Home Blog Page 4355

Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins

NFL Editor
-
0
Buffalo Bills @ Miami Dolphins

SUNDAY, SEPT. 19, 2021 // 1:00 PM ET // HARD ROCK STADIUM // REFEREE: CRAIG WROLSTAD

 

ON THE AIRWAVES

TV: FOX (1:00 PM ET): Brandon Gaudin, Matt Millen, Sarah Kustok (field reporter)
SIRIUS: 106 (Buf.), 119 (Mia.) | XM: 385 (Buf.), 230 (Mia.) | SXM App: 803 (Buf.), 819 (Mia.)

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER: Dolphins lead all-time series, 60-49-1
STREAKS: Bills have won past 5
LAST GAME: 1/3/21: Dolphins 26 at Bills 56
LAST GAME AT SITE: 9/20/20: Bills 31, Dolphins 28

 

BUFFALO BILLS LEADERS MIAMI DOLPHINS

L 23-16 vs. Pittsburgh LAST WEEK W 17-16 at New England
Sean McDermott: 7-1 COACH VS. OPP. Brian Flores: 0-4
16.0/23.0 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 17.0/16.0
371.0 OFFENSE 259.0
Josh Allen: 30-51-270-1-0-79.7 PASSING Tua Tagovailoa: 16-27-202-1-1-79.6
Devin Singletary: 11-72-6.5-0 RUSHING Myles Gaskin: 9-49-5.4-0
Stefon Diggs: 9-69-7.7-0 RECEIVING DeVante Parker: 4-81-20.3-0
252.0 DEFENSE 393.0
Jordan Poyer (DB), Mario Addison: 1 SACKS –
– INTs –
-1 (0/1) TAKE/GIVE +1 (2/1)
Matt Haack: 45.7 (28.0) PUNTING (NET) Michael Palardy: 45.0 (35.0)
Tyler Bass: 10 (1/1 PAT; 3/3 FG) KICKING Jason Sanders: 5 (2/2 PAT; 1/1 FG)

 

BILLS NOTES

• QB JOSH ALLEN passed for 270 yards & TD & rushed for 44 yards in Week 1. Has 20 TDs (17 pass, 3 rush) vs. 4 INTs for 114.3 rating in 6 career games vs. Mia. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Mia. with 3+ TD passes. Has passed for 1,054 yards (351.3 per game) & 10 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 131.2 rating in his past 3 on road.

• RB DEVIN SINGLETARY rushed for 72 yards last week. Has 75+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. Mia.

• WR STEFON DIGGS had 9 catches for 69 yards in Week 1. Aims for 10th in row with 7+ catches. Had 8 catches for 153 yards & TD in last road meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Mia. with 75+ rec. yards. Aims for his 5th in row on road with 9+ catches & 90+ rec. yards. WR COLE BEASLEY had 8 catches for 60 yards last week. Had 5 catches for 70 yards in last meeting. Has 100+ rec. yards in 4 of his past 5 on road. WR EMMANUEL SANDERS had 52 rec. yards last week in Buf. debut. Aims for his 5th in row with 50+ rec. yards. WR GABRIEL DAVIS had TD catch in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Mia. with rec. TD.

• CB TRE’DAVIOUS WHITE had TFL last week. Has PD in 3 of his past 4 vs. Mia. CB TARON JOHNSON led team with 7 tackles & 2 PD last week. Has PD in 4 of his past 5. Had 6 tackles & PD in last meeting. S JORDAN POYER had 6 tackles & 9th-career sack in Week 1. LB TREMAINE EDMUNDS had PD last week. Had sack in last meeting. DE MARIO ADDISON had sack & FF in Week 1. Has sack in 2 of his past 3. Had sack in last meeting & has sack in 2 of 3 career games vs. Mia.

 

DOLPHINS NOTES

• QB TUA TAGOVAILOA passed for 202 yards & TD & rushed for 4th-career TD last week. Completed 35 of 58 passes (60.3 pct.) for career-high 361 yards in last meeting. Had 9 TDs (6 pass, 3 rush) vs. 2 INTs in 5 home starts last season.

• RB MYLES GASKIN had 76 scrimmage yards (49 rush, 27 rec.) & 5 catches in Week 1. Aims for his 5th in row with 75+ scrimmage yards. Had 77 scrimmage yards (57 rec., 20 rush) in last meeting. Has 125+ scrimmage yards in 2 of his past 3 at home.

• WR DEVANTE PARKER had team-high 81 rec. yards last week. Had 7 catches for 116 yards in last meeting. Aims for his 5th in row vs. Buf. with 5+ catches & 50+ rec. yards. Has 115+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. division. Rookie WR JAYLEN WADDLE had 61 rec. yards & TD last week in NFL debut. TE MIKE GESICKI had 8 catches for career-high 130 rec. yards & TD catch in last home meeting. Aims for 3rd in row vs. Buf. with 5+ catches.

• CB XAVIEN HOWARD had FF & FR in Week 1. Has PD in 2 of his past 3. Had INT in last meeting & has 3 INTs in his past 3 vs. Buf. Has INT in 3 of his past 4 at home. CB JASON MCCOURTY had PD last week in Mia. debut. CB BYRON JONES aims for his 3rd in row with PD. Had INT in last meeting. S ERIC ROWE had 9 tackles & FF last week. Aims for his 4th in row with 7+ tackles. Rookie S JEVON HOLLAND had FF in NFL debut last week. LB JEROME BAKER led team with 12 tackles last week. Has 3.5 sacks in his past 2 at home. DE EMMANUEL OGBAH had TFL & PD in Week 1. Has 1.5 sacks in 3 career games vs. Buf.

Denver Broncos @ Jacksonville Jaguars

NFL Editor
-
0
Denver Broncos @ Jacksonville Jaguars

SUNDAY, SEPT. 19, 2021 // 1:00 PM ET // TIAA BANK FIELD // REFEREE: CLAY MARTIN

ON THE AIRWAVES

TV: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Spero Dedes, Jay Feely
SIRIUS: 103 (Den.), 108 (Jax.) | XM: 384 (Den.), 229 (Jax.) | SXM App: 809 (Den.), 814 (Jax.)

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER: Jaguars lead all-time series, 6-5
STREAKS: Broncos have won 2 of past 3
LAST GAME: 9/29/19: Jaguars 26 at Broncos 24
LAST GAME AT SITE: 12/4/16: Broncos 20, Jaguars 10

 

DENVER BRONCOS LEADERS JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS

W 27-13 at N.Y. Giants LAST WEEK L 37-21 at Houston
Vic Fangio: 0-1 COACH VS. OPP. Urban Meyer: 0-0
27.0/13.0 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 21.0/37.0
420.0 OFFENSE 395.0
Teddy Bridgewater: 28-36-264-2-0-115.7 PASSING Trevor Lawrence (R): 28-51-332-3-3-70.1
Melvin Gordon: 11-101-9.2-1 RUSHING Carlos Hyde: 9-44-4.9-0
Noah Fant (TE): 6-62-10.3-0 RECEIVING Laviska Shenault: 7-50-7.1-0
314.0 DEFENSE 449.0
Von Miller: 2 SACKS Josh Allen: 1
– INTs –
0 (1/1) TAKE/GIVE -3 (0/3)
Sam Martin: 39.0 (38.0) PUNTING (NET) Logan Cooke: 49.5 (46.7)
Brandon McManus: 9 (3/3 PAT; 2/2 FG) KICKING Josh Lambo: 3 (3/3 PAT; 0-1 FG)

 

BRONCOS NOTES

• QB TEDDY BRIDGEWATER completed 28 of 36 passes (77.8 pct.) for 264 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 115.7 rating in Den. debut last week. Passed for 240 yards & TD for 94.7 rating in only career game vs. Jax. (10/13/19 w/ NO).

• RB MELVIN GORDON rushed for 101 yards & TD in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with 90+ rush yards & rush TD. Has 80+ scrimmage yards in 3 of 4 career games vs. Jax. Aims for his 4th in row vs. AFC South with TD. Since 2016, ranks tied-3rd in NFL with 46 rush TDs. Rookie RB JAVONTE WILLIAMS rushed for 45 yards in NFL debut last week.

• WR COURTLAND SUTTON had 6 catches for 62 yards & 2 TDs in last meeting. Has 70+ rec. yards in 2 of his past 3 vs. AFC South. WR TIM PATRICK had TD catch in Week 1. Has rec. TD in 3 of his past 4 on road. TE NOAH FANT had 6 catches for 62 yards last week. Had rec. TD in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. AFC South with 80+ rec. yards & TD catch. TE ALBERT OKWUEGBUNAM had 2nd-career TD catch in Week 1.

• LB VON MILLER had 2 sacks last week, his 18th-career game with 2+ sacks, 5th-most in NFL since 2012. Has 3 sacks & FF in 2 career games vs. Jax. Has 5 sacks in his past 5 vs. AFC South. LB JOSEY JEWELL had 1st-career FF in Week 1. Aims for his 4th in row with PD. CB KYLE FULLER led team with 2 PD & tied for team lead with 6 tackles last week in Den. debut. S JUSTIN SIMMONS tied for team lead with 6 tackles in Week 1. Had 2 PD in last meeting. Has 7 PD in his past 5 vs. AFC South.

 

JAGUARS NOTES

• QB TREVOR LAWRENCE (rookie) passed for 332 yards & 3 TDs vs. 3 INTs in NFL debut last week, 3rd-most passing yards by former No. 1 pick in 1st-career start in NFL history.

• RB JAMES ROBINSON had 54 scrimmage yards (29 rec., 25 rush) in Week 1. Has recorded 50+ scrimmage yards in each of 1st 15 career games. Had 707 scrimmage yards (101 per game) & 5 TDs (4 rush, 1 rec.) in 7 home games last season. RB CARLOS HYDE had team-high 44 rush yards last week in Jax. debut. Rushed for 73 yards in his last game vs. Den. (12/8/19 w/ Hou.). Aims for his 4th in row vs. AFC West with 75+ scrimmage yards.

• WR DJ CHARK led team with 86 rec. yards & had TD catch in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with rec. TD. Had 4 catches for 44 yards in last meeting. WR MARVIN JONES had 5 catches for 77 yards & TD last week in Jax. debut. Has 75+ rec. yards in 3 of his past 4. WR LAVISKA SHENAULT had team-high 7 catches for 50 yards last week. Has rec. TD in 2 of his past 3. TE CHRIS MANHERTZ had 2nd-career TD last week in Jax. debut.

• LB MYLES JACK led team with 9 tackles & had TFL in Week 1. Had 6 tackles in last meeting. Has TFL in 5 of his past 6 at home. DE JOSH ALLEN had sack last week. Has 0.5+ sacks in 2 of his past 3 at home. DT MALCOM BROWN had 7 tackles last week in Jax debut. Has sack in 2 of 3 career games vs. Den. CB SHAQUILL GRIFFIN had PD last week in Jax. debut. Has PD in 4 of his past 5. CB CJ HENDERSON had 4 PD in 4 home games last season. S RAYSHAWN JENKINS had PD & TFL last week in Jax. debut.

