SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 3:30 P.M. • CBSSN
WAGNER at NAVY
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000/FieldTurf)
Annapolis, Maryland
Television: CBS Sports Network
Jordan Kent, Randy Cross and Sheehan Stanwick Burch
Radio: WBAL-AM 1090 (Navy flagship)/SiriusXM 135/202
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Navy and Wagner … The Midshipmen last faced an FCS opponent last seaosn, when Delaware stunned Navy in the season-opener, snapping a streak of 11 straight victories against FCS teams … Wagner has been outscored by its last two FBS opponents 125-7 (against Rutgers and Syracuse).
WAGNER
0-1, 0-0 NEC
Head Coach
Tom Masella (Wagner ’81)
1-24, third season at Wagner
45-89, 11th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Wagner dropped its 2023 opener as the Seahawks fell 46-14 to Fordham Saturday … The Seahawks were outgained by a 513-432 margin and were on the short end of a 27-15 first downs discrepancy … QB Steven Krajewski was a bright spot as he completed 19 of 33 passes for 334 yards and two touchdowns and one interception … Krajewski played in The American at UConn in the 2019 season, but did not play in the Huskies’ game against Navy that year … WR Trevor Shorter had five receptions for 131 yards and a touchdown … RB Zachary Palmer-Alexander had 61 yards on nine carries … The game against Navy is the first of two against FBS opponents for Wagner, which
faces Rutgers Sept. 30 … The Seahawks went 1-10 last season, with the lone win against Long Island Oct. 21.
NAVY
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Brian Newberry (Baylor ’98)
0-1, first season
Notes
Navy looks to bounce back from a 42-3 setback to No. 13 Notre Dame in a game that was played in Dublin, Ireland, Aug. 26 … Navy has the longest regular season in the country this season as the Midshipmen play their final game Dec. 9 against Army … The Midshipmen are looking for their first win in a home-opener since 2019, when Navy topped Holy Cross … Navy has gone 4-12 at home in the last three seasons after putting together a 73-20 stretch in Annapolis from 2013-19 … Navy was outgained 444-169 against Notre Dame in the 2023 opener … QB Tai Lavatai got the start against the Irish and finished with 43 passing yards and 23 rushing yards … FB Daba Fofana saw most of the work on the ground and had 56 rushing yards on 15 carries … LB Will Harbour had a team-high eight tackles.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 3:30 P.M. • ESPN+
TEXAS STATE at UTSA
Alamodome (36,582/FusionH XP2 Synthetic)
San Antonio, Texas
Television: ESPN+
Lincoln Rose, Stanford Routt and Morgan Uber
Radio: KTXR-AM 760 (UTSA flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fifth meeting between UTSA and Texas State … The Roadrunners have taken all four previous meetings, but three of the four have been decided by a touchdown or less … The last meeting saw UTSA take a 51-48 win in two overtimes in what was the first game of Jeff Traylor’s tenure.
rv/- TEXAS STATE
1-0, 0-0 Sun Belt
Head Coach
GJ Kinne (Tulsa ’09)
1-0, first season at Texas State
13-2, second season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Much ado was made about a new head coach who transformed his team’s roster and scored a stunning Week 1 win against a Big 12 team, but GJ Kinne did something similar in his debut at Texas State, which handled Baylor 42-31 last week … The Bobcats led for more than 52 minutes and had as much as an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter … QB TJ Finley, who made 11 starts at Auburn, completed 22 of 30 passes for 298 yards and three touchdowns without an interception … WR Joey Hobert, an FCS All-America at Utah Tech last year, had six receptions for 105 yards and a TD … Kinne is in his first year as head coach at Texas State after he led Incarnate Word to a 12-2 record capped by a Southland Conference title and a trip to the NCAA FCS Championship semifinals.
