FRIDAY, SEPT. 9 • 7:30 P.M. • ESPN2
LOUISVILLE at UCF
FBC Mortgage Stadium (44,206/Natural Grass)
Orlando, Florida
THE GAME
Friday’s game will be the third meeting between UCF and Louisville … The Cardinals hold a 2-1 series lead after a 42-35 win last year in Louisville … UCF was a 38-35 winner against the No. 8-ranked Cardinals in 2013 in a matchup between future NFL quarterbacks Blake Bortles (250
yards, 2 TDs) and Teddy Bridgewater (341 yards, 2 TDs).
LOUISVILLE
0-1, 0-1 ACC
Head Coach
Scott Satterfield (Appalachian State ’96) 18-20, fourth season at Louisville 69-44, 10th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Louisville looks to bounce back from a season-opening 31-7 loss at Syracuse … The Cardinals scored with 1:10 left in the first quarter, but were stymied by the Orange defense the rest of the way … Louisville went 12-1 as a member of the American Athletic Conference in 2013, but has finished below .500 in three of the last four seasons … The Cardinals have 16 starters back from last year’s team, which went 6-7 and fell to Air Force in the First Responder Bowl … QB Malik Cunningham had 3,972 yards of total offense last year (2,941 passing, 1,031 rushing), but had two interceptions against Syracuse … RB Tiyon Evans, a transfer from Tennessee, had 89 yards on 13 carries in his Louisville debut … WR Tyler Hudson, a transfer from Central Arkansas, had eight catches for 102 yards.
rv/rv UCF
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Gus Malzahn (Henderson State ’90) 10-4, second season at UCF 87-42, 11th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
UCF opened the season with an impressive 56-10 win against South Carolina State last Thursday as the Knights finished with a 600-91 advantage in total yards and a 29-9 margin in first downs … The Knights scored touchdowns on their first three possessions and their final three possessions against the Bulldogs … QB John Rhys Plumlee, a transfer from Ole Miss, passed for 308 yards and four touchdowns and had 86 rushing yards with a score in his UCF debut … UCF was picked third in the American Athletic Conference preseason media poll … WR Javon Baker had five receptions for 84 yards and a touchdown, while WR Kemore Gamble had three catches for 82 yards and a TD … RB Isaiah Bowser gained 83 yards with two touchdowns on 23 carries against the Bulldogs.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 2 P.M. • ESPN+
LAFAYETTE at TEMPLE
Lincoln Financial Field (69,596/Natural Grass)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 14th meeting between Temple and Lafayette, whose campus are separated by 78 miles … The schools first met in the 1929 season, but haven’t played since 1965 … Temple holds an 8-4-1 series lead and has won four straight against the Leopards … Temple is 6-2-1 against Lafayette in Philadelphia.
LAFAYETTE
1-0, 0-0 Patriot League
Head Coach
John Troxell (Lafayette ’94) 1-0, first season at Lafayette 93-67, 17th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Lafayette was held to just 113 total yards and eight first downs and went 1-for-11 on third down conversions, but the Leopards made a winner of first-year head coach John Troxell with a 6-0 decision against back-to-back Northeast Conference champion Sacred Heart last Saturday … An 18-yard touchdown run by QB Ryan Schuster stood up as the game-winner as the Lafayette defense denied the Pioneers on three straight plays from the 1-yard line as time expired … DE Malik Hamm registered five tackles, including 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against Sacred Heart and tied the program’s career record with 25 sacks … Troxell took over as Lafayette’s coach after 16 years as head coach at Division III Franklin & Marshall, where he was a two-time conference coach of the year.
TEMPLE
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Stan Drayton (Allegheny ’93) 0-1, first season
Notes
Temple struggled in its first game under new head coach Stan Drayton as the Owls fell 30-0 at Duke last Friday … The Owls managed 179 yards of offense, were held to 12 first downs and didn’t advance inside the Duke 37-yard line … Temple has dropped eight consecutive games, dating to last season … QB D’Wan Mathis got the start behind center against Duke and completed 11 of 21 passes for 83 yards … QB Quincy Patterson, a transfer from North Dakota State who originally played at Virginia Tech, came on in relief to go 3-for-8 for 31 yards … WR Jose Barbon had five receptions for 45 yards … LB Jordan Magee and LB Layton Jordan each had a game-high eight tackles, while Jordan led all players with 2.5 tackles for loss … The game against Lafayette is the first of three consecutive home games for the Owls.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 3:30 P.M. • ESPN+
KENNESAW STATE at CINCINNATI
Nippert Stadium (40,000/UBU Speed Series 55-M)
Cincinnati, Ohio
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Cincinnati and Kennesaw State … Cincinnati has won its last 15 games against FCS opponents after last year’s 42-7 victory against Murray State, while Kennesaw State is 0-3 all-time against FBS teams … .Saturday’s game begins a stretch of four home dates in five games for the Bearcats.
