THURSDAY, NOV. 12 • 7:30 P.M. • ESPN
MU at TULANE
Yulman Stadium (30,000/UBU Speed Series 5M)
New Orleans, Louisiana
Television
ESPN
Matt Barrie, Louis Riddick and Harry Lyles Jr.
SMU Radio Tulane Radio
KTCK-FM 96.7 KVDU-FM 104.1
SiriusXM 381/971
THE GAME
Thursday’s game will be the 29th meeting between SMU and Tulane in a series that dates to 1943 … SMU holds a 15-13 series lead and has won the last seven meetings … Tulane’s last win against the Mustangs was a 27-26 decision in Dallas in the 2012 season … SMU has won three straight in New Orleans.
SMU
6-4, 4-2 American
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee (Arkansas ’08) 6-4, first season
Notes
SMU has won three straight and four of its last five games after the Mustangs pulled away from South Florida for a 41-23 victory last Saturday in Tampa … Two of SMU’s four losses were one-possession setbacks to teams in this week’s top 25 (No. 4 TCU, No. 22 Cincinnati) … SMU leads The American in scoring (40.3 ppg) and is second in total offense (486.4 ypg) … QB Tanner Mordecai has thrown for 2,780 yards with 27 touchdowns in 2022 … WR Rashee Rice has 77 receptions for 1,167 yards and nine touchdowns and is the national leader in receiving yards (116.7 ypg) … RB Tyler Lavine has a team-high seven rushing touchdowns … DE Nelson Paul has 5.0 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss. … S Nick Roberts, who has played at South Florida and Louisiana-Monroe, has a team-high three interceptions, while LB Jimmy Phillips Jr. has 58 tackles.
21/22 TULANE
8-2, 5-1 American
Head Coach
Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ’83) 39-45, seventh season at Tulane 210-114, 25th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Tulane saw a five-game winning streak — its longest since 1998 — come to an end with a 38-31 setback to then-No. 22 UCF last Saturday in New Orleans … Tulane is tied with UCF and Cincinnati atop The American standings as the Green Wave looks to reach the conference championship game for the first time … QB Michael Pratt has completed 165 of 252 passes for 2,079 yards and 17 touchdowns with four interceptions … RB Tyjae Spears has 875 rushing yards and 10 TDs, ranking second in The American in both categories … Six players have at least 20 receptions, with WR Duece Watts atop the list with 27 catches and six touchdowns … LB Dorian Williams has 85 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss and an interception, while LB Nick Anderson has 76 stops with 5.5 tackles for loss.
FRIDAY, NOV. 18 • 9 P.M. • ESPN2
SOUTH FLORIDA at TULSA
H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000/FieldTurf)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Television
ESPN2
Roy Philpott, Andre Ware and Paul Carcaterra
South Florida Radio Tulsa Radio
WHPT-FM 102.5 KXBL-FM 99.5
SiriusXM 121/205/968 SiriusXM 386/976
THE GAME
Friday’s game will be the sixth meeting between South Florida and Tulsa in a series that began in 2014 … The Bulls won the first three meetings, but the Golden Hurricane has won the last two, including a 32-31 decision last season in Tampa behind a TD by RB Shamari Brooks with 47 seconds left.
SOUTH FLORIDA
1-9, 0-6 American
Interim Head Coach
Daniel Da Prato (Louisiana-Monroe ’04) 0-1, first season
Notes
South Florida fell 41-23 to SMU last Saturday in the Bulls’ first game under interim head coach Daniel Da Prato … The Bulls look to end an eight-game slide … The lone win in 2022 was a 42-20 victory against Howard … The Bulls have faced four teams that have been ranked in the top
25 this season (BYU, Florida, Cincinnati, Tulane) and will close the 2022 season on Black Friday against No. 17 UCF … QB Katravis Marsh has thrown for 827 yards and seven touchdowns in six games after taking over as the starter following the season-ending injury to QB Gerry Bohanon … Marsh left the game against SMU with an injury, leaving QB Byrum Brown to finish against the Mustangs … RB Brian Battie, an NCAA consensus All-America pick as a return specialist last year, has rushed for 873 yards and six touchdowns.
TULSA
3-7, 1-5 American
Head Coach
Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State ’95) 41-53, eighth season
Notes
Tulsa looks to emerge from a run of six losses in seven games after a 26-10 setback at Memphis last Thursday … QB Davis Brin, who had missed Tulsa’s game against Tulane due to injury, returned to the starting lineup against Memphis, but QB Braylon Braxton came on to finish the game … Brin has thrown for 2,138 yards and 17 touchdowns, while Braxton has 515 passing yards with six TDs … WR Keylon Stokes has 63 receptions for 1,032 yards and six touchdowns and is averaging 103.2 yards per game (sixth nationally) … Stokes has 3,582 career yards and needs eight yards to move into third place on The American’s career receiving chart … RB Steven Anderson has a team-high five rushing touchdowns … S Bryson Powers has 85 tackles, while LB Justin Wright has 84 tackles, 9.0 tackles for loss and two interceptions.