-/rv UTSA
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Jeff Traylor (Stephen F. Austin ’90)
30-11, fourth season
Notes
UTSA looks to bounce back from a 17-14 setback at Houston in the season-opener … The Roadrunners had a 22-19 advantage in first downs and a 417-334 edge in total yards, but were undone by three turnovers and eight penalties … WR Joshua Cephus led the offense with nine receptions for 123 yards and a touchdown, while RB Kevorian Barnes had 103 yards and a TD on 16 carries … QB Frank Harris passed for 209 yards and a touchdown, but was intercepted three times … Harris enters Saturday’s game with 9,565 career passing yards, ranking ninth among active FBS players … The loss to Houston snapped an 11-game winning streak for UTSA against unranked teams … The Roadrunners have lost back-to-back games for the first time since the 2020 season … UTSA has not started a season at 0-2 since 2018.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 3:30 P.M. • ESPN2
OLE MISS at TULANE
Yulman Stadium (30,000/UBU Speed Series 5M)
New Orleans, Louisiana
Television: ESPN2
Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Tom Luginbill
Radio: KVDU-FM 104.1 (Tulane flagship)/SiriusXM 138/206
THE GAME
Tulane and Ole Miss have met 72 times previously prior to Saturday’s matchup … The Rebels hold a 42-28 series lead (two Ole Miss wins were vacated by the NCAA) … Tulane’s last win against Ole Miss was a 14-9 decision in Oxford Nov. 5, 1998 … The teams competed concurrently in the SEC from 1932-66.
20/20 OLE MISS
1-0, 0-0 SEC
Head Coach
Lane Kiffin (Fresno State ’98)
24-13, fourth season at Ole Miss
85-47, 12th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Ole Miss rolled to a 73-7 win against Mercer in Week 1 … The Rebels finished the game the a school-record 524 passing yards from three different quarterbacks and had 667 yards of total offense … The 73 points were the most in Lane Kiffin’s tenure … The Rebels have gone 61-17 in nonconference games going back to a 38-0 win against Tulane Nov. 12, 1994 … Ole Miss went 8-5 last season and fell to Texas Tech in the Texas Bowl … The Rebels have 16 returning starters from last year’s team … QB Jaxson Dart led the way with 334 passing yards and four TDs … WR Tre Harris had six catches for 133 yards and a school-record four TDs … WR Jordan Watkins had six receptions for 111 yards … RB Quinshon Judkins rushed for 60 yards and two touchdowns.
24/22 TULANE
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ‘83)
44-45, eighth season at Tulane
215-114, 26th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Tulane looked impressive in its season-opening 37-17 win against a South Alabama squad that won 10 games last season … The Green Wave had lost 61 consecutive games against nationally ranked opponents before closing the 2022 season with three straight wins against top-25 teams … Tulane raced out to a 24-7 lead midway through the second quarter and limited the Jaguars to seven second-half points … QB Michael Pratt was nearly perfect in his 2023 debut as he completed 14 of 15 passes for 294 yards and four touchdowns … Pratt’s efficiency rating of 364.0 was the best of any FBS player in Week 1 … WR Jha’Quan Jackson had three catches — two for touchdowns — and had 106 receiving yards against South Alabama.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 4 P.M. • ESPNU
MARSHALL at EAST CAROLINA
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000/Natural Grass)
Greenville, North Carolina
Television: ESPNU
Jay Alter and Rene Ingoglia
Radio: WNCT-FM 107.9 (East Carolina flagship)/SiriusXM 990
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 17th meeting between East Carolina and Marshall in a series that dates to 1967 … The Pirates hold an 11-5 series lead after a 42-38 decision in Huntington, West Virignia, in 2021 … East Carolina is 7-0 against the Thundering Herd in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium … Saturday’s game is the first in Greenville since 2012.
MARSHALL
1-0, 0-0 Sun Belt
Head Coach
Charles Huff (Hampton ’05)
17-10, third season
Notes Marshall earned a milestone victory in its 2023 season-opener as the Thundering Herd held off Albany for a 21-17 win … It was the 600th win in program history … Marshall went 9-4 last season, including a 28-14 win against UConn in the Myrtle Beach Bowl … The Herd returns 13 starters from last season, including nine on offense … Marshall takes a six-game winning streak into Saturday’s matchup against East Carolina … The Herd started last season at 3-3, but won six of its last seven games, including five in a row to close the year … The Herd was led against Albany by RB Rasheen Ali, who rushed for 137 yards and two touchdowns on 18 carries … QB Cam Fancher went 28-for-35 for 268 yards and a touchdown with an interception … WR Charles Montgomery had six receptions for 81 yards and a TD.
