UPCOMING SCHEDULE
Saturday, September 30
*Buffalo at Akron…………………………………..12:00 pm ET (ESPN+)
*Eastern Michigan at Central Michigan…..1:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
*Miami at Kent State………………………………. 2:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
*NIU at Toledo………………………………………..3:30 pm ET (ESPNU)
*Ball State at Western Michigan…………….. 3:30 pm ET (ESPN+)
Bowling Green at Georgia Tech……3:30 pm ET (ACC Network)
2 MINUTE DRILL
- Ohio collected its first Mid-American Conference win of the season after it defeated Bowling Green 38-7 at Doyt L. Perry Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats ended the day with 328 total yards on offense and held the Falcons to 206, the Bobcats’ second-lowest opponent total of the season. The Bobcats are now 4-1 (1-0 MAC) on the season.
- Toledo outscored Western Michigan 35-7 in the second half to overcome a 10-point deficit and post a 49-31 win in its first MAC game of the season at the Glass Bowl on Saturday. Toledo outgained WMU 295-142 and forced three turnovers to turn the tide and cruise to a double-digit victory. The win improved the Rockets to 3-1 (1-0 MAC) on the year.
- Central Michigan rallied late to pick up a 34-30 victory at South Alabama, its first non-conference road win since 2017. Quarterback Jase Bauer led the Chippewas, throwing for 224 yards and a touchdown while adding 55 yards and four scores on the ground en route to MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week honors.
- Miami won its home opener in dominant fashion as the RedHawks posted a 62-20 win over Delaware State in Oxford to move to 3-1 for the first time since 2003. Five different RedHawks produced rushing touchdowns, led by Keyon Mozee’s two scores, as Miami (3-1) rolled up 466 yards on the ground. Brett Gabbert completed 75% of his passes (15 of 20) for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Overall, the 62 points sit as the highest-scoring game by the RedHawks since 1997.
MAC NOTES
- Toledo, Ohio Highlight Week 4 Slate with Conference Wins
The Toledo Rockets and Ohio Bobcats opened conference play with victories last weekend. Ohio collected its first Mid-American Conference win of the season after it defeated Bowling Green 38-7 at Doyt L. Perry Stadium Saturday afternoon. The Bobcats ended the day with 328 total yards on offense and held the Falcons to 206, the Bobcats’ second-lowest opponent total of the season. The Bobcats are now 4-1 (1-0 MAC) on the season. Toledo outscored Western Michigan 35-7 in the second half to overcome a 10-point deficit and post a 49-31 win in its first MAC game of the season at the Glass Bowl on Saturday. Toledo outgained WMU 295-142 and forced three turnovers to turn the tide and cruise to a double-digit victory. The win improved the Rockets to 3-1 (1-0 MAC) on the year. - MAC Continues Success over FBS Opponents
After Ohio knocked off Big 12 foe Iowa State by a final score of 10-7 and Miami posted up a 31-24 overtime win in dramatic fashion over Cincinnati for the MAC’s second and third Fly the Flag victory of the 2023 season last week, Central Michigan’s 34-30 victory over South
Alabama marked the MAC’s eighth win against FBS opponent in 2023: - Northern Illinois 27, Boston College 24 (Sept. 2)
- Ohio 17, Florida Atlantic 10 (Sept. 9)
- Miami 41, UMass 28 (Sept. 9)
- Ohio 10, Iowa State 7 (Sept. 16)
- Eastern Michigan 19, UMass 17 (Sept. 16)
- Toledo 21, San Jose State 17 (Sept. 16)
- Miami 31, Cincinnati 24, OT (Sept. 16)
- Central Michigan 34, South Alabama 30 (Sept. 23)
The MAC has now defeated at least seven FBS opponents in the same season 22 times since 2000 and is currently on a 18-year streak with at least seven victories against FBS foes (minus 2022 due to COVID).
- 2023: 8
- 2022: 7
- 2021: 9
- 2020: (N/A due to COVID)
- 2019: 7
- 2018: 7
- 2017: 11
- 2016: 14
- 2015: 12
- 2014: 8
- 2013: 10
- 2012: 16
- 2011: 10
- 2010: 7
- 2009: 9
- 2008: 14
- 2007: 10
- 2006: 11
- 2005: 9
- 2004: 3
- 2003: 9
- 2002: 10
- 2001: 11
- 2000: 9
- Ohio’s Defense Among Best in Nation
Off to a 4-1 (1-0 MAC) start, the Ohio Bobcats boast one of the top defenses in the nation. Overall, Ohio ranks in the top-10 nationally in seven defensive categories:
Category National Rank Number
Turnovers Gained 2nd 11
Interceptions 2nd 8
Defensive Touchdowns 3rd 12
Total Defense 4th 237.2
Rushing Defense 6th 66.6
Scoring Defense 8th 10.8
3rd down Defense 8th 25.8
Additionally, the Bobcats are joined by the Akron Zips as two of 19 teams in the country with two defensive touchdowns this year.
- Ground Attack: Buckley Ranks Top-25 Nationally in Rushing Western
Michigan redshirt freshman running back Jalen Buckley is off to a strong start. Through four games, Buckley has accumulated 507 yards (126.8 yards per game) to go along with four touchdowns while averaging 6.3 yards per carry. Buckley currently ranks in the top-25 nationally in rushing yards per game (sixth), overall rushing yards (sixth) and rush yards per carry (24th). In addition to Buckley, Toledo’s Peny Boone is averaging 100.5 yards per game as the MAC is one of four conferences nationwide to have multiple 100-yard rushers at this point of the season.
- Evans Moves Up EMU Record Books
Samson Evans posted a 2-yard run on EMU’s opening drive of the 2023 season to record the 30th touchdown of his career, leaving him one shy of tying Gary Patton, who found pay dirt 31 times from 1984-87. The Crystal Lake, Ill., native scored his 27th career rushing touchdown against Central Michigan (Nov. 25, 2022) to move into first place in Eastern Michigan program history in the category during a 2022 season which saw him rush for 100+ yards in four contests, a career-best mark. - Hiliare Keeps Catch Streak Alive Bowling Green wide receiver Odieu Hiliare caught five passes for 45 yards in the Falcons’ MAC opener against Ohio.
Hiliare has now caught a pass in 39-straight games, the fifth longest active streak in the country:
- Jacob Cowing, WR, Arizona 48
- Zakhari Franklin, WR, Ole Miss 46
- Joshua Cephus, WR, UTSA 43
- Jo’quavious Marks, RB, Mississippi State 40
- Odieu Hiliare, WR, Bowling Green 39
