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Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Monday, September 6, 2010
MAC Announces Football Players of the Week
East Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Kent State QB Spencer Keith
Sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith (Little Rock, Ark.) turned in the first three-touchdown performance of his career, going 24-for-35 for 275 yards, in a 41-10 win over Murray State. Keith found seven different targets, and has now thrown for more than 230 yards in each of the last five games dating back to last season.
Defensive Player of the Week: Bowling Green DB Keith Morgan
Junior defensive back Keith Morgan (Bellefontaine, Ohio) finished second on the team with 11 tackles and added an interception in the Falcons 30-27 road loss at Troy.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Temple K Brandon McManus
Sophomore kicker Brandon McManus (Hatfield, Pa.) made a career-high four field goals in a 31-24 win over Villanova, including the game-winning 43-yard with three seconds remaining. McManus led the Owls with 13 points and also added a career-long 53-yard field goal in the second quarter, which was the second-longest field goal in school history.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Eastern Michigan RB Dwayne Priest
Senior tailback Dwayne Priest (Roanoke, Va.) ran for a career-best 142 yards on 26 rushes and scored two touchdowns. Priest added two five-yard touchdown scores in Eastern Michigan's 31-27 loss to Army last Saturday, Sept. 4.
Defensive Player of the Week: Central Michigan LB Nick Bellore
Senior linebacker Nick Bellore (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) totaled a team-high 11 tackles and one tackle for loss in a 33-0 win over Hampton. Bellore was part of a defense that posted a shutout, its first in an opener since 1979, and limited the Pirates to 129 net yards of offense. Bellore recorded at least 10 tackles in a game for the 20th time in his career.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Western Michigan P Ben Armer
Junior punter Ben Armer (Janesville, Wis.) registered eight punts for 327 yards (40.9 avg.) at Michigan State, including a career-matching long 62-yard punt. The punt was one of two of 50 yards or more in distance. Armer stopped the ball inside the opposition's 20-yard line three times, including a punt that hit at the 1-yard line and was downed at the two-yard line.
Offensive Player of the Week: Kent State QB Spencer Keith
Sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith (Little Rock, Ark.) turned in the first three-touchdown performance of his career, going 24-for-35 for 275 yards, in a 41-10 win over Murray State. Keith found seven different targets, and has now thrown for more than 230 yards in each of the last five games dating back to last season.
Defensive Player of the Week: Bowling Green DB Keith Morgan
Junior defensive back Keith Morgan (Bellefontaine, Ohio) finished second on the team with 11 tackles and added an interception in the Falcons 30-27 road loss at Troy.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Temple K Brandon McManus
Sophomore kicker Brandon McManus (Hatfield, Pa.) made a career-high four field goals in a 31-24 win over Villanova, including the game-winning 43-yard with three seconds remaining. McManus led the Owls with 13 points and also added a career-long 53-yard field goal in the second quarter, which was the second-longest field goal in school history.
West Division
Offensive Player of the Week: Eastern Michigan RB Dwayne Priest
Senior tailback Dwayne Priest (Roanoke, Va.) ran for a career-best 142 yards on 26 rushes and scored two touchdowns. Priest added two five-yard touchdown scores in Eastern Michigan's 31-27 loss to Army last Saturday, Sept. 4.
Defensive Player of the Week: Central Michigan LB Nick Bellore
Senior linebacker Nick Bellore (Whitefish Bay, Wis.) totaled a team-high 11 tackles and one tackle for loss in a 33-0 win over Hampton. Bellore was part of a defense that posted a shutout, its first in an opener since 1979, and limited the Pirates to 129 net yards of offense. Bellore recorded at least 10 tackles in a game for the 20th time in his career.
Special Teams Player of the Week: Western Michigan P Ben Armer
Junior punter Ben Armer (Janesville, Wis.) registered eight punts for 327 yards (40.9 avg.) at Michigan State, including a career-matching long 62-yard punt. The punt was one of two of 50 yards or more in distance. Armer stopped the ball inside the opposition's 20-yard line three times, including a punt that hit at the 1-yard line and was downed at the two-yard line.
