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Inside The Boxscores – NCAA Week 2
Thursday, Sept. 2
Eastern Michigan 37, Buffalo 34
Buffalo had a 60 yard advantage in total yards and 8 more first downs but they finished 0-5 on 4th down with 4 of those drives ending in Eastern Michigan territory. All 3 drives in the 4th quarter ended on downs. The Eagles survived 4 fumbles, which led to 14 Buffalo points.
Boston College 19, Ball St. 11
Boston College outgained the Cardinals 340-211 in total yards and they held Ball St. to 64 yards rushing on 33 carries (1.9 ypc). The Cardinals entered Boston College territory only once in the second half as they gained just 29 total yards in the final 30 minutes. The Eagles forced 10 Ball St. punts.
TCU 48, Northwestern 45 (OT)
Missed field goals were the story in this game as both teams missed kicks in overtime. Offense was not lacking as the teams combined for 1,162 yards of total offense with the Wildcats holding a 637-525 edge. Northwestern made it into TCU territory in 12 of their 14 drives in regulation but they finished just 4-7 in red zone scoring. They were 1-6 in field goal attempts.
Utah 41, Texas A&M 21
Utah scored on a 78-yard pass in their first possession and never looked back. Texas A&M finished with 437 total yards but 246 of those came in their last 4 drives when the game was already decided. The Aggies punted in 9 of their first 10 drives as the Utes held them to 3-16 on third down attempts.
Arizona St. 41, UTEP 9
After a sluggish start, Arizona St. pulled away in the second quarter as they outgained the Miners by over 200 total yards. UTEP had interceptions in 3 of their first 8 drives leading to 14 Sun Devils points. Neither team was able to run as UTEP averaged 2.8 ypc and Arizona St. averaged 3.1 ypc. The Sun Devils started their drives on average at their own 4 yard line in the 2nd and third quarters where they scored 31 of their 41 points.
Friday, Sept. 3
Washington St. 21, New Mexico 17
Washington St. rallied with 14 fourth quarter points with a blocked punt that led to their final score. New Mexico had 415 total yards to Washington State's 271, but the Cougars' defense forced four turnovers. The blocked punt, 3 turnovers and a turnover on downs were the results of the Lobo’s last 5 drives in the game. The New Mexico defense held the Cougars to 31 yards rushing on 31 attempts (1.0 ypc).
Saturday, Sept. 4
Penn St. 48, Akron 10
Penn St. scored touchdowns in their first 7 possessions, driving at least 70 yards in 4 of those. Two turnovers and a missed field goal led to 21 Penn St. points. The Nittany Lions averaged 8.6 ypc as they rushed for 352 yards on 41 carried. Akron averaged just 2.3 ypc on the ground as they entered Penn St. territory only 3 times on the day.
Rutgers 19, Michigan St. 14
Rutgers outgained the Spartans 415-360 and won despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. The Scarlet Knights scored their only touchdown on an interception return while tacking on 4 field goals for their other points. Michigan St. was only 2-12 on third down and committed 10 penalties. Rutgers entered Michigan St. territory on their first 7 possessions but came away with only 9 points (three missed field goals and one interception).
Virginia 44, Temple 14
Virginia outyarded Temple 504-260 as the Owls gained only 88 yards in the first half. Virginia scored in 5 straight first half drives including a punt return for a touchdown. Virginia rushed for 286 yards on 57 carries (5.0 ypc)as they had 22 more offensive snaps in the game. The only bright spot for Temple was committing 0 penalties on the day.
Navy 27, Duke 12
Navy rushed for 301 yards on 57 attempts (5.3 ypc) and they were 8-9 in passing including a 58 yard touchdown pass. The Midshipmen fumbled on their first 3 possessions, 2 inside the Duke 20-yard line, which kept the Blue Devils in the game. Duke had only 2 drives that went for more than 27 yards and besides their 80-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, they had only 8 other yards in the second half.
