New season, new stars

Individual performances highlight season's first few days.By Richard Rosenblatt

The Associated Press

So what if the college football season started earlier than ever. It's never too soon to get a look at the next class of stars.

From Cecil Sapp to Seneca Wallace -- and many more -- there were several players who distinguished themselves with fantastic performances during the season's first three days, which amounted to only six games.

Wallace nearly passed and ran Iowa State to a huge upset over third-ranked Florida State on Saturday night in Kansas City. But the Seminoles held on for a 38-31 win when Wallace was tackled a yard short of the end zone on the final play of the game.

Wallace, a 5-foot-10, 193-pound senior, threw for 313 yards and two TDs and ran for another score. He rallied the Cyclones from a 24-0 deficit and dazzled a defense that annually ranks among the best in the country.

"Seneca Wallace is everything we thought he would be," Florida State quarterback Chris Rix said. "He gave us a lot of trouble."

So much trouble that Florida State coach Bobby Bowden said, "I feel like we lost this game."

Bowden, by the way, moved into second place on the all-time Division I-A victory list with No. 324 -- one ahead of Bear Bryant and three behind Joe Paterno.

Sapp might have been the most eager player to get going. Colorado State's 6-foot-1, 225-pound running back missed last season after surgery to remove a benign tumor on his left heel. In 2000, he led the Mountain West Conference in rushing.

Playing in 97-degree heat, Sapp carried 25 times for 184 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams' 35-29 win at Virginia on Thursday night. His highlight-film play was a 72-yard TD run in the second quarter, when he was stacked up at the line of scrimmage, backed up and then dashed down the sideline.

"I was worried about him wearing down, but he was as strong in the second half as he was in the first," Rams coach Sonny Lubick said. "I didn't think I was going to go the whole game with one tailback."

There were other fresh faces who came through:

-- Maurice Clarett, the first true freshman to start at tailback for Ohio State, ran for 175 yards and three TDs in the 13th-ranked Buckeyes' 45-21 victory over Texas Tech on Saturday. After a 45-yard TD run in the third quarter, the Ohio Stadium crowd of 100,037 chanted, "Mau-rice! Mau-rice!"

"I'm just kind of soaking it in," the 6-foot, 230-pound Clarett said. "It's only one game. If I'm successful all season, I guess then I can call myself a success."

-- Jim Leonhard, a sophomore walk-on at Wisconsin, intercepted two passes and broke up another in the final minute to preserve the 25th-ranked Badgers' 23-21 win over Fresno State on Friday night. Wisconsin's star running back Anthony Davis ran for 184 yards, but folks in Madison are talking about their 5-7, 179-pound strong safety.

"Jim Leonhard is a beast," teammate Scott Starks said. "I love the guy. He makes plays. Everything he did in the game, he does every day in practice."

-- Marques Hagans, Virginia's freshman quarterback, nearly guided the Cavaliers to a last-second win over Colorado State. The 5-10, 198-pounder, who made his first appearance in the second quarter, drove the Cavs 81 yards in the closing minutes but fumbled at the Rams' 1-yard line with 10 seconds left in the 35-29 loss.

"I was pretty sure we would get in," Hagans said. "I'm not really disappointed. You can't win them all, but I thought we were going to win this one."

And then there were a couple of quarterbacks who are being asked to fill big shoes:

-- Jammal Lord, replacing Heisman Trophy winner Eric Crouch, struggled at times but also showed flashes of promise in helping No. 10 Nebraska beat Arizona State 48-10. Lord, waiting three years for his big chance, ran for 103 yards and threw a 9-yard TD pass.

"I was a little nervous, a little excited and things kind of floated on me. That will get better," Lord said.

-- Jeff Grady took over for David Carr, the first pick in the NFL draft, at Fresno State. He threw for 262 yards and three TDs in the Bulldogs' loss to the Badgers, but he was intercepted twice and bruised a hip.

"He was very immobile," coach Pat Hill said. "But he had some big-time throws. He threw some big-time shots. He had a gutty performance. He played on one leg."

Just imagine what it'll be like next weekend with a full schedule of games.

Virginia Tech rollsIn Sunday's only game, 16-ranked Virginia Tech routed Arkansas State 63-7 in the Hispanic College Fund Football Classic in Blacksburg, Va.

Bryan Randall ran for two touchdowns and passed for another. Seven different Virginia Tech players scored touchdowns in the first half as the Hokies took a 56-0 lead -- the most points in school history before halftime.

The Hokies lost 11 starters from last year's team, but they had little trouble giving coach Frank Beamer his 150th career victory.

Seven different Virginia Tech players scored touchdowns in the first half as the Hokies took a 56-0 lead -- the most points in school history before halftime.