Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
ARKANSAS STATE: In their most dominating performance of the season, the Red
Wolves rolled over FCS foe Alcorn State, 56-0, improving to 2-2 while winning
their eighth straight home game. Ryan Aplin missed on just one pass attempt
(12-of-13) for 198 yards, while tying a career-high with three touchdown
passes, which gives him a school-record 50 in his career. He is now one of
only four quarterbacks in Sun Belt Conference history to throw for that many
scores. Rod Smith (104 yards, TD) and David Oku (92 yards, two TDs)
spearheaded an ASU rushing attack that gained nearly 400 yards on the day. The
defense was excellent as well, holding Alcorn State to a lowly 2.2 yards per
offensive play (fifth-lowest in conference history) while recording its first
shutout since a 61-0 win over Mississippi Valley State in 2009. ASU will close
out the regular season with eight straight conference tilts, starting this
Saturday at home against Western Kentucky.
FIU: The Panthers hung tough against nationally-ranked Louisville, even
holding a seven-point lead for much of the second quarter. However, they
couldn't overcome the Cardinals' firepower late and suffered a 28-21 loss as a
result. Jeremiah Harden rushed for a career-high 102 yards on 20 attempts in
his first start since the 2010 season. Jake Metlock started the game,
completing 10-of-16 passes for 116 yards, and E.J. Hilliard came in late and
nearly brought his team back from a two-touchdown deficit in the fourth
quarter, going 9-of-10 for 82 yards, including a four-yard touchdown strike to
Jacob Younger with just under five minutes to play in regulation. The defense
held Louisville quarterback Teddy Bridgewater to 53 percent passing (19-of-36)
and intercepted him twice. He entered the game completing more than 80 percent
of his passes on the season. FIU (1-3) kicks off Sun Belt play this Saturday
night when it hits the road to take on Louisiana.
FLORIDA ATLANTIC: The Owls drew undoubtedly their toughest matchup of the
season as they had to travel to Tuscaloosa to take on top-ranked Alabama, and
they of course lost the game, 41-7. The offense had no where to go on the
afternoon against the nation's top defense, gaining just 110 yards. Only an
Alex Deleon touchdown late in the fourth quarter prevented the Crimson Tide
from registering their third straight shutout. Graham Wilbert completed 7-
of-13 passes, but for just 34 yards. Jonathan Wallace found minimal success
running the ball, gaining 47 yards on 12 carries. It was an active day for the
Owls defense, with Adarius Glanton (11 tackles) and Brent Harstad (10 tackles,
sack) serving as the unit's top performers. FAU (1-3) hopes to halt a three-
game losing streak this Saturday when it hosts North Texas.
LOUISIANA: The Ragin Cajuns were idle this past weekend. They'll try to move
to 3-1 this Saturday when they open conference play against FIU.
MIDDLE TENNESSEE: The Blue Raiders enjoyed a bye week after compiling back-to-
back wins to pull to 2-1 on the season. They will return to action this
Saturday with a difficult road test against ACC foe Georgia Tech.
NORTH TEXAS: In their Sun Belt Conference opener at home, the Mean Green fell
to 1-3 on the season by dropping a 14-7 decision to Troy. Although the offense
had a solid day (422 total yards), the unit left plenty of missed
opportunities on the table, including three missed field goals and a pair of
turnovers-on-downs in the fourth quarter deep in Troy territory. Derek
Thompson finished with 236 yards passing and a touchdown, but he completed
just 12-of-28 attempts in the process. Thompson's performance resulted in a
pair of 100-yard receivers for UNT in Ivan Delgado (six catches, career-high
126 yards) and Brelan Chancellor (four catches, 107 yards, TD). It was the
first time the team had a pair of 100-yard receivers since 2007. The play of
the defense was the silver lining for the Mean Green, as the unit held the
usually-potent Trojan offense to just 14 points on fewer than 400 total yards.
North Texas will try to get back on the right track this Saturday when it pays
a visit to Florida Atlantic.
SOUTH ALABAMA: The Jaguars played their first-ever game against an SEC
opponent over the weekend, and although they lost to nationally-ranked
Mississippi State, 30-10, they were able to hold their own against superior
competition, gaining just nine fewer yards than the Bulldogs (356-347). C.J.
Bennett completed 14-of-26 passes for 154 yards and a touchdown, while Ross
Metheny (8-of-17, 70 yards) also took some snaps. Greg Hollinger (three
catches, 49 yards) was on the receiving end of Bennett's TD strike in the
fourth quarter, the team's first touchdown since the opener against Texas-San
Antonio. The USA defense played well against a high- powered MSU offense,
holding Tyler Russell to less than 50 percent passing (13-of-27). After back-
to-back road games, South Alabama (1-3) returns home this Saturday to open up
its conference slate against Troy.
TROY: It wasn't pretty, but a win is a win for the Trojans, especially on the
road in conference play, as it held on to defeat North Texas this past
Saturday, 14-7. Corey Robinson continued his stellar play by completing 29-
of-42 passes for 274 yards and two touchdowns. Chip Reeves was the standout of
the receiving corps, hauling in seven balls for 120 yards and a touchdown.
Eric Thomas also caught seven passes (giving him 100 for his career), albeit
for just 36 yards. The defense gave up plenty of yards to North Texas (422),
but was able to limit the Mean Green to 2-of-14 on third-down conversion
attempts. UNT also failed to capitalize on multiple opportunities to score,
including going 0-of-3 on field goal attempts and 0-of-2 on fourth-down tries
deep in Trojan territory. Troy (2-2, 1-1 Sun Belt) will play another road game
this Saturday, as it faces off for the first time against conference newcomer
South Alabama.
ULM: In a back-and-forth home bout in front of a record-setting crowd at
Malone Stadium, ULM fell to Baylor last Friday night, 47-42. The Warhawks held
the lead on three different occasions, including early in the fourth quarter
(35-34) following a one-yard touchdown run by Kolton Browning, but they could
not hold off the BU offense, which generated 549 total yards on the night.
Browning continues to look impressive in the early going this season,
completing 25-of-39 passes for 272 yards and two touchdowns while rushing for
49 more yards and another score against the Bears. Jyruss Edwards had his best
game of the season (21 carries, 120 yards, TD), and Monterrell Washington was
explosive in his first extended action (seven carries, 86 yards, two TDs).
Tavarese Maye, Brent Leonard and Colby Harper all had more than 70 yards
receiving, with Maye and Leonard each hauling in a touchdown pass from
Browning. ULM (1-2) will have one more non-conference test this Saturday at
Tulane before beginning its Sun Belt schedule the following week at Middle
Tennessee.
WESTERN KENTUCKY: Behind 369 rushing yards, the Hilltoppers moved to 3-1 on
the season as it made easy work of Southern Miss, winning 42-17 in front of a
record-setting crowd at Houchens-Smith Stadium. Antonio Andrews and Leon Allen
both ran wild for Western Kentucky, piling up 136 and 132 yards, respectively,
both career-highs. It was the first time since 2008 that the team had a pair
of 100-yard rushers in the same game. Andrews also added a team-best 74
receiving yards and two total touchdowns. Kawaun Jakes was efficient in the
win, completing 12-of-18 passes for 172 yards, tossing three touchdowns and no
interceptions. The defense was stout all night, especially against the pass,
holding three Southern Miss quarterbacks to just 101 yards passing. WKU has
won nine of its last 11 games dating back to last season, and it will try to
continue that run as it kicks off conference play this Saturday at Arkansas
State.
The Sports Network