College football season is underway and here were the five biggest upsets in the openers.

1. ARKANSAS STATE  shocks  20-point favorite TEXAS A&M, 18-14 on the road. No fluke. Arkansas State gained 421 yards, shutout the Aggies in the second half, and scored the game's final 15 points.
2. BOWLING GREEN stuns 14-point choice PITTSBURGH, 27-17 away from home. Does it the hard way, falling behind 14-0.
3. EAST CAROLINA sneaks up on 8 1/2 point favored VIRGINIA TECH and rallies in the enemy's stadium for 27-22 victory.
4. ALABAMA goes into Atlanta as a 4 1/2 point underdog and hands ninth-ranked CLEMSON a 34-10 defeat.
5. UTAH does not experience stage fright at MICHIGAN despite being a 3-point 'dog'. At halftime, the Utes have 15 of the game's 19 first downs and have out-gained the Wolverines, 306 to 100. A 25-23 final.

NEAR Upset:   WESTERN ILLINOIS led ARKANSAS, 24-14 in the fourth quarter before losing, 28-24. Winning TD scored with 1:49 to play.

BEST PROGNOSTICATOR OF THE WEEK:

Matt Hayes of The Sporting News predicted the surprise wins by East Carolina, Alabama and Utah. U-S-C played a near-perfect opening 11 minutes at Virginia. The Trojans scored on their first three drives while holding the Cavaliers to only four downs in each of their initial three possessions------- which resulted in minus 15 yards. Just like that, it was 21-0 and ended 52-7. Why did Oklahoma schedule Chattanooga? Because Middle Tennessee changed its mind and wouldn't play so another Volunteer State school agreed to be slaughtered. After 17 1/2 minutes, it was 36-0, and by intermission, 50-0. OU outgained the visitors, 489 yards to 32, and out first downed them, 31-3. Chattanooga got one first down on a penalty. Florida didn't score for 18 minutes and 18 seconds against Hawaii, and was shutout in the fourth quarter. The Gators had to settle for 56 points, the same number ex-Rainbow coach June Jones saw his new SMU team surrender at Rice. Best arm among college quarterbacks:  Matthew Stafford of Georgia. Ross Porter For  a  look  at  major  league  baseball,   click  "Give  Me  A  Minute"