FINAL SCORES
NO. 15/16 TENNESSEE 63, AKRON 6
NO. 23 PITTSBURGH 34, WESTERN MICHIGAN 13
OHIO STATE 77, TOLEDO 21
EASTERN MICHIGAN 30, ARIZONA STATE 21
BOWLING GREEN 34, MARSHALL 31
COASTAL CAROLINA 38, BUFFALO 26
CENTRAL MICHIGAN 41, BUCKNELL 0
IOWA STATE 43, OHIO 10
BALL STATE 31, MURRAY STATE 0
VANDERBILT 38, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 28
KENT STATE 63, LONG ISLAND 10
CINCINNATI 38, MIAMI 17
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Knoxville, Tenn. - Akron fell at No. 15/16 Tennessee as the Volunteers (3-0) registered a 63-6 over the Zips (1-1) on Saturday, Sept. 16 at Neyland Stadium.
Freshman kicker Noah Perez recorded the Zips six points on a pair of field goals, splitting the uprights from 35 and 41 yards, respectively. Perez made his collegiate debut with 7:35 showing on the clock in the third quarter and buried the 35-yard attempt. He followed from 41 yards in the fourth quarter (6:22).
The Zips finished with 276 yards of total offense, including 241 through the air from redshirt junior QB DJ Irons on 32 of 44 passing with a 24-yard long pass to sophomore WR Alex Adams.
Adams made his season debut for Akron with five receptions for 45 yards. Senior WR Shocky Jacquez-Louis registered his second 100-yard receiving effort of the season as he led the Zips with nine receptions for 103 yards and a long of 22 yards. Sophomore WR Tony Grimes, Jr. added 47 yards on five receptions.
Redshirt senior LB Bubba Arslanian led the Zips' defensive efforts with 12 tackles, including a team-best 10 solo stops. Junior DB Nate Thompson followed with nine tackles.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan fell in its home-opener to No. 23 Pittsburgh, 34-13, in front of 22,850 fans at Waldo Stadium on Saturday night.
WMU's offense was held to 180 yards on the day, with Jack Salopek going 6-for-18 for 99 yards and three interceptions. La'Darius Jefferson rushed for 35 yards on seven carries, while Anthony Sambucci had one reception for 44 yards and threw a 31-yard touchdown to A.J. Abbott.
Senior linebacker Corvin Moment led the Broncos with a game-high 13 tackles, with Andre Carter posting a career-best 11. Junior linebacker Ryan Selig had eight tackles, two for loss and one sack. WMU forced one turnover on special teams.
Pitt opened the game with an 11-play drive that resulted in a career-long 48-yard field goal by Ben Sauls.
After the team's traded possession, Salopek was picked off by Marquis Williams at the WMU 22-yard line and returned it for a touchdown.
The Broncos were held to a three-and-out on the next drive but on the punt by Nick Mihalic, Dorian Jackson was pushed in the back into the punt returner Jaylon Branden. The ball bounced off of Branden and Boone Bonnema jumped on the ball, giving it back to Western Michigan at the Pitt 36. The Broncos moved it down to the 15 and freshman Palmer Domschke drilled a kick from 32-yards out to cut the lead to 10-3.
The Panthers opened the second quarter with a 23-yard field goal to push ahead 13-3, but WMU responded with a nine-play 52-yard drive with Domschke connecting from 40 yards out this time. Jefferson and Mareyhon Hrabowski combined for 36 rushing yards on the drive, bringing Western Michigan within seven.
Salopek threw an interception on the first drive of the third quarter, with Pittsburgh taking over at its own 28. The Bronco defense responded by forcing a three-and-out to get the ball back at their own 48. WMU ran the ball on the first eight plays to get down to the 25 and Salopek connected with Corey Crooms to get down to the seven, but the redshirt freshman quarterback was intercepted for a third time, this time in the endzone.
The Panthers responded with an 80-yard drive on seven plays to score their first offensive touchdown of the game, a four-yard run by Israel Abanikanda, to push ahead 20-6.
On the next drive Salopek started with a 44-yard pass to Sambucci to move the Broncos down to the Pitt 31. After a run for no yards, Salopek lateraled the ball to Sambucci and he rifled it down the field to an open Abbott for his first career touchdown pass. The reception was also the first career score for Abbott.
