2 MINUTE DRILL
• Parker Navarro threw a pair of touchdown passes to Coleman Owen and ran for a third as Ohio posted a 30-10 win over Akron in the MAC opener for both schools on Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats found the end zone twice in the second and fourth quarters, while forcing a safety in the third. Additionally, Ohio’s defense shut out the Zips in the final 30 minutes of action. • Eastern Michigan tallied 273 rushing yards along with six touchdowns on the ground to capture a 52-33 road win at Kent State on Saturday. The Eagles improved to 4-1 (1-0 MAC), their best start since 2016. Delbert Mimms III had a career day for the Eagles as the back finished with 145 yards on the ground with two touchdowns and two catches for 21 yards. • Tristan Mattson kicked a 46-yard field goal with five seconds remaining to lift Central Michigan to a thrilling 22-21 non-conference victory over San Diego State in Mount Pleasant. Trailing 21-13 at half, the Chippewas scored nine unanswered second-half points to improve to 3-2 (1-0 MAC) this year. • Dom Dzioban hit a career-long 47-yard field goal on the final play of regulation to force overtime and followed it up with a 43-yard kick in the extra period to lift Miami to a dramatic 23-20 win over UMass. Keyon Mozee led the RedHawks offensively with 114 yards and a touchdown on nine carries, while Matt Salopek tallied a game-high 10 tackles. • Heading into Week 6 action, the MAC has defeated nine non-conference FBS opponents this year. The MAC has now defeated at least seven non-conference FBS opponents in the same season 23 times since 2000 and is currently on a 19-year streak with at least seven victories against FBS foes (minus 2020 due to COVID). • The MAC has established a new football scheduling model that will go into effect starting this season. The new scheduling model will eliminate the MAC East and West Divisions. The top two teams based on conference winning percentage will compete in the MAC Football Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
MAC Football Co-Offensive Players of the Week
Harold Fannin Jr., Bowling Green, TE Junior, Canton, Ohio (McKinley HS)
BGSU’s Fannin set a career-high with 188 receiving yards, tied for the most by any player in the nation for the week and the top mark for a tight end this season. He caught 12 passes, also a career-high and the most in a game by any tight end this season, tying for the sixth-most by any receiver. Fannin scored two touchdowns, including a 59-yarder that gave BGSU its first lead, and set a new school record for single-game receiving yards by a tight end, surpassing the previous mark of 175 yards set in 1983. He also broke BGSU’s career record for receiving touchdowns by a tight end.
Parker Navarro, Ohio, QB Graduate Student, Tempe, Ariz. (Desert Vista)
Navarro had a career day against the Akron Zips, leading the Bobcats to a 30-10 Homecoming victory to open MAC play. The quarterback set career highs in single-game yards (331) as well as rushing yards (113), leading the team on the ground with 13 carries and a touchdown. Notably, Navarro tied his single-game record for passing yards (204) as well. He finished the game with three total touchdowns (2 passing, 1 rushing).
MAC Football Defensive Player of the Week
Luke Murphy, Eastern Michigan, LB Junior, Massillon, Ohio (Massillon Washington)
Luke Murphy had an unforgettable performance in Eastern Michigan’s 52-33 win over Kent State, playing a pivotal role in his return against his former club. The linebacker, a Kent State graduate, showcased his defensive prowess by leading the Eagles with eight tackles, one interception, and one fumble recovery. His two takeaways were game-changing, as both led to touchdowns, allowing Eastern to pull away in a hard-fought contest. Murphy’s efforts were part of a dominant defensive showing for the Eagles, who forced four turnovers on the day—three fumble recoveries and one interception. This marks the second consecutive game where Eastern Michigan has recovered multiple fumbles, a feat not accomplished since 2020. His timely fumble recovery and interception energized the defense and helped propel the Eagles to their highest point total against Kent State in series history. Additionally, the team now ranks second nationally with six fumble recoveries, just two behind leader Oklahoma.
MAC Football Co-Special Teams Players of the Week
Tristan Mattson, Central Michigan, PK Senior, Clarkston, Mich. (Clarkston)
Converted a 46-yard field goal to win the game with five seconds to play, giving CMU a 22-21 come-from-behind victory. Finished the day with 10 points and converted field goals of 25, 34, and 46 yards. Has now converted a career-best seven consecutive field goals, is 8-9 on the season in field goals, and 15-23 in his career. He has also hit three game-winning field goals in his career.
