UPCOMING GAMES (ALL TIMES CT)
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 10
UTSA at Army West Point (CBSSN) 11 am
Maryland at Charlotte (Stadium) 2:30 pm
Middle Tennessee at Colorado State 3 pm
SE Louisiana at Florida Atlantic (ESPN3) 5 pm
Stephen F. Austin at LA Tech (ESPN3) 5 pm
UAB at Liberty (ESPN+) 5 pm
Texas Southern at North Texas (ESPN3) 6:30 pm
McNeese at Rice (ESPN3) 6:30 pm
FIU at Texas State (ESPN+) 6 pm
New Mexico State at UTEP (ESPN+) 8 pm
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17
WKU at Indiana (Big Ten Network) 11 am
North Texas at UNLV 2 pm
Georgia Southern at UAB (Stadium) 2:30 pm
Charlotte at Georgia State (ESPN+) 6 pm
Tenn. State at Middle Tennessee (ESPN Networks) 6 pm
UCF at Florida Atlantic (CBSSN) 6:30 pm
Louisiana at Rice (ESPN+) 6:30 pm
LA Tech at Clemson (ACC Network) 7 pm
UTSA at Texas (Longhorn Network) 7 pm
UTEP at New Mexico 7 pm
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK,
PRESENTED BY BLENDERS
EYEWEAR (WEEK 1)
OFFENSE
QB FRANK HARRIS, UTSA
Redshirt Senior, Schertz, Texas
Harris accounted for 400 yards of offense and four touchdowns in a 37-35, triple-overtime setback to No. 24 Houston on Saturday at the Alamodome. The senior quarterback completed 26-43 passes for 337 yards and three TDs and added 63 yards and another score on the ground. He completed passes to six different receivers, with a pair topping the century mark in yards and another hauling in two touchdown catches. Harris had a 38-yard touchdown dash in the second quarter to give UTSA its first lead of the afternoon and he later led the Roadrunners on a 55-yard drive in less than 20 seconds to set up the game-tying 37-yard field goal as time expired to force overtime.
DEFENSE
DB KALEB OLIVER, WKU
Redshirt Senior, La Vergne, Tennessee
Oliver had the best game of his WKU career in Saturday’s 49-17 win over Hawai’i. The Georgia Tech transfer intercepted a pair of passes on the night and broke up another. His two picks were two of six takeaways produced by the WKU defense. Oliver also made two tackles on the night. Oliver returned his first interception 42 yards to the Hawai’i 17-yard line, setting up a WKU touchdown on the very next play. His second interception came late in the third quarter, helping WKU put the game away.
SPECIAL TEAMS
K, JARED SACKETT, UTSA
Redshirt Senior, Fort Worth, Texas
Sackett made the most of his return to the UTSA program in the season opener versus No. 24 Houston on Saturday in San Antonio. The senior transfer kicker drilled a 37-yard field goal as time expired to tie the score at 24-24 and force overtime. In the first extra period, the Fort Worth native split the uprights from 39 yards out to send the contest into double overtime before the Roadrunners eventually dropped a 37-35 heartbreaker to the Cougars. Sackett was a two-time Lou Groza Award semifinalist and Freshman All-American for UTSA in 2017-18 before transferring to Arkansas and then USF prior to rejoining the Roadrunners this year.
QUICK HITTERS
A LOOK AT WEEK 2
Ten of the 11 Conference USA teams are in action in Week 2, with all 10 games slated for Saturday. WKU, who defeated Hawai’i in Honolulu last week, are on their lone bye of the season.
UTSA (0-1) looks to bounce back from a heartbreaking triple overtime loss last week in its home opener against No. 24 Houston, 37-35. The Roadrunners trek to the Northeast to take on Army West Point (0-1) at 11 a.m. CT on CBS Sports Network to kick off the CUSA Week 2 slate. QB Frank Harris, this past week’s C-USA Offensive Player of the Week, accounted for 400 yards of total offense and four total touchdowns against the Cougars. Army fell 38-28 on the road at Coastal Carolina in the Black Knights’ opener.