SATURDAY, NOV. 19 • 11 A.M. • ESPN2
NAVY at UCF
FBC Mortgage Stadium (44,206/Natural Grass)
Orlando, Florida
Television
ESPN2
Brian Custer, Dustin Fox and Dana Boyle
Navy Radio UCF Radio
WBAL-AM 1090 WYGM-FM 96.9
SiriusXM 99/204/967
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be only the fourth meeting between Navy and UCF … The Knights took the first two matchups as part of their 25-game winning streak from 2017-18, but the Midshipmen won last year’s matchup in Annapolis 34-30 … Navy rushed for 348 yards in last year’s meeting and scored the final 17 points of the game.
NAVY
3-7, 3-4 American
Head Coach
Ken Niumatalolo (Hawaii ’89) 108-82, 15th season
Notes
Navy turned in a solid second-half effort against No. 20 Notre Dame, but the Midshipmen were unable to overcome a slow first half in a 35-32 setback to the Irish in Baltimore last Saturday … Navy is the only FBS team that does not play a true home game in November … Navy is second in The American and 10th nationally in rushing at 238.7 yards per game … QB Tai Lavatai suffered a season-ending knee injury in the game against Temple, moving QB Xavier Arline into the starting spot … Arline has rushed for 250 yards on 50 attempts this season … FB Daba Fofana
is the leading rusher with 635 yards and six touchdowns … LB John Marshall has 78 tackles with 6.5 sacks, 14.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble and seven pass breakups … DE Jacob Busic has 6.0 sacks … CB Elias Larry leads the Midshipmen with two interceptions.
17/18 UCF
8-2, 5-1 American
Head Coach
Gus Malzahn (Henderson State ’90) 17-6, second season at UCF 94-44, 11th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
After entering the national polls two weeks ago, UCF moved to No. 17 in the Associated Press poll following a solid 38-31 win at then-No. 17 Tulane … UCF is ranked ninth nationally in total offense (497.7 ypg) and fifth in rushing offense (249.5 ypg) … The Knights also boast the nation’s stingiest red zone defense (61.1%) … QB John Rhys Plumlee returned to the starting lineup against Tulane after he suffered a head injury against Cincinnati Oct. 29 … Plumlee leads the Knights and is fourth in The American in rushing at 78.7 yards per game … RB Isaiah Bowser leads The American with 13 rushing touchdowns … WR Ryan O’Keefe has 55 catches for 567 yards and four touchdowns … DE Tre’mon Morris-Brash has 11.0 tackles for loss and 6.0 sacks
SATURDAY, NOV. 19 • 2 P.M. • ESPN+
HOUSTON at EAST CAROLINA
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000/Natural Grass)
Greenville, North Carolina
Television
ESPN+
Richard Cross and Taylor McHargue
Houston Radio East Carolina Radio
KPRC-AM 950 WNCT-FM 107.9
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 16th meeting between Houston and East Carolina in a series that dates to 1997 … The Cougars hold an 8-7 series lead and have won three straight against the Pirates, including a 31-24 decision in Houston last year … East Carolina’s last win was a 48-28 victory in Greenville in 2012.
HOUSTON
6-4, 4-2 American
Head Coach
Dana Holgorsen (Iowa Wesleyan ’93) 25-19, fourth season at Houston 86-60, 12th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Houston has won four of its last five games after the Cougars rallied past Temple for a 43-36 win last Saturday … The Cougars scored the go-ahead touchdown with 40 seconds left in regulation … Houston, which played in the 2021 American Championship Game, is a game behind the three conference leaders with two games remaining in its bid for a repeat appearance … QB Clayton Tune has passed for 3,024 yards and 31 touchdowns … WR Nathaniel Dell has 85 receptions for 1,017 yards and 13 TDs, becoming the third Houston player in program history with two 1,000-yard seasons … RB Stacy Sneed has a team-high 489 rushing yards with five touchdowns … LB Donavan Mutin has 68 tackles with 4.0 tackles for loss … DE D’Anthony Jones has 5.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss.
EAST CAROLINA
6-4, 3-3 American
Head Coach
Mike Houston (Mars Hill ’94) 20-23, fourth season at East Carolina 100-48, 12th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
East Carolina saw a three-game winning streak end with a 27-25 heartbreaker at Cincinnati last Saturday … ECU has had two games decided in overtime and two others that swung on field goal attempts as time expired … Three of Houston’s four losses have been by a combined eight points … QB Holton Ahlers has thrown for 2,912 yards and 10 touchdowns and lead all active FBS players in passing yards (13,131) and total offense (14,541) … Ahlers ranks 18th on the NCAA FBS career passing chart … RB Keaton Mitchell has rushed for 975 yards and 10 touchdowns and leads The American in rushing at 108.3 yards per game … WR C.J. Johnson is sixth in The American with 825 receiving yards … CB Jireh Wilson has a team-high three interceptions.