Looking Back At This Weekend's Games (Video)
Syracuse 29, Akron 3
Troy 30, Bowling Green 27
Army 31, Eastern Michigan 27
Arizona 41, Toledo 2
Temple 31, Villanova 24
Troy 30, Bowling Green 27
Army 31, Eastern Michigan 27
Arizona 41, Toledo 2
Temple 31, Villanova 24
Friday, September 3, 2010
Friday Night Lights (Tonight's MAC Preview)
Villanova at Temple, 5 p.m. (ESPN3.com)
Villanova was the 2009 FCS National Champion defeating Montana, 23- 21…The Wildcats finished the season 14-1 and return 31 letterwinners and 15 starters (8 offense/7 defense)…WR Matt Szczur was the 2009 CAA Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American…This is the second Mayor’s Cup between Villanova and Temple.
Returns 56 letterwinners, including 16 starters (9 offense/7 defense)... Last year, Temple posted records of 9-4, 7-1 MAC (Co-East Div. Champs) and visit to the EagleBank Bowl (L, 21-30 UCLA)…Picked as preseason favorite to win MAC East & MAC Championship Game…All-American Bernard Pierce returns after breaking the school’s rushing records for a freshman.
Arizona at Toledo, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Arizona was 8-5 in 2009 and advanced to the Holiday Bowl (L, 33-0 Nebraska)…Wildcats were picked fifth in 2010 Pac-10 Preseason Poll, garnering two first place votes...UA’s all-league returnees include second-team picks OC Colin Baxter, OT Adam Grant and CB Trevin Wade, with QB Nick Foles and DE Ricky Elmore nabbing honorable mention.
Rockets have 41 returning letterwinners on their roster, including 14 starters (7 offense/ 7 defense) off last year’s 5-7 team…WR Eric Page led the nation’s freshman with 82 receptions and 1,159 yards in 2009…Rockets play seven bowl teams, including a trip to No. 4 Boise State…Four of Toledo’s first six games are on the road.
Villanova was the 2009 FCS National Champion defeating Montana, 23- 21…The Wildcats finished the season 14-1 and return 31 letterwinners and 15 starters (8 offense/7 defense)…WR Matt Szczur was the 2009 CAA Offensive Player of the Year and a first-team All-American…This is the second Mayor’s Cup between Villanova and Temple.
Returns 56 letterwinners, including 16 starters (9 offense/7 defense)... Last year, Temple posted records of 9-4, 7-1 MAC (Co-East Div. Champs) and visit to the EagleBank Bowl (L, 21-30 UCLA)…Picked as preseason favorite to win MAC East & MAC Championship Game…All-American Bernard Pierce returns after breaking the school’s rushing records for a freshman.
Arizona at Toledo, 8 p.m. (ESPN)
Arizona was 8-5 in 2009 and advanced to the Holiday Bowl (L, 33-0 Nebraska)…Wildcats were picked fifth in 2010 Pac-10 Preseason Poll, garnering two first place votes...UA’s all-league returnees include second-team picks OC Colin Baxter, OT Adam Grant and CB Trevin Wade, with QB Nick Foles and DE Ricky Elmore nabbing honorable mention.
Rockets have 41 returning letterwinners on their roster, including 14 starters (7 offense/ 7 defense) off last year’s 5-7 team…WR Eric Page led the nation’s freshman with 82 receptions and 1,159 yards in 2009…Rockets play seven bowl teams, including a trip to No. 4 Boise State…Four of Toledo’s first six games are on the road.
Extra Points With Toledo's Archie Donald
Go one-on-one with Toledo Linebacker Archie Donald as we bring you our latest "Extra Points" segment.
Looking Back At Thursday's Games
Ball State 27, Southeast Missouri State 10
The Ball State football program opened its 86th season Thursday night in strong fashion as the Cardinals downed Southeast Missouri 27-10 at Scheumann Stadium in front of 10,753 fans. Ball State out-scored the Redhawks 20-3 in the second half, including a 17 unanswered in the third quarter to open the season with a victory for the first time since 2008.