Dom Dzioban, Miami, PK R-Jr., Frankfort, Ill. (Lincoln Way East)
Dom Dzioban was perfect on Saturday, drilling all three of his field goal attempts and both extra points in Miami’s 23-20 overtime victory over UMass. His second field goal of the day was a career-long 47-yard make as time expired in the fourth quarter to send the game to overtime. Moments later he then knocked in a 43-yard kick to win the game for the RedHawks.
WEEK 6 GAME SCHEDULE
Saturday October 5, 2024
Bowling Green Falcons vs Akron Zips
SERIES NOTES
• Bowling Green heads to Akron on Saturday for Mid-American Conference action. • BGSU leads the all-time series with Akron, 20- 10. Akron joined the MAC in 1992. • Since 2000, Bowling Green is 6-1 against Akron when holding the Zips to under 300 yards of total offense. Akron’s lone win came in 2020. • Since 2000, Bowling Green is 9-4 against Akron when the Falcons accumulate 350+ yards of total offense. • Since 2000, Bowling Green is 9-1 against Akron when winning the turnover battle.
Bowling Green Notes
FALCONS OPEN 73RD SEASON OF MAC PLAY AT AKRON
Bowling Green State University opens its 73rd season of play in the Mid-American Conference on Saturday against the Akron Zips. • This will be the 31st meeting between the Falcons and the Zips.
BOWLING GREEN AND MAC OPENERS
• Bowling Green opens Mid-American Conference play on Saturday at Akron. • Since 2011, Bowling Green is 5-8 in MAC openers, with all five wins coming on the road. The Falcons are 5-3 in conference openers on the road during that span, with victories at Miami (OH) (2011), Kent State (2013), UMass (2014), Buffalo (2015), and Akron (2022). • Saturday’s game marks the fifth time Bowling Green has opened league play on the road since 2015.
FIVE TOP STORYLINES
• Bowling Green’s next MAC win will be its 300th all-time in conference play. They currently sit behind Miami (OH) (319) and Toledo (301) for all-time MAC wins. • Two-time MAC Offensive Player of the Week TE Harold Fannin Jr. is No. 1 in the nation among tight ends in receptions (37), receiving yards (541), YAC (315), first downs (25), broken tackles (14) and tied for first in receiving touchdowns (4). Per Pro Football Focus, Fannin owns the highest overall grade in the nation (95.2) and ranks No. 1 for his pass routes grade (96.0) for all receivers. He also ranks No. 6 among all players in both receiving yards and receptions. • QB Connor Bazelak enters Saturday with 970 career completions, ranking No. 3 among active players (behind Washington’s Will Rogers and Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel). He needs 30 more completions to become the 41st player in FBS history to reach 1,000 career completions. Last time out he became the fifth active quarterback to reach 10,000 passing yards for his career. • DL Anthony Hawkins and ILB Joseph Sipp Jr. are No. 1 in the MAC (No. 28 nationally) with 0.75 sacks per game. • Bowling Green has recorded 12 sacks this season. Since the start of the 2022 season, BGSU has accumulated 83 team sacks, ranking 15th in the nation.
FALCONS FLY TO NATION’S BIGGEST STADIUMS
• Counting Sept. 21 at Kyle Field, BGSU has played in three of the four largest FBS stadiums in the United States since the start of the 2023 season. • BGSU has also played in four of the top six, five of the top 10, and six of the top 15 stadiums in the Scot Loeffler era. • This list includes Michigan (No. 1, 2023), Penn State (No. 2, 2024), Texas A&M (No. 4, 2024), Tennessee (No. 6, 2021), UCLA (No. 10, 2022), and Notre Dame (No. 15, 2019). • BGSU is set to play at No. 3 Ohio State in 2027. • Twenty-four Falcons on this year’s roster were also on the roster for the 2021 game at Tennessee, the 2023 game at Michigan, and this year’s games at Penn State and Texas A&M.
