WEEK 3 PREVIEWS
FRIDAY, SEPT. 17 • 7:30 P.M. • CBSSN
UCF at FLORIDA ATLANTIC
FBC Mortgage Stadium (44,206/Natural Grass)
Orlando, Florida
Television
CBS Sports Network
Chris Lewis and Dany Kanell
Radio
WYGM-FM 96.9 (UCF flagship)
SiriusXM 992
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fourth meeting between UCF and Florida Atlantic … The Knights have won all three previous meetings, including a 48-14 win in Boca Raton in 2019 … UCF QB Dillon Gabriel threw two touchdown passes and was one of five Knights players to score a rushing TD in the 2019 matchup.
UCF
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Gus Malzahn (Henderson State ’90) 10-5, second season at UCF 87-43, 11th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
UCF opened the season with an impressive 56-10 win against South Carolina State, but the Knights look to rebound from a 20-14 setback to Louisville last Friday … The Knights have allowed only 30 points through two games and have a 944-512 advantage in total offense and a 47-28 margin in first downs against their first two opponents … QB John Rhys Plumlee has completed 36 of 65 passes for 439 yards and four touchdowns against one interception and has 183 rushing yards with a TD … RB Isaiah Bowser leads The American with four rushing touchodwns and has 125 yards on 37 carries … WR Javon Baker is the leading receiver with 10 catches for 168 yards and a touchdown … S Divaad Wilson has four tackles, an interception and a fumble recovery to lead the stout defense.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC
2-1, 1-0 Conference USA
Head Coach
Willie Taggart (Western Kentucky ’98) 11-11, third season at Florida Atlantic 62-69, 13th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Florida Atlantic enters Saturday’s game on the heels of a 42-9 victory against Southeastern Louisiana last Saturday in Boca Raton … The Owls opened with a 43-13 victory against Charlotte to begin Conference USA play and followed with a 41-38 setback at Ohio … FAU head coach Willie Taggart spent four seasons (2013-16) in The American as head coach at South Florida … Taggart also has head coaching stops at Western Kentucky, Oregon and Florida State … The top offensive player is QB N’Kosi Perry, who has completed 58 of 93 passes for 879 yards and nine touchdowns against two interceptions … Perry also is tied for the team lead with two rushing TDs … WR LaJohntay Wester has 15 receptions for 222 yards and three TDs.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • NOON • ESPNU
CINCINNATI vs. MIAMI (OHIO)
Paycor Stadium (65,515/Momentum Pro)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Television
ESPNU
John Schriffen and Rene Ingoglia
Radio
WLW-AM 700 (Cincinnati flagship)
SiriusXM 380/973
THE GAME • THE BATTLE FOR THE VICTORY BELL
Saturday’s game will be the 126th meeting between Cincinnati and Miami (Ohio) in a series that dates to 1888, marking the oldest current nonconference rivalry in college football … The series is tied 59-59-7 … Cincinnati has won the last 15 contests, including a 49-14 win at Nippert Stadium season.
rv/rv CINCINNATI
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Luke Fickell (Ohio State ’97) 50-16, sixth season at Cincinnati 56-23, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Cincinnati bounced back from a rare regular-season loss in impressive fashion as the Bearcats handled Kennesaw State 63-10 last Saturday … Cincinnati opened the season with a 31-24 setback at No. 19 Arkansas … Cincinnati has won 28 straight games at Nippert Stadium, trailing only Clemson (32) for the nation’s longest home field winning streak … Cincinnati has averaged 43.5 points and 481.5 yards per game in 2022 … QB Ben Bryant has completed 43 of 63 passes for 526 yards and five touchdowns and one interception … The leading receiver is WR Tyler Scott, who has eight catches for 119 yards and a touchdown … RB Charles McClelland has a team-high 110 rushing yards … LB Ivan Pace Jr. has 23 tackles with 4.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
MIAMI (OHIO)
1-1, 0-0 MAC
Head Coach
Chuck Martin (Millikin ’90) 40-53, ninth season at Miami 114-60, 15th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Miami evened its record at 1-1 after the RedHawks scored a 31-14 victory against Robert Morris in the home-opener in Oxford … The RedHawks opened the season with a 37-13 setback at Kentucky … The win against Robert Morris was punctuated by QB Aveon Smith, who threw three touchdown passes in his first career start, including two to WR Mac Hippenhammer … Smith made the start in place of QB Brett Gabbert, who is out indefinitely with an upper body injury … The RedHawks average 163.5 rushing yards through two games as four players have at least 50 rushing yards this season … Hippenhammer is the leading receiver with 11 catches for 137 yards and two touchdowns …The defense is led by LB Ryan McWood, a seventh-year player who has 18 tackles and an interception.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 2 P.M. • ESPN+
RUTGERS at TEMPLE
Lincoln Financial Field (69,596/Natural Grass)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Television
ESPN+
Bill Spaulding and Barrett Brooks
Radio
WPEN-FM 97.5 (Temple flagship)
SiriusXM 992
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 38th meeting between Temple and Rutgers in a series that dates to 1948 … Rutgers holds a 21-16 series lead and has won the last five matchups, including a 61-14 decision last year … Temple’s last win in the series was in 2002 (20-17) … Rutgers was a member of The American in 2013.