The Cardinals (1-0) rushed for 243 yards in the victory as four different running backs ran for at least 30 yards. The 243 yards rushing are the most for the Cardinals since they notched a single-game record 463 yards at Eastern Michigan (10/24/09)
Sophomore tailback Eric Williams (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) rushed for a career-high 106 yards on 20 carries in the victory surpassing his previous career-high of 88 yards rushing against Bowling Green (10/17/09) last year. Williams ran for one touchdown while junior tailback Cory Sykes (Harvey, Ill./Thornton) scored two times and finished the night with 72 yards rushing.
Buffalo 31, Rhode Island 0
The University at Buffalo football program was expected to be a quick-strike offense under new head coach Jeff Quinn's wide-open fast-breaking attack.
In the final few minutes of the first half against visiting Rhode Island, that offense was on full display as the Bulls turned a close game into a comfortable halftime lead and went on to defeat the Rams, 31-0 before 16,273 fans on a perfect September evening.
It took just one play for the Bulls to take advantage of the momentum as quarterback Jerry Davis floated a perfect pass to a streaking Marcus Rivers for a 38-yard score. Rivers finished the game with career-highs in both receptions (10) and yards (155) in a breakout performance.
The UB defense then stuffed the Rams again, and Terrell Jackson returned a punt 17 yards to set UB up at the Rams' 46-yard line. After a pair of completions to Rivers for 21 yards, including a third-and-six conversion, Davis went up top to freshmen wideout Alex Neutz for a 21-yard score to make it 24-0 at the half.
Sophomore quarterback Davis would make quite a debut as the Bulls' starter, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Neutz, in his first career start, finished with five receptions for 99 yards.
Not to be outdone, the UB defense allowed just 207 total yards and recorded the first shutout since the 2001 season. The UB defense had five sacks in the game and forced two turnovers.
Rivers, who had seven career catches coming into the game, put on an all-time performance with 10 catches for 155 yards, in just three quarters of action. His 10 catches match all-time great Naaman Roosevelt for the tenth-best in school history. Davis became just the sixth quarterback in UB history to throw for at least four touchdowns in a game.
The UB defense was paced by senior Justin Winters, who had eight tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss, while fellow linebacker Fred Branch added eight tackles. Means finished with 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup, while freshman Khalil Marck had three sacks, a half-sack, a quarterback hurry and broke up two passes. Imani Chatman added a career-high seven tackles for Buffalo, whose last shutout came in November of 2001 in a 44-0 win over Ohio at UB Stadium.
Kent State 41, Murray State 10
Kent State stormed out of the gates and raced past Murray State, 41-10, in the 2010 season lid lifter Thursday night (Sept. 2) at Dix Stadium. Sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith (Little Rock, Ark.) threw for a career-high three scores and senior running back Eugene Jarvis (Pittsburgh, Pa.) rushed for another as the Golden Flashes (1-0) won their second season opener in as many years.
Keith finished the contest 24-for-35 for 275 yards. Jarvis led the way in rushing with 45 yards on 11 carries. Junior wide receiver Sam Kirkland (Chesapeake, Va.) enjoyed a career day with nine receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown, and junior running back Jacquise Terry (Phenix City, Ala.) caught two more scores.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior safety Brian Lainhart (Cincinnati, Ohio) totaled nine tackles to lead the way on defense as KSU held the Racers to a staggering minus-65 rushing yards. Senior linebackers Cobrani Mixon (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Dorian Wood (Austell, Ga.) followed with eight stop apiece and defensive lineman Quinton Rainey (Virginia Beach, Va.) recovered a fumble. Kent State outgained Murray State 412-193. Central Michigan 33, Hampton 0
Central Michigan 33, Hampton 0
Central Michigan's defense posted a historic 33-0 shutout of Hampton to open Dan Enos's tenure as the Chippewas' head coach.
Senior linebacker Nick Bellore's game-high 11 tackles spearheaded a defensive effort that limited the Pirates (0-1) to 129 total yards, and CMU (1-0) opened a season with a shutout for the first time since 1979. Enos joined Herb Deromedi as the only coaches in school history to open their tenures with a shutout victory.