BGSU HAS STABILITY
• Bowling Green is one of 27 FBS teams that returns its head coach, coordinators, and starting QB from the 2023 season. • Of those 27 QBs, BGSU’s Connor Bazelak ranks No. 1 in career passing yards with 10,281 yards.
A PROGRAM ON THE RISE
• BGSU is 10-6 in MAC play since the start of the 2022 season. • Only Toledo, Ohio, and Miami (OH) have better records in conference play over that period. Miami (OH) is 11-5 during that span, while Toledo and Ohio are both 13-3. • In the previous 16-game MAC window, BGSU was 2-14. • The gains during Scot Loeffler’s tenure began to take root in 2021, and by 2022, Bowling Green was back in a bowl game for the first time since 2015, participating in the Quick Lane Bowl. • Bowling Green was one of four FBS programs in 2022 whose win totals improved by 4+ games from 2020 to 2021 and then by 2+ more games from 2021 to 2022. Joining BGSU on this list were Kansas State, Oregon State, and Tennessee. • The Falcons are the only program in the nation to have improved their win totals by 4+ games from 2020 to 2021, followed by +2 wins from 2021 to 2022, and then by +1 from 2022 to 2023. • BGSU’s next MAC win will be the program’s 300th. The Falcons rank No. 3 all-time in the MAC
Akron Notes
ZIP TIDBITS
• The Zips had three players with more than eight tackles, led by McCoy, who had 14. • Senior Avery Book punted seven times for the Zips with an average of 47.3 yards per punt while pinning the Bobcats inside their own 20 two times. • The Zips racked up eight tackles for loss and added two sacks. • Finley completed 65.8% of his passes on the day, going 25-for-38. • Finley has thrown at least one touchdown in the past four games. • Finley has thrown a 40+ yard touchdown in two games. • Finley began the first Zip to throw for over 300 yards since Jeff Undercuffler threw for 312 at Northern Illinois on November 26, 2022. •Finley was the first Zip to throw for at least four touchdowns since Kato Nelson threw four TDs at Ohio on November 23, 2018. • Akron has recorded 70 or more tackles three times this season (85 at Ohio, 75 at South Carolina, 71 at Rutgers). • The Zips have had a player record 10 or more tackles in three games this season. • Adler has recorded a sack in back-to-back games. • The Zips are tied for third in the MAC for forced Fumbles (4) and tied for fourth in fumble recoveries (4) • Finley is tied for third in the MAC for most touchdowns thrown (7) • Jake Newell is sixth in the MAC for receptions (24) and sixth in receiving yards (295) • Bobby Golden is 14th in the MAC in receiving yards (217). • Adrian Norton is tied for the second most receiving touchdowns in the conference (3). • Avery Book leads the MAC in punting yards (1567), most punts of 50+ yards (17) and average punting yards per game (47.5). He is also second in the MAC for punts inside the 20 (9). • Book is 6th in the NCAA in punting yards per game. • Bryan McCoy is third in the MAC for total tackles (45) while Antavious Fish and Darrian Lewis are tied for ninth with 34 • Nathan Kapongo is tied for first in the MAC for fumble recoveries (2) and tied for 1st in the NCAA • Garrison Sith is 37th in the NCAA in Field Goal Percentage (.833) • The Zips recorded a season-high 75 tackles at South Carolina. • Senior Antavious Fish and junior Bryan McCoy led the defense with 16 combined tackles with eight each at South Carolina. • Three players (D. Lewis 12, McCoy (9), Paul Lewis III (9) had at least nine tackles against Colgate • Akron recorded 416 yards on offense while holding Colgate to 243. • Golden set a career-high for longest reception with a 56-yard catch for a TD from Finley. • Golden’s 56-yard reception was the longest since Alex Adams had a 54-yard and 61-yard reception against Eastern Michigan on November 8, 2022. • Akron featured a pair of 100-yard receivers as Norton (125) and Golden (119) both hauled in over 100 yards. The pair were the first Zips to both have a 100-yard game since November 1, 2023, when the Zips defeated Kent State for the Wagon Wheel. • Akron saw 31 of its 61 tackles come from D.Lewis (12), McCoy (9) and P.Lewis (9). • Zips recorded the first two sacks of the season as Lama Lavea recorded Akron’s first Sack and CJ Nunnally IV had a strip sack to close the game. Nathan Kapongo recovered the fumble. • Akron converted 7 of 14 third downs vs Rutgers • Jordon Simmons recorded the TD longest run from scrimmage (73 yds) since 2015 • Jordon Simmons collected 109 yards rushing, averaging 12.1 yards per carry • Daymon David INT marked the Zips first takeaway and appearance of the turnover tire in 2024 • Adrain Norton scored the Zips first TD in 2024 32 yd pass from Ben Finley • McCoy (11) and Fish (10) combined for 21 tackles vs Rutgers •Garrison Smith converted on two field goals of 48 and 49 yards, marking longest since 2015 for Akron (Robert Stein, 50 yards (11-14-15) • Akron converted 4 of 16 third downs while Ohio State was successful on 9 of 14. • Avery Book punted six times with an average of 48.2 yards per punt • Akron went 2-for-3 on fourth down, converting on 66.7 percent of attempts. •Bullock completed 69.2% of his passes on the day, going 9-for-13. • Akron returns five offensive starters and eight defensive starters from a year ago • Akron returns its top four tacklers in; Antavious Fish (95 tackles, 38 solo, 57 assists, 4 TFL) Bryan McCoy (94 tackles, 33 solo, 61 assists, 6 TFL) Darrian Lewis (75 tackles, 26 solo, 49 assists, 4 TFL) CJ Nunnally (65 tackles, 35 solo, 30 assists, 15.5 TFL, 7 Sacks)
LAST TIME OUT
Akron fell 30-10 to Ohio at Peden Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Zips offense was led by redshirt junior Ben Finley’s 196 passing yards (25-38-2) that featured a 17-yard strike to redshirt sophomore Jake Newell for a touchdown. Sophomore Adrian Norton led the receiving corps with five receptions for 59 yards while Newell hauled in eight passes for 44 yards and the Zips lone touchdown. Junior Bobby Golden added five catches for 49 yards. Akron The defense was led by junior Bryan McCoy’s 14 tackles while redshirt juniors Justin Anderson and Darrian Lewis each had eight. Akron forced three fumbles on the day against the Bobcats, with senior Paul Lewis III, redshirt senior Kabbash Richards and redshirt junior Aman Greenwood each forcing one. Redshirt freshman Marcus Moore, Jr. and redshirt junior Malcom DeWalt IV recovered two of the three fumbles (one each). Richards and senior Bennett Adler were able to get to Ohio’s quarterback with the pair each recording one sack. Adler recorded a nine-yard loss, while posted a five yard loss. Akron’s defense recorded a season-high 85 tackles in the loss.
Minutemen vs Northern Illinois Huskies
SERIES HISTORY
In a series that dates back to 2012, Massachusetts and Northern Illinois have met only twice, with the Huskies holding the series lead 2-0 (1-0 in DelKalb, Illinois). The teams most recently met on Nov. 2, 2013, at Gillette stadium in Foxboro, Massachusetts, with Northern Illinois prevailing 63-19.
Massachusetts Notes
QUICK HITS
The Minutemen are one of 12 FBS teams without a fumble (lost) this season. UMass ranks tied for 34th in FBS (of 133 ranked) in total defense, allowing 308.6 yards against per game (tied with Illinois). The Minutemen have held opponents to a 19-for-59 mark (.322) on third down, which is tied with Marshall for 34th in FBS. The Minutemen rank tied for 15th in the NCAA in plays per game (75.8) with North Carolina. For the season, graduate student Jakobie Keeney-James has played five games while catching 20 passes for 406 yards and three touchdowns. His 406 yards rank 26th in FBS, while his 81.2 receiving yards per game rank 39th in FBS. Jalen Harrell (at Miami) and Ryan Barnes (vs. CCSU) have each recorded their first career interceptions this season. Five different Minutemen have rushed for a touchdown this season, including CJ Hester (2), Taisun Phommachanh (1), Jalen John (1), Brandon Campbell (1) and Jackson Paradis (1). The Minutemen posted four pass breakups against CCSU, marking their third game of the season with at least four pass breakups (4 vs. Eastern Michigan and 9 at Toledo). The Minutemen are 7-for-12 this season on fourth down.
