Rutgers, behind Huggins, wins big

Highly touted freshman Savon Huggins ran for two touchdowns, and Rutgers started making amends for a disastrous 2010 season with a 48-0 victory over North Carolina Central on Thursday night in Piscataway, N.J.

Chad Dodd added a 13-yard touchdown pass to Mohamed Sanu late in the first half. The Scarlet Knights defense then broke the game open in the third quarter when tackle Scott Vallone recovered a fumble in the end zone and Duron Harmon returned an interception 37 yards for another score in a 45-second span.

Mississippi State 59, Memphis 14 - Vick Ballard rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 20 Mississippi State easily handled Memphis at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tenn.

Mississippi State dominated from the start, taking a 31-7 lead after gaining 405 total yards in the first half. Things slowed down a little after that, but the Bulldogs still finished with a school-record 645 total yards.

Syracuse 36, Wake Forest 29 - Van Chew made a diving, 4-yard touchdown catch in the left flat at the goal line on the first series of overtime, and host Syracuse rallied past Wake Forest in the season-opener for both teams.

The Demon Deacons got the ball one last time, but the Syracuse defense held for one of the few times on the night and forced a fourth-down incompletion from the 19 from Ted Stachitas to Chris Givens in the right corner of the end zone.

Louisville 21, Murray St. 9 - Will Stein threw for two touchdowns and 226 yards as host Louisville beat Murray State in the season opener for both teams.

Stein, who was 17 of 32, also completed six passes on a 13-play drive that culminated with a 4-yard touchdown pass to Scott Radcliff with 5 minutes, 10 seconds left in the first quarter.