Hampton's 14 offensive possessions ended in 11 punts, two turnovers and a safety.
Paris Cotton ran for a career-high 94 yards and a score, and Ryan Radcliff completed 20-of-34 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown in his first career start to lead a CMU offense that rolled up 427 total yards.
Iowa State 27, Northern Illinois 10
Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud completed 27-of-36 passes for 265 yards and added 14 rushes for 45 yards to lead the homestanding Cyclones to a 27-10 victory over Northern Illinois Thursday in the 2010 season opener for both teams.
Northern Illinois lost its seventh straight season-opener dating back to the 2003 overtime win over No. 15 Maryland at Huskie Stadium with all seven losses to ACC, Big Ten or Big XII opponents.
The Ball State football program opened its 86th season Thursday night in strong fashion as the Cardinals downed Southeast Missouri 27-10 at Scheumann Stadium in front of 10,753 fans. Ball State out-scored the Redhawks 20-3 in the second half, including a 17 unanswered in the third quarter to open the season with a victory for the first time since 2008.
The Cardinals (1-0) rushed for 243 yards in the victory as four different running backs ran for at least 30 yards. The 243 yards rushing are the most for the Cardinals since they notched a single-game record 463 yards at Eastern Michigan (10/24/09)
Sophomore tailback Eric Williams (Indianapolis, Ind./Warren Central) rushed for a career-high 106 yards on 20 carries in the victory surpassing his previous career-high of 88 yards rushing against Bowling Green (10/17/09) last year. Williams ran for one touchdown while junior tailback Cory Sykes (Harvey, Ill./Thornton) scored two times and finished the night with 72 yards rushing.
Buffalo 31, Rhode Island 0
The University at Buffalo football program was expected to be a quick-strike offense under new head coach Jeff Quinn's wide-open fast-breaking attack.
In the final few minutes of the first half against visiting Rhode Island, that offense was on full display as the Bulls turned a close game into a comfortable halftime lead and went on to defeat the Rams, 31-0 before 16,273 fans on a perfect September evening.
It took just one play for the Bulls to take advantage of the momentum as quarterback Jerry Davis floated a perfect pass to a streaking Marcus Rivers for a 38-yard score. Rivers finished the game with career-highs in both receptions (10) and yards (155) in a breakout performance.
The UB defense then stuffed the Rams again, and Terrell Jackson returned a punt 17 yards to set UB up at the Rams' 46-yard line. After a pair of completions to Rivers for 21 yards, including a third-and-six conversion, Davis went up top to freshmen wideout Alex Neutz for a 21-yard score to make it 24-0 at the half.
Sophomore quarterback Davis would make quite a debut as the Bulls' starter, throwing for 302 yards and four touchdowns. Neutz, in his first career start, finished with five receptions for 99 yards.
Not to be outdone, the UB defense allowed just 207 total yards and recorded the first shutout since the 2001 season. The UB defense had five sacks in the game and forced two turnovers.
Rivers, who had seven career catches coming into the game, put on an all-time performance with 10 catches for 155 yards, in just three quarters of action. His 10 catches match all-time great Naaman Roosevelt for the tenth-best in school history. Davis became just the sixth quarterback in UB history to throw for at least four touchdowns in a game.
The UB defense was paced by senior Justin Winters, who had eight tackles, a sack and two tackles for loss, while fellow linebacker Fred Branch added eight tackles. Means finished with 1.5 sacks and a pass breakup, while freshman Khalil Marck had three sacks, a half-sack, a quarterback hurry and broke up two passes. Imani Chatman added a career-high seven tackles for Buffalo, whose last shutout came in November of 2001 in a 44-0 win over Ohio at UB Stadium.
Kent State 41, Murray State 10
Kent State stormed out of the gates and raced past Murray State, 41-10, in the 2010 season lid lifter Thursday night (Sept. 2) at Dix Stadium. Sophomore quarterback Spencer Keith (Little Rock, Ark.) threw for a career-high three scores and senior running back Eugene Jarvis (Pittsburgh, Pa.) rushed for another as the Golden Flashes (1-0) won their second season opener in as many years.