CONTROLLING THE CLOCK
Massachusetts ranks third in FBS in average time of possession (35:44), trailing only fellow independent Oregon State (37:56) and Army West Point (36:31). In total time of possession, UMass (178 minutes) ranks first, with Utah (177) in second (both teams have played five games).
Northern Illinois Notes
DOG TREATS
• NIU closes out its 2024 non-conference schedule at home versus UMass on Saturday as the teams meet for the third time. The teams last played in 2012 and 2013 with the Huskies scoring 63 points in each game behind 2024 NIU and MAC Hall of Fame quarterback Jordan Lynch. • The Huskies fell to NC State, 24-17, last Saturday in Raleigh despite a dominant performance by the Huskie defense as four turnovers, including two inside the NIU two-yard line, contributed to 14 Wolfpack points. • Senior running back Antario Brown posted his ninth career 100-yard rushing game at NC State with 114 yards on a career high 28 carries. He enters the UMass game with 2,878 career rushing yards and needs 39 to move past Joel Bouagnon and Chad Spann into 10th place on the Huskies’ all-time rushing chart. • Neither Buffalo (184 yards) nor NC State (171) gained more than 200 yards of total offense against the Huskie defense, marking the first time since 2005 that NIU has held opponents below that number in back-to-back games. • NIU now has held 13 of its last 17 opponents over the last two seasons to 24 points or less, including all four of its 2024 foes. • The Huskies are one of just five teams in the country to surrender less than 1,000 yards to its opponents so far in 2024, joining Tennessee, Ohio State, Missouri and Penn State. • Defensive tackle Devonte O’Malley leads the Huskies with 3.5 tackles for loss and a pair of sacks while defensive end Roy Williams collected his second sack of the year and leads all defensive linemen in tackles with 15. O’Malley’s 16.5 career sacks are tied for eighth at NIU all-time. • NIU’s 2024 roster includes 32 seniors, sixth-most in the FBS. Twenty of those seniors have spent their entire careers as Huskies, which is the third highest total in the country. • Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played with 58. NIU is 28-30 in those games. • With its win at Notre Dame, NIU earned its 19th “Boneyard Win”, which are defined as wins over teams from “power” leagues and national independents. NIU has recorded three boneyard wins in the last four seasons under head coach Thomas Hammock, adding to a legacy that dates to 1983. • NIU’s win at fifth-ranked Notre Dame on September 7 marked the first time a Mid-American Conference team defeated a team ranked in the top five of a national poll.
NOTING NIU NON-CON FINALE:
NIU and UMass face off on October 5th in Huskie Stadium in the final non-conference game of 2024 for the Huskies as they look to even their non-league record on the year. This is UMass’ last season as an independent as the Minutemen join the Mid-American Conference beginning in 2026.
HOME SWEET HOME:
NIU has won nearly 70 percent of its games played in Huskie Stadium since 2003 with an 82-38 (.683) record at home in 21-plus seasons. During that stretch, the Huskies have had 15 winning records at home and five undefeated seasons in DeKalb (2003, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013). NIU’s all-time record at Huskie Stadium is 184-118-2 for a .608 all-time winning percentage.
SERIES HISTORY:
Saturday’s game is the third all-time between NIU and UMass. The Huskies defeated the Minutemen in a home-and-home Mid-American Conference series in 2012 and 2013 behind Hall of Fame quarterback Jordan Lynch. NIU shut out UMass 63-0 at home on November 3, 2012 and put up another 63 points the next season in Foxboro, Mass. in a 63-19 win. NIU lost just one regular season game over those two seasons.
LAST WEEK:
The Huskies dropped a 24-17 decision at NC State despite an outstanding performance by the NIU defense, which held the Wolfpack to 171 yards of total offense and 1-of-11 on third downs. The Huskie offense turned the ball over four times, including one fumble that was recovered in the end zone for a NCSU touchdown and another that was recovered on the two-yard line to set up the eventual game-winning TD. Antario Brown led the Huskies with 114 rushing yards on 28 carries. MOVING ON UP: With the win at Notre Dame, Thomas Hammock passed Bill Mallory and Jerry Ippoliti for seventh place on the Huskies’ all-time coaching wins chart with a memorable 26th victory. Hammock’s 61 games coached over the last five-plus seasons rank seventh all-time at NIU. He is the 23rd head coach in NIU’s 123-year college football history.
