Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
AKRON: Terry Bowden's second game as Akron's head coach ended with
disappointment as the Zips suffered a 41-38 loss in an overtime thriller
versus FIU in Miami after Jack Griffin's 29-yard field goal sailed through the
uprights to give the Panthers the edge. The Zips ran 88 plays for 411 yards of
total offense, compared to the Panther's 80 plays for 441 yards. Stephen F.
Austin transfer Dalton Williams led the way offensively for Akron, completing
27-of-54 attempts for 313 yards and a school-record tying five touchdowns.
Kurt Mangum led the Zips' defense with 11 tackles, while J.D. Griggs had eight
tackles to go with a pair of sacks. Defensive coordinator Chuck Amato has some
work to do going into this Saturday's home game against Morgan State after
allowing 232 rushing yards to FIU.
BALL STATE: The Cardinals won the second half, but the damage was done in the
second quarter as the 11th ranked Clemson Tigers hung on for a 52-27 victory.
Coach Pete Lembo's team is now 1-1 overall, but still they are atop the MAC
standings having defeated Eastern Michigan in the season opener. Freshman
running back Horactio Banks carried the ball seven times for a career-high 120
yards and a pair of touchdowns for the Cardinals versus Clemson, while Keith
Wenning threw for 128 yards and two interceptions on 16-of-29 passing. Wenning
had a streak of 60 passing attempts without an interception end when he was
picked off in the second frame. BSU was outscored by 29 points in the second
quarter and allowed the Tigers to rack up 526 yards of total offense in the
contest. The Cardinals will play their second road game in a row on Saturday
night when they take on the Big Ten's Indiana Hoosiers in Bloomington.
BOWLING GREEN: Head Coach Dave Clawson had his team prepared after a spirited
effort in the season opening loss at Florida, and the Falcons held on for a
21-13 triumph over the Idaho Vandals in week two at Doyt Perry Stadium. The
2011 MAC Freshman of the Year Anthon Samuel provided a spark for the offense
with 67 yards and two touchdowns on 14 carries. Matt Schilz completed 24-of-35
passes for 283 yards and a touchdown with an interception, while Shaun Joplin
reeled in seven of those passes for 117 yards. BGSU's defense held Idaho to
just six rushing yards and sacked Idaho's Dominique Blackman four times.
Clawson improved to 4-0 in home openers as the Falcons' head coach. Bowling
Green will hope to continue its strong defensive play as it opens up league
play this weekend at Toledo.
BUFFALO: The Bulls returned home to UB Stadium after a 22-point loss to
Georgia in Athens in their season opener. Buffalo was much more successful its
second time out, as it set a new program record in its FBS history for points
in its 56-34 win over Morgan State. Despite holding a 40:10-to-19:50
disadvantage in time of possession, the Bulls compiled 571 yards of total
offense. Alex Zordich had a career game under center with 237 yards and four
touchdowns on 16-of-21 passing efficiency. Alex Neutz roped in eight passes,
including four touchdowns, for a career-high 154 yards, while Branden Oliver
set a new career-high with 238 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries. The
Bulls, who sacked Morgan State's quarterbacks six time, will have a bye this
weekend before their Wednesday night league game against Kent State on Sept.
19.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN: CMU sold out a home game before game day for the first time
in school history prior to its clash with the 10th-ranked Michigan State
Spartans, however the roaring crowd was not enough and the Chippewas fell,
41-7, to their instate rival. Ryan Radcliff completed 17-of-38 through the
air for 173 yards, but also had two interceptions. Zurlon Tipton led the
Central Michigan rushing attack with 62 yards on 11 carries as it dropped to
1-1 overall for the season. Jason Wilson accounted for the lone score with a
55-yard interception return. Coach Dan Enos has to be happy with his squad's
discipline, as his team is the last in the FBS to have not been called for a
penalty in 2012. The Chippewas have a bye week this upcoming weekend, and are
next in action Saturday, Sept. 22 at Iowa.
EASTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles had their home opener spoiled by costly turnovers
as they suffered a 31-14 setback to the Illinois State Redbirds of the FCS.
EMU committed five turnovers (three INTs, two lost fumbles) and nine penalties
in the defeat. Alex Gillett completed 11-of-25 passes for 145 yards and a
touchdown and also led the team with 49 rushing yards. EMU overcame a 10-0
deficit and led by four at halftime, but it was held scoreless while ISU
tallied 21 points in the second half. The EMU rushing attack, which was ranked
14th in the nation in 2011, was held to just 103 yards, while the Redbirds
racked up 216 yards on the ground. The Eagles will search for their first win
of the season this weekend against Purdue in West Lafayette.
KENT STATE: The Golden Flashes held a seven-point lead after the first 15
minutes, but Maxwell Smith erupted to lead Kentucky to a 47-14 victory over
KSU. Quarterback Spencer Keith completed 28-of-43 passes for 227 yards, but
was sacked three times in the loss. With 539 yards of total offense, UK became
the first team to eclipse the 500-yard mark against the Golden Flashes since
Bowling Green in 2009. Head coach Darrell Hazel will try to improve his
squad's 1-1 record on Sept. 19 when they begin their MAC season on the road
against the Buffalo Bulls.