Keith finished the contest 24-for-35 for 275 yards. Jarvis led the way in rushing with 45 yards on 11 carries. Junior wide receiver Sam Kirkland (Chesapeake, Va.) enjoyed a career day with nine receptions for 126 yards and a touchdown, and junior running back Jacquise Terry (Phenix City, Ala.) caught two more scores.
On the defensive side of the ball, senior safety Brian Lainhart (Cincinnati, Ohio) totaled nine tackles to lead the way on defense as KSU held the Racers to a staggering minus-65 rushing yards. Senior linebackers Cobrani Mixon (Cincinnati, Ohio) and Dorian Wood (Austell, Ga.) followed with eight stop apiece and defensive lineman Quinton Rainey (Virginia Beach, Va.) recovered a fumble. Kent State outgained Murray State 412-193. Central Michigan 33, Hampton 0
Central Michigan 33, Hampton 0
Central Michigan's defense posted a historic 33-0 shutout of Hampton to open Dan Enos's tenure as the Chippewas' head coach.
Senior linebacker Nick Bellore's game-high 11 tackles spearheaded a defensive effort that limited the Pirates (0-1) to 129 total yards, and CMU (1-0) opened a season with a shutout for the first time since 1979. Enos joined Herb Deromedi as the only coaches in school history to open their tenures with a shutout victory.
Hampton's 14 offensive possessions ended in 11 punts, two turnovers and a safety.
Paris Cotton ran for a career-high 94 yards and a score, and Ryan Radcliff completed 20-of-34 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown in his first career start to lead a CMU offense that rolled up 427 total yards.
Iowa State 27, Northern Illinois 10
Iowa State quarterback Austen Arnaud completed 27-of-36 passes for 265 yards and added 14 rushes for 45 yards to lead the homestanding Cyclones to a 27-10 victory over Northern Illinois Thursday in the 2010 season opener for both teams.
Northern Illinois lost its seventh straight season-opener dating back to the 2003 overtime win over No. 15 Maryland at Huskie Stadium with all seven losses to ACC, Big Ten or Big XII opponents.
Thursday, September 2, 2010
Previewing Tonight's Games (Thurs., Sept. 2)
Southeast Missouri State at Ball State, 7 p.m.
The Red Hawks went 2-9 in 2009 and return 15 starters (7 offense/8 defense)...Four losses last year were by 10 points or fewer...Picked to finish tied for seventh in the OVC Preseason Poll…Junior QB Matt Scheible and senior DL J.J. Sanchez garnered preseason All-OVC accolades.
Ball State returns 17 starters (10 offense/7 defense) and 47 letterwinners from last year’s team that went 2-10 and 2-6 in the MAC…Senior RB MiQuale Lewis is third all-time in school history with 3,334 career rushing yards...Lewis also rushed for a school-record 301 yards against Eastern Michigan last year... Senior K Ian McGarvey led the MAC by making 18-of-21 field goal attempts
Rhode Island at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Ball State returns 17 starters (10 offense/7 defense) and 47 letterwinners from last year’s team that went 2-10 and 2-6 in the MAC…Senior RB MiQuale Lewis is third all-time in school history with 3,334 career rushing yards...Lewis also rushed for a school-record 301 yards against Eastern Michigan last year... Senior K Ian McGarvey led the MAC by making 18-of-21 field goal attempts
Rhode Island at Buffalo, 7 p.m.
Rhode Island returns 17 starters (8 offense/9 defense) from last year’s 1-10 team…The URI defense ranked second in CAA in turnover margin in 2009, recovering a league-best 15 fumbles and picking off 11 passes…Senior linebacker Rob Damon was named a preseason All-America by the Sports Network after leading the CAA with 124 stops in 2009.