Los Angeles Rams @ Indianapolis Colts

NFL Editor
-
0
Los Angeles Rams @ Indianapolis Colts

SUNDAY, SEPT. 19, 2021 // 1:00 PM ET // LUCAS OIL STADIUM // REFEREE: SHAWN SMITH

 

ON THE AIRWAVES

TV: FOX (1:00 PM ET): Kenny Albert, Jonathan Vilma, Lindsay Czarniak (field reporter)
SIRIUS: 133 (LAR), 82 (Ind.) | XM: 382 (LAR), 227 (Ind.) | SXM App: 818 (LAR), 813 (Ind.)

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER: Colts lead all-time series, 23-19-2
STREAKS: Rams have won past 2
LAST GAME: 9/10/17: Colts 9, Rams 46
LAST GAME AT SITE: 11/10/13: Rams 38, Colts 8

 

LOS ANGELES RAMS LEADERS INDIANAPOLIS COLTS

W 34-14 vs. Chicago LAST WEEK L 28-16 vs. Seattle
Sean McVay: 1-0 COACH VS. OPP. Frank Reich: 0-0
34.0/14.0 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 16.0/28.0
386.0 OFFENSE 336.0
Matthew Stafford: 20-26-321-3-0-156.1 (1L) PASSING Carson Wentz: 25-38-251-2-0-102.0
Darrell Henderson: 16-70-4.4-1 RUSHING Jonathan Taylor: 17-56-3.3-0
Cooper Kupp: 7-108-15.4-1 RECEIVING Jonathan Taylor (RB): 6-60-10.0-0
322.0 DEFENSE 381.0
Justin Hollins: 2 SACKS DeForest Buckner, Kenny Moore (DB): 1
David Long: 1 INTs –
+2 (2/0) TAKE/GIVE 0 (1/1)
Johnny Hekker: 50.0 (47.0) PUNTING (NET) Rigoberto Sanchez: 46.8 (43.0)
Matt Gay: 10 (4/4 PAT; 2/2 FG) KICKING Rodrigo Blankenship: 4 (1/1 PAT; 1/1 FG)

 

RAMS NOTES

• QB MATTHEW STAFFORD passed for 321 yards & 3 TDs vs. 0 INTs for career-high 156.1 rating in LAR debut last week, his 50th-career game with 300+ pass yards. Has 989 pass yards (329.7 per game) & 8 TDs vs. 2 INTs for 102.8 rating in 3 career starts vs. Ind. Aims for his 4th in row vs. Ind. with 300+ pass yards & 2+ TD passes.

• RB DARRELL HENDERSON had 87 scrimmage yards (70 rush, 17 rec.) & 6th career rush TD in Week 1. RB SONY MICHEL had 110 scrimmage yards (98 rush, 12 rec.) & rush TD in only career game vs. Ind. (10/4/18 w/ NE).

• WR COOPER KUPP led team in catches (7) & rec. yards (108) in Week 1, his 12th-career 100+ yard game, & had 25th-career rec. TD last week. Had 76 rec. yards & TD catch in last meeting. Had 5+ receptions in 7 of 8 road games last season. Aims for his 5th in row on road with 8+ catches. WR ROBERT WOODS had rec. TD last week. Had 7 TDs (5 rec., 2 rush) in 8 road games last season. Has 10+ catches in 2 of his past 3 on road. WR VAN JEFFERSON had career-long 67-yard rec. TD last week.

• DL AARON DONALD had sack in Week 1. Had 9 sacks, 3 FFs & FR in 8 road games last season. Aims for his 6th in row on road vs. AFC with sack. Since 2014, leads NFL with 86.5 sacks. LB JUSTIN HOLLINS had 1st-career 2-sack game & 2nd-career FF last week. LB KENNY YOUNG tied his career high with 10 tackles & had 2nd-career FR in Week 1. CB JALEN RAMSEY had 9 tackles, 2 TFL & PD last week. Has 7 PD & INT in his past 5 vs. Ind.

 

COLTS NOTES

• QB CARSON WENTZ passed for 251 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 102 rating in Ind. debut last week. Has 2+ TD passes in 3 of his past 4 starts. Has 533 pass yards (266.5 per game) in 2 career games vs. LAR.

• RB JONATHAN TAYLOR had 116 scrimmage yards (60 rec., 56 rush) & tied career-high with 6 catches in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with 115+ scrimmage yards. Has 579 scrimmage yards (144.8 per game) in his past 4 at home. RB NYHEIM HINES had 82 scrimmage yards (48 rec., 34 rush) last week. RB MARLON MACK rushed for TD in last meeting.

• WR ZACH PASCAL had 2 TD catches in Week 1, his 3rd-career game with 2 rec. TDs. Has TD catch in 3 of his past 4. TE JACK DOYLE had 41 rec. yards in last meeting. Has 5+ catches in 2 of his past 3 vs. NFC West.

• LB DARIUS LEONARD had 5 tackles & 10th-career FF last week. Is 1 of 4 LBs (CHANDLER JONES, KHALIL MACK & T.J. WATT) with 10+ FFs since 2018. Aims for his 3rd in row with FF. LB BOBBY OKEREKE tied for team lead with 7 tackles last week. DT DEFOREST BUCKNER had sack in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row with sack. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. LAR with TFL. Rookie DE KWITY PAYE had TFL & FR in NFL debut last week. CB KENNY MOORE had sack last week. Aims for his 3rd in row at home with sack. CB T.J. CARRIE had PD last week. Had INT in his last game vs. LAR (9/22/19 w/ Cle.). S KHARI WILLIS tied for team lead with 7 tackles & had 0.5 sacks in Week 1.

Houston Texans @ Cleveland Browns

NFL Editor
-
0
Houston Texans @ Cleveland Browns

SUNDAY, SEPT. 19, 2021 // 1:00 PM ET // FIRSTENERGY STADIUM // REFEREE: BRAD ROGERS

 

ON THE AIRWAVES

TV: CBS (1:00 PM ET): Greg Gumbel, Adam Archuleta, AJ Ross (field reporter)
SIRIUS: 137 (Hou.), 81 (Cle.) | XM: 381 (Hou.), 226 (Cle.) | SXM App: 812 (Hou.), 807 (Cle.)

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER: Texans lead all-time series, 7-4
STREAKS: Texans have won 5 of past 6
LAST GAME: 11/15/20: Texans 7 at Browns 10
LAST GAME AT SITE: 11/15/20

 

HOUSTON TEXANS LEADERS CLEVELAND BROWNS

W 37-21 vs. Jacksonville LAST WEEK L 33-29 at Kansas City
David Culley: 0-0 COACH VS. OPP. Kevin Stefanski: 1-0
37.0/21.0 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 29.0/33.0
449.0 OFFENSE 457.0
Tyrod Taylor: 21-33-291-2-0-112.1 PASSING Baker Mayfield: 21-28-321-0-1-97.5
Mark Ingram: 26-85-3.3-1 RUSHING Nick Chubb: 15-83-5.5-2 (T1L)
Brandin Cooks: 5-132-26.4-0 RECEIVING Jarvin Landry: 5-71-14.2-0
395.0 DEFENSE 397.0
Whitney Mercilus: 1 SACKS Myles Garrett, Joe Jackson: 1
Three tied: 1 INTs –
+3 (3/0) TAKE/GIVE -2 (0/2)
Cameron Johnston: 44.3 (44.2) PUNTING (NET) Jamie Gillan: 52.0 (45.0)
Joey Slye: 13 (1L) (4/4 PAT; 3/3 FG) KICKING Chase McLaughlin: 3 (3/3 PAT; 0/0 FG)

 

TEXANS NOTES

• QB TYROD TAYLOR passed for 291 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for 112.1 rating & rushed for 40 yards last week in Hou. debut. Started 3 games for Cle. in 2018. Completed 17 of 24 passes (70.8 pct.) for 174 yards & TD & rushed for 49 yards in only career start vs. Cle. (12/18/16 w/ Buf.).

• RB MARK INGRAM led team with 85 rush yards & had rush TD last week in Hou. debut. Has 90+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3 career games at Cle. Leads all active RBs in rush yards (7,408) & rush TDs (63). RB DAVID JOHNSON had TD catch last week. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. AFC North with rush TD. RB PHILLIP LINDSAY rushed for TD last week in Hou. debut. Rushed for 92 yards & TD in his last game vs. Cle. (11/3/19 w/ Den.). Has 90+ rush yards & rush TD in 3 of his past 4 vs. AFC North.

• WR BRANDIN COOKS had 5 catches for 132 yards in Week 1. Aims for 4th in row with 5+ catches & 125+ rec. yards. Has 14 catches (7 per game) in his past 2 games vs. Cle. WR DANNY AMENDOLA had TD catch last week in Hou. debut. WR PHARAOH BROWN had 4 catches for career-high 67 rec. yards in Week 1.

• LB ZACH CUNNINGHAM had 6 tackles & PD in Week 1. Had 13 tackles in last meeting. Has 3 PD in 3 career games vs. Cle. Aims for his 6th in row vs. AFC North with 10+ tackles. LB CHRISTIAN KIRKSEY had 2 TFL & INT last week in Hou. debut. Had 30 TFL & 11.5 sacks in 6 seasons (2014-19) with Cle. CB TERRANCE MITCHELL had FF last week in Hou. debut. Had 123 tackles & 22 PD in 3 seasons (2018-20) with Cle.

 

BROWNS NOTES

• QB BAKER MAYFIELD completed 21 of 28 passes (75 pct.) for 321 yards & 97.5 rating last week. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. AFC South with 2+ TD passes, 0 INTs & 115+ rating.

• RB NICK CHUBB had 101 scrimmage yards (83 rush, 18 rec.) & had 2 rush TDs in Week 1. Aims for 8th in row with rush TD, longest active streak in NFL. Rushed for 126 yards & TD in last meeting. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. Hou. with rush TD. Has 565 scrimmage yards (113 per game) & 4 rush TDs in 5 career games vs. AFC South. Aims for his 7th in row at home with 100+ scrimmage yards. RB KAREEM HUNT had rush TD last week. Has 248 scrimmage yards (124 per game) in 2 games vs. Hou. Aims for his 7th in row vs. AFC South with 50+ scrimmage yards.

• WR JARVIS LANDRY had 5 catches for 71 yards & had 4thcareer rush TD in Week 1. Aims for 7th in row with 5+ catches. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. AFC South with TD catch. WR ODELL BECKHAM JR. had 9 catches for 109 yards in only career game vs. Hou. (9/23/18 w/ NYG). Has 725 rec. yards (103.6 per game) in 7 career games vs. AFC South. TE DAVID NJOKU had careerhigh 76 rec. yards last week.

