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# EASTERN MICHIGAN 20, UMASS 13
# BALL STATE 44, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 38 (2 OT)
# TOLEDO 38, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 17
# KENT STATE 31, OHIO 24 (OT)
# BOWLING GREEN 31, AKRON 28
# WESTERN MICHIGAN 44, NEW HAMPSHIRE 7
By MIKE SMITH
BUFFALO, NY -- Miami opened the door, and the Buffalo Bulls (2-3, 2-0 MAC) went through Iit to claim a 24-20 victory Saturday at Alumni Stadium.
RedHawk penalties had hampered MU throughout the day. However, it was the final flag -- an offsides call during a Buffalo field goal attempt -- that proved pivotal. Alex McNulty’s kick split the uprights, but UB elected to take the points off the board and accept penalty yardage that gave the Bulls a first down. Three plays later, Cole Snyder hit Justin Marshall with a 15-yard touchdown pass.
A successful PAT kick gave the hosts a four-point advantage with just 31 seconds left. Miami (2-3) could only make it to UB’s 41-yard line before losing the ball on downs.
Miami was penalized 11 times for a total of 96 yards overall. Buffalo, meanwhile, had three penalties totaling 36 yards. Limiting damage in that area was helpful for the Bulls, who had two turnovers and struggled to just 90 yards rushing (2.8 ypc). Things went a little better through the air, as Snyder completed 19 of 35 passes for 188 yards with the one TD and an interception.
Overall, Buffalo totaled 278 yards of offense against one of the MAC’s top defenses. Last week against Eastern Michigan, the Bulls produced 50 points and 498 yards of offense.
Miami, which beat the UB with a strong passing game last year, has been unable to generate a similar aerial attack since losing junior QB Brett Gabbert. Instead, the offense has largely relied on running the ball. The RedHawks outgained UB 359-278 overall, but just 119 of that came through the air. Freshman Aveon Smith completed 14 of 26 passes with one interception. However, he did run 12 times for 142 yards and two TDs. Overall, Miami had 38 carries for 240 yards and a pair of scores on the ground.
Buffalo drew first blood, finishing its first drive of the day with Mike Washington’s 1-yard run. However, Miami quickly answered back when Smith took a quarterback draw 73 yards for a TD knotting the game at 7-all.
The two early scores might have suggested a big offensive day, but the next five possessions ended in punts.
The next drive ended after one play as Jahmin Muse intercepted a RedHawk pass and returned it 51 yards. Miami’s defense stopped three UB runs from inside the three, but Snyder’s fourth down run from 1-yard out put Buffalo in front 14-7.
MU responded with a long drive that stalled after reaching the Bulls 5-yard line. First, linebacker Shaun Dolac, who had a game-high 14 tackles (12 solo, 3 TFL) turned a slow-developing Miami play into a 14-yard loss. TheRedHawks then were flagged for illegal procedure. Ultimately, they settled for a 35-yard field goal by Graham Nicholson and Buffalo owned a 14-10 lead at intermission.
After the Bulls added three more on McNulty’s 35-yard boot with 7:07 left in the third quarter, Miami put together a seven-play, 73-yard drive to tie the game at 17-all. Two passes to Mac Hippenhammer (25-, 44-yards) were the big plays. Smith ran up the middle for the last three yards.Another MU score soon followed.
Just as the RedHawks had done, Buffalo set up an opponent score with its own one-play drive. However, the Bulls eventually surrendered just three points, while Miami’s quick turnover yielded seven.
Officials ruled Snider fumbled on his first play of the next drive. Kobe Hilton recovered for MU at the Buffalo 23. After picking up a first down, the RedHawks faced third-and-goal at the UB one when they committed another penalty. After an incompletion, they settled for a 22-yard Nicholson field goal.
Miami led 20-17 heading into the fourth quarter, and neither team scored until Buffalo’s 13-play, 82-yard drive for the winning TD in the final minute.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) - Eastern Michigan fought back from a 10-point halftime deficit to beat the University of Massachusetts, 20-13, at Rynearson Stadium, Saturday..
The win improved Eastern Michigan's (3-2, 0-1 MAC) overall ledger to 3-2 on the season, while the Minutemen fell to 1-4.
Sophomore quarterback Austin Smith led Eastern Michigan's passing attack with 122 yards through the air, tossing two touchdowns on the afternoon.
Senior Samson Evans paced the EMU rushing attack by rushing for 122 yards over the course of the game, averaging 7.6 yards per carry. Junior Jaylon Jackson also added 60 yards on the ground, averaging 5.5 yards per carry.
Graduate student Tanner Knue hauled in five catches for 72 yards and one score. Junior Mark Lee Jr. paced the Eastern Michigan defensive effort, recording one interception. Graduate student Jose Ramirez added eight tackles, 3.0 TFL, and one sack in the win.