KENNESAW STATE
0-1, 0-0 ASUN
Head Coach
Brian Bohannonl (Georgia ’93) 63-19, eighth season
Notes
Kennesaw State entered the 2022 season ranked No. 6 in the AFCA FCS coaches’ poll, but the Owls were stunned 27-17 by unranked Samford in last Thursday’s season-opener and fell to No. 19 this week … Kennesaw State held a 17-14 lead after the third quarter, but Samford scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns to claim the win … QB Xavier Shepherd went 5-for-13 for 135 yards and was the Owls’ leading rusher with 64 yards on a school-record 35 carries … Kennesaw State started its football program in 2015 and has won 63 games in its first seven seasons — the most by any team in college football history in seven years — including four seasons with 11 or more wins … The Owls run a spread-option offense and have ranked in the top three in FCS in rushing in each of the last six seasons … Kennesaw State won the Big South title in 2021.
rv/rv CINCINNATI
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Luke Fickell (Ohio State ’97) 48-16, sixth season at Cincinnati 54-23, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Cincinnati dropped its first regular-season game since the final contest of the 2019 regular season with last Saturday’s 34-21 setback at No. 19 Arkansas … QB Ben Bryant was named as the Opening Day starter and went 26-for-43 for 325 yards and two touchdowns with one interception … RB Corey Kiner was the leading rusher with 59 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries, while RB Charles McClelland had 44 yards on five attempts … WR Tyler Scott had five receptions for 77 yards … LB Ivan Pace Jr., a transfer from Miami (Ohio), had 12 tackles with 3.5 tackles for loss in his Bearcat debut … Cincinnati has won 27 straight games at Nippert Stadium, trailing only Clemson (31) for the nation’s longest home field winning streak … Cincinnati has won 38 straight against unranked teams.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 3:30 P.M. • CBSSN
MEMPHIS at NAVY
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000/FieldTurf)
Annapolis, Maryland
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the eighth meeting between Memphis and Navy in a series that began in 2015, when the Midshipmen joined The American … The Tigers hold a 4-3 series lead and have won the last three after last year’s 35-17 victory in Memphis … Navy’s last victory was a 22-21 decision in Annapolis in 2018.
MEMPHIS
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Ryan Silverfield (Hamden-Sydney ’03) 14-13, third season
Notes
Memphis fell behind Mississippi State 35-3 before the Tigers stung together 20 second-half points in a 49-23 setback to the Bulldogs in Starkville, Mississippi, last Saturday … The Tigers were outgained by a 547-294 margin and were on the short end of a 34-13 first down discrepancy … QB Seth Henigan, a 2021 FWAA Freshman All-America selection, went 19-for-30 for 165 yards and a touchdown … RB Jevyon Ducker led the team with 63 rushing yards and a touchdown on five carries … DE Jaylon Allen had a career-high 12 tackles with a sack, while S Quindell Johnson had nine stops with an interception and a fumble recovery to pace the defense … After opening the season with back-to-back road games, Memphis will play its next four contests at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, beginning with next week’s game against Arkansas State.
NAVY
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Ken Niumatalolo (Hawaii ’89) 105-76, 15th season
Notes
Navy looks to rebound from a season-opening 14-7 setback to Delaware last Saturday … Navy’s defense limited Delaware to 202 total yards, 13 rushing yards and 13 first downs, but the Midshipmen struggled offensively with three turnovers and only one touchdown … Navy had committed only eight turnovers in the 2021 season, but had three giveaways in the first 17 minutes against Delaware … QB Tai Lavatai completed 5 of 13 passes for 135 yards and had 34 rushing yards against Delaware … LB John Marshall had seven tackles with two sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss against the Blue Hens, while LB Colin Ramos had nine stops with a forced fumble … Navy had 12 tackles for loss against Delaware, the most by a Navy defense since the Midshipmen had 12 against Rice in the 2005 season.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 3:30 P.M. • FS1
HOUSTON at TEXAS TECH
Jones AT&T Stadium (60,454/FieldTurf)
Lubbock, Texas
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 34th meeting between Houston and Texas Tech in a series that dates to 1951 … The Cougars hold an 18-14-1 series lead … The Red Raiders have won the last four meetings, including a 38-21 decision last year … .Houston coach Dana Holgorsen was an assistant at Texas Tech from 2000-07.