Charlotte (0-2) is seeking its first win of the season when it hosts Maryland (1-0) at Jerry Richardson Stadium at 2:30 p.m. CT on Stadium. The 49ers are coming off a disappointing loss at home to William & Mary, where they were missing their starting QB Chris Reynolds. Redshirt freshman QB Xavier Williams had a solid performance last week, throwing for 201 yards and rushing for 48 more with a pair of scores. Maryland knocked off Buffalo 31-10 last week.
Middle Tennessee (0-1) remains on the road as they head to Fort Collins to take on Colorado State (0-1) at 3 p.m. CT on Evoca in the Fort Collins/Denver/ Colorado Springs area and via GoBlueRaiders.com/ Watch. The Blue Raiders fell 44-7 at James Madison last week, while Colorado State was beaten 51-7 at Michigan in head coach Jay Norvell’s Rams’ debut. Middle Tennessee DL Jordan Ferguson had a big season debut, recording nine tackles, a sack, forced a fumble and blocked a field goal.
UAB (1-0) takes on future C-USA member Liberty (1-0) at 5 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Blazers shut out Alabama A&M last week 59-0 to open their season, and were led by RB Jermaine Brown, Jr., who carried 10 times for 114 yards and a touchdown on the ground. The Blazer defense intercepted three passes and also scored a special teams touchdown. Liberty won 29-27 in four overtimes at Southern Miss last week. Starting QB Charlie Brewer was injured and will be out for several weeks. QB Kaidon Salter stepped in and completed 8-13 passes for 148 yards with two
touchdowns and an interception and also carried nine times for 65 yards.
Florida Atlantic (1-1) returns home to host Southeastern Louisiana (0-1), also at 5 p.m. CT and the game will be broadcast live on ESPN+. FAU’s rally at Ohio last week fell just short, as the Owls fell on the road to the Bobcats, 41-38 despite a five touchdown performance by QB N’Kosi Perry. Southeastern Louisiana fell 24-7 at Louisiana last week in an in-state battle.
Louisiana Tech (0-1) looks to pick up the first win of the Sonny Cumbie era when they open their home schedule on Saturday against FCS foe Stephen F. Austin (1-1) at 6 p.m. CT on ESPN3. The Bulldogs fell last Thursday at Missouri, 52-24, while SFA evened its record with a 31-27 win at Alcorn State. Also at 6 p.m. CT, FIU (1-0) travels to the Lone Star State to take on Texas State (0-1) in San Marcos on ESPN+. FIU picked up its first win since last season’s season-opener against Long Island, ending an 11- game winless streak, by outlasting Bryant 38-37 in overtime. Head coach Mike MacIntyre went for two in the extra frame to pick up his first win at the helm of the Panthers. Backup QB Grayson James threw four touchdowns in relief and helped guide FIU to victory. Texas State fell 38-14 at Nevada last week.
North Texas (1-1) looks to get back into the win column when they host Texas Southern (0-1) at 6:30 p.m. CT in Denton on ESPN3. The Mean Green fell 48-10 in a rivalry game against SMU last week, despite a strong performance by RB Oscar Adaway III, who carried 20 times for 117 yards and a touchdown. Texas Southern fell 40-23 last week at Prairie View A&M.
Rice (0-1) returns to Houston for its home opener against McNeese (0-1) at 6:30 p.m. CT on ESPN3. Rice traveled to Southern California and fell 66-14 at No. 14 USC. McNeese fell 40-17 at Montana State in their first game of 2022. Rice starting QB Wiley Green left last week’s games with an injury in the second quarter in Los Angeles.
UTEP (0-2) returns home to the Sun Bowl in search of their first win of 2022, The Miners host future conference-mate and rival New Mexico State (0-2) in the Battle of I-10 at 8 p.m. CT on ESPN+. The Miners fell 45-13 on the road last week at No. 9 Oklahoma, while New Mexico State fell 38-0 at Minnesota on Friday night. El Paso and Las Cruces are separated by just 40 miles, and this installment of the rivalry is the last
before New Mexico State joins C-USA next season.