CLOSE CALLS:
Three of NIU’s four games this season have been decided by one score of less with a two point win at Notre Dame, a three-point loss in overtime to Buffalo and last week’s seven point decision at NC State. Eight of NIU’s 13 games a year ago, including the Camellia Bowl win, were within that margin, a trend that predates Thomas Hammock’s tenure as head coach. Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played, ahead of Texas (54) and Eastern Michigan (53). In 61 games under Thomas Hammock since 2019, 37 games, including 24 MAC contests have been decided by one score. Included in those 36 games are four overtime games.
Miami-Ohio Redhawks vs Toledo Rockets
SERIES VS. TOLEDO
The RedHawks lead the all-time series 29-23-1 over Toledo but have not beaten Toledo on the road since Oct. 26, 2002. To be fair, these two teams did not face each other for 4,382 days (no contests from 2011 to 2023) but will now square-off for the third time since Oct. 21, 2023.
Miami-Ohio Notes
• Miami football ranks first all-time in the Mid-American Conference in wins (725), conference wins (317), MAC Championships (17) and bowl wins (8). • Historically, Miami’s 725 career wins are third all-time among Group-of-Five programs, behind just Navy (742) and Army (731). • Miami was 4-14 in Coach Martin’s first 18 Mid-American Conference games. Since then, the RedHawks are 42-17 in their last 59 games versus schools from the MAC. • Miami captured its second MAC Championship in the last five years, defeating Toledo 23-14 last season. Chuck Martin won his first MAC Championship back in 2019. • The RedHawks have been bowl-eligible seven of the last eight seasons. From 2006-15, Miami was bowl-eligible just twice. • The 11 wins last season were tied for the second-most in program history. The last time Miami won 11 games in a season; NFL future Hall of Fame quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was taking snaps for Miami back in 2003 (13- 1).
LAST MEETING VERSUS TOLEDO
Saturday will be a rematch of the 2023 MAC Championship Game. Rashad Amos ran for two touchdowns and Aveon Smith added 208 all-purpose yards as Miami defeated No. 23 Toledo 23-14 back on Dec. 2. Austin Ertl blocked a pair of kicks and Graham Nicholson converted three field goals for the RedHawks, who won their 17th MAC title and first since 2019. Dequan Finn threw for 273 yards to lead the Rockets, who saw their 11-game win streak snapped.
Toledo Notes
Rocket Launches
• The Miami game is Homecoming for Toledo and marks the 94th Homecoming game in Toledo history The Rockets are 65-28 in Homecoming games, including an 11-4 mark vs. Miami. • After a 12-year gap in the series, Toledo and Miami played twice last year. The Rockets won on Oct. 21 in Oxford, 21-17, while the Redhawks got their revenge in the MAC Championship Game, 23-14. • The Rockets will be honoring former MAC Champion teams from 1969, 1984 and 2004 throughout the Miami game. • Toledo’s defense put in another strong performance in the loss to Western Kentucky, holding the Hilltoppers to 315 yards of total offense, including just 30 yards in the first quarter and 117 in the first half. The Rockets intercepted two passes in the end zone vs. WKU, Maxen Hook in the first quarter and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the third quarter. • Toledo’s win over Mississippi State on Sept. 14 was its second against an SEC team (Arkansas in 2015) and first over a “Power 4/5” team since a 30-23 win over Iowa State in 2015, which came one week after the Arkansas win. • Through four games, Toledo leads in the MAC in scoring offense (37.3) and scoring defense (19.0/tied with Northern Illinois).
