FRIDAY, NOV. 17 • 9 P.M. • ESPNU
SOUTH FLORIDA at UTSA
Alamodome (36,582/FusionH XP2 Synthetic)
San Antonio, Texas
Television ESPNU Anish Shroff, Andre Ware and Paul Carcaterra
South Florida Radio UTSA Radio WHPT-FM 102.5 KTXR-AM 760
THE GAME
Friday’s game will be the first meeting between South Florida and UTSA … The Bulls will be looking for their first win in the state of Texas since a 35-27 decision at SMU Nov. 19, 2016 … UTSA has gone 3-0 under Jeff Traylor in its final regular-season home games, while the Roadrunners have gone 12-1 in November under Traylor.
SOUTH FLORIDA 5-5, 3-3 American
Head Coach Alex Golesh (Ohio State ’06) 5-5, first season
Notes
South Florida evened its record at 5-5 after a 27-23 win against Temple last Saturday in Tampa … The Bulls have established themselves as one of the nation’s most improved teams under first-year head coach Alex Golesh, who has led South Florida to as more wins this season than in the previous three years combined (four) … QB Byrum Brown has passed for 2,538 yards and 18 touchdowns and has 659 yards and eight TDs on the ground … Brown leads The American in total offense at 319.7 yards per game … RB Nay’Quan Wright has 690 rushing yards and six TDs … WR Sean Atkins has team highs with 69 receptions, 808 yards and four touchdown catches, while WR Naiem Simmons has 31 catches for 543 yards and four TDs … S Daquan Evans has team-highs with 11 tackles for loss and three sacks to go with 46 tackles.
UTSA 7-3, 6-0 American
Head Coach Jeff Traylor (Stephen F. Austin ’90) 37-13, fourth season
Notes
UTSA is off to a 6-0 start in conference play after a 34-14 win against Rice last Saturday… The Roadrunners, who started 1-3, have reeled off six straight wins … UTSA has won 16 consecutive games against conference opponents (regular season and postseason) … The Roadrunners are 12-1 in the month of November under head coach Jeff Traylor … QB Frank Harris has thrown for 1,897 yards and 14 touchdowns … RB Kevorian Barnes has rushed for 606 yards and six touchdowns, but missed the game against Rice due to injury … WR Joshua Cephus has 67 catches for 803 yards and eight touchdowns … LB Trey Moore leads the nation with a school-record 14 sacks and is 0.5 sacks shy of The American’s single-season record, set by Marcus Smith of Louisville in 2013 and matched by East Carolina’s Nate Harvey in 2018.
SATURDAY, NOV. 18 • NOON • ESPNEWS
EAST CAROLINA at NAVY Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000/FieldTurf) Annapolis, Maryland
Television ESPNews Mike Corey and Dustin Fox
East Carolina Radio Navy Radio WNCT-FM 107.9 WBAL-AM 1090
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 11th meeting between East Carolina and Navy in a series that dates to 2006 … Navy holds an 8-2 series lead and is 5-1 against the Pirates in American Athletic Conference games … Navy took last year’s meeting 23-20 in Greenville, but the Pirates were 38-35 in 2021, when the teams last played in Annapolis.
EAST CAROLINA 2-8, 1-5 American
Head Coach Mike Houston (Mars Hill ’94) 23-32, fifth season at East Carolina 103-57, 13th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
East Carolina picked up its first conference win of the season and snapped a five-game slide with a 22-7 win at Florida Atlantic … The Pirates rank 14th in The American in scoring at 18.1 points per game, but boast one of the top defenses in the league … East Carolina has held three of its last four opponents to 13 points or fewer … K Andrew Conrad helped to key the win against Florida Atlantic as he became just the third player in NCAA FBS history to connect on five field goals of at least 40 yards … QB Alex Flinn has passed for 1,219 yards and four touchdowns with eight interceptions … RB Rahjai Harris has 341 yards and four touchdowns … WR Jaylen Johnson has 38 receptions for 421 yards and a touchdown … S Julius Wood has a team-high 72 tackles with two interceptions.