EAST CAROLINA
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Mike Houston (Mars Hill ‘94)
22-25, fifth season at East Carolina
102-50, 13th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
East Carolina was unable to find much success on offense as the Pirates fell 30-3 at No. 2 Michigan to open the 2023 season … East Carolina was on the short end of a 26-12 margin in first downs and a 402-235 discrepancy in total yards … The Pirates played well in spots on defense, but saw a physical Michigan squad churn out a pair of 12-play drives and three scoring drives of 75 yards or more … QB Mason Garcia got the start and went 11-for-18 for 80 yards and an interception … QB Alex Flinn came on to complete 6 of 11 passes for 52 yards … The Pirates were limited to 103 yards on the ground … S Julius Wood had a team-high nine tackles … Saturday’s game is the first of back-to-back games against Sun Belt Conference teams for East Carolina, which visits Appalachian State next week.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 5 P.M. • PAC-12 NETWORK
TULSA at WASHINGTON
H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000/FieldTurf)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Television: Pac-12 Network
Ted Robinson and Yogi Roth
Radio: KXBL-FM 99.5 (Tulsa flagship)/SiriusXM 380
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Tulsa and Washington … The Golden Hurricane is 2-2 all-time against current members of the Pac-12, while Washington is 5-2-2 all-time against The American’s current roster … Tulsa has the smallest enrollment among FBS schools at 3,777, while Washington’s enrollment is 48,482.
TULSA
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Kevin Wilson (North Carolina ’84)
1-0, first season at Tulsa
27-47, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Tulsa made a winner of new head coach Kevin Wilson last Thursday as the Golden Hurricane shook off a slow start to cruise to a 42-7 win against Arkansas-Pine Bluff … Tulsa committed turnovers on its first two possessions, but put together a 28-point second quarter to win going away … The spark came from QB Cardell Williams, who came on in the first quarter after an injury to QB Braylon Braxton … Williams completed his first 13 attempts, including three TDs, and finished with 233 yards on 13-of-14 passing … WR Marquis Shoulders was the primary beneficiary with five receptions for 132 yards and two touchdowns … RB Jordan Ford rushed for 110 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries … The seven points allowed against UAPB were the fewest for Tulsa since a 19-6 win at Navy Dec. 5, 2020.
8/8 WASHINGTON
1-0, 0-0 Pac-12
Head Coach
Kalen DeBoer (North Carolina ’84)
1-0, first season at Tulsa
27-47, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Washington projected as a contender for a Pac-12 title and potential College Football Playoff participant, and the Huskies did little to dispel those prognostications in a 56-19 win against Boise State last Saturday … The Huskies were led by QB Michael Penix Jr., who threw for 450 yards and matched his career high with five touchdown passes … Penix, who ranked second nationally with 4,641 yards and threw 31 touchdown passes last season, had four TDs as part of a 28-point second quarter against Boise State … The Huskies take an eight-game winning streak into Saturday’s matchup … Washington went 11-2 last season, dropping road games to UCLA and Arizona State in succession before closing the year with seven consecutive wins.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 6 P.M. • ESPN+
UAB at GEORGIA SOUTHERN
Allen E. Paulson Stadium (25,000/FieldTurf)
Statesboro, Georgia
Television: ESPN+
Danny Waugh, David Hulvey and LeeAnna Gaye
Radio: WJOX-FM 94.5 (flagship)/SiriusXM 993
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be only the second meeting between UAB and Georgia Southern … The only previous matchup was a 35-21 win by the Blazers in Birmingham last season … That game saw UAB ride a 223-yard, four-touchdown performance from RB DeWayne McBride as the Blazers protected an early 21-0 lead.