• DE MYLES GARRETT had sack last week. Has 3 sacks in 3 career games vs. Hou. Has 8 sacks in 8 career games vs. AFC South. DE JOE JACKSON had 1st-career sack in Week 1. LB ANTHONY WALKER led team with 9 tackles in Cle. debut last week. Aims for his 3rd in row with 6+ tackles vs. Hou. CB DENZEL WARD had 6 tackles & PD in Week 1. Aims for his 5th in row with PD.

Cincinnati Bengals @ Chicago Bears

NFL Editor
-
0
Cincinnati Bengals @ Chicago Bears

SUNDAY, SEPT. 19, 2021 // 1:00 PM ET // SOLDIER FIELD // REFEREE: LAND CLARK

 

ON THE AIRWAVES

TV: FOX (1:00 PM ET): Kevin Kugler, Mark Sanchez, Laura Okmin (field reporter)
SIRIUS: 138 (Cin.), 83 (Chi.) | XM: 380 (Cin.), 225 (Chi.) | SXM App: 806 (Cin.), 805 (Chi.)

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER: Bengals lead all-time series, 6-5
STREAKS: Bears have won past 2
LAST GAME: 12/10/17: Bears 33 at Bengals 7
LAST GAME AT SITE: 9/8/13: Bears 24, Bengals 21

 

CINCINNATI BENGALS LEADERS CHICAGO BEARS

W 27-24 vs. Minnesota (OT) LAST WEEK L 34-14 at L.A. Rams
Zac Taylor: 0-0 COACH VS. OPP. Matt Nagy: 0-0
27.0/24.0 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 14.0/34.0
366.0 OFFENSE 322.0
Joe Burrow: 20-27-261-2-0-128.8 PASSING Andy Dalton: 27-38-206-0-1-72.9
Joe Mixon: 29-127 (1L)-4.4-1 RUSHING David Montgomery: 16-108-6.8-1
Ja’Marr Chase (R): 5-101-20.2-1 RECEIVING Allen Robinson: 6-35-5.8-0
403.0 DEFENSE 386.0
B.J. Hill: 2 SACKS Akiem Hicks, Robert Quinn: 0.5
– INTs –
+1 (1/0) TAKE/GIVE -2 (0/2)
Kevin Huber: 47.4 (42.9) PUNTING (NET) Pat O’Donnell: 36.0 (36.0)
Evan McPherson (R): 9 (3/3 PAT; 2/2 FG) KICKING Cairo Santos: 2 (2/2 PAT; 0/0 FG)

 

BENGALS NOTES

• QB JOE BURROW completed 20 of 27 passes (74.1 pct.) for 261 yards & 2 TDs vs. 0 INTs for career-high 128.8 rating last week. Had 8 TDs (7 pass, 1 rush) vs. 2 INTs in 6 road starts last season. Has 5 TDs vs. 0 INTs & 106.7 rating in 3 career starts vs. NFC.

• RB JOE MIXON had 150 scrimmage yards (127 rush, 23 rec.) & rush TD in Week 1, most among AFC RBs & his 8th-career game with 150+ scrimmage yards, tied 6th-most in NFL since 2017. Has 100+ scrimmage yards in 2 of 3 career games vs. NFC North.

• WR JA’MARR CHASE had 5 catches for 101 yards & TD in NFL debut last week, most rec. yards by any rookie & most by player in 1st-career game in Cin. history. WR TEE HIGGINS had 58 rec. yards & rec. TD in Week 1. Had 558 rec. yards (69.8 per game) in 8 road games last season. WR TYLER BOYD aims for his 3rd in row on road with 70+ rec. yards.

• S VONN BELL had 7 tackles & TFL last week. Had FF, FR & PD in his last game vs. Chi. (10/20/19 w/ NO). Since 2020, ranks 3rd among all DBs with 121 tackles. S JESSIE BATES led team with 9 tackles in Week 1. DT B.J. HILL had 2 sacks in Cin. debut last week. Had career-high 3 sacks vs. Chi. on 12/2/18 (w/ NYG). Has 4 sacks in 3 career games vs. Chi. DT LARRY OGUNJOBI had sack in Cin. debut in Week 1. Had 2 TFL & sack in only career game vs. Chi. (12/24/17 w/ Cle.). Aims for 3rd in row vs. NFC North with sack. DE TREY HENDRICKSON aims for his 3rd in row vs. Chi. with sack. LB GERMAINE PRATT had 1st-career FF & FR last week.

 

BEARS NOTES

• QB ANDY DALTON passed for 206 yards in Week 1. Spent 9 seasons with Cin. (2011-19) & is Bengals all-time leader in completions (2,757) & pass TDs (204) & ranks 2nd in franchise history is pass yards (32,838).

• RB DAVID MONTGOMERY totaled 118 scrimmage yards (108 rush, 10 rec.) & rush TD in Week 1. Aims for his 8th in row with 100+ scrimmage yards. Had 746 scrimmage yards (106.6 per game) & 6 TDs (5 rush, 1 rec.) in 7 home games last season. Has 5 rush TDs in 8 career games vs. AFC.

• WR ALLEN ROBINSON had 6 catches last week. Has 6+ receptions in 6 of his past 7 at home. Has 4 rec. TDs in his past 4 vs. AFC North. WR MARQUISE GOODWIN led team with 45 rec. yards last week. Had 77 rec. yards & TD catch in his last game vs. Cin. (9/15/19 w/ SF). TE COLE KMET had 3rd-career game with 5+ catches (5) last week. TE JIMMY GRAHAM has 700 career receptions & became 6th TE in NFL history with 700+ catches.

• LB KHALIL MACK aims for his 3rd in row at home with sack. Has 3 sacks & FF in his past 4 vs. AFC North. LB ROQUAN SMITH led team with 11 tackles last week, his 18th-career game with 10+ tackles. Had 7+ tackles in 7 of 8 home games last season. LB ROBERT QUINN had 0.5 sacks last week. DT AKIEM HICKS had 0.5 sacks in Week 1. DB EDDIE JACKSON had 5 tackles last week. Had FF, FR & INT in last meeting. CB JAYLON JOHNSON had PD last week. Had 6 PD in 7 home games last season.

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers

NFL Editor
-
0
New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers

SUNDAY, SEPT. 19, 2021 // 1:00 PM ET // BANK OF AMERICA STADIUM // REFEREE: RONALD TORBERT

 

ON THE AIRWAVES

TV: FOX (1:00 PM ET): Chris Myers, Daryl Johnston, Jennifer Hale (field reporter)
SIRIUS: 85 (NO), 104 (Car.) | XM: 383 (NO), 228 (Car.) | SXM App: 822 (NO), 804 (Car.)

 

REGULAR-SEASON SERIES HISTORY

LEADER: Saints lead all-time series, 27-25
STREAKS: Saints have won past 4
LAST GAME: 1/3/21: New Orleans 33 at Carolina 7
LAST GAME AT SITE: 1/3/21

 

NEW ORLEANS SAINTS LEADERS CAROLINA PANTHERS

W 38-3 vs. Green Bay (in Jacksonville) LAST WEEK W 19-14 vs. N.Y. Jets
Sean Payton: 17-12 COACH VS. OPP. Matt Rhule: 0-2
38.0/3.0 PTS. FOR/AGAINST 19.0/14.0
322.0 OFFENSE 381.0
Jameis Winston: 14-20-148-5 (1L)-0 PASSING Sam Darnold: 24-35-279-1-0-102.0
Alvin Kamara: 20-83-4.2-0 RUSHING Christian McCaffrey: 21-98-4.7-0
Juwan Johnson (TE): 3-21-7.0-2 RECEIVING Christian McCaffrey (RB): 9-89-9.9-0
229.0 DEFENSE 252.0
Marcus Davenport, Tanoh Kpassagnon: 1 SACKS Haason Reddick: 1.5
Paulson Adebo (R), Marcus Williams: 1 INTs Shaq Thompson: 1
+3 (3/0) TAKE/GIVE 0 (1/1)
Blake Gillikin: 51.5 (43.0) PUNTING (NET) Joseph Charlton: 37.5 (35.0)
Aldrick Rosas: 8 (5/5 PAT; 1/1 FG) KICKING Zane Gonzalez (2020 w/ Az.): 86 (38/39 PAT; 16/22 FG)

 

SAINTS NOTES

• QB JAMEIS WINSTON had 5 TD passes vs. 0 INTs for 130.8 rating in Week 1, his 2nd-career 5-TD pass game. Passed for 400 yards in his last start vs. Car. (10/13/19 w/ TB). Aims for his 4th start in row at Car. with 0 INTs & 90+ rating.

• RB ALVIN KAMARA had 91 scrmimage yards (83 rush, 8 rec.) & rec. TD last week. Has 16 rec. TDs since 2017, tied-most among RBs. Has 4 rush TDs in 3 career games at Car. & aims for his 4th in row at Car. with rush TD. Has 7 TDs (6 rush, 1 rec.) in his past 6 vs. NFC South. RB TONY JONES set career high with 50 rush yards in Week 1.

• WR DEONTE HARRIS had team-high 72 rec. yards & 2nd-career rec. TD last week. WR CHRIS HOGAN had TD catch in Week 1. Had rec. TD in his last game vs. Car. (10/1/17 w/ NE). TE JUWAN JOHNSON had 1st 2 career TD catches in Week 1.

• DE CAMERON JORDAN has 4 PD in his past 4 vs. Car. Since 2017, has 22 sacks & 27 TFL in 24 games against NFC South. Since 2012, ranks 4th in NFL with 93.5 sacks. DE MARCUS DAVENPORT had 13th-career sack in Week 1. Has sack in 2 of his past 3 vs. Car. DE TANOH KPASSAGNON had 8th-career sack in Week 1. LB DEMARIO DAVIS has 3 PD in his past 3 at Car. Since 2018, has 5+ tackles in 8 of 9 road games against NFC South. S MALCOLM JENKINS had 4 tackles & INT in last meeting. Has INT in 3 of his past 4 at Car. S MARCUS WILLIAMS had 14th-career INT last week. Has INT in 2 of his past 3 vs. NFC South. Rookie CB PAULSON ADEBO had 1st-career INT last week.

 

PANTHERS NOTES

• QB SAM DARNOLD completed 24 of 35 atts. (68.6 pct.) for 279 yards & had 2 TDs (1 pass, 1 rush) vs. 0 INTs for 102 rating in Car. debut last week.

• RB CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY had 9 receptions & 187 scrimmage yards (98 rush, 89 rec.) in Week 1, his 14th-career game with 9+ receptions. Has 329 career receptions, tied-3rd most (ALVIN KAMARA) by RB in 1st 5 career seasons. Has 7 career games with 75+ rush yards & 75+ rec. yards & surpassed HOFer WALTER PAYTON (6) for 3rd-most such games in NFL history. Has 335 scrimmage yards (111.7 per game) & rush TD in 3 career home games vs. NO. Has 1,974 scrimmage yards (103.9 per game) in 19 career games vs. NFC South.