West Virginia 56, East Carolina 23
West Virginia had only one more first down yet gained 240 more yard than the Pirates. The Mountaineers rushed for 478 yards on 56 carries (8.5 ypc) while holding East Carolina to 59 yards on 28 carries (2.1 ypc). After a 75-yard opening drive, the Pirates netted –8 yards in their next 7 possessions. West Virginia did commit 14 penalties for 141 yards.
Alabama 48, Utah St. 17
Utah St. made a game of it in the first half but Alabama outgained the Aggies 255-118 in the second half. The Tide rushed for 255 yards on 44 carries (5.8 ypc) while holding Utah St. to 61 yards on 25 carries (2.4 ypc). The Aggies never made it to the red zone while Alabama was 5-5 in scoring inside the Utah St. 20-yard line.
Auburn 31, Louisiana-Monroe 0
Auburn outgained the Indians by just 141 yards but 3 turnovers led to 14 points for the Tigers. La-Monroe was in Auburn territory 6 times in their 12 drives but they cracked the red zone only once, leading to a missed field goal. Auburn finished 9-15 on third down while the Indians were just 2-12. La-Monroe finished 17-23 passing but gained only 99 yards on those completions.
Clemson 37, Wake Forest 30, 2OT
Wake Forest outgained the Tigers 410-371 and Clemson needed a touchdown and 2-point conversion late in the 4th quarter to send the game into overtime. The Demon Deacons went 4 and out in the second OT to end the game. Wake Forest finished with 254 yards rushing on 54 attempts (4.7 ypc) while holding Clemson to 83 yards on 35 carries (2.4 ypc).
LSU 22, Oregon St. 21, OT
The Beavers outgained LSU 315-302 but they missed 3 extra points including one in overtime. The Oregon State defense held the Tigers to just 165 yards through the first three quarters as LSU had drives of 5 plays or less in 13 of their 17 total possessions in regulation. The teams combined for only 175 yards on the ground.
Maryland 23, N. Illinois 20
Northern Illinois scored on an 85-yard fumble return for a touchdown to cut the Maryland lead to 3 points. They got the ball back on a punt but ran out of time as they ended the game on the Maryland 33 yard line. Northern Illinois got only one series out of senior quarterback Josh Haldi, who attempted to play with a stress fracture in his right foot but was forced to leave after three plays.
Memphis 20, Mississippi 13
Memphis outgained Ole Miss 392-240 in total yardage, while the Tigers also held a 20-13 advantage in first downs. The Rebels were forced to punt on their first 5 possessions and they finished the game going 3-15 on third down. The Tigers held Ole Miss to only 58 yards rushing on 33 carries (1.8 ypc). The Rebels committed 7 penalties but 4 of those led to first downs for Memphis.
Mississippi St. 28, Tulane 7
After a scoreless first half, the Bulldogs scored on their first 2 possessions of the second half as they held Tulane to 205 yards of total offense. The Green Wave penetrated Mississippi St. territory only once in their seven 2nd half possessions. The Bulldogs held a 245-118 total yard advantage in the final 30 minutes with Tulane having only one drive lasting more than 5 plays.
South Carolina 31, Vanderbilt 6
South Carolina racked up 453 yards of offense and held the ball for over 15 minutes longer than the Commodores. The Gamecocks entered Vanderbilt territory in 8 of their first 9 drives but 2 missed field goals and a fumble in the endzone made them 4-7 in the redzone. Vanderbilt was held to 36 yards rushing on 22 attempts (1.6 ypc).
Troy St. 17, Marshall 15
The Trojans held the Thundering Herd to 177 yards on 62 plays, including 25 rushing yards on 34 attempts (0.7 ypc). Marshall finished the game 4-4 in the redzone but 3 of those scores were field goals. Marshall had one last chance as they got the ball with :24 seconds left, drove 48 yards down to the 32-yard line but ran out of time.
UAB 56, Baylor 14
The Blazers outgained Baylor 516-278 as they rushed for 343 yards on 53 attempts (6.5 ypc). The defense held the Bears to just 50 yards on 27 carries (1.9 ypc). UAB's defense also contributed to the scoring, returning one interception and one fumble recovery for touchdowns. In total, 6 Baylor turnovers led to 28 points for the Blazers.