UAB
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Trent Dilfer (Fresno State)
1-0, first season
Notes
UAB enjoyed a solid outing in the head coaching debut of Trent Dilfer as the Blazers scored a comfortable 35-6 win against North Carolina A&T last Thursday in Birmingham … The Blazers outgained the Aggies 458-163 and had a 31-12 margin in first downs … QB Jacob Zeno enjoyed the best game of his career as the former Baylor signal-caller completed 38 of 41 passes for 291 yards and three touchdowns without an interception … Zeno’s 38 completed passes were a school record … Zeno completed passes to 13 different receivers … RB Jermaine Brown Jr. rushed for a team-high 47 yards on only six carries and had two touchdowns … LB Jackson Bratton registered a game-high 12 tackles with 2.0 sacks and a forced fumble … The Blazers’ game against North Carolina A&T was completed in two hours and 53 minutes.
GEORGIA SOUTHERN
1-0, 0-0 Sun Belt
Head Coach
Clay Helton (Houston ’94)
7-7, second season at Georgia Southern
52-31, seventh full season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Georgia Southern began its second season under coach Clay Helton with a solid 34-0 win against The Citadel last Saturday … The Eagles have won 31 of their last 32 nonconference home games … The only loss in that stretch was a setback to then-No. 14 BYU in the 2021 season … Georgia Southern is 128-17 all-time in nonconference
games at Paulson Stadium … Georgia Southern went 6-7 last season, including wins against Nebraska and No. 25 James Madison … Georgia Southern was one of five FBS
teams to register a shutout in Week 1 … The win against The Citadel was the first shutout of Helton’s head coaching career … QB Davis Brin, who played in The American at Tulsa, completed 27 of 36 passes for 244 yards and two touchdowns in his Georgia Southern debut.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 6 P.M. • ESPN+
OHIO at FLORIDA ATLANTIC
FAU Stadium (29,495/Natural Grass)
Boca Raton, Florida
Television: ESPN+
Jay Westling, Leger Douzable and Smacker Miles
Radio: WMEN-AM 640 (Florida Atlantic flagship)/SiriusXM 991
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between Florida Atlantic and Ohio … The only previous matchup was last season, when the Bobcats held on for a 41-38 win in Athens, Ohio … Florida Atlantic QB N’Kosi Perry threw for 364 yards and five touchdowns, but the Owls were unable to overcome a 41-24 fourth-quarter deficit.
OHIO
1-1, 0-0 MAC
Head Coach
Tim Albin (Northwestern Oklahoma State ’89)
14-14, third season
Notes
Ohio is off to a 1-1 start after the Bobcats opened with a Week 0 loss at San Diego State (20-13) before scoring a 27-10 win against Long Island last Saturday … The Bobcats return QB Kurtis Rourke, who was named the 2022 MAC Offensive Player of the Year despite a season-ending knee injury in November of last year …Rourke was the Opening Day starter against San Diego State, but left that game with an apparent leg injury and did not play against Long Island … QB C.J. Harris and QB Parker Navarro both saw action against Long Island … RB Sieh Bangura has rushed for 172 yards in two games … LB Bryce Houston has registered 24 tackles with a sack, 3.5 tackles for loss and an interception … Ohio went 10-4 last season, winning eight of its last nine and capping the year with a win against Wyoming in the Arizona Bowl.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Tom Herman (Cal Lutheran ’97)
1-0, first season at Florida Atlantic
55-22, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Florida Atlantic turned in a 42-20 win against Monmouth in its first game under new head coach Tom Herman … Herman, who coached at Houston from 2015-16, improved his record as an American Athletic Conference coach to 23-4, an .852 winning percentage that is the best among American coaches … The Owls were led by QB Casey Thompson, who completed 20 of 25 passes for 280 yards and a school-record-tying five touchdowns against one interception … RB Larry McCammon Jr. rushed for 125 yards and a TD on only 13 carries, averaging 9.6 yards per attempt … WR Tony Johnson had five catches for 91 yards and two touchdowns, while WR Je’Quan Burton had two TDs among his three catches for 56 yards … The Owls play their next two on the road, facing Clemson and Illinois.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 6 P.M. • ESPN+
SMU at OKLAHOMA
Oklahoma Memorial Stadium (80,126/Natural Grass)
Norman, Oklahoma
Television: ESPN+
Shawn Kenney, Ryan Leaf and Tori Petry
Radio: KTCK-FM 96.7 (SMU flagship)/SiriusXM 146/200
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the eighth meeting between SMU and Oklahoma and the first since the 1995 season … The Sooners hold a 5-1-1 series lead and have won four
straight … The Mustangs’ lone win was a 28-27 decision in the 1968 Blubonnet Bowl in Houston … Saturday’s game will be the fourth straight meeting in Norman.