SATURDAY, NOV. 19 • 2 P.M. • ESPN+
NORTH ALABAMA at MEMPHIS
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (58,325/AstroTurf)
Memphis, Tennessee
Television
ESPN+
Ted Emrich and Leger Douzable
Memphis Radio
WKIM-FM 98.9
SiriusXM 381/971
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Memphis and North Alabama … The Tigers have won their last nine meetings against NCAA FCS opponents after a 42-17 victory against Nicholls last season … North Alabama’s last game against an FBS opponent was a 66-14 setback at BYU in 2020.
NORTH ALABAMA
1-9, 0-5 ASUN
Interim Head Coach
Ryan Held (Nebraska ’98) 0-2, first season
Notes
North Alabama plays its final game of the 2022 season as the Lions look for their second win of the year … The lone victory on the ledger this season was a 49-17 decision against Virginia-Wise Sept. 10 … North Alabama fell 35-27 to Tennessee Tech Nov. 12 in its most recent outing … Ryan Held, who had been associated head coach and offensive coordinator, was elevated to interim head coach for the final three games … North Alabama is 2-5 all-time against FBS opponents … .The Lions are in their fifth season as an NCAA FCS member after they made 13 NCAA Championship appearances in their last 15 years as a Division II institution … QB Noah Walters has completed 145 of 266 passes for 2,125 yards and 19 touchdowns against 10 interceptions … RB ShunDerrick Powell has rushed for 1,468 yards and 18 touchdowns.
MEMPHIS
5-5, 3-4 American
Head Coach
Ryan Silverfield (Hamden-Sydney ’03) 19-17, third season
Notes
Memphis rid itslef of a four-game slide and put itself in position to gain bowl eligibility after the Tigers took a 26-10 win against Tulsa last Thursday … Memphis strung together four consecutive wins after a season-opening loss to Mississippi State, but had dropped four straight
prior to last week… QB Seth Henigan has completed 224 of 348 passes for 2,770 yards and 17 touchdowns with seven interceptions … TE Caden Prieskorn has 38 receptions for 480 yards and a team-high six touchdowns and is one of five Memphis players with at least 300 receiving yards
… RB Asa Martin is the leading rusher with 331 yards and four touchdowns … LB Xavier Cullens has a team-high 82 tackles with 6.5 tackles for loss, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries … P Joe Doyle is second in The American and third nationally in punting average (47.4).
SATURDAY, NOV. 19 • 4 P.M. • ESPNU
CINCINNATI at TEMPLE
Lincoln Financial Field (69,596/Natural Grass)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Television
ESPNU
Rene Ingoglia
Cincinnati Radio Temple Radio
WLW-AM 700 WPEN-FM 97.5
SiriusXM 389/979
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 24th meeting between Cincinnati and Temple in a series that began in 1973 …Temple holds a 13-9-1 series lead … Cincinnati has won the last two meetings, including a 52-3 decision at Nippert Stadium last year … Temple won four straight between 2015-18.
22/21 CINCINNATI
8-2, 5-1 American
Head Coach
Luke Fickell (Ohio State ’97) 56-17, sixth season at Cincinnati 62-24, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Cincinnati turned in a hard-fought 27-25 win against East Carolina last Saturday to move into a first-place tie in The American standings … The Bearcats have won their last 32 games at Nippert Stadium and trail only Clemson (39) for the longest active home winning streak … QB Ben Bryant has passed for 2,601 yards and 20 touchdowns and seven interceptions … RB Charles McClelland has rushed for 766 yards and six touchdowns and is fifth in The American in rushing … The leading receiver is WR Tyler Scott, who has 49 catches for 826 yards and nine TDs … LB Ivan Pace Jr., who was named as an Associated Press mid-season All-America selection, has 104 tackles with 19.0 tackles for loss, 9.0 sacks and a forced fumble … Pace leads all FBS players with 1.9 tackles for loss per game.
TEMPLE
3-7, 1-5 American
Head Coach
Stan Drayton (Allegheny ’93) 3-6, first season
Notes
Temple dropped a 43-36 decision at Houston last Saturday to fall out of contention for bowl eligibility … The Owls, who had not scored more than 30 points in a game this season, scored 54 points and finished with 621 yards of offense against South Florida Nov. 5 before putting 36 on the board last week … Freshman QB E.J. Warner has thrown for 2,334 yards and 13 touchdowns … Warner has 830 yards and five touchdown passes in the last two games … RB Edward Saydee has rushed for 575 yards and five TDs … WR Jose Barbon leads the team with 727 receiving yards on 54 catches … Adonicas Sanders has 37 receptions for 437 yards and two TDs… LB Layton Jordan has scored three defensive touchdowns … Jordan has 45 tackles with 15.0 tackles for loss and 6.5 sacks … LB Jordan Magee has a team-high 73 tackles.