NAVY 4-5, 3-3 American
Head Coach Brian Newberry (Baylor ’98) 4-5, first season
Notes
Navy got back to .500 in conference play after the Midshipmen scored a 31-6 win against UAB … The Midshipmen began their season Aug. 26 against Notre Dame and won’t finish the regular season until Dec. 9 against Army, making for the longest regular season of any NCAA team … Navy has held three opponents (Wagner, Charlotte, UAB) without a touchdown … Navy needs to win its next two games to gain bowl eligibility … Navy is the only FBS team that has had four different starting quarterbacks this season … QB Xavier Arline has started the last two games … FB Alex Tecza has 629 yards and four touchdowns on 91 carries and has averaged 6.9 yards per carry … S Rayuan Lane has a team-high four interceptions to lead a solid defense … LB Colin Ramos has 78 tackles, while LB Will Harbour has 65 stops with seven tackles for loss
SATURDAY, NOV. 18 • NOON • ESPN+
TULANE at FLORIDA ATLANTIC
FAU Stadium (29,495/Natural Grass) Boca Raton, Florida
Television ESPN+ Richard Cross, Taylor McHargue and Smacker Miles
Tulane Radio Florida Atlantic Radio KVDU-FM 104.1 WMEN-AM 640
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between Tulane and Florida Atlantic … The only previous matchup was in the 2013 season, when the Owls took a 34-17 win in Boca Raton, when Tulane was in its final season in Conference USA and Florida Atlantic was making its debut in the conference.
17/17 TULANE 9-1, 6-0 American
Head Coach Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ’83) 52-46, eighth season at Tulane 206-115, 25th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Tulane continued to move up in the national polls as the Green Wave enters Week 12 ranked No. 17 … Tulane’s only loss was a 37-20 decision to Ole Miss in Week 2 in which QB Michael Pratt did not play … Pratt, who missed two games due to injury, has returned to the lineup and has completed 134 of 197 passes (68.0%) for 1,791 yards and 16 touchdowns against three interceptions … Freshman RB Makhi Hughes leads The American in rushing at 100.8 yards per game … Hughes has rushed for 1,008 yards and six touchdowns on 185 carries and has six consecutive 100-yard games … WR Lawrence Keys has a team-high 33 receptions for 599 yards and seven touchdowns, but left the game against Tulsa with an apparent foot injury … DE Darius Hodges has a team-high 5.5 sacks.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC 4-6, 3-3 American
Head Coach Tom Herman (Cal Lutheran ’97) 4-6, first season at Florida Atlantic 58-27, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Florida Atlantic has dropped back-to-back games after the Owls fell 22-7 to East Carolina last Saturday … The Owls need wins in their final two regular-season games (against Tulane and Rice) to gain bowl eligibility … The Owls are led by WR LaJohntay Wester, who has established himself as a legitimate candidate for the Biletnikoff Award as the nation’s top receiver … Wester is the NCAA leader in receptions (9.3 per game) and punt returns (22.4 ypr) … Wester has 93 catches for 1,042 yards and eight touchdowns and has 269 yards and a TD on 12 punt returns … QB Daniel Richardson has thrown for 1,706 yards and 11 touchdowns … RB Larry McCammon has rushed for a team-high 643 yards and five TDs … CB Jarron Morris has 68 tackles, 6.5 tackles for loss and three interceptions.
SATURDAY, NOV. 18 • NOON • ESPNU
SMU at MEMPHIS
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (58,325/AstroTurf) Memphis, Tennessee
Television ESPN2 Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison and Stormy Buonantony
SMU Radio Memphis Radio KTCK-FM 96.7 WXMX-FM 98.9
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 16th meeting between SMU and Memphis in a series that began in 1976 … The Tigers hold a 10-5 series lead … The home team has won the last four in the series … The 2019 matchup in Memphis served as the backdrop for ESPN’s College GameDay, capped by the Tigers’ 54-48 win.
rv/rv SMU 8-2, 6-0 American
Head Coach Rhett Lashlee (Arkansas ’08) 15-8, second season
Notes
SMU takes a six-game winning streak into Saturday’s game after the Mustangs took a 45-21 win against North Texas … Five of SMU’s six conference wins have been decided by at least 18 points as the Mustangs have outscored their opponents 270-88 in conference games … SMU is 6-0 in conference play for the first time since 1977, when the Mustangs won their first seven games in the Southwest Conference … SMU is one of three schools to rank in the top 10 nationally in both scoring offense and scoring defense (joining Michigan and Georgia) … QB Preston Stone has completed 177 of 302 passes for 2,589 yards and 23 touchdowns against six interceptions … TE RJ Maryland has 25 catches for 355 yards and six touchdowns … DE Elijah Roberts has a team-high 8.5 sacks to lead a defense that has registered 35 sacks this year.