• WR DJ MOORE had 6 catches for 80 yards in Week 1. Has 2+ rec. TDs in 2 of his past 3 vs. NO. Aims for his 5th in row vs. NO with 80+ rec. yards. WR ROBBY ANDERSON had 57-yard rec. TD last week. Has 46 receptions (5.1 per game) in 9 career home games with Car.

• LB SHAQ THOMPSON led team with 10 tackles, had career-high 3 PD & had INT & sack in Week 1. Aims for his 3rd in row vs. NO with 10+ tackles. LB HAASON REDDICK had sack & FF in Car. debut last week. DE BRIAN BURNS had sack in Week 1. Had sack & FF in last meeting. Aims for his 4th in row vs. NO with sack. DT DERRICK BROWN had 3rd-career sack last week. S JEREMY CHINN had 15 tackles (7.5 per game) & PD in 2 games vs. NO last season.

CFB Week 3 Football Preview: Mid-American Conference

NCAAFB Editor
-
0
CFB Week 3 Football Preview: Mid-American Conference

Thursday, September 16
Ohio (0-2) at Louisiana (1-1) | 8 pm (ESPN)
The Bobcats logged their second loss of the 2021 season Saturday afternoon falling to Duquesne, 28-26. The Bobcats were lead by De’Montre Tuggle on offense, as the redshirt fifth-year scored two total touchdowns and logged 175 all-purpose yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Ohio’s Jett Elad lead the team in tackles with 11. Redshirt fifth year wide receiver Cameron Odom surpassed 1,000 career receiving yards on Sept. 11 against Duquesne, catching a 60-yard pass in the first quarter to secure the milestone. Redshirt junior running back O’Shaan Allison also surpassed 1,000 career rushing yards on Sept. 11 against Duquesne.

Saturday, September 18
Northern Illinois (1-1) at Michigan (2-0) | Noon (BTN)
The Huskies’ first two games have each been decided in the final minutes. In the season opener at Georgia Tech, Tyrice Richie made a diving catch of Rocky Lombardi’s two-point conversion pass in the back of the end zone with 38 seconds to play, giving the Huskies a 22-21 win. Versus Wyoming, NIU came back from 26 points down in the final 20 minutes of the game to take a 43-42 lead before Wyoming scored with 1:35 to play to earn the victory. NIU freshman Harrison Waylee ranks third in the country in rushing yards per game (161.5) after running for 144 and 179 yards, respectively in the Huskies’ first two outings, including touchdown runs of 35 and 75 yards.

No. 16 Coastal Carolina (2-0) at Buffalo (1-1) | Noon (ESPN2)
Buffalo will host 16th-ranked Coastal Carolina at UB Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Bulls are coming off a 28-3 loss at Nebraska last Saturday. Linebacker James Patterson led the Bulls with 12 tackles in the game. The Bulls have built quite the home field advantage over the last few seasons. UB is 16-2 in its last 18 games played at UB Stadium. Since 2017, the Bulls are 6-1 against non-conference opponents with their only loss coming to Army in 2018. The Bulls lead the MAC and rank 14th nationally in third down conversions at 54.3 percent (19-of-35). Buffalo was 8-of-13 against Wagner and 11-of-22 against a Nebraska.

Western Michigan (1-1) at Pittsburgh (2-0) | Noon (ESPN3)
Western Michigan picked up its first win of the season, 28-0 over Illinois State, in a dominant defensive performance at Waldo Stadium in front of 18,122 fans on Saturday night. Not only did WMU’s defense record the shutout, the first since a 68-0 win over Delaware State on Sept. 15, 2018, the team tied the program record for fewest yards allowed in a game with 57. The Broncos tied the 1972 team that held Marshall to 57 as well. Offensively the Broncos racked up 407 yards, with 233 on the ground and 174 threw the air. Junior running back La’Darius Jefferson had a game-high 108 yards rushing and two touchdowns.

LIU (0-2) at Miami (0-2) | 3:30 pm (ESPN+)
Miami opens the home portion of its schedule, welcoming the Long Island Sharks to Yager Stadium. Trailing 21-3 at halftime, the RedHawks scored 17 unanswered points to make it a one-point contest in the fourth quarter, falling just short to the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 31-26. Miami surrendered zero passing yards in the second half as the RedHawks out-gained the Golden Gophers 341-287. Graham Nicholson was 2-for-2 on field goals, including a career-long 46-yard kick. He was named MAC East
Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts.

Kent State (1-1) at Iowa (2-0) | 3:30 pm (BTN)
The Flashes are coming off a 60-10 home opening victory over VMI. The Flashes rushed for 494 yards in the win, the most in a game since 1954. The 494 yards are the most in a game so far in this young FBS season, as do Kent State’s seven rushing touchdowns in a game. The Golden Flashes lead the FBS with a 360 rushing yard per game average. Montre Miller was named MAC Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in the win over VMI. Miller had a trio of interceptions for the Golden Flashes in their 60-10 victory in Saturday’s home opener. He became the first player to have three picks in a game since Brian Lainhart did it for the Golden Flashes in the 2008 Wagon Wheel game.

Eastern Michigan (1-1) at UMass (0-2) | 3:30 pm (FloFootball)
Eastern Michigan is set to hit the road for a second consecutive weekend when it travels to The Bay State for a contest against UMass. EMU currently ranks inside the nation’s top-10 in a pair of special teams categories. The EMU kick off unit has yet to allow a yard of return this season, which is the second-best total of any team in the nation. Only Colorado State (-1.0 yards) has had a better kick return defense this season. As a punting unit, EMU’s 45.7 net yards per punt ranks eighth nationally and first in the MAC. Saturday’s game will be the third all-time meeting between the Eagles and Minutemen. UMass holds a 2-0 advantage in the all-time series between the two teams. Most recently, the Minutemen traveled to Ypsilanti and secured a 28-17 win, Nov. 14, 2015.

Bryant (1-1) at Akron (0-2) | 3:30 pm (ESPN3)
Akron held an early 14-0 lead, but could not overcome 38 unanswered points from Temple at Saturday’s home opener at InfoCision-Stadium-Summa Field, as the Zips fell 45-24. Redshirt junior linebacker Bubba Arslanian was recognized by the MAC as its MAC East Co-Defensive Player of the Week. Arslanian turned in a stellar performance against Temple registering a game-high 17 tackles, including eight solo stops. His 17 total tackles represent the best single-game effort in the NCAA this season and is two shy of his career-high total of 19 tackles set against Bowling Green last season. Arslanian is rated second in the NCAA in total tackles per game (12.5) and solo tackles per contest (6.0).

Ball State (1-1) at Wyoming (2-0) | 4 pm (Stadium)
Ball State and Wyoming are set to square off for the first time in series history Saturday. RB Carson Steele has a touchdown in both games against Western Illinois and Penn State. He is one of only two true freshmen in the country to rush for a touchdown in both games to begin the season, joining Jarquez Hunter of Auburn. Steele is one of seven players overall in the MAC to rush for at least one touchdown in both games to begin the 2021 campaign. Ball State has three of the top 15 tacklers in the MAC in ILB Jaylin Thomas, S Bryce Cosby and S Brett Anderson II. Thomas is tied for 10th in the league with 16 tackles, while Cosby is right behind in a tie for 12th with 15 tackles. Anderson has 13 stops and is tied for 19th.

Colorado State (0-2) at Toledo (1-1) | 4 pm (ESPNU)
The Rockets return to the Glass Bowl to face Colorado State after nearly pulling off one of the greatest upsets in school history last week. Toledo (1-1) lost at Notre Dame, 32-29, on Sept. 11 but not before putting on an impressive showing that nearly sent the then-No. 8 Irish down to defeat. Toledo’s defense held Notre Dame in check most of the game, racking up three turnovers, six sacks and five pass breakups. Junior cornerback Chris McDonald had a pick-six late in the first half and junior lineman Terrance Taylor had a pair of sacks. Sophomore quarterback Carter Bradley completed 17-of-27 passes for 213 yards. Sophomore Devin Maddox had a career-high nine receptions for 135 yards. Junior Bryant Koback paced the rushing attack with 122 yards on 22 carries with one TD reception.

Murray State (1-1) at Bowling Green (0-2) | 5 pm (ESPN3) Bowling Green hosts Murray State for the second time in series history. BGSU LB Darren Anders is the only player in the nation this season with 20+ tackles (22), one interception, one fumble recovery, one forced fumble and one sack. He recorded his first career interception against South Alabama last time out and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown. He currently ranks No. 9 in the nation and No. 2 in the MAC with 11.0 tackles per game. QB Matt McDonald notched a career-high 308 passing yards against South Alabama. It was the first time in his career he passed for 300+ yards in a game. His 495 passing yards this season ranks No. 1 in the MAC. His 308 passing yards were the most of any MAC quarterback in Week No. 2 and was named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week for his efforts.

Central Michigan (1-1) at LSU (1-1) | 7:30 pm (SEC Network)
Central Michigan travels to LSU for its final road non-conference game of the season. CMU tallied a shutout against Robert Morris, its first since a 37-0 victory over UMass in 2013. CMU dominated the game, holding RMU to three first downs, 109 total yards (13 passing, 96 rushing) and 1-12 on third down. The Chippewas have been strong with their third-down defense this season, allowing opponents to convert just two of 23 opportunities (9%). That leads the MAC and ranks second in the nation.