RUTGERS
2-0, 0-0 Big Ten
Head Coach
Greg Schiano (Bucknell ’88) 78-81, 14th season
Notes
Rutgers is off to a 2-0 start after the Scarlet Knights opened with wins against Boston College (22-21) and Wagner (66-7) … Eight Scarlet Knight players found the end zone in the win against Wagner … The game against Boston College saw Rutgers trail 21-12 in the closing seconds of the third quarter before the Scarlet Knights rallied to win … QB Evan Simon has completed 18 of 25 passes (72.0%) for 214 yards and a pair of touchdowns … Rutgers has churned out 270.0 rushing yards per game, led by RB Kyle Monangai and RB Al-Shadee Salaam, who have 122 yards each … RB Gavin Wimsatt has 102 rushing yards through two games … The defense is led by DE Wesley Bailey, who has registered 2.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss to go with a fumble recovery and a pass breakup … DB Robert Longerbeam has two interceptions.
TEMPLE
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Stan Drayton (Allegheny ’93) 1-1, first season
Notes
Temple recovered from a season-opening loss at Duke to turn in a 30-14 win against Lafayette … The Owls snapped an eight-game losing streak with the victory against the Leopards, giving head coach Stan Drayton his first career win … QB E.J. Warner, a true freshman who is the son of Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner, came off the bench against Lafayette to complete 14 of 19 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns … QB D’Wan Mathis has been the starter for the first two games and has thrown for 125 yards … WR Jose Barbon has a team-high 13 receptions for 163 yards … RB Edward Saydee leads the team with 71 rushing yards … LB Layton Jordan has team highs with 2.5 sacks and 5.0 tackles for loss … WR De’Von Fox was a factor on special teams against Lafayette with three blocked punts, finishing one shy of the NCAA single-game record.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 3 P.M. • ESPN+
TULANE at KANSAS STATE
Bill Snyder Family Stadium (52,200/AstroTurf)
Manhattan, Kansas
Television
ESPN+
Mark Neely, Todd Doxzon and Shane Sparks
Radio
KVDU-FM 104.1 (Tulane flagship)
SiriusXM 384/974
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between Tulane and Kansas State … The only previous meeting came exactly 34 years prior to Saturday’s contest, on Sept. 17, 1988, when the Green Wave took a 20-16 victory in New Orleans … That loss for Kansas State was part of the Wildcats’ 0-26-1 stretch from 1986-88.
TULANE
2-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ’83) 33-43, seventh season at Tulane 204-112, 25th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Tulane stands at 2-0 for the first time since the 2022 season after the Green Wave opened with a 42-10 win against Massachusetts and a 52-0 victory against Alcorn State … Tulane has dominated the two games to the tune of a 927-326 advantage in total offense and a 51-18 margin in first downs … The Green Wave has limited its first two opponents to 9-of-25 passing for 66 yards and four interceptions … Tulane leads the nation in pass efficiency defense (26.2) and passing yards (33.0 ypg) QB Michael Pratt has completed 29 of 41 passes for 482 yards and five TDs without an interception … WR Shae Wyatt has six catches for 150 yards and a touchdown to lead a group of 15 players with at least one catch … LB Dorian Williams has 12 tackles and an interception to lead the defense.
rv/rv KANSAS STATE
2-0, 0-0 Big 12
Head Coach
Chris Klieman (Northern Iowa ’90) 22-16, fourth season at Kansas State 94-29, 10th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Kansas State has won its first two games of the 2022 season as the Wildcats scored a 34-0 victory against South Dakota before a 40-12 decision against Missouri last Saturday … The game against Tulane will be the third straight home date for Kansas State … The Wildcasts went 8-5 last season, capped by a 42-20 win against LSU in the Texas Bowl … Head coach Chris Klieman is 9-2 against nonconference opponents in his four seasons in Manhattan … One of the two losses was to American Athletic Conference member Navy in the 2019 Liberty Bowl … Kansas State did not allow a touchdown until the final play of the game against Missouri … WR Phillip Brooks was named the Big 12 Special Teams Player of the Week after he had a 76-yard punt return touchdown against Missouri.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 4 P.M. • ESPN+
KANSAS at HOUSTON
TDECU Stadium (40,000/Synthetic)
Houston, Texas
Television
ESPN+
Kevin Brown and Huston Matson
Radio
KPRC-AM 950 (Houston flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fourth meeting between Houston and Kansas as the Cougars look for their first win in the series … Kansas was a 35-13 winner in Houston in 1994 and won 20-13 in Lawrence in 1995 … The last meeting was in the 2005 Fort Worth Bowl, when Jayhawks claimed a 42-13 victory.
