College football: Oregon State gets ‘beat bad’ by Colorado State in opener

Linebacker Tre Thomas scored on a 44-yard interception return and Nick Stevens threw three touchdown passes as Colorado State opened its new on-campus stadium with a 58-27 win over Oregon State on Saturday.

A raucous 37,583 fans showed up to catch a glimpse of the $220 million facility.

“I just told the guys in there — there’s only one shot at opening a new stadium,” Rams coach Mike Bobo said. “There’s going to be one memory. It was a good one for Colorado State people.”

Stevens did his part to make sure it was a successful unveiling by throwing for 334 yards — his third career 300-yard passing game.

The Beavers, who lost their 14th consecutive road game, fumbled twice and had three passes intercepted.

Oregon State’s Jake Luton complete 27 of 47 passes for 304 yards and two scores, with two three interceptions, including the game-changer in the third quarter. Thomas grabbed a tipped pass out of the air and raced 44 yards to make it 34-20.

“We got beat bad. Bad!” Oregon State coach Gary Andersen said. “There are a lot of concerns when you get beat like that. It’s unchartered waters for me.”

No. 19 South Florida 42, at San Jose State 22: Quinton Flowers threw two touchdown passes and D’Ernest Johnson had two touchdown runs in a dominant second quarter that helped South Florida overcome a 16-point deficit.

South Florida was held to 22 yards in the opening quarter, and the defense allowed two early touchdown passes by Josh Love.

But the tides turned when Josh Black stuffed Malike Roberson for a 1-yard loss on fourth-and-1 from the South Florida 33 in the closing minute of the first quarter with San Jose State leading 16-0.

It took less than nine minutes for the Bulls to turn that big early deficit into a lead with help from a pair of interceptions off deflected passes by Love. Flowers started the comeback with a 24-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Salomon, Johnson followed with a touchdown run on fourth-and-goal from the 2 and Flowers followed with a 49-yard scoring strike to Temi Alaka.

Hawaii 38, at Massachusetts 35: Dru Brown threw a 7-yard touchdown pass to Metuisela Unga with 48 seconds left to lift Hawaii.

Brown drove the Rainbows 73 yards in eight plays, completing three of five passes, including a 52-yarder to John Ursua on third-and-10 that put the ball on the Minuteman 7-yard line with 1:15 to play. The winning pass came on third down.

Brown completed 25 of 38 passes for a career-high 391 yards and three touchdowns and ran for another score. Ursua had 12 receptions for 272 yards, including an 85-yard touchdown late in the first half for the fifth-longest pass play in school history. The 272 yards are the fourth-most in the program.

at Brigham Young 20, Portland State 6: Tanner Mangum completed 16 of 27 passes for 194 yards and a touchdown and Squally Canada had 13 carries for a career-high 90 yards and a score for BYU.

Portland State’s offense crossed midfield just twice and went three-and-out on four of its first five possessions.

Charlie Taumoepeau had six receptions for 73 yards for Portland State, which had three turnovers — two on downs — in their final three possessions.

UPDATES:

9:05 p.m.: This roundup has been updated with two more games.

This roundup was originally published at 6:45 p.m.