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EAST DIVISION:
EAST CAROLINA - The Pirates were off this past weekend following a 2-1 start
to the season. After opening the campaign with a pair of C-USA wins, ECU was
defeated by ACC member Virginia Tech, 49-27, on September 18th. It marked the
first of three straight games on the road for the Pirates, who are set to
clash with North Carolina in Chapel Hill this weekend.
MARSHALL - The Thunder Herd finally got on the board this past weekend,
earning a 24-23 decision over Ohio University for Doc Holliday's first head
coaching victory. Marshall (1-3) nearly let the game slip away after Ohio
pulled within a point following a 36-yard TD pass as time expired. Ohio,
though, elected to go for a two-point conversion and the win, but its attempt
failed and Marshall survived for its first win. QB Brian Anderson had a big
game for the Herd with 295 yards and three TDs on 21-of-30 pass attempts,
while Antavious Wilson pulled in seven balls for 119 yards and a pair of
scores. Marshall will now turn its focus to C-USA play, facing Southern Miss
this weekend.
MEMPHIS - Dakota Warren's 18-yard field goal as time expired lifted the Texas-
El Paso Miners to a 16-13 victory over Memphis this past weekend. It was a
heart-breaking loss for the Tigers (1-3, 0-2), who were coming off a 24-17
victory over Middle Tennessee. The Tigers managed just 288 yards of total
offense and turned the ball over twice in the defeat. Ryan Williams passed for
144 yards and a score on 20-of-30 tosses, but he was also picked twice.
Jerrell Rhodes led the ground game with 90 yards on 23 carries, and Jamon
Hughes had 11 stops to lead the defense. Memphis will hope for a better result
this weekend, when it welcomes Tulsa to the Liberty Bowl.
SOUTHERN MISS - Deron Wilson picked off a pass at his own 20-yard line with
2:31 left, preserving a 13-12 victory for the Golden Eagles over Louisiana
Tech this past weekend. Southern Miss (3-1) led 13-3 heading into the fourth
quarter before holding off Louisiana Tech for its third consecutive victory.
The Eagle defense forced four turnovers, while limiting Louisiana Tech to just
a 4-of-15 effort on third downs. The offense, meanwhile, possessed the ball
for over 38 minutes behind a balanced ground attack, which totaled 192 yards
on 54 attempts. QB Austin Davis led the way with 69 yards on 18 carries and he
also threw for 233 more, with one TD against one INT. The Eagles return home
this weekend to face Marshall in their league opener.
UAB - The Blazers rallied from a 16-point halftime deficit only to fall short
in double-overtime, 32-29, at Tennessee this past weekend. UAB (1-3) settled
for a field goal on the first possession of double-overtime, allowing
Tennessee to take the win on a 25-yard TD pass. The Blazers outgained
Tennessee 544-287 on the day, but gave up some big plays, including a 72-yard
TD pass and an INT return for another score. QB Bryan Ellis threw for 373
yards with a TD against an INT, while fellow gunslinger David Isabelle passed
for 56 yards and a score. Isabelle also paced the rushing attack with 63
yards and a TD on 16 carries. Frantrell Forrest was the team's main target,
pulling in seven balls for 109 yards and a score. UAB will return to action on
October 6th, when it meets UCF in Orlando.
UCF - Carson Coffman scored on a seven-yard run with 24 seconds remaining,
lifting Kansas State to a 17-13 victory over the Golden Knights. UCF (2-2)
dominated most of the game, outgaining Kansas State 252-83 on the ground, but
missed two field goals and settled for three points on two other deep drives.
Ronnie Weaver paced the Knights with 130 yards and a TD on 22 carries, while
QB Jeff Godfrey added 99 yards on 17 totes. Godfrey, though, struggled through
the air, passing for just 92 yards and two INTs on 8-of-18 tosses. The Knights
will next be in action on October 6th against UAB.
WEST DIVISION:
HOUSTON - In their first game without QB Case Keenum, the Cougars topped
Tulane, 42-23, this past weekend. One of the most decorated QBs in the nation,
Keenum suffered torn ACL versus UCLA and will miss the remainder of the
season. Freshmen Terrance Broadway took over under center this weekend and
struggled, throwing for 174 yards and an INT, while being sacked five times.
The Cougars (3-1, 2-0) instead relied on their ground attack, as Bryce Beall
rushed for 123 yards and a career-high four TDs on 24 carries. The defense
also stepped up for Houston with three INTs, including two from Loyce Means,
who returned one 42 yards for a score. The Cougars have the week off before
hosting Mississippi State on October 9th.
RICE - The Owls were outgained 456-296, as they suffered a 30-13 loss to
Baylor this past weekend. It was the second straight loss on a current three-
game homestand for Rice (1-3), which will host SMU this coming weekend. The
Owls allowed 188 rushing yards behind a 5.1 yard per carry average, while they
went for just 92 yards on only a 2.9 yards per carry. Sam McGuffie led Rice
with 64 rushing yards and a score on 14 totes, while also pulling in seven
balls for 33 more yards. QB Nick Fanuzzi though, didn't have the same kind of
success, throwing for 204 yards with two INTs and no TDs.
SMU - The Mustangs were outscored 27-14 after the intermission, as they
suffered a 41-24 loss to fourth-ranked TCU this past Friday. SMU (2-2) went
just 2-of-13 on third down chances, as the Ponies had a two-game winning
streak snapped. QB Kyle Padron went 14-of-35 for 169 yards and two TDs in the
loss, while Zach Line rushed for 139 yards and a score on 17 carries. The
Mustangs will now hit the road for the first time in nearly a month, as they
take on Rice this coming weekend.
TEXAS-EL PASO - Dakota Warren connected on an 18-yard field with no time left,
giving the Miners a thrilling 16-13 victory over Memphis this past weekend. It
was the third field goal of the game for Warren, who was also good from 57 and
50 yards, respectively. UTEP (3-1, 1-1) put together a 12-play, 95-yard drive
to setup the game-winning kick, earning their second win in a row. Jamie
Irving had a good game for the Miner defense, as he recorded 10 tackles, 2.5
TFLs and an INT. The offense, meanwhile, was guided by Donald Buckram and Joe
Banyard, who combined for 104 yards and a score on the ground. The Miners will
take a quick rest from C-USA play to tangle with New Mexico this weekend.
TULANE - The Green Wave rallied from a 21-point deficit to make it a five-
point game midway through the final quarter, but Houston put things away with
a pair of late TDs in 42-23 decision this past weekend. Tulane (1-2, 0-1) was
guilty of three INTs, including one that was returned for a TD. QB Kevin Moore
accounted for two of those picks and he finished the game 12-of-26 for 156
yards and a pair of TDs. Devin Figaro had four receptions for 95 yards and a
score, while the defense totaled five sacks. Tulane will head out of
conference action this coming weekend to face Rutgers in Piscataway.
TULSA - The Golden Hurricane dialed up 539 yards of total offense, including
282 on the ground, as it rolled to a 41-14 victory over Central Arkansas this
past weekend. G.J. Kinne led the charge for Tulsa (2-2) by throwing for 232
yards and three TDs on 22-of-33 pass attempts. Alex Singleton gained 93 yards
on 12 carries to pace the ground game, while Jameel Owens reeled in four balls
for 44 yards and a TD. The Hurricane will take to the road this weekend to
face off against Memphis in league action.