NCAA football: Wisconsin, Mississippi St. roll

MADISON, Wisconsin - Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes and ran for another in his debut for 11th-ranked Wisconsin debut and Montee Ball scored four times in beating UNLV 51-17 to open the college football season on Thursday.

All the attention was on Wilson, the North Carolina State transfer who is using his last year of eligibility at Wisconsin in hopes of getting the Badgers back to the Rose Bowl or better.

Wilson shined, taking off on a 46-yard TD run that had him slipping into the end zone untouched just before halftime, then thanking every one of his offensive teammates on the bench after the play.

Even with Wilson, the Badgers (1-0) are built to run. Ball and James White overwhelmed the undersized Rebels (0-1) from the start in the hottest game — 90 degrees (33 C) at kickoff — in the 94-year history of Camp Randall Stadium. No. 20 Mississippi State 59, Memphis 14

At Memphis, Tennessee, Vick Ballard rushed for 166 yards and three touchdowns and No. 20 Mississippi State easily handled Memphis.

Mississippi State dominated from the start, taking a 31-7 lead after gaining 405 total yards in the first half. Things slowed down a little after that, but the Bulldogs still finished with a school-record 645 total yards.

Ballard had touchdown runs of 46 and 66 yards in the first half. He added a 1-yard touchdown early in the third quarter and averaged 16.6 yards per carry against the Tigers' porous defense.

Mississippi State (1-0) has won 12 straight against Memphis (0-1), dating to 1993.