The Eagles had a big outing on the ground, racking up 217 rushing yards while averaging five yards per carry and out-rushing UMass by 49 total yards.
The Green and White defense held up well against the UMass offensive attack, holding the Minutemen to 255 total yards over the course of the game.
How It Happened
After UMass took a 13-0 lead in the first half, a TD from junior Darius Lassiter got Eastern Michigan on the board with 8:56 left in the third quarter to narrow the margin to 13-7. EMU then took the lead on a 39-yard touchdown reception from to Knue, putting the Eagles ahead 14-13.
Eastern Michigan continued to build its lead, scoring again with 9:38 left on an eight-yard touchdown from junior Darius Boone Jr. in the fourth quarter to go ahead 20-13. Neither team scored again in the game.
MUNCIE, Ind. - Down by as much as 21 and trailing 24-7 heading into the locker room, Ball State flipped a switch in the second half. The Cardinals scored 38 points after intermission to force overtime and then clinched the victory on a Carson Steele touchdown and a defensive stand to take the result Saturday, 44-38.
With the win, Ball State (2-3, 1-1 MAC) reclaimed the Bronze Stalk trophy from Northern Illinois (1-4, 0-1 MAC) in another classic MAC West battle at Scheumann Stadium.
The Cardinals were only able to muster one touchdown on their six first-half drives, which also included a pair of turnovers, two punts and a missed field goal. Meanwhile, the Huskies scored on four of their six drives in the opening two quarters, including three touchdowns and a chip-shot field goal to make it 24-7 at the break.
Ball State came roaring out of the locker room as Jaquan Amos picked off a pass on the third play of the second half and returned it all the way to the four-yard line. The Cardinals then scored when Steele crossed the line to make it a 10-point game.
An eight-play, 75-yard drive followed for NIU and gave the Huskies a 31-14 lead.
Steele reached the end zone for a second time to close out the third quarter, 31-21, in favor of the road team.
The Cardinals carried that momentum into the fourth quarter and scored on all three of their possessions through a 35-yard field goal by Ben VonGunten and a pair of touchdown connections between John Paddock and Tanner Koziol, including a score with 36 seconds left that capped a 10-play, 72-yard drive in 1:26 to tie the game back up and sent it to overtime all squared at 38-38.
After missed kicks by both teams in the first overtime, Ball State got on the board in the second overtime through a 1-yard rush by Steele, his third touchdown of the game. The Cardinals failed their two-point conversion, making it 44-38.
Ball State's defense stood tall in the final possession, highlighted by an 11-yard sack by Cole Pearce on third-and-8 to force a challenging fourth-and-19.Tyler 'Red' Potts then broke up a pass end the battle.
Paddock led the way offensively after throwing 40-of-58 for 403 yards and three touchdowns. It's the most yards thrown by a Cardinal since Drew Plitt had 439 vs. Fordham on Sept. 7, 2019 and the eight-most passing yards in program history.
Jayshon Jackson had his second-straight game of at least 10 catches for 100-plus yards as he racked up 116 yards on 10 grabs. Koziol hauled in seven catches for 89 yards and two scores, bringing his total to a team-high five on the year. Yo'Heinz Tyler added seven catches for 73 yards and Brady Hunt contributed six receptions for 82 yards and a score.
Steele had 77 yards on the ground and three touchdowns to lead the rushing attack.
Defensively, Amos had a team-high 12 tackles and an interception, while Jordan Riley added 11. Malcolm Lee, Pearce and Potts had eight tackles each and combined for 3.0 tackles-for-loss, including 2.5 sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble.
NIU rushed for 332 yards, led by Harrison Waylee's 230 and three scores.
TOLEDO, Ohio - Sophomore quarterback Dequan Finn threw for 186 yards and two touchdowns and the Rockets' defense forced three turnovers to lead Toledo to a 38-17 victory over Central Michigan at the Glass Bowl on Saturday.
Finn threw for a pair of scores in the first half as the Rockets rolled to a 31-3 lead at halftime. Toledo's defense snuffed out the Chippewas' rally in the second half, forcing two fumbles and stopping CMU on downs late in the game to help lead UT to the win.
Toledo outgained CMU, 447-285, and held its opponent to just 33 rushing yards. Meanwhile, the Rockets rushed for a season-high 261 yards and were led by sophomore running back Jacquez Stuart. The Miami, Fla. native had a career day, rushing for 112 yards on 16 carries and a touchdown. Sophomore Micah Kelly added 61 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore wide receiver DeMeer Blankumsee and senior tight end Jamal Turner both caught touchdowns from Finn in the first half.
