Week 1 of the college football season delivered a number of memorable moments. There were upsets, last-second victories, comebacks and jaw-dropping plays.
Here is a look back at all the incredible moments and stories from the opening week.
1. USC’s blind long snapper Jake Olson delivers the perfect pass
It was his moment to shine.
After Marvin Tell III returned an interception for a touchdown to give the Trojans a 17-point lead late in the fourth quarter against Western Michigan, USC head coach Clay Helton turned to Olson and asked if he was ready to go in.
Olsen nodded his head and ran out onto the field with the help of his teammates and crouched into position to snap the ball for the extra point. The snap was perfect as his teammates and fans celebrated his achievement.
This is anything but a regular PAT.
Jake Olson, blind since age 12, just snapped for the first time in a live game. https://t.co/amyHcFoVue
— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) September 3, 2017
“I just loved being out there. It was an awesome feeling, something that I will remember forever,” Olson said.
After losing his left eye to a rare form of cancer when he was 10 months old, Olsen completely lost his eyesight in 2009 when he turned 12.
The moment was made possible by both head coaches as Helton called Western Michigan head coach Tim Lester earlier in the week and outlined his idea. Lester was all for it and the two hammered out the rest of the details at midfield before the game.
“He (Coach Helton) was just very nice in asking and he said he understood if I didn’t want to do it,” said Lester. “He wasn’t forcing it down my throat, by any means. “But it wasn’t a hard decision at all. It was bigger than the game. I was happy to be a part of it.”
As part of the deal, when WMU scored its first touchdown, USC didn’t rush the extra point.
2. UCLA stuns Texas A&M
It was the second biggest comeback in NCAA football history.
Down 44-10 in the third quarter and with the home crowd already headed for the exits, UCLA stunned Texas A&M as the Bruins scored 35 unanswered points en route to a 45-44 victory Sunday night.
After picking up a first down, UCLA star quarterback Josh Rosen faked spiking the football and threw a perfect pass to Jordan Lasley in the corner of the end zone for the game-winning touchdown with just 43 seconds left in the game. Rosen finished the game throwing for 491 yards which is the third most in school history. Fans sure had a lot of fun with it on social media afterwards too.
A Falcons fan steps in to try and comfort Texas A&M fans after #UCLAvsTAMU: pic.twitter.com/mpT6aXjKgo
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 4, 2017
The rest of the country was reintroduced to #Pac12AfterDark: #TAMUvsUCLA pic.twitter.com/2PC5H05oOb
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 4, 2017
3. Rough week for Texas
Looking to play for its state after Hurricane Harvey bombarded the state with torrential rain, Texas, Baylor and Texas A&M all lost their season-opening games. The Aggies lost to UCLA, Baylor — which was a 34-point favorite — lost to Liberty (FCS) 48-45, and No. 23 Texas lost its home opener to Maryland despite being favored by 19 points.
The Texas Triangle of Despair: pic.twitter.com/8CSJNpkt3s
— RedditCFB (@RedditCFB) September 4, 2017
4. LSU doesn’t let BYU cross midfield
Despite missing several starters out with injuries and suspensions, No. 12 LSU didn’t miss a beat as the Tigers defense didn’t let BYU’s offense do a thing in Saturday’ 27-0 shutout victory at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans.
The Cougar offense managed just 97 total yards and thanks to a swarming Tigers defense, BYU never even crossed midfield. It was just the third time in program history that BYU has been shutout. In 2003, Utah ended the Cougars’ all-time record streak of scoring in games in a 3-0 snowstorm victory.
5. Howard upsets UNLV
This week marked the 10-year anniversary of Appalachian State’s upset of Michigan in Ann Arbor. So in typical fashion, Howard one-upped the Mountaineers as the FCS team from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference, stunned UNLV in a 43-40 victory on the road.
The Bison came into Saturdya’s game as 45-point road underdogs and to make matters worse, UNLV paid Howard $600,000 to come and play the game at Sam Boyd Stadium.
According to ESPN, the Las Vegas sportsbooks were not offering money lines on the game, but the Bison could be found as 600-1 long shots at offshore sportsbooks.
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Oddsmakers Picking BYU Over Utah In Saturday’s Holy War Showdown