MASSACHUSETTS: The transition from the FCS to the FBS has been rough so far
for UMass, as the Minutemen's 45-6 loss to Indiana dropped them to 0-2 this
season. The program has not started a season with two losses since 2001, when
it went six games before a win. UMass allowed IU QB Tre Roberson to rack up
203 total yards in just over a quarter which helped the Hoosiers take a
commanding 21-6 lead in the opening period of the program's first home game as
an FBS program. Mike Wegzyn paced the Minutemen by completing 18-of-26 passes
for 151 yards. Michael Cox was limited to 36 yards on 15 carries, while Marken
Michel caught five passes for a team-high 68 yards. Head coach Charley
Molnar's team, which produced just 2.2 yards per carry versus IU, will square
off with its second straight Big Ten opponent on Saturday when the Minutemen
head to the Big House to face Denard Robinson and the Michigan Wolverines.
MIAMI-OHIO: The RedHawks' record is now at the .500 mark (1-1) after they
bested the Southern Illinois Salukis, 30-14, in their home opener. Despite
being outgained by the FCS opponent, 349-336, in total yards, Miami controlled
the game and achieved 23 first downs. Zac Dystert completed 28-of-36 passes
for 226 yards and a touchdown while the head coach's son, Spencer Treadwell,
rushed for a career-high 73 yards and a touchdown on 16 attempts. Freshman
running back Jamire Westbrook scored his first career touchdown with a 12-yard
run into the end zone in the third quarter. Linebacker Chris Wade recorded a
career-high 11 tackles to lead the defensive unit. Miami, now 7-0-1 against
FCS opponents, has a much tougher non-conference bout this week as it goes on
the road to face the Boise State Broncos.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS: The Huskies knew not to take UT Martin of the FCS lightly
after the Skyhawks defeated Memphis in week one. Quarterback Jordan Lynch
produced 274 total yards and four total scores to lead Northern Illinois to a
35-7 triumph over UT Martin. NIU produced 427 total yards and shut out UT
Martin for three quarters. Leighton Settle produced a career-high 106 yards on
21 carries as NIU won its 16th straight game at home. Lynch completed a pass
to nine different receivers. Jimmie Ward led the team for the second straight
week with 10 tackles and also recorded the second interception of his career.
The Huskies will try to improve their 1-1 overall record on Saturday when they
take on the Army Black Knights.
OHIO UNIVERSITY: The Bobcats stayed perfect as Beau Blankenship ran for 168
yards and two touchdowns to help Ohio pull away from the New Mexico State
Aggies in the second half to convincing, 51-24, win in a non-conference bout
at Peden Stadium. The Bobcats had not reached the 50-point mark since 2008.
Tyler Tettleton completed 15-of-23 passes for 257 yards and two touchdowns in
the contest while Donte Foster was the leading receiver with five receptions
for 57 yards and a score. The Bobcats are now 2-0 for the fourth time in the
Frank Solich era. Senior kicker Matt Weller scored 11 points on the night to
become the Bobcats' all-time leading scorer with 308 career points, surpassing
Kareem Wilson (1995-98). OU recorded six total sacks as a team in the triumph.
The Bobcats will try to remain perfect as they head to Huntington to battle
Marshall, which was formerly a MAC rival of Ohio.
TOLEDO: Matt Campbell picked up his first win as the full-time head coach of
the program as the Rockets outlasted Wyoming for a 34-31 victory at War
Memorial Stadium in Laramie. Toledo compiled 504 yards of total offense as
junior QB Terrance Owens completed 25-of-41 attempts for 300 yards and four
scores. Bernard Reedy caught six passes for 111 yards and two scores and David
Fluellen rushed for 109 yards on 22 carries for Toledo as it recovered from
its week one overtime loss to Arizona. The Rockets' defense was exceptional on
third downs, limiting the Cowboys to a 3-of-12 conversion rate. Dan Molls
registered 13 stops and now leads the team with 22 tackles after two games.
Jermaine Robinson recorded his second interception of the season. Campbell
will be looking for his first MAC and home win as Toledo's head coach on
Saturday when the Rockets welcome Bowling Green for the first game at the
Glass Bowl of the season.
WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Broncos blew the game open in the second quarter and
cruised to a 52-21 victory over Eastern Illinois in their home opener to
improve to 1-1 overall. Paul Hazel and Deauntay Legreir each recorded two
sacks each to anchor WMU's defense, while quarterback Alex Carder guided the
offense by completing 29-of-40 passes for 364 yards and five touchdowns.
Freshman wideout Jaime Wilson had a breakout performance with 154 receiving
yards and two TDs on 11 catches. Tight end Blake Hammond was also highly
productive with 94 yards and two scores on six catches. WMU compiled 239
rushing yards as four different backs saw considerable action. Lewis Toler
showed he is capable of game-breaking plays defensively by recording two
interceptions. Redshirt freshman kicker Andrew Haldeman booted his first
collegiate field goal in the third quarter. Coach Bill Cubit and his squad
will seek their first win over an FBS opponent of the season when they take on
the Golden Gophers in Minnesota on Sept. 15.
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