KANSAS
2-0, 1-0 Big 12
Head Coach
Lance Leipold (Wisconsin-Whitewater ’87) 4-10, second season at Kansas 150-49, 16th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Kansas has already matched its win total from the last two seasons combined as the Jayhawks have opened the 2022 campaign with a 56-10 victory against Tennessee Tech and a 55-42 overtime decision at West Virginia … Kansas is 2-0 for the first time since 2011 and won its Big 12 opener for the first time since 1009 … QB Jalon Daniels has led the way, going 33-for-47 for 408 yards and four touchdowns with one interception in two games … RB Devin Neal has rushed for 150 yards and four touchdowns, while RB Daniel Hishaw has 119 yards and three TDs … DE Lonnie Phelps leads the defense with 3.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles for loss … LB Eriq Gilyard, a member of UCF’s 2018 American Athletic Conference championship team, has eight tackles with an interception .
-/rv HOUSTON
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Dana Holgorsen (Iowa Wesleyan ’93) 20-16, fourth season at Houston 81-57, 12th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Houston has seen both of its first two games decided in overtime as the Cougars followed a 37-35 three-OT win at UTSA with a 33-30 two-OT setback at Texas Tech last Saturday … The game against Kansas is the first of three straight home games for Houston, which went 5-1 at TDECU Stadium last year … The Cougars have outscored their first two opponents by a 27-6 margin in the fourth quarter … Houston has not scored in the first quarter in its first two games … QB Clayton Tune has thrown for 472 yards and four touchdowns with one interception … WR Nathaniel Dell leads the team with 12 catches for 170 yards and two touchdowns … DE Derek Parish set American Athletic Conference records with 4.5 sacks
and 6.5 tackles for loss against Texas Tech last Saturday.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 6 P.M. • ESPNU
CAMPBELL at EAST CAROLINA
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000/Natural Grass)
Greenville, North Carolina
Television
ESPN+
Ted Emrich and Jay Sonnhalter
Radio
WNCT-FM 107.9 (East Carolina flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fourth meeting between East Carolina and Campbell, though the schools have not met on the gridiron since 1939 … Campbell holds a 3-1 series lead … ECU’s lone win in the series was a 6-0 decision in the 1933 season … The schools are separated by approximately 88 miles.
CAMPBELL
1-1, 0-0 Big South
Head Coach
Mike Minter (Nebraska ’97) 40-55, 10th season
Notes
Campbell has split its first two contests as the Camels opened with a 29-10 win against The Citadel before falling 37-21 at William & Mary, which is ranked No. 20 in FCS … Campbell went 3-8 last season and dropped a 48-7 decision to Liberty in its last meeting against an FBS opponent … QB Hajj-Malik Williams has started both games and has completed 30 of 52 passes for 361 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions … Williams is a former FCS freshman All-America pick who was limited to four games due to injury last year … WR Julian Hill has nine receptions for 140 yards and a touchdown … DE Josh Johnson leads the defense with 3.5 tackles for loss, while LB CJ Tillman has a team-high 16 tackles … Campbell, which competes in the Big South Conference, will join the Colonial Athletic Association for the 2022-23 season.
EAST CAROLINA
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Mike Houston (Mars Hill ’94) 15-20, fourth season at ECU 95-45, 12th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
East Carolina evened its record with an impressive 39-21 win against Old Dominion last Saturday in Greenville … The win offset a 21-20 heartbreaking loss to No. 13 NC State the previous week … The Pirates have allowed 21 first-quarter points through two games and 21 combined points in the second, third and fourth periods … ECU has outgained its first two opponents by a 914-634 margin and has 48 first downs to its opponents’ 30 … QB Holton Ahlers enters Saturday’s game needing 26 yards to tie Dane Evans (Tulsa, 2014-16) for the conference’s career passing yards record … Ahlers has 10,756 career yards and has passed for 537 yards and four touchdowns this season … RB Keaton Mitchell leads The American with 196 rushing yards to go with two TDs.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
ARKANSAS STATE at MEMPHIS
Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium (58,325/AstroTurf)
Memphis, Tennessee
Television
ESPN+
Richard Cross and Leger Douzable
Memphis Radio
WKIM-FM 98.9
SiriusXM 384/974
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 60th meeting between Memphis and Arkansas State in a series that dates to 1914 … The Tigers hold a 31-23-5 series lead and have won the last three, including a 55-50 decision last season in Jonesboro … Memphis QB Seth Henigan passed for 417 yards and five touchdowns in last year’s meeting.