Junior outside linebacker Adrian Woliver provided two of the biggest plays of the game, a second-quarter strip sack set up Toledo with a first-and-goal situation that ended in a touchdown three plays later, and his fourth-quarter fumble recovery preceded a Rocket scoring drive that iced the game. Junior linebacker Dallas Gant led Toledo with a career-best 13 tackles.
First Quarter
Central Michigan got on the board first on its opening drive, moving 37 yards in 10 plays to set up a 42-yard field goal by Marshall Meeder. Toledo countered with a 45-yard field goal from Thomas Cluckey to knot the score at 3-3 with 6:47 left in the quarter.
Second Quarter
Toledo scored on the first play of the second quarter, a one-yard touchdown pass from Dequan Finn to tight end Jamal Turner to give the Rockets a 10-3 lead. Toledo's defense set up the next score when defensive lineman Adrian Woliver sacked CMU quarterback Daniel Richardson and forced a fumble that was recovered by Dyontae Johnson at the CMU seven-yard line. Three rushes by Micah Kelly culminated in his two-yard touchdown run to increase the lead to 17-3. The Rockets made it 24-3 on a nine-play, 75-yard drive that ended with a Finn TD toss to sophomore DeMeer Blankumsee from 11 yards out. Toledo padded the lead to 31-3 on a four-yard TD run by Jacquez Stuart with 1:59 left in the half.
Third Quarter
Central Michigan closed the gap to 31-11 when Richardson connected with Noah Koenigsknecht for a 47-yard bomb. Richardson came back and hit Koenigsknecht for the two-point conversion. After a Toledo punt, CMU drove down to the UT three-yard line before defensive lineman Judge Culpepper forced a fumble by Richardson that was recovered by Darius Alexander at the 14-yard line with 1:07 to play in the quarter.
Fourth Quarter
CMU's special teams blocked two punts in the fourth quarter to give the Chippewas some momentum. Dakota Cochran blocked a punt that was recovered on UT's 31-yard line, but the Rockets' defense held the line and stopped Central Michigan on fourth down six plays later. Toledo added an insurance touchdown with 5:36 to go when redshirt freshman wide receiver Thomas Zsiros recovered a fumble in the end zone.
KENT, OH - The Kent State Golden Flashes re-wrote the program record books and held off a feisty Ohio Bobcats squad in a thrilling 31-24 overtime victory on a homecoming Saturday at Dix Stadium.
The Flashes ran their program-best home win streak to 11-straight with a victory that saw Dante Cephas set program records, while Marquez Cooper, Andrew Glass, Collin Schlee and Devontez Walker all etched their own names in the record book. The Flashes rolled up 736 yards of offense in the game, the second-most in school history and the second-most this season in an FBS game.
Cephas set a program-record with 16 receptions and 246 yards, breaking a pair of records set by Eugene Baker in 1996 and 1997, respectfully. Cephas had a monster second half, catching 14 balls for 230 yards after halftime. Both his catches and yards are FBS highs so far this season. He and fellow wideout Devontez Walker became the first 200-yard/100-yard single game tandem in school history with Walker grabbing six passes for 107 yards.
Marquez Cooper became the fifth back in program history to have 40 or more carries in a game and his 240 yards are the sixth-most all-time and most in a game since 2012 (Dri Archer).
Andrew Glass drilled a 50-yard field goal, a career best and just the fourth 50+ yard field goal in school history.
Collin Schlee threw for 398 yards on 24 completions and ran for 77 yards. Schlee's passing yards are fourth most in program history and most since 1997 and he his 475 yards of total offense are second all time in school history.
Despite the record-setting numbers, the Ohio Bobcats forced six fumbles, recovering two, and led for most of the ball game. After a Cooper touchdown on the Flashes' opening drive, Ohio scored the next 10 points and took a three-point lead into the half.
Glass' 50-yard field goal tied the game at 10 but Ohio then took a 17-10 lead on a 50-yard touchdown run. The Flashes were turned away on a pair of fourth-down conversions before Dante Cephas made an acrobatic catch down the sideline for 29-yard touchdown late in the fourth quarter.
The intensity picked up from there. Two plays later, Ohio struck for a 71-yard touchdown catch-and-run to go back up 24-17. Schlee responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive that ended on a two-yard run for the signal caller. After an Ohio three-and-out, Andrew Glass' potential game-winning field goal was blocked, sending the game to overtime.
In the extra frame, Marquez Cooper punched it in from two yards out and the KSU defense held strong on a fourth-and-goal from the five.
AKRON, Ohio – The Bowling Green Falcons opened MAC play with a 31-28 road victory over Akron on Saturday at Infocision Stadium. With the verdict, BGSU improves to 2-3 overall and 1-0 in the MAC. Akron falls to 1-4 overall and 0-1 in conference play.
