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John Ross shows flash of past in return for No. 14 Huskies

SEATTLE (AP) — Jake Browning threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns, John Ross caught two touchdowns and returned a kickoff for another score in his first game since the end of the 2014 season, and No. 14 Washington looked every bit a Top 25 team with a 48-13 rout of Rutgers on Saturday. You guys know how I feel about big chalk, but this may be one of those spots where you lay it. “Just really thankful I’m able to do it again”.

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Entering a season of lofty expectations, the Huskies (1-0) raced to a 24-0 first-quarter lead and were never threatened by the rebuilding Scarlet Knights, in their first game under new coach Chris Ash. At tight end, Darrell Daniels made his presence felt, but he also dropped a touchdown pass, and they combined with the offensive line to be mediocre at best in opening some lanes in the running game. His third touchdown came on a 92-yard kickoff return with 2:22 left in the second quarter, after Rutgers had scored its first points of the game on a David Bonagura field goal. The Huskies almost added an interception return touchdown 3 1/2 minutes later, when safety Brandon Beaver stepped in front of a Chris Laviano pass and returned the interception 46 yards before being caught from behind at the Rutgers 4-yard line.

Washington junior John Ross claims that shortly after tearing his anterior cruciate ligament in the spring of 2015, he downloaded a calendar for his phone and inserted a picture of the Rutgers mascot.

The jump he makes as a sophomore set the course for the strides pundits like the Huskies to make as a team in 2016. It was his fifth touchdown of 90 yards or more in 27 career games at Washington.

(At) Maryland 52, Howard 13: DJ Durkin enjoyed a lopsided victory in his debut as Maryland’s coach, overseeing a dominant performance.

The Aggies looked to have this one wrapped up when they led by 15 in the fourth quarter after using two third-quarter touchdowns.

He committed to MI in August 2015, graduated from high school in December and enrolled at MI in January.

Alabama officially announced the hiring of former Huskies coach Steve Sarkisian as a special assistant to the offense. Washington State, which lost to Portland State of the Football Championship Subdivision in its opening game a year ago, could not stop the Eastern Washington offense, which produced 610 yards. One year later, the Scarlet Knights began the season by upending favored Washington State in a game played in Seattle, the same as this one.

“It can’t just be the John Ross show”, Washington coach Chris Petersen said. He followed his short kick return to open the game with two consecutive 32 yard returns, resembling the dynamic returner he has been throughout his career. Quarterback Jake Browning found Chico McClatcher for a 43-yard touchdown early in the quarter. Dallas Sealey threw three TD passes, including a 76-yard score to Tracy James with 4:14 remaining that made it 37-21.

Washington hit a field goal as time expired in the second quarter to take a 34-3 lead into the half, but it wasn’t done scoring – not even close. The third was a 50-yard pass to Ross up the middle of the field that gave the Huskies a 24-0 lead. Rutgers has as first year coach, Chris Ash, and a new playbook.

Washington: While there were plenty of highlights for the Huskies offence, the run game was absent.

(At) Nebraska 43, Fresno State 10: Tommy Armstrong Jr. ran for two touchdowns and threw a flawless deep ball to Alonzo Moore for another, and Nebraska pulled away in the second half for Mike Riley’s 100th win as a college coach.

One of Browning’s touchdown throws to Ross was a run play that he checked to a pass at the line of scrimmage.

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Washington backup quarterback K.J. Carta-Samuels came in and completed his first pass, a 4-yard touchdown strike to Andre Baccellia to put the Huskies ahead 48-3 with five seconds left in the third quarter. The second was a 38-yard pass to Ross up the right sideline.

Rutgers at Washington - 9/3/16 College Football Pick, Odds, and Prediction