25/rv HOUSTON
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Dana Holgorsen (Iowa Wesleyan ’93) 20-15, fourth season at Houston 81-56, 12th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Houston scored an impressive 37-35 three-overtime win against UTSA last Saturday, becoming the first team to beat the Roadrunners in San Antonio since 2019 … Houston trailed 21-7 after three quarters … QB Clayton Tune went 22-for-32 for 206 yards and three touchdowns and had a team-high 51 rushing yards with a TD to lead a Cougar offense that scored 30 points after the start of the fourth quarter … WR Nathaniel Dell had five receptions for 50 yards and two touchdowns … The defense was paced by LB Donavan Mutin, who had 11 tackles … Houston has won 13 of its last 15 games, dating to last season … Tune has thrown at least one touchdown pass in each of his last 12 games … The Cougars were chosen as the favorite in the American Athletic Conference preseason poll.
-/rv TEXAS TECH
1-0, 0-0 Big 12
Head Coach
Joey McGuire (UT Arlington ’95) 1-0, first season
Notes
Texas Tech rolled to a 63-10 win against Murray State in Joey McGuire’s head coaching debut last Saturday … McGuire came to Lubbock after spending the 2017-21 seasons at Baylor, most recently as associated head coach and outside linebackers coach for the Bears’ 2021 Big 12 championship squad … Texas Tech’s 2022 schedule includes five games against preseason top-25 teams (Houston, NC State, Oklahoma State, Baylor, Oklahoma) … Texas Tech had a 605-258 advantage in total offense and a 29-10 margin in first downs in the win against Murray State … QB Donovan Smith came off the bench to throw four touchdown passes after QB Tyler Shough left with a collarbone injury … Shough is expected to be out three to six weeks … WR Jerand Bradley had six catches for 108 yards and two touchdowns against Murray State
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 6 P.M. • ESPN+
OLD DOMINION at EAST CAROLINA
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000/Natural Grass)
Greenville, North Carolina
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 11th meeting between Old Dominion and East Carolina and the fourth since the revival of the ODU program … The Pirates hold a 6-3-1 series lead and have won all three meetings in the modern era, most recently a 24-21 victory in Norfolk in 2019 … ODU’s last win was a 7-0 victory in Greenville in 1939.
OLD DOMINION
1-0, 0-0 Sun Belt
Head Coach
Ricky Rahne (Cornell ’02) 7-7, second season
Notes
Old Dominion opened its season with a solid 20-17 win against Virginia Tech last Saturday in front of a sellout crowd of 21,944 in Norfolk … It was Old Dominion’s second win against Virginia Tech in four seasons … The Monarchs are looking for their first 2-0 start since 2017 … ODU trailed Virginia Tech 17-10 entering the fourth quarter, but got an early field goal before a 1-yard touchdown run by RB Blake Watson put the Monarchs ahead with 33 seconds left … QB Hayden Wolff went 14-for-35 for 165 yards, while WR Ali Jennings had five receptions for 122 yards … The Monarchs forced five turnovers against Virginia Tech … Old Dominion is in its first season as a member of the Sun Belt Conference … The Monarchs compete in The American as affiliate members in the sports of women’s lacrosse and women’s rowing.