CFB Week 3 Football Preview: Atlantic Coast Conference

NCAAFB Editor
-
0
CFB Week 3 Football Preview: Atlantic Coast Conference

Friday, Sept. 17
UCF (2-0, 0-0 AAC) at Louisville (1-1, 0-0 ACC)
7:30 p.m.; ESPN
Series tied, 1-1
Last meeting: UCF, 38-35 (2013)
Head Coaches:
Louisville – Scott Satterfield (13-13 in second season at Louisville; 63-37 in ninth season overall)
UCF – Gus Malzahn (2-0 in first season at UCF; 79-38 in 10th season overall)

Notes: The Cardinals welcome UCF for the first half of a home-and-home series • Louisville is slated to travel to Orlando next September • Louisville and UCF, former conference members, have met two times on the gridiron • he two schools were together in the American Athletic Conference for one season in 2013, with the Knights knocking off the Cardinals 38-35 in Louisville • Louisville defeated the Knights 42-21 in the first meeting between the two schools on Nov. 2, 1985 at Cardinal Stadium • UCF head coach Gus Malzahn is in his first year at the helm following a run of eight consecutive winning seasons at Auburn • Malzahn was on the opposing sidelines at the Chickfil-A Peach Bowl that capped the 2017 season, when UCF knocked off Auburn to cap an unbeaten season • Following Friday night’s contest, Louisville plays eight consecutive ACC games before ending its regular season versus rival Kentucky on Nov. 27.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Western Michigan (1-1, 0-0 MAC) at Pitt (2-0, 0-0 ACC)
Noon; RSN
First meeting
Head Coaches:
Pitt – Pat Narduzzi (43-34 in seventh season at Pitt and overall)
Western Michigan – Tim Lester (25-21 in fifth season at Western Michigan 55-44 in 11th season overall)

Notes: Pitt takes on Western Michigan for the first time, with the Broncos slated to play host to the Panthers in a return game at Kalamazoo in 2022 • Pitt is 27-4 all-time versus opponents from the MAC, with the two most recent wins coming in 2019 – 20-10 over Ohio during the regular season and 34-30 over Eastern Michigan in the Quick Lane Bowl • Western Michigan’s roster includes defensive backs Bricen Garner and Therran Coleman, who each played four years at Pitt before opting to spend their final collegiate season with the Broncos • Pitt is home for the next two weekends – playing host to New Hampshire on Sept. 25 – before opening its ACC slate with a pair of road games against Coastal Division opponents Georgia Tech (Oct. 2) and Virginia Tech (Oct. 16) • The Panthers have won their last five home games against non-conference opponents.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Boston College (2-0, 0-0 ACC) at Temple (1-1, 0-1 AAC)
Noon; ESPN2
BC leads series, 29-7-2
Last meeting: BC,45-35 (2018)
Head Coaches:
Boston College – Jeff Hafley (8-5 in second season at Boston College and overall)
Temple – Rod Carey (10-12 in third season at Temple; 62-42 in ninth season overall)

Notes: Saturday will mark the 39th meeting in a football series that was first played in 1936 • This week’s game concludes a home-and-home set, following Boston College’s 45-35 win at Chestnut Hill in 2018 • Boston College has won the last six times it has faced Temple, with the Owls’ most recent series victory coming in 1999 in Philadelphia • RBs AJ Dillon (161) and Ben Glines (120) combined for 281 rushing yards and three touchdowns in the Eagles’ 2018 victory, and QB Anthony Brown threw a pair of touchdown passes • The programs were meeting for the first time since 2004, the final season for each as Big East Conference members • Saturday’s contest will be the third of four consecutive non-conference games to open Boston College’s 2021 schedule • The Eagles will play host to Missouri on Sept. 25 before launching ACC play at Clemson on Oct. 2 • The Owls have future games lined up versus ACC opponent Duke (2022 and 2023).

Saturday, Sept. 18
Albany (0-2, 0-1 CAA) at Syracuse (1-1, 0-0 ACC)
Noon; ACCN
First meeting
Head Coaches:
Syracuse – Dino Babers (25-37 in sixth season at
Syracuse; 62-53 in 10th season overall)
Albany – Greg Gattuso (34-42 in eighth season at Albany, 131-73 in 20th season overall)

Notes: Syracuse faces in-state opponent Albany in football for the first time • It is the second of three consecutive home games for the Orange, which will welcome Liberty on Sept. 24 for a Friday night contest • Albany last played an ACC opponent in 2018, when the Great Danes dropped a 33-7 decision to Pitt in the season opener • The Panthers were Albany’s first-ever opponent from a Power 5 conference and the Great Danes’ second against an FBS foe • Albany head coach Greg Gattuso is a Pittsburgh native whose teams won eight MAAC championships in 12 seasons at Duquesne (1993-2004) • Gattuso then worked on the Panthers’ staff for six seasons (2005-11) and spent time in the ACC as Maryland’s defensive line coach for three seasons (2011-13) before taking the helm at Albany • He led the Great Danes to the second round of the NCAA D-I playoffs in 2019.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Michigan State (2-0, 1-0 Big Ten) at #24 Miami (1-1, 0-0 ACC)
Noon; ABC
Miami leads, 4-0
Last Meeting: Miami, 26-20 (1989)
Head Coaches:
Miami – Manny Diaz (15-11 in third season at Miami and overall)
Michigan State – Mel Tucker (4-5 in second season at Michigan State; 9-12 in third season overall)

Notes: First meeting between the Power 5 programs since 1989 and one of four September games over the past two weekends for ACC teams against Big Ten opponents • The Hurricanes were scheduled to visit Michigan State last season, but the game was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic • Saturday’s game will be the fourth of five in the series to be played at Miami • The Hurricanes’ lone trip to Michigan State came in the most recent meeting in September of 1989, when a No. 2-ranked Miami squad survived an upset bid by the unranked Spartans to win 26-20 • Redshirt freshman QB Gino Torretta came off the bench to throw a touchdown pass after relieving injured starter Craig Erickson to help the Hurricanes escape • The teams first met late in the 1945 season, with the Hurricanes posting a 21-7 victory that stands as the only series game to date decided by more than six points.

Saturday, Sept. 18
#15 Virginia Tech (2-0, 1-0 ACC) at West Virginia (1-1, 0-0 Big 12)
Noon; FS1
WVa. leads series, 28-23-1
Last meeting: VT, 31-24 (2017)
Head Coaches:
Virginia Tech – Justin Fuente (40-26 in sixth season at Virginia Tech; 66-49 in 10th season overall)
West Virginia- Neal Brown (11-12 in third season at West Virginia; 46-28 in seventh season overall)

Notes: The programs have squared off 52 times since 1912, but this year’s game will be just the second between the teams since they met every year from 1973 through 2005 • The Hokies won the more recent meeting in 2017 by a 31-24 score at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., the first neutral site game between the teams since 1962 (Richmond, Va.) • QB Josh Jackson passed for 235 yards, ran for 101 and accounted for two touchdowns in his first start for Virginia Tech, and the No. 21 Hokies made a last-second stand to hold off the No. 22 Mountaineers • Arguably the most memorable contest in the series was a 22-20 Tech victory in Morgantown on Nov. 6, 1999, when Michael Vick led a last-minute comeback that Shayne Graham capped with a 44-yard game-winning field goal as time expired • The Mountaineers are scheduled to play in Blacksburg in 2022.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Georgia Tech (1-1, 0-0 ACC) at #6 Clemson (1-1, 0-0 ACC) 3:30 p.m.; ABC
Georgia Tech leads, 50-33-2
Last meeting: Clemson, 73-7 (2020)
Head Coaches:
Clemson – Dabo Swinney (141-34 in 14th season at Clemson and overall)
Georgia Tech – Geoff Collins (7-17 in third season at Georgia Tech; 22-27 in fifth season overall)

Notes: Clemson has held the recent upper hand in a series dominated early on by Georgia Tech, winning each of the last six meetings and nine of the last 10 • The schools first met in 1898 and 1899 with games at Augusta, Ga., and Greenville, S.C. • Those were the only neutral-site meetings until the 2009 ACC Football Championship Game at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. • Saturday will mark the 16th time in the last 18 meetings that at least one team has been nationally ranked • Last year’s game between the teams in Atlanta saw QB Trevor Lawrence pass for a career-high 404 yards and five touchdowns as top-ranked Clemson overwhelmed the homestanding Yellow Jackets • The Tigers have scored a combined 174 points in the last three meetings versus the Jackets • Clemson is 15-6 versus the Tigers in Death Valley, including a 52-14 win in the most recent meeting two seasons ago.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Virginia (2-0, 0-0 ACC) at #21 North Carolina (1-1, 0-1 ACC) 7:30 p.m.; ACCN
UNC leads series, 63-58-4
Last meeting: UVA, 44-41 (2020)
Head Coaches:
Virginia – Bronco Mendenhall (32-32 in sixth season at UVA; 131-75 in 17th season overall)
North Carolina – Mack Brown (85-57-1 in 13th season at North Carolina; 260-133-1 in 33rd season overall)

Notes: Following seven straight UNC wins from 2010 through 2016, Virginia has won the last four head-to-head meetings in “The South’s Oldest Rivalry,” which was first played in 1892 • Saturday’s game will mark the 126th meeting between the programs and the 52nd in Chapel Hill • UNC is 33-15-3 in previous home games versus the Cavaliers and holds an overall 35-31-1 edge in ACC play • QB Brennan Armstrong threw for three touchdowns and ran for another in last year’s meeting, and Virginia scored 28 consecutive points to build a 41-28 lead before holding off a UNC fourth-quarter comeback to win 44-41 • Every game between the schools since 1944 has been played at UNC or UVA • The earlier days of the series featured a combined 23 neutral site games in Richmond, Norfolk and Atlanta • Since the conclusion of World War I, the schools have met every year since 1919.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Florida State (0-2, 0-0 ACC) at Wake Forest (2-0, 0-0 ACC)
3:30 p.m.; ESPN
FSU leads series, 30-7-1
Last meeting: WFU, 22-20 (2019)
Head Coaches:
Florida State – Mike Norvell (3-8 in second season at Florida State; 41-23 in fifth season overall)
Wake Forest – Dave Clawson (42-45 in eighth season at Wake Forest; 132-125 in 22nd season overall)

Notes: Florida State had won seven straight in the series before Wake Forest’s 22-20 victory at home in 2019 • PK Nick Sciba connected on a field goal from 25 yards out with 4:18 remaining to supply the Demon Deacons’ winning points • Last year’s scheduled game between the teams was canceled • The Seminoles are 9-4 all-time versus Wake Forest in Winston-Salem and have won 23 of the 28 ACC meetings between the teams • The series opened with a 14-14 tie in 1956, and the programs played 10 games (nine in Tallahassee, one in Winston-Salem) over the next 17 years • This Saturday’s meeting closes out a three-game season-opening homestand for the Deacons and kicks off a run of four consecutive ACC games • It will be the first road game of the season for the Seminoles, who return home the next two weekends (Sept. 25 and Oct. 2) for ACC games versus Louisville and Syracuse.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Furman (2-0, 0-0 SoCon) at NC State (1-1, 0-0 ACC)
7:30 p.m.; RSN
Furman leads series, 8-5-4
Last meeting: NCSU, 49-16 (2017)
Head Coaches:
NC State – Dave Doeren (56-47 in ninth season at NC State; 79-51 in 11th season overall)
Furman – Clay Hendrix (27-18 in fifth season at Furman and overall)

Notes: NC State and Furman meet for the second time in five seasons in a series that was first played in 1902 • NC State won 49-16 at home in the most recent meeting in 2017 as Jaylen Samuels rushed for three first-half touchdowns • Prior to that game, the schools had not met since 1985, when the Paladins posted their second straight victory in the series and their third four meetings • That Furman team, which went on to reach the NCAA Division I-AA championship game, was coached by Dick Sheridan • Sheridan became the Wolfpack’s head coach in 1986 and guided NC State to a 52-29-3 overall record and six bowl game appearances over next the next seven years • The current Paladin squad is led by fifth-year head coach Clay Hendrix, who played at Furman under Sheridan and served on his NC State coaching staff as a graduate assistant in 1986 and 1987.

