BUFFALO at TOLEDO
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Tuesday, Oct. 31 -- 7 p.m. ET
Kelly/Shorts Stadium - Mount Pleasant, MI
ESPNU
The Huskies will try to extend their three-game win skein Tuesday when they visit Central Michigan. After falling to Ball State last week, the Chippewas (4-4, 2-2 MAC) are two games short of bowl eligibility with four games to play. Northern Illinois (4-4, 3-1) also needs two more wins, but is 3-1 in MAC play. The Huskies problem in the latter case is they have already played Toledo and lost to the Rockets 35-33.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
-- After four straight losses, the Huskies have bounced back with three consecutive victories. The latest was a 20-13 win over Eastern Michigan.
The game was tied 10-10 at intermission, but EMU went in front with a third quarter field goal. Northern Illinois matched that early in the final period and scored the game-winner on Lombardi's 1-yard run at 1:11. That capped an 80-yard drive that took 6:47 off the clock.
-- Neither team reached 300 yards of offense. NIU out-gained the Eagles 289-257 and played turnover-free football. The Eagles committed two turnovers.
-- Devote O'Malley and Cyrus McGarrell recorded interceptions.
-- Lombardi completed 21 of 33 passes, totaling 173 yards. His top receiver was Trayvon Rudolph (7 catches, 55 yards).
-- Junior RB Gavin Williams averaged 11.4 ypc on seven trips for 80 yards.
-- NIU ranks fourth among MAC teams in scoring (24.3 ppg) and fifth in scoring defense (21.3 ppg).
-- The Huskies are third in rushing (154.3 ypg), sixth in passing (189.3 ypg) and fifth in pass offense efficiency (119.4).
CENTRAL MICHIGAN
-- The Chippewas are coming off a 24-17 loss at Ball State.
Central Michigan's only lead was at 3-0, but the Cardinals took a 10-3 lead to intermission and added another TD early in the third period. Jesse Prewitt III on a 19-yard pass from Jase Bauer at 4:29 (third period). BSU replied with a 75-yard TD drive to go up 24-10. A Chippewas touchdown at 4:15 again made it a one-score game, but after forcing a Cardinals punt, CMU lost the ball on downs near midfield with just 14 seconds left.
-- Ball State out-gained CMU 344-260 on the day. Neither team committed a turnover.
-- QB Jase Bauer completed 19 of 31 passes, good for 161 yards with one TD.
-- Tyson Davis and Marion Lukes combined for 11 receptions and 107 yards.
-- Lukes rushed 18 times for 58 yards and a TD. He also returned two kicks for an average of 29.5 ypr.
-- The Chippewas rank eighth among MAC teams in scoring 22.0 ppg and 10th in scoring defense 29.8 ppg.
-- Central Michigan is seventh in rushing (138.0 ypg), eighth in passing (188.4 ypg) and sixth in passing efficiency (115.0).
Tuesday, Oct. 31 - 7:30 p.m. ET
Glass Bowl - Toledo, OH
ESPN2
After getting back in the win column last week, the Buffalo Bulls start a three-week gauntlet Tuesday at Toledo.
After defeating Miami last week, UT is the lone team still undefeated in MAC play. Buffalo, meanwhile, is part of a three-way tie atop the MAC East. Ohio and Miami also have 2-1 MAC marks. The Bulls will face both in consecutive weeks after battling Toledo.
Buffalo won last year's meeting with UT, erasing a 27-10 deficit after three quarters by scoring 24 straight fourth quarter points for a 34-27 win. Cole Snyder threw for 245 yards and a TD, while Ron Cook Jr. ran for 118 of the Bulls 153 rushing yards. However, another key factor was six turnovers (4 interceptions) by Toledo. UB committed just one turnover.
BUFFALO
-- The Bulls (3-5, 3-1 MAC) bounced back from a loss to Bowling Green with a 24-6 victory over Kent State last week. It was UB's third win in the last four outings, keeping the Bulls in a tie atop the MAC East.
-- Buffalo's defense did not allow a touchdown and limited KSU to a pair of first quarter field goals. Cole Snyder's 2-yard pass to Andrew Schnackenberg and the PAT at 2:04 of the first stanza put UB in for good. The Bulls added one more TD in each of the following periods.
-- Buffalo out-gained the hosts 331-164.
-- Jaylonn Bass recorded an interception.
-- Snyder completed 18 of 33 passes, good for 195 yards, 1 TD and 1 interception.
-- Marlyn Johnson and Cole Harrity combined for eight catches and 121 yards.
-- Jacquez Barksdale topped UB rushers with 10 carries for 84 yards.
-- Buffalo ranks third among MAC teams in scoring (25.9 ppg) and is seventh in scoring defense (28.9 ppg).
-- The Bulls are ninth in rushing (127.8 ypg), fifth in passing (196.3 ypg) and eighth in pass efficiency (112.2).
-- Kicker Alex McNulty's 53-yard boot is the third longest among MAC kickers this year. He has made 8 of 13 tries on the season.
TOLEDO
-- Toledo (7-1, 4-0 MAC) scored 21 first half points and held off a RedHawks second half rally to defeat Miami 22-17 last week. It was MU's first conference loss, while UT remains undefeated in MAC play.
-- UT won the turnover battle 2-0. A fumble recovery near midfield ended Miami's final drive. Dallas Gant recorded the Rockets' interception.
-- The Rockets limited Miami to 44 yards of offense in the fourth quarter after Miami QB Brett Gabbert suffered a leg injury.
-- Dequan Finn completed 16 of 28 passes totaling 160 yards with two TDs. He also ran 14 times for another 34 yards and a score.
-- Jerjuan Newton and Anthony Torres combined for seven catches, 81 yards and a touchdown.
-- Toledo leads the MAC in scoring (34.9 ppg) and is fourth in scoring defense (20.1 ppg).
-- The Rockets are first in rushing (232.5 ypg), third in passing (211.8 ypg) and first in offensive efficiency (152.3).
-- Toledo has scored 29 touchdowns on 38 trips into the red zone.
-- UT tops the league in first downs (22.9 per game) and is second in third down conversions (48.6%).