-/rv SMU
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee (Arkansas ’08)
8-6, second season
Notes
SMU raced to a 31-0 lead by halftime and was never threatened in what turned into a 38-14 victory against Louisiana Tech last Saturday … SMU had a 24-11 advantage in first downs and a 457-269 margin in total yards … QB Preston Stone was the Opening Day starter and he responded by completing 23 of 37 passes for 248 yards and three touchdowns without an interception … Stone hit career highs in all four passing categories … RB LJ Johnson Jr. rushed for 128 yards and a touchdown on 14
carries as the Mustangs finished with 209 yards on the ground … TE RJ Maryland had five receptions for 58 yards and a TD … A stout defensive effort was led by DE Elijah Roberts, who had two sacks, while DE Kori Roberson had a 16-yard pick-six … The Mustangs registered seven sacks and 11 tackles for loss against the Bulldogs.
18/17 OKLAHOMA
1-0, 0-0 Big 12
Head Coach
Brent Venables (Kansas State ’92)
7-7, second season
Notes
Oklahoma was one of the most impressive teams nationally in Week 1 as the Sooners dominated every facet of a 73-0 win against Arkansas State … The Sooners had significant advantages in first downs (36-10), total offense (642-208), third down conversions (11-of-14/2-of-12) and time of possession (36:56-23:04) … Oklahoma scored on each of its first 11 possessions, including 10 touchdowns … QB Dillon Gabriel is no stranger to the American Athletic Conference … Gabriel played at UCF for two years before transferring … Gabriel completed 19 of 22 passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns, all in the first half … Oklahoma has gone 135-13 at home since the start of the 1999 season … The .912 winning percentage is the best of any team nationally since then … The Sooners were picked third in the Big 12 preseason poll.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 6:30 P.M. • ESPN+
NORTH TEXAS at FIU
FIU Stadium (20,000/FieldTurf)
Miami, Florida
Television: ESPNU
AJ Ricketts and Johnathan Cyprien
Radio: KEGL-FM 97.1 (North Texas flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 11th meeting between North Texas and FIU and will break a 5-5 tie in the series … North Texas has taken the last three meetings, including a 52-14 decision last year in Denton … FIU won five in a row from 2007-11 … The Mean Green is 2-3 against the Panthers in Miami.
NORTH TEXAS
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Eric Morris (Texas Tech ’08)
0-1, first season at North Texas
24-19, fifth season as collegiate head coach
Notes
North Texas looks to bounce back from a 58-10 setback to California in the season-opener last Saturday … Head coach Eric Morris is looking for his first win at North Texas in his return to the Lone Star State … WR Ja’Mori Maclin was a bright spot against California … Maclin had four receptions for 122 yards and two long touchdowns … He became the first North Texas player with at least 100 receiving yards and two touchdowns in a season-opener since 2012 … QB Stone Earle made his first start and completed 12 of 19 passes for 174 yards and three TDs … Saturday’s game is the first of back-to-back contests for North Texas against its former counterparts in Conference USA … The Mean Green visits Louisiana Tech next week.