-/rv MEMPHIS 8-2, 5-1 American
Head Coach Ryan Silverfield (Hamden-Sydney ’03) 29-18 fourth season
Notes
Memphis is looking for a fifth consecutive win after the Tigers rallied for a 44-38 overtrime victory at Charlotte last Saturday … The Tigers have averaged 48.3 points in their current four-game winning streak and have scored at least 20 points in 24 consecutive games, which is the longest active streak nationally … QB Seth Henigan has completed 240 of 362 passes for 2,864 yards and 22 touchdowns against eight interceptions … RB Blake Watson a transfer from Old Dominion, is second in The American in rushing at 90.9 yards per game … Watson has rushed for 909 yards and 12 touchdowns on 152 carries … WR Roc Taylor has 50 receptions for 779 yards and four touchdowns … LB Chandler Martin has 78 tackles with 11.5 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles, while LB Geoffrey Cantin-Arku has 61 tackles and two forced fumbles
SATURDAY, NOV. 18 • 2 P.M. • ESPN+
RICE at CHARLOTTE
Jerry Richardson Stadium (15,314/Synthetic) Charlotte, North Carolina
Television ESPN+ Noah Reed and Reggie Walker
Rice Radio Charlotte Radio Varsity Network WZGV-AM 730
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fifth meeting between Rice and Charlotte … The schools have split the first four meeting as Rice claimed wins in 2015 and 2016 before the 49ers took the 2021 and 2022 games … Charlotte was a 56-23 winner last year in Houston and took a 31-24 in the last meeting in Richardson Stadium.
RICE 4-6, 2-4 American
Head Coach Mike Bloomgren (Florida State ’99) 20-45, sixth season
Notes
Rice fell to 4-6 after the Owls dropped a 34-14 decision to UTSA for their third straight loss … The current slide has been to three teams that are a combined 18-0 in The American, with two of those losses coming by a combined seven points … QB JT Daniels did not play against UTSA last week as he remained in concussion protocol … Daniels has thrown for 2,443 yards and 21 touchdowns … QB AJ Padgett got the start against the Roadrunners … WR Luke McCaffrey has 51 receptions for 768 yards and 10 touchdowns, and is sixth in The American at 76.8 yards per game … RB Dean Connors is the leading rusher with 448 yards and five touchdowns to go with 38 receptions for 384 yards and three TD catches … LB Josh Pearcy leads the team with 6.5 tackles for loss, while DE Coleman Coco has a team-high three sacks.
CHARLOTTE 3-7, 2-4 American
Head Coach Biff Poggi (Duke) 3-7, first season
Notes
Charlotte has seen its last two games decided in overtime after the 49ers fell 44-38 to Memphis last Saturday … The 49ers were 33-26 OT winners at Tulsa the week prior … After not surpassing 25 points in any of its first eight games, Charlotte has averaged 35.5 points in its last two … QB Trexler Ivey has started the last two games and has completed 91 of 162 passes for 1,114 yards and four touchdowns this season … RB Hahsaun Wilson had a breakout game against Memphis as he rushed for 198 yards and three touchdowns on 24 carries … QB Jalon Jones is the leading rusher with 488 yards and four touchdowns … Wilson had just one career carry prior to last week … WR Jack Hestera has 28 catches for 349 yards and three touchdowns … LB Demetrius Knight II leads the squad with 77 tackles to go with 5.5 tackles for loss.
SATURDAY, NOV. 18 • 3 P.M. • ESPN+
TEMPLE at UAB
Protective Stadium (47,100/FieldTurf) Birmingham, Alabama
Television ESPN+ James Westling and Leger Douzable
Temple Radio UAB Radio WPEN-FM 97.5 WJOX-FM 94.5
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Temple and UAB … It will be Temple’s first game in the state of Alabama since 1991, when the Owls faced the Crimson Tide … UAB will be the third conference opponent that Temple has not previously faced, while the Owls will be the Blazers’ second first-time opponent.
