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.