FIU
1-1, 0-1 Conference USA
Head Coach
Mike McIntyre (Georgia Tech ’89)
5-9, second season at FIU
51-74, 11th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
FIU plays the second of back-to-back home games with Saturday’s matchup against North Texas … The Panthers opened the season with a 22-17 setback at Louisiana Tech
in Week 0 before scoring a 14-12 win against Maine last Saturday in Miami … QB Grayson James got the Opening Day start against Louisiana Tech, but struggled with a
5-for-14 performance … The Panthers went with freshman QB Keyone Jenkins against Maine, who completed 15 of 30 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns and an interception … RB Shomari Lawrence has rushed for 165 yards and a touchdown on 22 carries … WR Kris Mitchell has 10 receptions for 203 yards and two TDs … The defense has been paced by LB Donovan Manuel , who has a team-high 29 tackles with 3.0 tackles for loss.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
MEMPHIS at ARKANSAS STATE
Centennial Bank Stadium (30,382/ProGreen)
Jonesboro, Arkansas
Television: ESPN+
Roger Twibill, Pete Cordelli and Darrell Greene
Radio: WXMX-FM 98.9 (Memphis flagship)/SiriusXM 392
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 61st meeting between Memphis and Arkansas State in a series that dates to 1914 … The Tigers hold a 32-23-5 series lead and have won the last four meetings, including a 44-32 win in Memphis last season … Arkansas State’s last win against the Tigers was a 33-28 decision in Jonesboro in 2012.
-/rv MEMPHIS
0-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Ryan Silverfield (Hamden-Sydney ’03)
14-12, third season
Notes
Memphis turned in a solid Week 1 performance as the Tigers rolled to a 56-14 win against Bethune-Cookman at Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium … The Tiger defense led the way, limiting the Wildcats to 91 total yards and not allowing Bethune-Cookman’s offense to score (the 14 points came on defensive returns) … Memphis had a 27-4 advantage in first downs and gained 551 yards on the day … QB Seth Henigan went 27-of-36 for 334 yards and two touchdowns and two interceptions … RB Sutton Smith rushed for 115 yards and two TDs on 18 carries, while RB Blake Watson had 75 yards and three touchdowns on 10 attempts … WR DeMeer Blankumsee, a transfer from Toledo, had six catches for 98 yards and a touchdown … LB Andres Fox led the defense with five tackles, a sack, 1.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
ARKANSAS STATE
0-1 0-0 Sun Belt
Head Coach
Butch Jones (Ferris State ’90)
5-20, third season at Arkansas State
89-74, 14th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Arkansas State looks to regroup from a tough opening game as the Red Wolves fell 73-0 at No. 19 Oklahoma last Saturday … Arkansas State was limited to 48 rushing
yards and 208 total yards, while the Sooners scored on each of their first 11 possessions, including 10 touchdowns … The Red Wolves went 3-9 last season and return 12 starters from that group … Arkansas State is looking to avoid its first 0-2 start since 2016 … The Red Wolves have won 15 of their last 18 home openers … The game against Memphis is the first of three straight September home games, the first time that has happened in Jonesboro … QB J.T. Shrout, a transfer from Colorado, went 12-for-26 for 148 yards in the opener against Oklahoma … LB Malique Straker and LB Javante Mackey had 11 tackles each.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 7 P.M. • NFL NETWORK
HOUSTON at RICE
Rice Stadium (47,000/FieldTurf)
Houston, Texas
Television: NFL Network
Doug Sherman and Tyoka Jackson
Radio: Varsity Network/SiriusXM 135/202
THE GAME • THE BAYOU BUCKET
Saturday’s game will be the 45th meeting between Rice and Houston in a series that dates to 1971 … The Cougars hold a 33-11 series lead and have won the last seven matchups, including a 34-27 decision last year at TDECU Stadium … The schools are separated by 4.6 miles in Houston — the shortest distance between two FBS rivals.
rv/rv HOUSTON
1-0, 0-0 Big 12
Head Coach
Dana Holgorsen (Iowa Wesleyan ’93)
28-20, fourth season at Houston
89-61, 13th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Houston plays the second of five consecutive in-state opponents to start the season as the Cougars look for a 2-0 start after a 17-14 win against UTSA last Saturday
… Houston pulled away from what had been a 7-7 game with a field goal at the halftime gun and short touchdown drive in the third quarter before holding the Roadrunners off down the stretch … Houston was on the short end in total yards (334-417) and first downs (19-22), but was plus-three in turnovers as the Cougars took advantage of three UTSA interceptions … CB Malik Fleming, who was an all-conference selection in The American at East Carolina, had two picks … QB Donovan Smith, a transfer from Texas Tech, went 22-for-34 for 233 yards and two TDs … WR Samuel Brown had six catches for 106 yards.