Saturday, Sept. 18
Northwestern (1-1, 0-1 Big Ten) at Duke (1-1, 0-0 ACC)
4 p.m.; ACCN
Series tied, 10-10
Last meeting: Duke, 21-7 (2018)
Head Coaches:
Duke – David Cutcliffe (75-89 in 14th season at Duke; 119-118 in 20th season overall)
Northwestern – Pat Fitzgerald (107-82 in 16th season at Northwestern and overall)

Notes: Duke’s 41-17 win in Durham in 2017, followed by a 21-7 road victory in 2018, reversed a trend in a series that had seen Northwestern win the previous three meetings and eight of the previous nine • QB Daniel Jones threw three touchdown passes in the second quarter of the 2018 game before leaving with a collarbone injury, standing out against the Wildcats for the second year in a row after accounting for 413 yards and four touchdowns in the Blue Devils’ home win in Durham one year earlier • This Saturday’s game will be the 21st between the schools on the gridiron since the series began in 1985 • This year’s game is the first of a four-year home-and-home set between the Blue Devils and Wildcats, who played a similar series from 2015 through 2019 • It will be the third of four consecutive non-conference games for Duke, which welcomes Kansas on Sept. 25 before opening ACC play Oct. 2 at rival North Carolina.

Saturday, Sept. 11
Georgia State (0-1, 0-0 SBC) at #10 North Carolina (0-1, 0-1 ACC)
7:30 p.m.; RSN
First meeting
Head Coaches:
North Carolina – Mack Brown (84-57-1 in 13th season at North Carolina; 259-133-1 in 33rd season overall)
Georgia State -Shawn Elliott (22-26 in fifth season at Georgia State; 23-40 in sixth season overall)

Notes: North Carolina’s first-ever meeting against Georgia State begins a stretch in which the Tar Heels will play five of their next six games at home • UNC seeks to win its home opener for the fourth consecutive season and for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons • Saturday night’s game will mark Georgia State’s first against an ACC opponent since a 41-7 loss at NC State in 2018 • UNC is scheduled to face Georgia State in Atlanta in 2022 in a home-and-home series return game • The Panthers are the only non-conference opponent on the Tar Heels’ schedule prior to Oct. 30, when they are scheduled to play at Notre Dame • After opening the 2021 campaign with last week’s trip to Virginia Tech for the ACC season opener, UNC is scheduled to play host to Virginia (Sept. 18) and travel to Atlanta to face Georgia Tech (Sept. 25) before facing Duke, Florida State and Miami at Kenan Stadium the first three weekends in October.

Saturday, Sept. 11
Jacksonville State (0-1, 0-0 AQ7) at Florida State (0-1, 0-0 ACC)
8 p.m.; ACCN
FSU leads series, 2-1
Last meeting: FSU, 41-24 (2020)
Head Coaches:
Florida State – Mike Norvell (3-7 in second season at Florida State; 41-22 in fifth season overall)
Jacksonville State – John Grass (68-22 in eighth season at Jacksonville State and overall)

Notes: Jacksonville State visits Tallahassee for the second consecutive season and the fourth time overall • The Seminoles won last season 41-24 as QB Jordan Travis came off the bench to lead five straight touchdown drives • FSU won in 2009 by a 19-9 score thanks to a pair of touchdowns in the final 35 seconds • Ty Jones’ 1-yard touchdown run with 35 seconds left put the Seminoles ahead, and teammate Kevin McNeil returned a fumble for a score 21 seconds later to seal the win • Jacksonville State won the first meeting between the programs 7-0 in 1947 • After a highly successful run in the Ohio Valley Conference, JSU announced in January that it would return to the ASUN, its first Division I conference affiliation • The ASUN announced has announced plans to add FCS football to the league’s list of sponsored sports for the first time in the conference’s 43-year history.

CFB Week 3 Football Preview: American Athletic Conference

NCAAFB Editor
-
0
CFB Week 3 Football Preview: American Athletic Conference

WEEK 3 AAC PREVIEWS

FRIDAY, SEPT. 17 • 7:30 P.M. • ESPN

Central Florida at LOUISVILLE
Cardinal Stadium (60,800/FieldTurf)
Louisville, Kentucky
Television
ESPN
Jason Benetti, Andre Ware and Paul Carcaterra
Radio
WYGM-FM 96.9 (UCF flagship)
SiriusXM 81

THE GAME
Friday’s game will be the third meeting between UCF and Louisville … The Cardinals were 42-21 winners in 1985, while the Knights won a thrilling 38-35 decision against then-No. 8/6 Louisville in 2013 in an American Athletic Conference game … Both previous meetings were played in Cardinal Stadium.

rv/rv UCF
2-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Gus Malzahn (Henderson State ‘90)
2-0, first season at UCF 79-38, 10th season as collegiate head coach

Notes
UCF is off to a 2-0 start under new head coach Gus Malzahn as the Knights rallied for a 36-31 win against Boise State in Week 1 before racing past Bethune-Cookman 63-14 last weekend … UCF has averaged 49.5 and 622.2 yards through its first two games … QB Dillon Gabriel has led the way, averaging 315.0 yards and six touchdowns against two interceptions while completing 65.8% of his passes (48 of 73) … RB Isaiah Bowser, a transfer from Northwestern, has averaged 115.5 rushing yards and has five touchdowns through two games … Bowser had four TDs in the win against Bethune-Cookman … WR Brandon Johnson has 12 catches for 128 yards and two TDs … DL
Kalia Davis has a team-high 3.0 tackles for loss, while DB Quadric Bullard is the team leader with 16 total tackles.

LOUISVILLE
1-1, 0-0 ACC
Head Coach
Scott Satterfield (Appalachian State ‘96)
13-13, third season at Louisville 64-37, ninth season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Louisville picked up its first win with a 30-3 victory against Eastern Kentucky last Saturday … The Cardinals opened the season with a 43-24 setback at Ole Miss … Louisville was a member of The American during the league’s inaugural season in 2013 … The Cardinals went 12-1 that season, falling only to UCF, and capped the year with a win against Miami (Fla,) in the Citrus Bowl … The offense is led by QB Malik Cunningham, who has completed 37 of 60 passes for 468 yards and two touchdowns and an interception and has four rushing touchdowns … RB Jalen Mitchell leads the team with 139 rushing yards … WR Ahmari Huggins-Bruce is the top receiver with six catches for 168 yards … CB Kei’Trel Clark leads the squad with two interceptions, both in the win against Eastern Kentucky.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • NOON • ESPN

CINCINNATI at INDIANA
Memorial Stadium (52,656/FieldTurf)
Bloomington, Indiana
Television
ESPN
Dave Pasch, Dusty Dvoracek and Tom Luginbill
Radio
WLW-AM 700 (Cincinnati flagship)
SiriusXM 135/201/964

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 15th meeting between Cincinnati and Indiana in a series that traces its roots to 1896 … The schools met five times between 1896 and 1905
and most recently played in 2000 … Indiana holds a 9-3-2 series lead and has won the last five … Cincinnati’s last win against the Hoosiers was a 21-0 decision Nov. 9, 1957.

8/8 CINCINNATI
2-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Luke Fickell (Ohio State ‘97)
37-14, fifth season at Cincinnati 43-21, sixth season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Cincinnati found itself tied with FCS Murray State at haltime of their game last Saturday, but the Bearcats rolled through the second half to score a 42-7 win and
pick up their 22nd consecutive victory at Nippert Stadium … With Ohio State’s home loss to Oregon the same day, Cincinnati’s active homefield winning streak ranks third nationally, behind only Clemson (29) and Notre Dame (25) … QB Desmond Ridder has completed 72.3% of his passes (34 of 47) for 538 yards and six touchdowns against one interception … RB Jerome Ford has 234 rushing yards and four TDs, while WR Tyler Scott has five catches for 155 yards and two touchdowns … All-America CB Ahmad Gardner had his first interception of the season in the win against Murray State.

rv/rv INDIANA
1-1, 0-1 Big Ten
Head Coach
Tom Allen (Maranatha Baptist ‘92)
25-23, fifth season

Notes
Indiana bounced back from a season-opening loss at Iowa (34-6) with a 56-14 win against Idaho … Indiana went 6-2 last season, falling only to Ohio State in the regular season and to Ole Miss in the Outback Bowl … The Hoosiers were ranked as high as No. 7 nationally, cracking the top 10 for the first time since 1969 … The Hoosiers have 17 starters back from last year … QB Michael Penix has battled through multiple injuries to amass a 13-3 career record as Indiana’s starter … Penix has completed 25 of 47 passes for 224 yards and two touchdowns against three interceptions this season … RB Stephen Carr, a transfer from USC, is the leading rusher with 175 yards and a touchdown on 41 carries … WR Ty Fryfogle has a team-high 10 receptions for 113 yards and a touchdown … CB Tiawan Mullen earned first-team All-America honors last season.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • NOON • ESPNU

BOSTON COLLEGE at TEMPLE
Lincoln Financial Field (69,596/Natural Grass)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Television
ESPNU
Brian Custer, Kelly Stouffer and Lauren Sisler
Radio
WPEN-FM 97.5 (Temple flagship)
SiriusXM 383/973

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 32nd meeting between Temple and Boston College in a series that dates to 1936 … The Eagles hold a 29-7-2 series lead and have won the last six meetings … Temple’s last win against BC was a 24-14 decision in Philadelphia in 1999 … Boston College athletics director Patrick Kraft was Temple’s AD from 2015-20.

TEMPLE
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Rod Carey (Indiana ‘93)
10-12, third season at Temple 62-42, ninth season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Temple has split a pair of road games to start the 2021 season as the Owls dropped a 61-14 decision at Rutgers in Week 1 before answering with a 45-24 victory at Akron last Saturday … Temple has had a different starting quarterback in each of its last five games … QB D’Wan Mathis was the Opening Day starter this season, but he suffered an injury against Rutgers … True freshman QB Justin Lynch made his first career start against Akron last week and threw for 245 yards and two touchdowns … Lynch has completed 19 of 26 passes through two games (73.1%) … WR Randle Jones has eight receptions for 208 yards and two touchdowns … LB William Kwenkeu had 2.0 sacks and a 38-yard fumble return for a touchdown against Akron last Saturday.

rv/rv BOSTON COLLEGE
2-0, 0-0 ACC
Head Coach
Jeff Hafley (Siena ’01)
8-5, second season

Notes
Boston College is 2-0 for the second time in as many years under Jeff Hafley after the Eagles took a 45-28 win at Massachusetts … The Eagles opened the season with
a 51-0 win against Colgate … Boston College has scored 96 points through two games — the most in consecutive games in program history … The Eagles have averaged
48.0 points and 498.5 yards against its first two opponents and have not allowed a first-half point … QB Phil Jurkovec had thrown for 326 yards and three touchdowns in two games, but suffered a potentially season-ending wrist injury against Massachusetts … WR Zay Flowers has nine receptions for 203 yards and two touchdowns … RB
Patrick Garwo leads the team in rushing with 189 yards and a TD … LB Isaiah Graham-Mobley, a transfer from Temple, is second on the team with 13 tackles.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • 3:30 P.M. • CBSSN

SMU at LOUISIANA TECH
Joe Aillet Stadium (28,562/FieldTurf)
Ruston, Louisiana
Television
CBS Sports Network
Chick Hernandez and Corey Chavous
Radio
KTCK-FM 96.7 (SMU flagship)
SiriusXM 385/975

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the sixth meeting between SMU and Louisiana Tech … The Bulldogs have won the last three meetings and hold a 4-1 series lead … The last meeting was Louisiana Tech’s 51-10 win in the Frisco Bowl only days after Sonny Dykes was named as SMU’s head coach … Dykes was Louisiana Tech’s head coach from 2010-12.