WKU IMPROVES TO 2-0, PICK HAWAI’I OFF FIVE TIMES
The WKU Hilltoppers knocked off Hawai’i in Honolulu on Saturday night 49-17 to improve to 2-0. The Hilltoppers forced six more turnovers, five of which were interceptions to give them 10 forced turnovers on the young season. DE Juwuan Jones took one back for a touchdown, WKU’s second pick-6 in as many games. QB Austin Reed threw for 271 yards and accounted for four touchdowns in the win (three passing and one on the ground).
UTSA DROPS 3OT THRILLER
Defending C-USA champions UTSA dropped a triple overtime heartbreaker to No. 24 Houston, 37-35 despite a tremendous effort from QB Frank Harris. The preseason C-USA Offensive Player of the Year threw for 337 yards and three touchdowns and ran for 63 yards and another score. UTSA returns to action next week with a road tilt at Army on Saturday morning a
t 11 am CT.
PERRY’S 5-TD EFFORT NOT ENOUGH
Florida Atlantic (1-1) fell 41-38 at Ohio on Saturday night in Athens. FAU QB N’Kosi Perry had a strong performance in a losing effort, throwing for 346 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions, while also accounting for 32 more yards on the ground. The Owls rallied from a 41-24 deficit, and had the ball late with an opportunity to tie or take the lead, but ultimately fell just short, suffering their first loss of the season. Defensively, LB Eddie Williams recorded a game-high 15 tackles, a sack and 2.0 tackles for loss.
UAB ROLLS IN SEASON OPENER
UAB opened its 2022 season and the Bryant Vincent era in dominating fashion, defeating Alabama A&M 59-0 at home on Thursday night. The Blazers were buoyed early by a blocked punt they returned for a score, and an interception brought back to the house, and raced to a 38-0 halftime lead. RB Jermaine Brown, Jr. carried 14 times for 114 yards and a score in a short shift, while fellow RB Lee Witherspoon carried eight times for 53 yards and a pair of scores in the win. The UAB defense forced four turnovers on their way to pitching a shutout.
FIU WINS WILD ONE FOR MACINTYRE’S FIRST WIN WITH PANTHERS
FIU escaped an upset-minded Bryant on Thursday night with a thrilling 38-37 overtime win, the first win for new head coach Mike MacIntyre. FIU scored 32 points in the fourth quarter and overtime, and won the game on a two-point conversion. QB Grayson James, who came on in relief for FIU, threw for 207 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions, while WR Tyrese Chambers hauled in eight catches for 86 yards and two scores.
ALLEN’S BIG PERFORMANCE
Louisiana Tech fell 52-24 at Missouri on Thursday night, but freshman WR Cyrus Allen had a monster evening for the Bulldogs – hauling in five catches for 121 yards and a pair of touchdowns in head coach Sonny Cumbie’s Louisiana Tech debut.
WKU LEADS THE NATION IN TURNOVERS FORCED
WKU has forced 10 turnovers across its first two games, which leads all of FBS. The Hilltoppers forced six in their win last week at Hawai’i and WKU’s seven interceptions also leads the nation heading into Week 2.
2022 SCHEDULE BREAKDOWN
Here’s a look at C-USA’s non-league FBS opponents by conference during the 2022 season:
ACC: Clemson, Miami (FL)
American: Houston (2), Memphis, SMU, UCF
Big 12: Oklahoma, Texas
Big Ten: Indiana, Maryland, Purdue
MAC: Ohio
Mountain West: Boise State, Colorado State, Hawai’i,
New Mexico, UNLV
Pac-12: USC
SEC: Auburn, LSU, Missouri, South Carolina
Sun Belt: Georgia Southern, Georgia State, James
Madison, Louisiana, South Alabama, Texas State, Troy
Independent: Army West Point, Liberty, New Mexico State (2), UConn
*Will become members of C-USA in 2023