Matt McDonald threw for 247 yards and three touchdowns as the Falcons totaled 422 yards of offense. Jalen Burton returned an interception for a touchdown in the first quarter and Bowling Green maintained the lead throughout the game.
Akron QB D.J. Irons completed 20 of 33 passes, good for 224 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. The Zips committed three turnovers overall, while Bowling Green committed just one.
Irons also led UA rushing, picking up 105 yards on 23 carries. Clyde Price III added 71 yards on 17 carries with one rushing and one receiving TD. Alex Adams topped the home team's receivers with four catches for 96 yards ands two touchdowns.
HOW IT HAPPENED
>> Bowling Green opened up a 10-point lead on Mason Lawler's 29-yard field goal and Jalen Burton's 29-yard interception return. Akron.got on the board with a Price 3-yard run to close first period scoring.
>> McDonald hit Andrew Bench on a 3-yard TD pass midway through the second period. Price III picked up his second touchdown of the day at 3:58 to bring Akron within three at 17-14 before Sim's 3-yard TD reception at 1:15 sent the teams into intermission with BGSU holding a 24-14 advantage.
>> Irons his Adams with a 36-yard pass for the third quarter's lone score as UA pulled within three.
>> The two teams traded fourth quarter TDs, with Bowling Green's Odieu Hillare taking an 18-yard pass in at 12:12 and Adams finishing scoring on the day with a 41-yard reception at 8:11. Akron's last possession of the contest ended on an incomplete fourth down pass from the UA 42 with 1:33 remaining.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan snapped a two-game losing streak with a dominant 44-7 win over New Hampshire at Waldo Stadium Saturday night.
Redshirt freshman quarterback Jack Salopek returned to action, throwing for a career-high 252 yards and three touchdowns in the win. Corey Crooms finished with five catches for 109 yards and a touchdown. Sean Tyler had 35 yards on the ground and a touchdown but also had one reception for 76 yards and a score.
The Bronco defense forced a season-high four turnovers on the night, also recording seven sacks and 17 total tackles for loss. Zaire Barnes had a team-high 10 tackles and one tackle for loss. Senior middle linebacker Corvin Moment had seven tackles, one sack and two tackles for loss. The big highlight on the defense came late in the game, with senior safety Delano Ware intercepting a pass at the WMU three and returning it 97 yards for a touchdown. It was the third-longest pick six in program history.
Bricen Garner also had an interception to go with six tackles, while Kenny Givens and Tyson Lee each had fumble recoveries.
The Broncos (2-3, 1-0 MAC) pulled out all the stops on the first play of the game. After the opening kickoff Tyler took the handoff from Salopek and then flicked it back for the flea-flicker. Salopek found a wide-open Crooms for the 75-yard touchdown, giving WMU the early 7-0 lead.
New Hampshire drove the ball into WMU territory but had its drive stall at the 40. The punt was downed at the WMU four, but Western Michigan responded with a nine-play 96-yard scoring drive. La'Darius Jefferson, who led WMU with 36 yards on the ground on the night, gave the Broncos some early breathing room with a 17-yard run to start off. Driving down the field Salopek hit Jefferson for a 25-yard pass to get WMU into UNH territory. The Broncos drove down to the UNH 5-yard line before Jefferson ran it in for his fourth rushing touchdown of the season.
Western Michigan forced the Wildcats to a three-and-out on the next drive, taking over on their own 22. After a short pass to Jehlani Galloway and an incomplete pass, the Broncos had a third and eight from their own 24. Salopek hit Tyler on the screen pass and the junior running back was gone down the field for 76-yards and the score, pushing WMU ahead 21-0.
Early in the second quarter, the Broncos had a short field to work with after a bad snap forced New Hampshire's punter to run the ball to its 14-yard line. After a holding penalty pushed Western Michigan back to the 24, Salopek hit Galloway over the middle for 19 yards down to the 5. Tyler got the Broncos down to the 3 before Salopek hit a wide-open Josh Burgett in the endzone for the touchdown. The touchdown reception was the first for the Youngstown State transfer.
The Wildcats added a touchdown toward the end of the second quarter on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Max Brosmer to Dylan Laube to cap off a nine-play 93 yard drive.
The Broncos added a field goal late in the third quarter, with true freshman Palmer Domschke connecting from 34-yards out to push the lead to 31-7 heading into the fourth quarter.
WMU had a short field to work with to open the fourth quarter after Givens had a sack, forced fumble and fumble recovering to give them the ball at the UNH 37. Tyler helped get the ball down to the UNH 11 before running it in to push the lead to 37-7 after the missed extra point.
The Broncos were pinned in their own end and were forced to punt. Mihalic's punt was blocked by a Wildcat and only went to the WMU 8-yard line. UNH got it down to the WMU 4 before Ware stepped in front of a pass by Brosmer and took it 97 yards to the house.