ARKANSAS STATE
1-1, 0-0 Sun Belt
Head Coach
Butch Jones (Ferris State ’90) 3-11, second season at Arkansas State 87-65, 13th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Arkansas State opened the season in impressive fashion with a 58-3 victory against Grambling State, but the Red Wolves suffered a 45-12 setback to No. 3 Ohio State last Saturday in Columbus … The Red Wolves went 2-10 last season in Butch Jones’ first season in Jonesboro … Jones was previously head coach at Tennessee, Cincinnati and Central Michigan … Arkansas State returns 11 starters from last season … QB James Blackman has completed 35 of 54 passes for 398 yards and two touchdowns without an interception … RB Johnnie Lang has a team-high 143 rushing yards and a touchdown, while WR Champ Flemings is the leading receiver with 17 catches for 227 yards and a TD … DE Thurman Geathers has 1.5 sacks and 3.5 tackles for loss through two games.
MEMPHIS
1-1, 1-0 American
Head Coach
Ryan Silverfield (Hamden-Sydney ’03) 15-13, third season
Notes
Memphis has the early lead in the American Athletic Conference race after the Tigers scored a 37-13 win at Navy to open conference play last Saturday … The Tigers dropped a 49-23 decision at Mississippi State in Week 1 … QB Seth Henigan led the way in the win against Navy by going 24-for-34 for 415 yards and two touchdowns for his third career 400-yard game … Henigan has thrown for 580 yards and three TDs without an interception in two games … Memphis has seven offensive touchdowns by seven different players in 2022 … The defense is led by S Quindell Johnson, who has a team-high 22 tackles with two interceptions and a fumble recovery in two games … The Tigers have five takeaways on defense and have committed only one turnover … K Chris Howard has gone 4-for-4 on field goal attempts and 6-for-6 on PATs.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+
JACKSONVILLE STATE at TULSA
H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000/FieldTurf)
Tulsa, Oklahoma
Television
ESPN+
James Westling and Taylor McHargue
Radio
KXBL-FM 99.5 (Tulsa flagship)
SiriusXM 973
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the first meeting between Tulsa and Jacksonville State … Tulsa fell 19-17 to UC Davis last season in its most recent game against an FCS opponent … The Gamecocks stunned Florida State 20-17 last season in their most recent game against an FBS team … Jacksonville State also fell 31-0 to UAB to start last season.
JACKSONVILLE STATE
3-0, 0-0 ASUN
Head Coach
Rich Rodriguez (West Virginia ’86) 3-0, first season at Jacksonville State 166-119-2, 25th season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Jacksonville State is off to a 3-0 start under new head coach Rich Rodriguez after the Gamecocks topped Murray State 34-3 last Saturday … The other two wins have been against Stephen F. Austin (42-17) and Davidson (35-17) … Rodriguez was formerly the head coach at Arizona, Michigan, West Virginia, Glenville State and Salem … The Gamecocks have outscored their first three opponents by a combined 111-37 margin … QB Zion Webb has completed 36 of 63 passes for 485 yards and two touchdowns with four interceptions and has a team-high six rushing touchdowns … RB Anwar Lewis has 300 rushing yards and three TDs on 35 carries … WR Sterling Galban has eight catches for 165 yards and a touchdown … LB Markail Benton has 23 tackles with 2.0 sacks and 3.0 tackles for loss.
TULSA
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State ’95) 39-47, eighth season
Notes
Tulsa bounced back from a heartbreaking two-overtime loss at Wyoming with a 38-35 win against Northern Illinois last Saturday … The Golden Hurricane held a 24-7 halftime lead against NIU, but had to come from behind twice in the fourth quarter to get the win … The offensive catalyst for Tulsa has been QB Davis Brin, who has completed 49 of 84 passes for 782 yards and seven touchdowns against one interception … Brin enters this week as the NCAA passing leader at 391.0 yards per game … WR Keylon Stokes has 19 catches for 304 yards and two touchdowns and is second nationally at 152.0 yards per game … WR Juan-Carlos Santana has 11 catches for 189 yards and a team-high three touchdowns … S Bryson Powers has a team-high 21 tackles with a forced fumble, while LB Justin Wright has 20 tackles in two games.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 7:30 P.M. • SEC NETWORK
SOUTH FLORIDA at FLORIDA
Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (88,548/Natural Grass)
Gainesville, Florida
Television
SEC Network
Tom Hart, Jordan Rodgers and Cole Cubelic
Radio
WHPT-FM 102.5 (South Florida flagship)
SiriusXM 158/963
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between South Florida and Florida as the Bulls look for their first win in the series … The Gators were 38-14 winners in Gainesville in the 2010 season and claimed a 42-20 decision last year in Tampa … Florida competes as an affiliate member in The American in women’s lacrosse.