RICE
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Mike Bloomgren (Florida State ’99)
16-40, sixth season
Notes
Rice, which is playing five of its first six games in its home state, dropped a 37-10 decision to No. 11 Texas in the season-opener in Austin last Saturday … The Owls took an early lead, but the Longhorns used a touchdown and three field goals to build a 16-3 halftime lead … Rice was limited to 176 yards of offense and eight first downs against a stingy Longhorn defense … The Owls had only 27 rushing yards and averaged 1.1 yards per carry … QB JT Daniels, the well-traveled signal-caller who most recently played at West Virginia, went 14-of-26 for 149 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions in his Rice debut … Rice has 16 starters back from last year’s squad, which went 5-8 and played in the Lending Tree Bowl … The Owls have 42 new players on the 2023 roster, including 10 graduate transfers.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
FLORIDA A&M at SOUTH FLORIDA
Raymond James Stadium (65,000/Natural Grass)
Tampa, Florida
Television: ESPN+
Drew Fellios and Patrick Murray
Radio: WHPT-FM 102.5 (South Florida flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fifth meeting between South Florida and Florida A&M … The Bulls have won all four previous meetings, including a 38-17 decision in Tampa
in the 2021 season … South Florida got three touchdowns from RB Jaren Mangham in that last matchup, while WR Xavier Weaver had five receptions for 77 yards and a TD.
FLORIDA A&M
1-0, 1-0 SWAC
Head Coach
Willie Simmons (Clemson ’02)
34-12, third season at Florida A&M
55-23, eighth season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Florida A&M scored an impressive 28-10 win against Jackson State last Sunday in front of 24,967 fans at Hard Rock Stadium … The Rattlers raced to a 28-0 halftime lead and allowed only one touchdown on the day … FAMU is ranked No. 21 in this week’s FCS coaches’ poll … The Rattlers went 9-2 last season, falling only to North Carolina and Jackson State in the first two games of the season … FAMU takes a 10-game winning streak into Saturday’s game against South Florida … The Rattlers are led offensively by QB Jeremy Moussa, a graduate transfer from Vanderbilt who is the 2023 SWAC Preseason Offensive Player of the Year … Moussa completed 12 of 22 passes for 150 yards and two touchdowns against Jackson State in Week 1 … WR Jah’Marae Sheread had five catches for 90 yards and a TD.
SOUTH FLORIDA
0-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Alex Golesh (Ohio State ’06)
0-1, first season
Notes
South Florida looks to snap an 11-game slide after the Bulls fell 41-24 to a Western Kentucky squad that is the favorite in Conference USA … The game was tied at 17-17 at halftime before the Hilltoppers 24-7 in the second half … South Florida reeled off 540 yards of offense and 26 first downs, but was undone in part by three turnovers … QB Byrum Brown got the Opening Day start and completed 15 of 34 passes for 166 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions … Brown enters the weekend as The American’s leading rusher after he had 160 yards and two TDs on the ground … RB Nay’Quan Wright, a transfer from Florida, rushed for 111 yards on 17 carries … WR Khafre Brown had three receptions for 95 yards, including an 84-yard touchdown … The Bulls have 56 new players on their 2023 roster.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 7:30 P.M. • NBC
CHARLOTTE at MARYLAND
SECU Stadium (54,000/FieldTurf)
College Park, Maryland
Television: NBC
Noah Eagle, Todd Blackledge and Kathryn Tappen
Radio: WZGV-AM 730 (Charlotte flagship)/SiriusXM 85
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between Charlotte and Maryland … The schools met last season in Charlotte as the Terrapins took a 56-21 decision … as Maryalnd QB Taulia Tagovailoa threw for 391 yards and four touchdowns … Charlotte is looking for its first win against a Big Ten team (0-2).