-/rv SMU
2-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Sonny Dykes (Texas Tech ‘93)
24-14, fourth season at SMU 65-59, 11th season as collegiate head coach

Notes
SMU pulled away from North Texas with a big second half as the Mustangs took a 35-12 win to improve to 2-0 last Saturday … SMU held a 7-6 halftime lead and outscored the Mean Green 28-6 in the final 30 minutes … SMU opened with a 56-9 victory against Abilene Christian … QB Tanner Mordecai has thrown for 628 yards and 11 touchdowns in two games … RB Ulysses Bentley IV is the leading rusher with 158 yards and a touchdown on 20 carries … WR DAnny Gray has nine catches for 159 yards
and three touchdowns, while TE Grant Calcaterra also has three TD catches … The Mustangs have won 11 of their last 12 home games … SMU, which started the 2019 and
2020 seasons with 5-0 records, has not been 5-0 in three consecutive years since 1981-83.

LOUISIANA TECH
1-1, 0-0 Conference USA
Head Coach
Skip Holtz (Notre Dame ‘86)
62-42, ninth season at Louisiana Tech 150-113, 22nd season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Louisiana Tech has seen its first two games decided by a combined four points after the Bulldogs opened with a 35-34 setback at Mississippi State before edging Southeastern Louisiana 45-42 … Louisiana Tech never trailed last week, but never led by more than 10 points … The Bulldogs were 5-5 last year and 10-3 in 2019 … QB Austin Kendall was West Virginia’s starter in 2019 and played in eight games at Oklahoma from 2016-18 … Kendall has 486 passing yards and three touchdowns through two games … RB Marcus Williams Jr. is the leading rusher with 120 yards on 31 carries … WR Bub Means has five receptions for 131 yards and a TD … All-Conference USA
first team SS BeeJay Williamson, who has 12 tackles and two forced fumbles in 2021.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • 3:30 P.M. • FS1

TULSA at OHIO STATE
Ohio Stadium (102,780/FieldTurf)
Columbus, Ohio
Television
FS1
Tim Brando and Spencer Tillman
Radio
KXBL-FM 99.5 (Tulsa flagship)
SiriusXM 384/974

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between Tulsa and Ohio State … The only previous matchup was Sept. 10, 2016, when the No. 4-ranked Buckeyes won 48-3 in Columbus … Ohio State QB J.T. Barrett had two rushing touchdowns, while CB Marshon Lattimore had two interceptions, including a 40-yard touchdown.

TULSA
0-2, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State ’95)
31-42, seventh season

Notes
Tulsa has dropped its first two games by a combined seven points as the Golden Hurricane opened with a 19-17 setback to UC Davis before falling 28-23 at Oklahoma
State last Saturday … Tulsa held a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter against Oklahoma State, but saw the Cowboys score 14 straight points to take a lead they would not relinquish … Tulsa has had the advantage in yards in both of its games in 2021 … QB Brin Davis has completed 34 of 55 passes for 426 yards and is looking for his first touchdown pass of the year … RB Deneric Prince has team highs with 185 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground … WR Keylon Stokes is the leading receiver with six catches for 115 yards … LB Justin Wright has Tulsa’s lone defensive interception — a 55-yard return for a touchdown against Oklahoma State.

9/11 OHIO STATE
1-1, 0-0 Big Ten
Head Coach
Ryan Day (New Hampshire ’02)
24-3, third season

Notes
Ohio State looks to bounce back from only its fourth loss in the last four seasons as the Buckeyes fell 35-28 to Oregon last Saturday, ending the team’s 23-game home winning streak … QB C.J. Stroud has thrown for 778 yards and seven touchdowns against two interceptions in 2021 … Stroud has completed 48 of 76 passes (63.2%) and is coming off a 484-yard performance against Oregon … RB Miyan Williams has 202 rushing yards and a touchdown on 23 carries … WR Chris Olave leads the Buckeyes with 16 catches for 243 yards and two touchdowns … Olave was one of three Ohio State players with at least 100 receiving yards against Oregon, marking the first time in program history that the Buckeyes had three 100-yard receivers in a game … Ohio State had 612 yards of offense against Oregon, the most in a loss in program history.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • 4 P.M. • ESPN2

MISSISSIPPI STATE at MEMPHIS
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (58,318/AstroTurf)
Memphis, Tennessee
Television
ESPN2
Beth Mowins, Kirk Morrison and Dawn Davenport
Radio
WREC-AM 600 (Memphis flagship)
SiriusXM 388/978

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 45th meeting between Memphis and Mississippi State in a series that dates to 1951 … Mississippi State holds a 33-11 series lead and has won the last 12 meetings … The schools have not met since 2011, when the Bulldogs claimed a 59-14 win at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium.

-/rv MISSISSIPPI STATE
2-0, 0-0 SEC
Head Coach
Mike Leach (BYU ’83)
6-7, second season at Mississippi State 145-97, 20th season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Mississippi State is off to a 2-0 start for the first time since 2018 after the Bulldogs scored a 24-10 win against NC State last Saturday … Mississippi State opened with a 35-34 victory against Louisiana Tech … The Bulldogs’ strength is their passing offense as QB Will Rogers leads the nation in completions per game (36.0) and is fifth nationally in completion percentage (75.0%) … Rogers has completed 72 of 96 passes and has five touchdown passes … The Bulldogs have run 96 pass players and only 34 rushing plays in 2021 … WR Jo’quavious Marks has rushed for 82 yards and is the leading receiver with 16 catches for 55 yards and a touchdown … The Bulldogs return 15 starters from last year’s squad, which went 4-7 and defeated Tulsa in the Armed Forces Bowl.

-/rv MEMPHIS
2-0, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Ryan Silverfield (Hamden-Sydney ’03)
10-4, second season at Memphis

Notes
Memphis takes a 16-game winning streak at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, the fifth-longest homefield streak nationally, into Saturday’s game … Memphis is 2-0 following a 55-50 win at Arkansas State last Saturday … The Tigers have averaged 48.5 points and 633.5 yards in their first two games … Memphs has been led by true freshman QB Seth Henigan, who has completed 41 of 65 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns without an interception … WR Calvin Austin III is averaging 143.0 receiving yards per game and has 12 catches for 286 yards and four touchdowns … Austin had three touchdowns of 50 yards or longer in the win at Arkansas State … TE Sean Dykes has 10 catches for 148 yards and two TDs … RB Brandon Thomas is The American’s rushing leader with 169.0 yards per game.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • 4 P.M. • CBSSN ON FACEBOOK

EAST CAROLINA at MARSHALL
Joan C. Edwards Stadium (38,144/FieldTurf)
Huntington, West Virginia
Television
CBSSN on Facebook
TBD
Radio
WNCT-FM 107.9 (East Carolina flagship)
SiriusXM 389/979

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 16th meeting between East Carolina and Marshall in a series that dates to 1967 … The Pirates hold a 10-5 series lead, but Marshall took the most recent meeting, a 59-28 decision in Huntington in 2013 … The home team has won the last four matchups … The Pirates’ last win at Marshall was a 21-17 victory in 2009.

EAST CAROLINA
0-2, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Mike Houston (Mars Hill ’94)
7-16, third season at East Carolina 87-41, 11th season as collegiate head coach

Notes
East Carolina fell to 0-2 in heartbreaking fashion last Saturday as the Pirates saw South Carolina kick the game-winning field goal as time expired to escape with a
20-17 decision at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium … East Carolina fell 33-19 to Appalachian State in its season-opener … The Pirates are looking to avoid their first 0-3 start since 2017 … East Carolina returned 20 starters from last year, but has struggled to find offensive consistency … The Pirates have averaged 18.0 points and 322.0 yards per game … QB Holton Ahlers has thrown for 372 yards and two touchdowns with three interceptions … .RB Keaton Mitchell and RB Rahjai Harris both have 92 rushing yards on the year WR Tyler Snead has nine catches for 62 yards … CB Ja’Quan McMillian has 11 tackles and an interception.

-/rv MARSHALL
2-0, 0-0 Conference USA
Head Coach
Charles Huff (Hampton ‘05)
2-0, first season

Notes
Marshall is off to a 2-0 start under first-year head coach Charles Huff after the Thundering Herd topped NC Central 44-10 last Saturday … Marshall was a 49-7 winner Sept. 4 in Huff’s head coaching debut … Marshall has 15 returning starters from last year, including QB Grant Wells, who earned first-team all-conference honors and was the Conference USA Freshman of the Year in 2020 … Wells has thrown for 682 yards and three touchdowns and has completed 69.2% of his passes (54 of 78) … RB Rasheem Ali has rushed for four touchdowns … WR Corey Gammage has a team-high 14 receptions for 173 yards … Sixteen players had at least one reception against NC Central … The defense is led by LB Eli Neal who has a team-high 3.0 sacks to go with 15 total tackles … Marshall has outscored its first two opponents by a combined score of 93-17.

 

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+

GRAMBLING STATE at HOUSTON
TDECU Stadium (40,000/FieldTurf)
Houston, Texas
Television
ESPN+
Alex Del Barrio and Stanford Routt
Radio
KPRC-AM 950 (Houston flagship)
SiriusXM 383/973

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the third meeting between Houston and Grambling State … The Cougars have won both previous matchups, both played in Houston, including a 47-0 win in 2014, which the last time the teams met … The Cougar defense forced six turnovers in the last meeting, while RB Kenneth Farrow had 130 yards and a touchdown.

GRAMBLING STATE
1-1, 0-0 SWAC
Head Coach
Broderick Fobbs (Grambling State ‘97)
51-26, seventh season

Notes
Grambling State opened its season with a 16-10 victory against Tennessee State, but the Tigers look to bounce back from a 37-0 setback at Southern Miss last week …
… Grambling State was limited to 152 yards of offense against Southern Miss … The game against Houston is the second straight game against an FBS opponent for Grambling State… The Tigers are 0-2 all-time against American Athletic Conference opponents … Grambling State went 0-4 in a limited spring schedule earlier in 2021, marking the first non-winning season in Broderick Fobbs’ first six years as head coach … QB Elijah Walker is the leading rusher with 81 yard and a touchdown and has
thrown for 73 yards and a TD in two games … The loss to Southern Miss ended the Tigers’ streak of 73 consecutive games without being shut out.

