My apologies for waiting this long to get to this, but I was working on production of the NFL/Lions tab (shameless plug is at the right).

With absolutely no further ado, here's how our local kids did in Week One of the college football season:


• Our swing around the nation has to start in Happy Valley, Pa., where true freshman Robert Bolden, a graduate of Orchard Lake St. Mary's, guided the Penn State Nittany Lions to a season-opening win over Youngstown State. Bolden was 20-for-29 passing for 239 yards and two TDs in a 44-14 win. (My update story from Tuesday's paper is here.) Thanks to protection from his line, which includes Birmingham Groves' DeOn'tae Pannell at guard, Bolden wasn't sacked, although he did throw an interception. Bolden shared the Big Ten's Offensive Freshman of the Week honors with MSU's Le'Veon Bell, but will face a stiffer test this week, facing the defending national champs, No. 1 Alabama, in Tuscaloosa, Ala. The Penn State defense was led by Birmingham Brother Rice grad Chris Colasanti, who posted a 13-tackle performance in his first career start at middle linebacker.


• In Mount Pleasant, where Central Michigan University got its rookie head coach Dan Enos a win  in his first game, 33-0 over Hampton, Rochester Adams grad Cody Wilson was an early catalyst. On a free kick following a safety, Wilson brought it back 81 yards to the Hampton 2, setting up a TD by Carl Volny on the next play. Wilson also grabbed a TD pass among his four catches, and finished with 156 all-purpose yards.
"Cody Wilson was a huge bright spot for us today," Enos said. "We've seen it as a staff since we arrived in the spring and I've been saying that guy is a good football player. He has a chance to be an outstanding football player."
Teammate Joe Kinville (Novi Detroit Catholic Central) got a sack in his first career start, while Shamari Benton (Birmingham Brother Rice) forced a fumble.


• In a 41-10 win over Murray State, Kent State kick returner Anthony Bowman Jr. (OLSM) took the opening kick of the second half back 92 yards for a touchdown. He added a 17-yard reception, as well, giving him 109 all-purpose yards.


• Senior linebacker Tim Fort (Southfield) had 15 tackles and forced a fumble to lead Eastern Michigan's defense in a heartbreaking, last-minute, 31-27 loss to Army. Teammate Brandon Slater (Southfield-Lathrup) had five stops.


• Michigan State sophomore running back Edwin Baker (Oak Park) got his first career 100-yard game in just his second-ever start, running for 117 yards and two TDs in the Spartans' 38-14 win over Western Michigan. Bell added 141 yards, giving the Spartans two 100-yard rushers for the first time since 2006. Teammate Mark Dell (Farmington Hills Harrison) was the Spartans' leading receiver in the game with six catches for 81 yards, including a 37-yarder that was instrumental in the two-minute drive before halftime that finally woke up the MSU offense. Charlie Gantt (Birmingham Brother Rice) was MSU's next leading receiver with two catches for 49 yards. Kevin Muma (Troy) averaged 59.7 yards on seven kickoffs in the game.


• Michigan senior tight end Martell Webb (Pontiac Northern) didn't have a catch in the Wolverines' 30-10 win over Connecticut, but he was johnny-on-the-spot twice for U-M. The former hoops star combined with redshirt freshman Cameron Gordon to block a field goal attempt, and also alertly dove on a fumble on a botched handoff. Teammates James Rogers (Madison Heights Lamphere), Mike Martin (Novi Detroit Catholic Central) and Mark Moundros (North Farmington) all had two tackles each, but were major contributors in the much-maligned U-M defense holding UConn to just 16 first downs and 205 yards passing.


• Senior wide receiver Terrence Turner (West Bloomfield) had three catches for 14 yards in Indiana's 51-17 win over Towson.


• Senior wide receiver Sidney Stewart (Farmington Hills Harrison) had two catches for 30 yards in Northwestern's 23-21 win over Vanderbilt.


• Junior wide receiver Justin Siller (OLSM) had four catches for 34 yards in Purdue's 23-12 loss to Notre Dame.


• Pontiac Notre Dame grad Kyle McMahon led No. 1-ranked Grand Valley to a come-from-behind, 34-31 win over No. 8 West Texas A&M, completing 17 of 32 passes for 295 yards and two TDs in his first start for the Lakers. The Eastern Michigan transfer also ran for 61 yards and a score, earning himself GLIAC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Teammate and fellow transfer Norm Shuford (Farmington Hills Harrison) ran for 47 yards in the win.


• Saginaw Valley State wide receiver Nick Gallina (Troy) had seven catches for 132 yards and two scores in the No. 11-ranked Cardinals' 42-41 overtime loss to No. 5 California (Pa.). Gallina, who averaged 18.9 yards per catch, also had 31 yards on a pair of returns.


• Tight end Bren Bergquist (Clarkston) had three catches for 34 yards in No. 16-ranked Hillsdale's 35-17 win over Ferris State.


• A junior running back at Wayne State, Josh Renel (Rochester Adams) had 165 career yards entering the season, more used as a kick returner while Harlon Hill winner Joique Bell toted the majority of the rushing load. Renel surpassed that total in just one game this season, rushing for 192 yards and three scores in a 31-19 win over Northwood. Stay tuned for an upcoming feature story on Renel in The Oakland Press.


(Correction notice: In the college football preview special section, it said that OLSM grad Jason Semmes had transferred to Miami (Ohio) from Iowa, by way of a community college. It should have stated that he transferred directly after redshirting at Iowa. Stay tuned here for details when Jason and his younger brother, Justin, make an impact with the Redhawks.)