SOUTH FLORIDA
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Jeff Scott (Clemson ’03) 4-19, second season
Notes
South Florida earned its first victory of the 2022 season last Saturday as the Bulls pulled away from Howard for a 42-20 win at Raymond James Stadium … The Bulls opened the season with a 50-21 setback to then-No. 25 BYU in Tampa … South Florida is one of the nation’s most experienced teams with 20 returning starters from last season … The top offensive player through two games has been WR Xavier Weaver, who has 12 receptions for 170 yards and is averaging 85.0 receiving yards per game, good for fourth in The American … QB Gerry Bohanon has completed 34 of 58 passes for 391 yards and two interceptions … RB Brian Battie has 119 yards and two touchdowns on only 10 rushing attempts … The Bulls’ offensive line has allowed only one sack … S Mekhi LaPointe leads the defense with 14 tackles and an interception.
18/21 FLORIDA
1-1, 0-1 SEC
Head Coach
Billy Napier (Furman ’02) 1-1, first season at Florida 41-13, fifth season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Florida was unranked to start the 2022 season on the heels of a 6-7 campaign, but the Gators made headlines with a 29-26 win against No. 7 Utah to start the year … Florida looks to rebound from a 26-16 Week 2 loss to Nol 20 Kentucky … The Gators have won 13 consecutive regular-season nonconference games … The average margin of victory in those games has been 26.3 points … Florida is led by QB Anthony Richardson, who has passed for 311 yards and rushed for 110 with three rushing TDs … RB Montrell Johnson Jr. has 137 yards and a TD on 19 carries … WR Ricky Pearsall has six catches for a teamhigh 106 yards … The defense is led by DT Gervon Dexter, who has 12 tackles … Billy Napier is in his first season at Florida after a successful four-year run at Louisiana.
SATURDAY, SEPT. 17 • 7:30 P.M. • FS1
SMU at MARYLAND
Maryland Stadium (51,082/FieldTurf)
College Park, Maryland
Television
FS1
Eric Collins and Devin Gardner
Radio
KTCK-FM 96.7 (SMU flagship)
SiriusXM 106/957
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between SMU and Maryland since the schools played a home-and-home series in 1961 and 1962 … The Terrapins have taken both previous matchups with a 14-6 win in Dallas in the first meeting and a 7-0 decision in the rematch in College Park in 1962.
SMU
2-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Rhett Lashlee (Arkansas ’08) 2-0, first season
Notes
SMU is off to a 2-0 start under first-year head coach Rhett Lashlee as the Mustangs have scored a 48-10 win at North Texas and a 45-16 victory against Lamar … It is the fourth consecutive 2-0 start for the Mustangs, who have started each of the last three seasons with at least five consecutive wins … SMU has outscored its opponents by a 28-0 margin in the first quarter and by a 38-6 margin in the second half … QB Tanner Mordecai has completed 41 of 63 passes for 644 yards and an American Athletic Conference-leading seven touchdowns … WR Rashee Rice has 17 receptions for 298 yards and three TDs and is averaging 149.0 yards per game … RB T.J. McDaniel has 137 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 19 carries … LB Jimmy Phillips Jr. leads the team with 12 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss.
MARYLAND
2-0, 0-0 Big Ten
Head Coach
Michael Locksley (Towson ’92) 15-23, fifth season at Maryland 17-49, seventh season as collegiate head coach
Notes
Maryland has been impressive through two games of the 2022 season as the Terrapins opened with a 31-10 win against Buffalo and a 56-21 victory at Charlotte … Maryland is 2-0 for the third time in the last four years and has won six consecutive games in the month of September … The Terrapins are 8-1 in nonconference games under fifth-year head coach Michael Locksley … Maryland has averaged 47.5 points in nonconference games under Locksley … QB Taulia Tagovailoa has completed 51 of 65 passes (78.5%) for 681 yards and four touchdowns with two interceptions … RB Roman Hemby has 143 rushing yards with two TDs … The top receiver has been Jeshaun Jones with 10 catches, 141 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
