STARKVILLE, Miss. (AP) — Josh Hubbard scored 27 points, Mississippi State rallied from an early second-half deficit, and the Bulldogs defeated North Alabama 86-62 in a season opener. North Alabama’s 10-0 run early in the second half resulted in a 51-42 lead for the Lions, but Mississippi State dominated from there. The Bulldogs scored the next 15 points and did not allow consecutive baskets the rest of the game. North Alabama was outscored 44-11 over the final 16 minutes. Ja’Borri McGhee scored 14 points for Mississippi State. Sergej Macura grabbed 12 rebounds and Hubbard had eight assists. Canin Jefferson scored 16 points, Kevin de Kovachich 14, and Braylon Patton 11 for North Alabama.
GAINESVILLE, Fla. (AP) — Florida receiver Eugene Wilson won’t play at Kentucky on Saturday. Wilson is coming off a nine-catch, 121-yard performance against Georgia. He was ruled out with a lower leg injury two days after the Gators said fellow receiver Dallas Wilson is out for the season with a right foot injury. Eugene Wilson III is the son of a two-time Super Bowl champion. He had been one of the biggest beneficiaries of Florida’s coaching change. The third-year sophomore from Tampa had 18 catches for 118 yards and two touchdowns in the first seven games.
UNDATED (AP) — If this week is like most others in college football the past two years, at least one unranked double-digit underdog will knock off a team in The Associated Press Top 25. Since Florida State beat then-No. 8 Alabama as a 13.5-point underdog, at least one unranked double-digit underdog has beaten a ranked opponent six of the first 10 weeks of the season. In 2024, at least one unranked double-digit underdog took down a Top 25 team 10 of the 14 weeks of the regular season.
UNDATED (AP) — The College Football Playoff selection committee has revealed its first rankings, with Ohio State taking the top spot. Committee chairman Mack Rhoades says both metrics and game tape are crucial in their decision-making. Ohio State is closely followed by Indiana and Texas A&M, both undefeated. Memphis would make the playoff as the fifth-best conference champion.
UNDATED (AP) — Lubbock is buzzing as No. 8 BYU faces No. 9 Texas Tech on Saturday in a Big 12 showdown. ESPN's College GameDay is setting up at Jones AT&T Stadium for the first time since 2008. Students are already camping out for prime seats. The winner will lead the Big 12 and the teams could meet again in the conference championship game. BYU is unbeaten but dealing with injuries. Meanwhile, Ohio State QB Julian Sayin is leading the Heisman race after a stellar performance against Penn State. Maryland's Mike Locksley is on the hot seat.