EAST CAROLINA
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Mike Houston (Mars Hill ’94) 14-20, fourth season at ECU 94-45, 12th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
East Carolina dropped a 21-20 heartbreaker to No. 13 NC State in front of a Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium-record crowd of 51,711 last Saturday … Special teams proved to be the difference in an otherwise evenly played game as the Wolfpack scored a touchdown on a blocked punt and the Pirates missed what would have been the winning field goal as time expired … QB Holton Ahlers went 25-for-41 for 267 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions … Ahlers set the American Athletic Conference record for career completions (836) and enters Saturday’s game needing 296 yards to tie Dane Evans (Tulsa, 2014-16) for the conference’s career passing yards record … Ahlers has 10,486 career yards … WR C.J. Johnson had six receptions for 90 yards and a touchdown against NC State.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
HOWARD at SOUTH FLORIDA
Raymond James Stadium (65,857/Natural Grass)
Tampa, Florida
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Howard and South Florida … Howard head coach Larry Scott is 2000 graduate of South Florida and was a member of the Bulls’ first recruiting class in 1996 … Scott later spent eight seasons as an assistant at USF (2005-12) … South Florida has won its last eight game against FCS teams.
HOWARD
0-2, 0-0 MEAC
Head Coach
Larry Scott (South Florida ’00) 3-12, third season at Howard 7-14, fourth season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Howard has two games under its belt in 2022 as the Bison opened with a 23-13 setback to Alabama State in the MEAC/SWAC Challenge and fell 31-28 at Hampton last Saturday … The game against South Florida will be the third of five straight games for Howard to be played away from Howard’s campus … The first true home game for the Bison will be the Oct. 15 matchup against Harvard … Howard has averaged 350.5 yards of offense and allowed 392.5 yards per game … QB Quinton Williams has completed 38 of 65 passes for 480 yards and four touchdowns and two interceptions … RB Kasey Hawthorne has a team-high 64 rushing yards through two games … WR Antoine Murray has six catches for 157 yards … LB Terrance Holton has a team-high 14 tackles with two interceptions.
SOUTH FLORIDA
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Jeff Scott (Clemson ’03) 3-19, second season
Notes
South Florida struggled to a 50-21 loss to No. 25 BYU last Saturday … The game was delayed by two-and-a-half hours due to inclement weather and BYU responded by building a 28-0 lead after the first quarter … QB Gerry Bohanon, a transfer from Baylor, completed 17 of 30 passes for 172 yards and an interception in his first start with the Bulls … WR Xavier Weaver had five receptions for a career-high 113 yards … WR Jimmy Horn Jr. took the second half kickoff 89 yards for a touchdown, marking the fourth kickoff return for a touchdown in South Florida’s last eight games, dating to last year … RB Jaren Mangham had a team-high 39 rushing yards against BYU … LB Antonio Grier, the Bulls’ top player on defense, missed most of the opener due to injury … South Florida has 30 four-year college transfers on the roster, including 24 in the projected two-deep.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
LAMAR at SMU
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000/FieldTurf)
Dallas, Texas
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Lamar and SMU … The Mustangs have won their last four games against FCS opponents, including a 56-9 victory against Abilene Christian last season … Lamar last faced an FBS opponent in 2021 as the Cardinals dropped a 54-0 decision to UTSA.
LAMAR
0-1, 0-0 Southland
Head Coach
Blaine Morgan (Air Force ’99) 4-13, third season
Notes
Lamar looks to rebound from a 28-14 loss to Abilene Christian last Thursday … The Cardinals had taken a 14-7 lead after the first quarter, but were kept off the scoreboard the rest of the way … QB Mike Chandler completed 8 of 24 passes for 204 yards and two interceptions against Abilene Christian … RB Khalan Griffin was the leading rusher with 39 yards on eight carries … WR Sevonne Rhea had three catches for 113 yards, including a 75-yard touchdown … LB Vence Rockwell had a team-high 10 tackles with a sack … Lamar resumed intercollegiate football in 2010 after the program had been dormant from 1990-2009 … Lamar announced its return to the Southland Conference for the 2022 season after the Cardinals competed in the WAC in 2021 … Lamar was 2-9 last season and was picked to finish seventh in the Southland preseason pol..
-/rv SMU
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee (Arkansas ’08) 1-0, first season
Notes
SMU head coach Rhett Lashlee enjoyed a successful debut as the Mustangs rolled to a 48-10 win road win against North Texas last Saturday … The Mustangs built a 24-3 lead late in the second quarter and held the Mean Green scoreless in the second half … SMU finished with 576 yards of offense, including 426 passing yards … QB Tanner Mordecai led the way by going 23-for-32 for a career-high 432 yards and four touchdowns without an interception … SMU had a pair of 100-yard receivers as WR Rashee Rice had eight catches for 166 yards and a touchdown, while WR Jordan Kerley had four receptions for 103 yards and a TD … RB Tre Siggers rushed for a team-high 54 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries … The
Mustangs are looking for their fourth consecutive 2-0 start to the season.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
ALCORN STATE at TULANE
Yulman Stadium (30,000/UBU Speed Series 5M)
New Orleans, Louisiana
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Tulane and Alcorn State … The Green Wave has won its last eight games against NCAA FCS opponents, including a 69-20 win against Morgan State last season … The Green Wave will play back-to-back home games to start a season for the first time since 2018.
