debut, KaVontae Turpin returned a punt 81 yards for a score and the 13th-ranked Horned Frogs (1-0) pulled away late in a 59-41 victory over Football Championship Subdivision-level South Dakota State (0-1).