Pittsburgh then went 74 yards in 12 plays, eating up 7:07 on the clock for another scoring drive. This time it was Nick Yarnell connecting with Konata Mumpfield from six-yards out for the score. Pitt added another scoring drive before the finish to make it 34-13.
COLUMBUS, Ohio - Sophomore Dequan Finn threw for 153 yards and two touchdowns while adding 70 yards and another score on the ground, but it wasn't enough as Toledo (2-1) fell to No. 3 Ohio State, 77-21, in Columbus on Saturday.
Finn made big plays all night as he attempted to help his team keep pace with the high-scoring Buckeyes. The Detroit native threw for a 50-yard touchdown in the first quarter to redshirt freshman Thomas Zsiros to tie the score at 7-7. He later ran for a 23-yard score to cut the Buckeye margin to 28-14 early in the second quarter. Finn threw another 40-yard touchdown in the third quarter to trim the Buckeye lead to 49-21 with 10:23 to play in the third quarter.
"I thought DQ was really good tonight," said Candle. "He made some tough plays, he made some plays with his legs. He made a big improvement from week two to week three."
Finn's heroics were matched -- and then some -- by a dynamic Ohio State offense. The Buckeyes scored on seven straight possessions before being forced to punt midway through the third quarter.
Finn completed 10-of-19 passes, with DeMeer Blankumsee leading the way with three receptions. Sophomore Peny Boone led Toledo's running game with 41 yards on eight carries.
Toledo's defense was led by Dyontae Johnson (10 tackles) and Maxen Hook (nine tackles).
TEMPE, Ariz. (EMUEagles.com) - Samson Evans' career night on the ground led Eastern Michigan to a 30-21 victory at Arizona State University Saturday. Evans, who ran for 257 yards on 35 carries, recorded his first career 100-yard game while helping the Eagles (2-1, 0-0 MAC) to their first all-time win against a member of the Pac-12 Conference.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Eastern jumped out to an early 3-0 lead with Jesus Gomez connecting on his first career field goal attempt - a 27-yard kick - before Jaylon Jackson ran in from four yards to build the lead to 10-0. From there, the Eagles maintained their advantage as they were able to score points on five of their first six possessions to claim victory.
Sophomore quarterback Austin Smith came off the bench in the first quarter and made an immediate impact as he ran for 20 yards to keep the drive alive. Unofficially, Smith ended the night with 60 yards passing - the first passing yards of his career - with one touchdown while adding 62 yards on the ground.
Overall, the victory marked the fourth time in the Chris Creighton era that Eastern has defeated a Power Five opponent.
BOWLING GREEN 34, MARSHALL 31
BOWLING GREEN, OH -- One week you pull off the upset. The next week you get upset. Such is college football at times, and the Bowling Green Falcons on Saturday helped remind Marshall how fleeting glory can be.
A 21-point second quarter surge got the Falcons back into the game and Bowling Green went on to upset Marshall 43-31 in overtime Saturday at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.
Fresh off last week's Thundering Herd win at Notre Dame, Marshall was looking to move its record to 3-0 by beating the previously 0-2 Falcons. With a raucous crowd on hand celebrating the 100th anniversary of BGSU's first homecoming game, Bowling Green battled back from an early 14-0 deficit.
Quarterback Matt McDonald tossed three first half touchdown passes (25-, 27- and 30-yards) to draw the Falcons even (21-all) at halftime, and Harold Fannin Jr. put BGSU in front with a 1-yard run early in the fourth stanza.
A Marshall TD with 5:43 remaining tied the game again and the teams were still locked at 28-all when regulation ended.
The Thundering Herd led off overtime, but could only manage a 38-yard field goal. Bowling Green wasted little time with its posession, quickly running it to the 2-yard line. McDonald then hit Ta'ron Keith with a 2-yard TD pass near the right pylon to claim the victory.
McDonald, last week's MAC Offensive Player of the Week, completed 27-of-45 pass attempts, totaling 282 yards with four touchdowns.
Marshall produced 547 yards of offense to 377 for BGSU, but the Thundering Herd committed three turnovers while Bowling Green played turnover-free football.
CONWAY, SC – The Buffalo Bulls dropped a 38-26 decision to Coastal Carolina on Saturday afternoon at Brooks Stadium. The UB defense forced four turnovers, but it wasn't enough to overcome some of their own miscues.