ROCKET UPDATE
• Toledo is coming off a 26-21 loss at Western Kentucky on Sept. 21. • Tucker Gleason completed 19- of-33 passes for 200 yards and two passing TDs and was Toledo’s leading rusher for 56 yards on 12 carries. Senior Jacquez Stuart caught three passes for 93 yards while classmate Anthony Torres caught three passes for 27 yards and two scores. • Toledo’s defense put in another strong performance in the WKU loss, holding the Hilltoppers to 315 yards of total offense, including just 30 yards in the first quarter and 117 in the first half. • The Rockets intercepted two passes in the end zone vs. WKU, Maxen Hook in the first quarter and Emmanuel McNeil-Warren in the third quarter. •The WKU game experienced a lightning delay of 1:15 in the third quarter with Toledo holding a 21-10 lead. WKU outscored Toledo 16-0 after the delay. • Through four games, Toledo leads in the MAC in scoring offense (37.3), scoring defense (19.0/tied with NIU) and passing efficiency (162.70). The Rockets are second in rushing defense (94.8), and third in total defense (340.0). • Toledo is second in the MAC and tied for 18th in the country with a +1.0 turnover margin. • Toledo has outscored its opponents 35-7 in the first quarter and 87-33 in the first half. • Tucker Gleason leads the MAC in total offense (249.5) and passing efficiency (157.14). • Jerjuan Newton and Junior Vandeross III each caught at least one touchdown pass in each of Toledo’s first three games.
Western Michigan Broncos vs Ball State Cardinals
THE SERIES –
Saturday is the 51st meeting between the Broncos and the Cardinals, with WMU leading the all-time series at 28-22. – WMU won the last two meetings, including a 42-24 victory in Kalamazoo last season for head coach Lance Taylor’s first career MAC win. – WMU is 12-13 all-time in Muncie.
Western Michigan Notes
THIS WEEK
Western Michigan opens up Mid-American Conference play on the road at Ball State on Saturday at 2 p.m. The game can be streamed live on ESPN+ and heard live on the Bronco Radio Network.
QUICK NOTES ON THE CARDINALS
Redshirt freshman quarterback Kadin Semoza leads the MAC in completion percentage at 69.1, which is also good for 13th-best in the nation. – Ball State is sixth in the nation in time of possession and tops in the MAC. The Cardinals averaged 33:58 per game with the ball. – Running back Braeden Sloan has 45 percent of the team’s rushing attempts at 59, with 282 yards and two touchdowns. No other player on the team has rushed the ball more than 13 times. (excluding Semoza due to sacks). – BSU dropped its MAC-opener on the road at Central Michigan, 37-34. The Cardinals had a 34-30 lead late but gave up a touchdown with 16 seconds left to play to the Chippewas.
MOVIN’ ON UP
After another stellar performance, junior running back Jaden Nixon has moved up in the national and conference rankings. Nixon currently leads the MAC in yards per carry at 6.67, which also ranks 20th in the nation. With his receiving and kick returning prowess, along with his ability to run the ball, Nixon has also moved up to second in the MAC in all-purpose yards per game with 138.0. His 194 all-purpose yards against Marshall helped him move up to 16th in the nation in the category. Over the past two games, Nixon has totaled 401 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns.
MORE THAN HALFWAY THERE
Senior cornerback Bilhal Kone nearly matched his career high in tackles against Marshall, making nine. His career-high of 10 was set in the season-opener against Wisconsin. The Apple Valley, Min., native has 26 tackles in the first four games after making 42 in 12 games in 2023. Kone also leads the Broncos in passes defended, with four.
JUST ABOUT THERE
But it’s not just Kone who is over halfway to his 2023 season total. Senior linebacker Donald Willis has nearly matched his tackle output from last season. In 2023, the Cleveland, Ohio, native had 40 tackles. Through four games this season, he has 34. Willis also has 3.5 tackles for loss to tie for the team lead, three pass breakups, and one forced fumble that resulted in a turnover against Marshall.
WELCOME BACK, WELCOME BACK, WELCOME BACK
Senior wide receiver Kenny Womack missed the first three games of the season due to an injury he sustained in fall camp. Womack made his season debut at Marshall and made an immediate impact. The First-Team All-MAC selection in 2023 made six catches for 43 yards against the Thundering Herd. The six stand out as the most catches in a single game by a Bronco this season, and he immediately moved up to third on the team in receptions behind Blake Bosma (8) and Anthony Sambucci (13).
GROUND AND POUND
Redshirt sophomore running back Jalen Buckley was one of 45 players to run for at least 1,000 yards last season. Buckley is just one of 27 of those that will play collegiately in 2024. The Aurora, Ill., native rushed for 1,003 yards and 10 touchdowns to pace the Broncos. He was fifth in the MAC in rushing yards and was one of only two freshmen in the nation that reached 1,000 yards.