CHARLOTTE
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Biff Poggi (Duke)
1-0, first season
Notes
Charlotte made a winner of first-year head coach Biff Poggi as the 49ers pulled away for a 24-3 win against South Carolina State in the season-opener last Saturday
at Richardson Stadium … The 49ers trailed 3-0 early in the second quarter, but scored the game’s final 24 points … Charlotte’s defense limited the Bulldogs to eight first downs, 109 rushing yards, 168 total yards and 3-of-14 efficiency on third down … QB Jalon Jones, who played previously at Florida and Bethune-Cookman, went 13-of-19 for 125 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions in his first start with the 49ers … RB Durell Robinson rushed for 71 yards and a TD on 11 carries … WR Jack Hestera, a transfer from Colorado, had a team-high four receptions for 49 yards … DE Eyabi Okie-Anoma, a Michigan transfer, had a sack and 2.0 tackles for loss.
MARYLAND
1-0, 0-0 Big Ten
Head Coach
Michael Locksley (Towson ’92)
22-28, sixth season at Maryland
24-54, ninth season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Maryland has improved its win total in back-to-back years as the Terrapins come off an 8-5 season in 2022, capped by a win against NC State in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl … Maryland is off to a strong start in 2023 after opening with a 38-6 win against Towson in Week 1 … The Terrapins have not allowed a touchdown in three consecutive games, spanning 12 quarters, and has gone 192 minutes, 36 seconds without allowing an opposing TD … Maryland shut Rutgers out in the final regular-season game of last season, held NC State to four field goals in the Duke’s Mayo Bowl and limited Towson to two field goals last week … QB Taulia Tagovailoa enters the weekend as Maryland’s career leader in passing yards (8,139), touchdown passes (54) and 300-yard games (12).
SATURDAY, SEPT. 9 • 7:30 P.M. • BIG TEN NETWORK
TEMPLE at RUTGERS
SHI Stadium (52,454/FieldTurf)
Piscataway, New Jersey
Television: Big Ten Network
Joe Beninati and Brock Vreen
Radio: WPEN-FM 97.5 (Temple flagship)/SiriusXM 134/196
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 38th meeting between Temple and Rutgers in a series that dates to 1948 … Rutgers holds a 22-15 series lead and has won the last six matchups, including a 16-14 decision in Philadelphia last season … Temple’s last win against the Scarlet Knights was a 20-17 victory Nov. 16, 2002.
TEMPLE
1-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Stan Drayton (Allegheny ’93)
4-9, second season
Notes
Temple won its season-opener for the first time since 2019 after the Owls overcame an early deficit to rally past Akron for a 24-21 victory … Temple trailed 21-7 late in the second quarter, but the Owls got a field goal at the halftime gun to spark a 17-0 run to close the game … Temple’s defense limited Akron to 43 yards in the second half … QB E.J. Warner, the 2022 American Rookie of the Year, completed 28 of 49 passes for 292 yards and two touchdowns without an interception … RB Edward Saydee was limited to 18 rushing yards on eight carries, but had two fourth-quarter touchdown receptions to deliver the win … WR Dante Wright had seven catches for 71 yards … The defense was led by LB Yvandy Rigby, who had a game-high 14 tackles … S Tywan Francis had five tackles, a tackle for loss and an interception.
RUTGERS
1-0, 1-0 Big Ten
Head Coach
Greg Schiano (Bucknell ’88)
81-89, 15th season
Notes
Rutgers entered the 2023 season saddled with a five-game losing streak after a 4-8 season, but the Scarlet Knights put an abrupt end to the streak with a solid 24-7 victory against Northwestern to get off to an early lead in the Big Ten race … Rutgers limited Northwestern to 201 yards of offense and had a nearly 16-minute advantage in time of possession (37:56-22:04) … Rutgers has won its season-opener 11 times in 15 seasons under Greg Schiano … The Scarlet Knights scored on their first three drives against Northwestern and didn’t allow the Wildcats to score until their final drive of the game … QB Gavin Wimsatt completed 17 of 29 passes for 163 yards and a touchdown … RB Kyle Monangai rushed for 49 yards and a TD on 14 carries … The game against Temple is the second of four straight at home to open the season.