HOUSTON
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Dana Holgorsen (Iowa Wesleyan ‘93)
8-14, third season at Houston 69-55, 11th season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Houston evened its record at 1-1 as the Cougars enjoyed a 44-7 win at Rice last Saturday … The win came after Houston fell 38-21 to Texas Tech in the season-opener
… The Cougars have outscored their first two opponents 31-0 in the first quarter and have 34 points in the other three quarters combined … QB Clayton Tune is the team’s leading passer and rusher … Tune has completed 49 of 68 passes for 410 yards and four touchdowns with four interceptions and has 77 rushing yards on 22 carries … WR Nathaniel Dell has 14 catches for 167 yards and a touchdown … CB Marcus Jones has contributed as a starter on defense, an All-America special teams player and as a situational player on offense … DT Logan Hall leads the team with 11 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • 7 P.M. • ESPN+

FLORIDA A&M at SOUTH FLORIDA
Raymond James Stadium (65,857/Natural Grass)
Tampa, Florida
Television
ESPN+
Drew Fellios and Leger Douzable
Radio
WHNZ-AM 1250 (South Florida flagship)

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fourth meeting between South Florida and Florida A&M since 2005 … The Bulls have won all three previous meetings, which have all been played in Tampa … The most recent encounter saw USF roll to a 51-3 win behind two touchdown passes and a rushing TD from QB Quinton Flowers.

FLORIDA A&M
1-1, 0-0 SWAC
Head Coach
Willie Simmons (Clemson ’02)
16-7, fourth season

Notes
Florida A&M leveled its record at 1-1 after the Rattlers scored a 34-7 win against Fort Valley State last Saturday … Florida A&M fell 7-6 to Jackson State in Miami in the season-opener … The Rattlers have allowed a combined 14 points through two games, ranking fourth in FCS in scoring defense at 7.0 points allowed per game … Florida A&M has forced seven turnovers in the first two games … .The defense is led by S Markquese Bell, who is on the preseason watch list for the Buck Buchanan Award as the top defensive player in FCS … Two quarterbacks have seen significant action as QB Rasean McKay, who started against Jackson State, has thrown for 254 yards and a touchdown, while QB Junior Muratovic, who started against Fort Valley State, has 174 yards and a TD through two games.

SOUTH FLORIDA
0-2, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Jeff Scott (Clemson ’03)
1-10, second season

Notes
South Florida is looking for its first win of the season after the Bulls fell to 0-2 with a 42-20 setback to No. 13/9 Florida last Saturday … That result came after a 45-0 loss at NC State in the season-opener … The Bulls outscored Florida 17-7 in the second half last week, but could not overcome a 35-point first half from the Gators … QB Cade Fortin has completed 19 of 38 passes for 132 yards and has been intercepted twice … RB Darrian Felix is the leading rusher with 61 yards, while RB Jaren Mangham has both of South Florida’s rushing touchdowns … WR Xavier Weaver has four receptions for 141 yards … The defense has been led by LB Andrew Mims, who has 21 tackles … LB Antonio Grier has 15 stops and a sack … The Bulls have three defensive interceptions on the year … South Florida looks to snap a 10-game losing streak dating to last year.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 18 • 8 P.M. • ESPN2

TULANE at OLE MISS
Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038/Natural Grass)
Oxford, Mississippi
Television
ESPN2
Anish Shroff, Mike Golic Jr. and Taylor McGregor
Radio
KVDU-FM 104.1 (Tulane flagship)
SiriusXM 390/983

THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 70th meeting between Tulane and Ole Miss in a series that started in 1893 … Ole Miss holds a 41-28 series lead and has won the last nine meetings … Tulane’s last win against the Rebels was in Oxford in 1988 … Ole Miss was a 39-0 winner in New Orleans in 2012 the last time the teams met .

-/rv TULANE
1-1, 0-0 American
Head Coach
Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ’83)
30-34, sixth season at Tulane 184-103, 25th season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Tulane, which dropped a 40-35 heartbreaker at No. 2 Oklahoma in its season-opener, rebounded for an easy 69-20 win against Morgan State last week in Birmingham, Alabama … Last week’s game was slated for Yulman Stadium in New Orleans, but was moved in the wake of Hurricane Ida … Tulane has averaged 52.0 points and 490.0 yards per game in 2021 … QB Michael Pratt has completed 35 of 57 passes for 420 yards and five touchdowns without an interception in two games … WR Tyrick James has
been the top target with eight catches for 142 yards and a touchdown … Tulane’s 69-point performance against Morgan State marked the Green Wave’s fourth 60-point game under head coach Willie Fritz … The Green Wave had not scored 60 points since 1998 before Fritz took over.

17/16 OLE MISS
2-0, 0-0 SEC
Head Coach
Lane Kiffin (Fresno State ’98)
6-5, second season at Ole Miss 67-39, 10th season as collegiate head coach

Notes
Ole Miss has fashioned a 2-0 start as the Rebels have scored wins against Louisville (43-24) and Austin Peay (54-17) in 2021 … Ole Miss has dropped only one home non-conference game since 2012 (a 28-20 loss to California in 2019) … The Rebles are 54-15 against nonconference opponents since 1994 … QB Matt Corral has averaged
376.0 yards of total offense through two games and led the nation with 384.9 ypg in 2020 … Corral has completed 43 of 65 passes for 662 for six touchdowns without an interception … RB Henry Parrish Jr. has a team-high 110 yards on 16 carries … WR Dontario Drummond leads the Rebels with 15 receptions for 284 yards and three touchdowns … SS Jake Springer is a transfer from Navy who was a second team American Athletic Conference pick in 2019.

CFB Conference Notes: SEC

NCAAFB Editor
-
0
CFB Conference Notes: SEC

WEEK THREE IN THE SEC

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 18
SEMO (0-2) at Missouri (1-1, 1-0 SEC) Series: MIZ leads, 4-0
11 a.m. CT • SECN+/ ESPN+
Columbia, Mo. • Faurot Field (62,621) Sirius: 98 • XM: 192

New Mexico (2-0) at Texas A&M (2-0, 0-0 SEC) Series: TAMU leads, 4-0
11 a.m. CT • SEC Network
College Station, Texas • Kyle Field (102,733) Sirius: 108 • XM: 190

Chattanooga (1-1) at Kentucky (2-0, 1-0 SEC) Series: First Meeting
Noon ET • SECN+/ ESPN+
Lexington, Ky. • Kroger Field (61,000) Sirius: 104 • XM: 191

Tennessee Tech (0-2) at Tennessee (1-1, 0-0 SEC) Series: UT leads, 6-0
Noon ET • SECN+/ ESPN+
Knoxville, Tenn. • Neyland Stadium (102,455) Sirius: 81 • XM: 81

Alabama (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Florida (2-0, 0-0 SEC) Series: UA leads, 26-14
3:30 p.m. ET • CBS Last: UA, 52-46 (2020 at SEC Championship Game)
Gainesville, Fla. • Ben Hill Griffin Stadium at Spurrier-Florida Field (88,548) Sirius: 104/81 • XM: 191/81

Georgia Southern (1-1) at Arkansas (2-0, 0-0 SEC) Series: First Meeting
3 p.m. CT • SEC Network
Fayetteville, Ark. • Reynolds Razorback Stadium (72,000) Sirius: 108 • XM: 190

Mississippi State (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Memphis (2-0) Series: MSU leads, 33-11
3 p.m. CT • ESPN2
Memphis, Tenn. • Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (58,325) Sirius: 98 • XM: 192

South Carolina (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Georgia (2-0, 0-0 SEC) Series: UG leads, 52-19-2
7 p.m. ET • ESPN Last: UG, 45-16 (2020 at Columbia)
Athens, Ga. • Sanford Stadium (92,746) Sirius: 135/81 • XM: 201/81

Auburn (2-0, 0-0 SEC) at Penn State (2-0) Series: Tied, 1-1
6:30 p.m. CT • ABC
University Park, Pa. • Beaver Stadium (106,572) Sirius: 113 • XM: 202

Central Michigan (1-1) at LSU (1-1, 0-0 SEC) Series: First Meeting
6:30 p.m. CT • SEC Network
Baton Rouge, La. • Tiger Stadium (102,321) Sirius: 108 • XM: 190

Tulane (1-1) at Ole Miss (2-0, 0-0 SEC) Series: UM leads, 41-28
7 p.m. CT • ESPN2
Oxford, Miss. • Vaught-Hemingway Stadium (64,038) Sirius: 104 • XM: 191

Stanford (1-1) at Vanderbilt (1-1, 0-0 SEC) Series: First Meeting
7 p.m. CT • ESPNU
Nashville, Tenn. • Vanderbilt Stadium (40,350) Sirius: 98 • XM: 192

THIS IS SEC FOOTBALL
• Fourteen times in the last 15 seasons, a team from the SEC has advanced to the national championship game. The SEC has won 11 of those contests, with two of the losses coming in the game’s final seconds. The winner of the SEC Championship Game has advanced to the National Championship Game all but once since 2006.

• The SEC finished 7-2 in the postseason in 2020 to lead the nation in bowl wins, with all seven wins coming against Top-25 competition – the most in history for the conference. In the four bowl games where an unranked SEC team played a Top-25 opponent, the SEC went 3-1.

• Since Florida in January 2009, five different teams from the SEC have played for the national championship. Four of those five have multiple appearances and at least one victory since 2007.

• Not counting games versus each other, the SEC is 10-3 all-time in College Football Playoff games, playing in six of the seven CFP Championship Games (winning four of those six). Since 2006, the SEC has posted a 27-14 (.659) record in BCS/CFP games, more wins, appearances and winning percentage than any other A5 conference.

• More than 350 players from Southeastern Conference schools were listed on the initial 53-man NFL rosters to begin the 2020 season. Seven SEC schools were represented by at least 25 former players on active rosters, including Alabama with a league-high 57. In addition to the 53-man active rosters, more than 100 former SEC players are listed on reserve lists or practice squads for NFL teams. A total of 25 former SEC players were on active rosters of the Super Bowl between the Chiefs and Bucs.

• The SEC is 97-55 (.638) in bowl games since 2006, the only FBS league with a .600 or better winning percentage and 30 wins more than the next closest conference.

• The SEC has now won 47 games in the last seven postseasons and has sent no less than eight teams to post-season bowls in each of the last 14 seasons.

• In the seven seasons of the College Football Playoff era, only six programs nationally have been ranked No. 1 in the weekly CFP Top-25 Poll (which begins in late October each year) – four of those six programs (Alabama, Georgia, LSU, Mississippi State) are from the SEC.

• Nine different SEC teams, including all seven from the SEC Western Division, have made BCS/New Year’s Six bowl game appearances since 2006: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State and Texas A&M. Since the formation of the College Football Playoff in 2014, six of the seven schools in the Western Division have advanced to a New Year’s Six bowl.

• With Georgia and Alabama both earning victories in the CFP Semifinals in 2017, the national championship game featured two SEC teams for the second time in the last nine seasons.

1...4,3544,3554,356...4,480Page 4,355 of 4,480