On Coastal Carolina's first play from scrimmage, Shaun Dolac forced a fumble that was recovered by James Patterson. The Bulls were able to convert the turnover into points as Alex McNulty drilled a 36-yard field goal to give the Bulls a 3-0 lead. McNulty was automatic on the day. The senior kicker made all four of his attempts on the day, also connecting from 47, 42 and 26 yards.
The Bulls were able to take the lead into the locker room when Cole Snyder found Justin Marshall for a 15-yard touchdown with just 36 seconds left in the second quarter.
After McNulty's fourth field goal gave the Bulls a 19-14 lead late in the third quarter, the Chanticleers rattled off 17 straight points, including a touchdown on a fumble return to take a 31-19 lead.
Snyder found Quian Williams over the middle for a 10-yard touchdown catch with 5:36 left to cut the Coastal lead to 31-26. However, the Bulls were unable to get the stop they needed as the Chanticleers scored on a long touchdown play on their next possession to ice the game.
Snyder threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns in the game. His favorite targets were Marshall and Williams who each had eight catches. Marshall finished with 88 receiving yards and Williams had 62. Jamari Gassett and Marlyn Johnson had five and four catches, respectively, career high for both.
Patterson led the defense with nine tackles and added a tackle for loss and a fumble recovery. Cornerback Caleb Offord had his best game as a Bull, finishing with eight tackles and a fumble recovery. Safety Jahmin Muse sparked the Bulls early with three tackles, a forced fumble, a fumble recovery and a pass breakup.
The four forced turnovers by the Bulls were the most they had in a game since forcing five at Northern Illinois in the opener of the 2020 campaign.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – There were plenty of pats on the back to go around on Saturday.
The rushing of Lew Nichols III and the offensive line, certainly; signs of maturity and growth from a young corps of receivers and the secondary, no question.
But the Central Michigan defense on the whole deserves to take a bow – a big one -- and soak it in after the Chippewas' 41-0 nonconference victory over Bucknell on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
CMU held the Bison to 21 rushing yards and 174 yards total in pitching its first shutout since a 45-0 victory over Robert Morris on Sept. 11, 2021.
The Chippewas limited the Bison (0-3) to an average of 2.6 yards per play, forced two turnovers, allowed Bucknell to cross midfield just once in the second half, and forced eight punts as CMU turned a 7-0 halftime lead into a rout.
Kyle Moretti, Jayden Davis and Michael Heldman led CMU with five tackles apiece. Heldman, a redshirt freshman lineman, accounted for 3 ½ of CMU's 13 tackles-for-loss and he forced a fumble. He had 1 ½ of CMU's three sacks.
The Chippewas limited Bucknell to 153 passing yards and that was a credit to a young secondary – no doubt buoyed by a strong pass rush – with several players seeing extended playing time for the first time in a Chippewa uniform with starters Donte Kent and Trey Jones sidelined.
THROUGH THE AIR
CMU quarterback Daniel Richardson completed 15 of his 32 pass attempts for 198 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Several of his first-half pass attempts were dropped by open receivers, but they redeemed themselves later in the game.
Jalen McGaughy, a first-year transfer from Ball State, and redshirt freshman Finn Hogan, led the Chippewas with four catches each. McGaughy amassed a team-high 69 yards in receptions.
AMES, IA -- Iowa State (3-0) limited visiting Ohio to 24 yards rushing on the way to a 43-10 victory Saturday at Jack Trice Stadium. The Cyclones also forced four turnovers while committing just one as they raised theire record to 3-0 on the campaign. The Bobcats fell to 1-2.
Three Ohio quarterbacks combined to complete 23-of-40 pass attempts, good for 209 yards with one TD and two interceptions. Kurtis Rourke's 1-yard pass to Tyler Foster in the third period was Ohio's only touchdown. Nathanial Vakos contributed a 45-yard field goal during second stanza action.
Redshirt freshman running back Nolan McCormick led the 'Cats with seven receptions. On the ground, McCormick net 43 rushing yards while redshirt freshman running back Sieh Bangura finished the game with 28 total yards.
On defense, redshirt freshman cornerback Torrie Cox, Jr. finished the game with eight tackles,
MUNCIE, Ind. - From the opening kickoff to the final whistle, Ball State dominated Murray State, winning by a final score of 31-0 Saturday afternoon at Scheumann Stadium. It marks the first shutout for the Cardinals (1-2) since also winning 31-0 vs. Toledo on Oct. 4, 2008.