Indiana 41, Cent. Michigan 10
Central Michigan actually outgained Indiana 389-344 and had 4 more first downs but they finished 2-4 in redzone scoring. The turning point was a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Hoosiers than extended the lead to 27-3, a 14-point swing. The Chippewas also ended the game at the Hoosiers one-yard line, turning the ball over on downs.
Iowa 39, Kent St. 7
The Golden Flashes had 110 yards of total offense, including -13 rushing while Iowa racked up 420 yards of total offense. Kent entered Iowa territory only twice where they were intercepted and turned the ball over on downs. Their only touchdown came on a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Hawkeyes average starting field position was at midfield.
Kansas 21, Tulsa 3
Kansas finished with just 201 yards of offense but they held the Golden Hurricane to only 141 total yards. The Jayhawks had only one drive more than 42 yards but the defense let Tulsa drive past their 45-yard line only one time. Three turnovers by Tulsa led to 10 Kansas points. Both teams finished the game averaging 3.0 ypp or less.
Michigan 43, Miami (Ohio) 10
Michigan won by 33 points despite gaining only 24 more yards of offense and grabbing just one more first down. Michigan used an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown while 4 of their other touchdowns came on drives of 20 yards or less. Seven turnovers led to 5 Michigan scores. The Redhawks gained just 33 rushing yards on 25 attempts (1.3 ypc).
Minnesota 63, Toledo 21
Minnesota racked up 704 yards of total offense including 415 yards on the ground on 68 attempts (6.1 ypc). They held the ball for more than 13 minutes more than the Rockets and they were a perfect 8-8 in the redzone. The Gophers scored 56 unanswered points after Toledo tied the score at 7-7 early in the first quarter.
Missouri 52, Arkansas St. 20
Missouri outgained the Indians by only 68 total yards and Arkansas St. held a 38:24-21:36 TOP edge. The Indians were hurt by 14 penalties and an interception return that was scored a touchdown. Missouri did hold Arkansas St. to 88 yards rushing on 36 carries (2.4 ypc) while gaining 263 yards on 34 carries (7.7 ypg). The Tigers didn't punt until less than eight minutes remained in the game.
Ohio St. 27, Cincinnati 6
Ohio St. used a balanced attack as they outyarded the Bearcats 462-238, including a 220-76 yard edge on the ground. Cincinnati pulled within 10-6 midway through the third quarter but Ohio St. scored the next 17 points to pull away. Both scoring drives for Cincinnati came as the result of Buckeye turnovers. The Bearcats were able to enter Ohio St. territory only one other time.
Wisconsin 34, UCF 6
Wisconsin held Central Florida to only 53 yards rushing on 35 attempts (1.5 ypc) while their offense rushed for 230 yards on 49 carries (4.7 ypc). 9 of the Golden Knights 12 drives consisted of 6 plays or less while Wisconsin tallied 6 drives of 6 or more plays. The Badgers average starting field position was their own 37-yard line while Central Florida started their drives on their own 21-yard line.
Arkansas 63, New Mexico St. 13
Arkansas outyarded the Aggies 548-216 and nearly doubled their first downs 25-13. The Razorbacks were balances, throwing for 327 yards while rushing for 221 yards on 54 carries (4.1 ypc). New Mexico St. could get nothing going on the ground, rushing for only 55 yards on 29 carries (1.9 ypc). 3 fumbles by the Aggies led to 21 Arkansas points.
Oklahoma 40, Bowling Green 24
Bowling Green was held to just 51 yards rushing on 19 carries (2.7 ypc) while the Sooners racked up 496 yards of total offense including 258 yards on the ground on 52 carries (5.0 ypc). The Flacons capitalized off both Oklahoma turnovers but managed to get into Sooners territory only two other times. Oklahoma had 5 drives of 65 yards or more as they held the ball for nearly 18 minutes longer.
Texas 65, North Texas 0
Texas held the Mean Green to just 130 total yards and only 4 first downs. They tallied 673 yards of total offense themselves as they scored in all but two of their first 13 possessions. Only one of North Texas’ 15 drives was more than 4 plays and they made it into Texas territory only one time. Texas finished 8-8 in the redzone.
