College football's best moments of Week 1 ... and one for Week 2

Randy Johnson's Five Spot: A look around college football each week.

September 9, 2021 at 6:26PM
Virginia Tech fans awaited the start of the season opener against North Carolina. (Matt Gentry, Associated Press/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

College football came back in full force last week, with fans filling stadiums and providing the atmosphere that makes the sport so great.

1. Sandman enters victorious

In a scene that can't help but get your blood pumping, Metallica's "Enter Sandman'' blared, firing up Virginia Tech fans at Lane Stadium as the Hokies took the field against No. 10 North Carolina. Tech rode the momentum with two quick TDs in a 17-10 win.

2. The long road back

Playing his first game since 2018 after a knee injury that nearly cost him his right leg, QB McKenzie Milton rallied Florida State back from a 10-point, fourth-quarter deficit in a 41-38 OT loss to Notre Dame. The transfer from Central Florida underwent several complex surgeries in his comeback.

3. Beep-beep

The Roadrunners of Texas-San Antonio never trailed on their way to a 37-30 victory at Illinois in the 10-year-old program's first game against a Big Ten opponent. "It was no fluke,'' Roadrunners coach Jeff Traylor said. "… We show up.''

4. FCS flexes its muscles

Six FCS teams defeated their FBS opponents in Week 1. The highlights were Montana's 13-7 win at No. 20 Washington, East Tennessee State's 23-3 pasting of Vanderbilt, and South Dakota State's 35-23 triumph at Colorado State.

5. Semper Fi

When Navy is host to Air Force on Saturday, the 20th anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, the Midshipmen will pay tribute by wearing uniforms modeled after the Marine Corps "Dress Blue A'' attire with navy blue jerseys, royal blue pants and white helmets. Air Force will wear a uniform honoring the B-52 Stratofortress bomber.

about the writer

about the writer

Randy Johnson

College football reporter

Randy Johnson covers University of Minnesota football and college football for the Star Tribune, along with Gophers hockey and the Wild.

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