INTO THE BACKFIELD
Last season, the Bronco defense recorded 62.0 tackles for loss and 24.0 sacks. When it comes to getting to the quarterback, WMU returns most of its numbers. Marshawn Kneeland led the team with 4.5 sacks last season and is now impressive with the Dallas Cowboys, but the next six players with the highest sack totals all return. Linebacker Donald Willis is the top returner after making 3.5 last season and is followed by Mason Nelson at 3.0, defensive end Corey Walker and linebacker Boone Bonnema at 2.5, and defensive tackle Isaiah Green at 2.0. The same goes for stopping the ball in the backfield. The Broncos return 45.5 of those tackles for loss, including last year’s leader in Walker, who had a career-high 8.5. Willis and fellow linebacker Jacob Wahlberg each had 6.5, while Nelson returns with 5.0. Green had 4.5 in his first season of FBS football, while Bonnema had 3.5. Cornerback Bilahl Kone, and defensive ends Tyson Lee and Marcel Tyler each had 2.0.
RETURNING SCORING? THIS TIME, WE’VE GOT THAT
Last season the Broncos had just four returning rushing/receiving touchdowns spread among tight end Blake Bosma, wide receiver Anthony Sambucci and former quarterbacks Jack Salopek and Tyson Bourguet. What a difference a year makes. Heading into 2024, the Broncos have 27 rushing and receiving touchdowns split among seven players. The development of young talent and additions from the portal saw the Broncos’ scoring options grow. Reigning MAC Freshman of the Year, Jalen Buckley, leads all returners with 10 touchdowns, all on the ground. Seniors Zahir Abdus-Salaam and Sambucci both return five touchdowns, while graduate transfer and starting quarterback Hayden Wolff had two rushing touchdowns, and Bosma had two receiving.
Ball State Notes
• Community and Family Weekend is the theme for this week’s Cardinals football game at Scheumann Stadium when Ball State hosts Mid-American Conference rival Western Michigan. Saturday’s game is sponsored by Hillcroft Services. • Both teams enter the contest at 1-3. The Cardinals got a season-opening win over Central Michigan and the Broncos downed Bethune-Cookman two weeks ago. Each team also has endured a pair of blowout defeats against top teams – Ball State at No. 10 Miami plus last week’s loss at James Madison; WMU at Wisconsin and No. 2 Ohio State. • While WMU comes to Muncie for its MAC opener, Ball State seeks its first MAC victory following a heartbreaking, gut-wrenching road defeat at Central Michigan two weeks ago. Ball State engineered a five-play, 97-yard two-minute drill touchdown to take a 34-30 lead, but a victory was snatched from the Cardinals’ hands in the final seconds. • The Cardinals continue to be led on offense by redshirt freshman quarterback Kadin Semonza and junior tight end Tanner Koziol. It was that duo that connected for the late touchdown at CMU, and Koziol has shared a career-high nine catches in each of the past two weeks. Semonza has completed over 68 percent of his passes this season (96 of 140), for 826 yards and eight touchdowns. Koziol boasts 29 grabs for 289 yards and three of those TDs. • Hoping to get the run game more involved this week, FCS transfer Braedon Sloan has netted 282 yards on 59 carries this season, in addition to 111 yards on 14 catches. Aside from a 13-yard day at No. 10 Miami, Sloan has approached or exceeded the 100-yard mark in each game: 103 vs. Missouri State, 94 at CMU and 72 at JMU. • The 100th anniversary of Ball State’s first season in 1924 coincides with the 100th season on the field, given that the Cardinals didn’t field a team in 1943 due to World War II. Season-long celebrations of the 100th season will be displayed at Scheumann Stadium this season. Similarly, it is the program’s 50th season in the MAC — formally joining the league in 1973 and playing its first football games in 1975.
WHAT A WIN MEANS:
• The Cardinals will snap a two-game skid against Western Michigan. • The fifth winningest coach in Ball State football history, Mike Neu will capture his 39th victory as head coach of his alma mater to move within one victory of tying Dwight Wallace (40) with the fourth-most wins in Cardinals history.
