Pettaway returns opening kickoff for TD, BG wins in George's debut

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio (AP) — Cameron Pettaway returned the opening kickoff for a 98-yard touchdown and Heisman Trophy winner Eddie George coached his first FBS win as Bowling Green beat Lafayette 26-7 on Thursday night in a season opener for both teams. For the second straight year, Bowling Green scored on the game's opening kickoff — with Pettaway scoring 11 seconds into the game on his first collegiate touch. Bowling Green combined for 156 yards on the ground, led by Kaderris Roberts' 66 yards on 12 carries. Dean Denobile was 13 of 26 for 111 yards and a touchdown as the Leopards struggled to move the ball down the field. Jackson Kleather connected from 30- and 35-yards out and hit a career-long 56-yard kick to take a 20-0 lead in the third quarter. The Falcons' defense combined for seven tackles for loss and three sacks, holding Lafayette to just 177 total yards. Drew Pyne connected on 12 of his 18 passes for 109 yards for Bowling Green. The game was delayed for 42 minutes due to lightning. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-college-football-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/college-football