First year Head Coach Jeff Quinn inherits a Buffalo program that went 5-7 and 3-5 in the MAC…UB returns 14 starters (6 offense/eight defense)… Senior DB Davonte Shannon became the first UB player to garner three straight first-team All-MAC selections in 2009…Bulls ranked third in the MAC in total offensive (405.5) and defensive (342.7) yards per game last season.
Murray State at Kent State, 7 p.m.
First year Head Coach Jeff Quinn inherits a Buffalo program that went 5-7 and 3-5 in the MAC…UB returns 14 starters (6 offense/eight defense)… Senior DB Davonte Shannon became the first UB player to garner three straight first-team All-MAC selections in 2009…Bulls ranked third in the MAC in total offensive (405.5) and defensive (342.7) yards per game last season.
Murray State at Kent State, 7 p.m.
First-year Head Coach Chris Hatcher comes to Murray State from Georgia Southern and inherits a Racer squad that went 3-8 in 2009…Senior WR/KR Marcus Harris was named a preseason All-American by The Sports Network as a kick returner…He needs only 21 catches to set the school record…Harris and teammate K/P Kienan Cullen were named preseason All-Ohio Valley selections.
KSU returns 49 letterwinners, including 16 starters (9 offense/7 defense) from last year’s, 5-7, 4-4 in the MAC…Kent State will enter the 2010 season with the active FBS career leaders in interceptions (S Brian Lainhart, 15) and rushing yards (RB Eugene Jarvis, 3,426)…QB Spencer Keith set Kent State freshman records with 2,147 yards passing and 14 touchdowns in 2009.
Hampton at Central Michigan, 7 p.m.
KSU returns 49 letterwinners, including 16 starters (9 offense/7 defense) from last year’s, 5-7, 4-4 in the MAC…Kent State will enter the 2010 season with the active FBS career leaders in interceptions (S Brian Lainhart, 15) and rushing yards (RB Eugene Jarvis, 3,426)…QB Spencer Keith set Kent State freshman records with 2,147 yards passing and 14 touchdowns in 2009.
Hampton at Central Michigan, 7 p.m.
Hampton went 5-6 last year (Rose’s first as head coach), with the Pirates going 3-5 in MEAC play…The Pirates ranked third in the MEAC in scoring defense in 2009, giving up just 19.4 points per game…The Pirates were also third in the MEAC in total defense, giving up 278.1 yards per contest…Senior LB Julio Sanchez was named Preseason MEAC Defensive Player of the Year.
Central Michigan returns 41 letterwinners, including 12 starters (6 offense/ 6 defense)…CMU finished the season ranked No. 23 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll…CMU has posted a winning record in each of the last five seasons, the longest current stretch in the MAC…CMU is the only current MAC member to ever play in four consecutive bowl games.
Northern Illinois at Iowa State, 8 p.m.
Central Michigan returns 41 letterwinners, including 12 starters (6 offense/ 6 defense)…CMU finished the season ranked No. 23 in the AP poll and No. 24 in the USA Today Coaches Poll…CMU has posted a winning record in each of the last five seasons, the longest current stretch in the MAC…CMU is the only current MAC member to ever play in four consecutive bowl games.
Northern Illinois at Iowa State, 8 p.m.
NIU returns 49 letterwinners, including 17 starters (6 offense/11 defense)… Last year, the Huskies went 7-6, 5-3 MAC, and earned a bid to the 2010 International Bowl (L, South Florida, 27-3)…RB Chad Spann rushed for a MACbest 19 TDs in 2009, which tied the school-record…QB Chandler Harnish stands 10th in NIU career total offensive yards (3,966) and passing yards (3,198).
Iowa State went 7-6 in 2009 and won the Insight Bowl, 14-13, over Minnesota, despite being picked to finish last in the preseason Big 12 poll…It was the Cyclones first bowl win since 2004…Cyclones return 12 starters (7 offense, 5 defense).
Iowa State went 7-6 in 2009 and won the Insight Bowl, 14-13, over Minnesota, despite being picked to finish last in the preseason Big 12 poll…It was the Cyclones first bowl win since 2004…Cyclones return 12 starters (7 offense, 5 defense).
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