TEMPLE 3-7, 1-5 American
Head Coach Stan Drayton (Allegheny ’93) 6-16, second season
Notes
Temple looks to bounce back from a 27-23 setback at South Florida last week … The Owls had dropped five straight before a 32-18 win against Navy Nov. 4, but were unable to get back-to-back victories … QB E.J. Warner enters Saturday’s game as The American’s passing leader at 302.9 yards per game … Warner has thrown for 2,423 yards and 19 touchdowns in eight games … RB Joquez Smith is the leading rusher with 311 yards and a touchdown on 67 carries … The leading receiver is TE David Martin-Robinson, who has 35 catches for 457 yards and three touchdowns … WR Amad Anderson Jr. has 30 receptions for a team-high 478 yards and a TD … LB Jordan Magee has team highs with 78 tackles, 14 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks … CB Tywan Francis has 70 tackles and two interceptions with five pass breakups.
UAB 3-7, 2-4 American
Head Coach Trent Dilfer (Fresno State) 3-7, first season
Notes
UAB followed a solid 45-42 win against Florida Atlantic with a disappointing 31-6 setback at Navy last week … The Blazers are 3-2 at Protective Stadium and 0-5 on the road in 2023 … UAB has been led offensively by QB Jacob Zeno, who has completed 74.8% of his passes (243 of 325) for 2,595 yards and 17 touchdowns with nine interceptions … Zeno is second in The American in passing (288.3 ypg) and fourth in total offense (316.8 ypg) … RB Jermaine Brown Jr. has a team-high 534 rushing yards and nine touchdowns … Brown is a receiving threat out of the backfield with 35 catches for 349 yards … WR Amare Thomas has a teamhigh 48 catches for 421 yards and three touchdowns, while Tejhaun Palmer has 37 receptions for a team-leading 635 yards and five touchdowns … LB Desmond Little, a transfer from LSU, leads the defense with 4.5 sacks.
SATURDAY, NOV. 18 • 3 P.M. • ESPN+
NORTH TEXAS at TULSA
H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000/FieldTurf) Tulsa, Oklahoma
Television ESPN+ Ted Emrich and Adam Breneman
North Texas Radio Tulsa Radio KEGL-FM 97.1 KXBL-FM 99.5
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 25th meeting between North Texas and Tulsa in a series that dates to 1957 … The schools met regularly between 1957-74 before playing sporadically through 2013 … Tulsa holds a 17-7 series lead, but North Texas took a 42-10 decision at Chapman Stadium in 2013 in the most recent matchup.
NORTH TEXAS 3-7, 1-5 American
Head Coach Eric Morris (Texas Tech ’08) 3-7, first season at North Texas 27-25, fifth season as collegiate head coach
Notes
North Texas looks to snap a four-game slide after the Mean Green fell 45-21 at SMU last Friday … The four teams to defeat North Texas in the current stretch are a combined 25-1 in conference play … The Mean Green ranks second in The American in total offense (471.3 ypg) and is third in scoring offense (33.4 ppg) … QB Chandler Rogers has thrown for 2,685 yards and 23 touchdowns against only four interceptions this seaosn … WR Ja’Mori Maclin has 46 catches for 825 yards and a conference-leading 11 touchdowns … WR Roderic Burns and WR Damon Ward have four touchdown receptions each … RB Ayo Adeyi has rushed for 764 yards and four touchdowns and is third in The American at 76.4 rushing yards per game … RB Oscar Adaway has a team-high five rushing TDs.
TULSA 3-7, 1-5 American
Head Coach Kevin Wilson (North Carolina ’84) 3-7, first season at Tulsa 29-54, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Tulsa has lost five straight games after the Golden Hurricane fell 24-22 to then-No. 20 Tulane in New Orleans last Saturday … Tulsa has had to play from behind for much of the season as the opponent has scored first in eight of the Golden Hurricane’s 10 games … Tulsa had struggled to find consistency at the quarterback position, primar – ily due to injuries, as four players have seen significant game action … QB Kirk Francis delivered an impressive performance against Tulane as he went 22-for-34 for 345 yards and a touchdown … RB Anthony Watkins has rushed for 668 yards and three touchdowns … WR Kamdyn Benjamin has 33 receptions for 491 yards and four TDs … S Kendarin Ray has a league-leading 100 tackles, while DE Ben Kopenski has 5.5 sacks.