ALCORN STATE
0-1, 0-0 SWAC
Head Coach
Fred McNair (Norwich ’77) 36-24, sixth season
Notes
Alcorn State saw its season-opener against Stephen F. Austin delayed by nearly three hours due to inclement weather before the Braves fell 31-27 to the No. 10-ranked team in FCS … Alcorn State held a 24-10 halftime lead before Stephen F. Austin tied the game with two third-quarter touchdowns … The Braves took a three-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but the Lumberjacks got the game-winning touchdown with 2:22 left … RB Jarveon Howard, a transfer from Syracuse, rushed for 199 yards and a touchdown on 21 carries, averaging 9.5 yards per attempt … Harveon was named as the SWAC Newcomer of the Week … QB Aaron Allen completed 12 of 22 passes for 159 yards and two TDs … WR Juan Anthony Jr. had three catches for 42 yards and a TD … LB Trevor James had 10 tackles, 1.5 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss.
TULANE
0-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ‘83) 31-43, seventh season at Tulane 202-112, 25th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Playing its first true season-opener at home since 2019, Tulane was impressive in a 42-10 win against Massachusetts last Saturday in New Orleans … The Green Wave built a 21-7 lead and held the Minutemen scoreless through the second half … RB Tyjae Spears set the tone early for Tulane with three first-half touchdowns, while QB Michael Pratt figured in three second-half scores with two TD passes and a touchdown run … Pratt went 12-for-20 for 164 yards and added 55 rushing yards, while Spears had 57 yards on 12 carries … Tulane’s defense was led by S Macon Clark, who had seven tackles, a forced fumble and an interception, while LB Dorian Williams had a team-high 10 tackles … Tulane limited Massachusetts to 17 passing yards and 217 total yards.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 10 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
NORTHERN ILLINOIS at TULSA
H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000/FieldTurf)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Tulsa and Northern Illinois … Tulsa is 8-4 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference … The last meeting against a MAC opponent was a wild 54-51 setback to Toledo as the Golden Hurricane allowed 40 second-half points, including a field goal as time expired.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS
1-0, 0-0 MAC
Head Coach
Thomas Hammock (Northern Illinois ’02) 15-18, fourth season
Notes
Northern Illinois is off to a 1-0 start after the Huskies held off Eastern Illinois for a 34-27 win last Thursday … Northern Illinois built a 28-6 lead before the Panthers closed to within a touchdown in the closing minutes … NIU is one of the most experience teams nationally, with 22 returning starters from last year’s MAC championship team … The Huskies were 9-5 last season and fell 47-41 to Coastal Carolina in the Cure Bowl … QB Rocky Lombardi threw for 192 yards on 14-of-22 passing and NIU combined for 187 rushing yards against Eastern Illinois … RB Harrison Waylee rushed for a team-high 83 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown … CB Eric Rogers was the MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week after he became the first NIU player with two interceptions in a game since 2018 … S C.J. Brown was a first team all-conference pick last year.
TULSA
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State ’95) 38-47, eighth season
Notes
Tulsa had some outstanding individual performances, but the Golden Hurricane dropped a 40-37 decision to Wyoming in two overtime periods in Laramie, Wyoming, last Saturday … QB Davis Brin completed 30 of 52 passes for 460 yards, the most of any FBS player through the first two weeks of the season … Brin also fired three touchdown passes and saw three receivers surpass 100 yards for the first time in program history … WR Keylon Stokes had 169 yards, WR Malachai Jones had 103 and WR JuanCarlos Santana had 102, while all three had a touchdown reception … None of Tulsa’s five starting offensive lineman had started a game prior to last week’s opener … Tulsa has gone 15-7 in home-openers since the 2000 season and has won 13 of its last 16 home-openers … Head coach Philip Montgomery is 5-2 in home-openers.