Ball State's defense limited Murray State (0-3) to just 155 yards on 53 plays, forced three turnovers and held the Racers to go just 3-of-14 on third down.
Of Murray State's 53 plays, only nine came in Ball State's side of the field with four coming on one drive in the second quarter and four more off a Cardinal turnover.
Nic Jones provided three of the biggest plays on the afternoon after picking off two passes and blocking a punt.
Sidney Houston Jr. and Joshua Tarango led the defense with seven tackles apiece. Clayton Coll contributed six and Malcolm Lee and Cole Pearce chipped in with four each.
Offensively, Ball State racked up 476 total yards, led by Carson Steele's 141 rushing yards. John Paddock went 27-of-44 with 227 yards and three touchdowns through the air. In total, 10 different players caught a pass, guided by Jayshon Jackson and Tanner Koziol, who each hauled in six passes and a touchdown.
The Cardinals scored a touchdown in all four quarters and got started with Brady Hunt's first career score from 13 yards out on their first drive of the game.
Fellow tight end Tanner Koziol recorded his second touchdown of the season on an 18-yard pass from Paddock to give Ball State a 14-0 lead heading into the locker room.
The Cardinals broke it open in the third with a pair of scoring drives that went 75-plus yards. Paddock found Jackson from 14 yards out and Ben VonGunten chipped in a 27-yard field goal to remain perfect on the season to make it 24-0.
Steele punched it in from one yard out early in the fourth to complete the rout, 31-0.
DeKALB, IL -- Visiting Vanderbilt wiped out a 28-14 Northern Illinois lead with four straight scores to post a 38-28 win over NIU Saturday at Huskie Stadium.
After trading first quarter touchdowns, the Commodores gained a 14-7 edge after Ray Davis' 3-yard run early in the second quarter.
Ethan Hampton tossed a 4-yard pass to Kacper Rutkiewicz for a tying TD at 5:32 and Antario Brown broke loose on a 51-yard TD run with 37 seconds remaining before halftime.
Northern Illinois gained its biggest lead of the day with another huge play early in the third period. Hampton and Cole Tucker combined on a 70-yard pass play. Vanderbilt took over after that, scoring three TDs before the third quarter ended and adding the game's only fourth quarter points on a field goal.
Hampton and Rocky Lombardi combined to complete 19-of-26 passes for 203 yards and three Husky TDs with one interception. Lombardi left after a second quarter injury.
KENT, OH -- Kent State (1-2) rolled up 353 rushing yards and added another 203 through the air as the Flashes pounded Long Island University (0-3) 63-10 Saturday at Dix Stadium. With an additional 203 yards through the air, KSU outgained the Sharks 556-307.
Marquez Cooper (89 yards, 2 TDs) and Gavin Garcia (82 yards, 1 TD) led the Flashes ground game, which averaged 7.4 ypc and produced five touchdowns. Quarterback Collins Schlee, meanwhile, completed 10-of-12 passes for a total of 199 yards and two TDs. Dante Cephas and Devontez Walker combined for 7 catches, 147 yards and two touchdowns.
Michael Coney's 32-yard field goal at 9:40 of the second stanza pulled LIU within four points at 14-10. However, the Sharks would not be able to score again. Kent State punched in three more touchdowns before halftime and added two more in each of the final two periods.
The win is the 10th straight at home for the Flashes and broke a program record most recently set from 2011-13. Kent State is now one of 14 programs with a home win streak of 10 or more games.
By MIKE SMITH
CINCINNATI, OH -- Miami (1-2) built an early 10-0 lead, but the Cincinnati Bearcats (2-1) used strong defense and a potent passing game to come back for a 38-17 win over MU Saturday at Paycor Stadium. It was the 16th straight win for UC, which retains the Victory Bell trophy and now leads the series (60-59-7) for the first time since 1915.
Quarterback Ben Bryant, who spent last year starting at Eastern Michigan before returning to UC, completed 26-of-35 passes for 337 yards with two TDs and one interception to lead the Bearcats offense. Meanwhile, former RedHawk Ivan Pace Jr. topped UC defenders with eight tackles as Cincinnati limited Miami to 183 yards of total offense and 1.9 yards per rush.
Miami freshman Aveon Smith, again starting in place of . . .
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