Texas Tech 27, SMU 13
Texas Tech grabbed 32 first downs but they came away with just one touchdown in the first half. They were in SMU territory in 5 of their 6 first half drives but a missed field goal and turning the ball over on downs three times led to 0 points. The Red Raiders passed for 470 yards on 66 attempts. They were hurt by committing 11 penalties for 84 yards.
California 56, Air Force 14
Cal racked up 573 yards of offense including 342 yards rushing on 44 carries (7.8 ypc). The Bears blanked the Falcons 35-0 in the second half as they scored touchdowns in 5 of their first 6 second half possessions. Air Force managed only 46 total yards in the second half and only 47 yards in their final 9 possessions, crossing midfield only once.
Oklahoma St. 31, UCLA 20
Oklahoma St. used the ground game to win as they rushed for 426 yards on 67 carries (6.4 ypc) while they passed for only 23 yards on 8 throws. UCLA was only outgained by 6 yards in total offense but 4 turnovers led to 14 Cowboys points. All 4 of the Bruins turnover happened in Oklahoma St. territory, two of which were in the redzone.
Boise St. 65, Idaho 7
Boise St. outgained the Vandals 572-212 as they averaged 8.3 ypp compared to only 3.4 ypp for Idaho. 71 of those yards for the Vandals came on a 71-yard touchdown run late in the 4th quarter. Boise State scored on three of its first four possessions to forge a 21-0 lead before the end of the first quarter. The Broncos did not punt once in the game.
Colorado 27, Colorado St. 24
Colorado St. fell behind 17-0 before rallying to almost pull out the win. They pulled within 3 points with 4:35 to play and were driving as time expired. They were stopped at the Buffaloes one-yard line before they could get another play off. The Rams finished with 73 more yards of total offense as they outgained Colorado 335-119 in the second half.
BYU 20, Notre Dame 17
The defensive unit was huge for the Cougars, limiting the Irish to 201 yards of total offense and completely shutting down the Notre Dame running game. Notre Dame rushed for just 11 yards but their defense did the job as well, holding the Cougars to only 12 yards on the ground. Notre Dame elected to punt with over two minutes remaining and BYU successfully ran out the clock.
Stanford 43, San Jose St. 3
San Jose St. was outgained considerable but they trailed just 15-0 at halftime before Stanford pulled away in the third quarter. Stanford gained over 1/3 of their total offense in their first three possessions of the second half, all of which went for touchdowns. The Spartans controlled the clock for 5 minutes longer but they were only 3-16 on third and fourth down.
Florida Atlantic 35, Hawaii 28, OT
In the shocker of the day, Florida Atlantic won in their division 1-A debut. The Owls outgained the Warriors 445-329 in total offense but didn’t take their first lead until overtime. Hawaii tried to answer in overtime, but a failed toss on 4th-and-3 ended their hopes. Hawaii was held to just 27 yards rushing on 10 carries (2.7 ypc).
Sunday, Sept. 5
Louisville 28, Kentucky 0
Louisville outgained the Wildcats 439-238 and held them to only 66 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.5 ypc). The Cardinals were leading by a 7-0 score when they intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown in the opening drive of the third quarter. Kentucky got into Louisville territory only once in their first 9 possessions. Surprisingly, the Cardinals ended the game at the Kentucky two-yard line instead of running up the score as payback.
Tennessee 42, UNLV 17
Following a Tennessee fumble in the first 2 minutes of the game, UNLV struck first with a 26-yard field goal but the Vols responded with 28 unanswered points. The Rebels had 2 turnovers and missed a field goal all inside the Tennessee 34-yard line before halftime. All 6 of the Vols touchdown drives were from 80 yards or longer.
Purdue 51, Syracuse 0
Purdue completely dominated this game, outgaining Syracuse 571-197 and more than doubling the first downs 25-12. Syracuse only gained 40 yards on 32 carries (1.3 ypc) but surprisingly won the TOP battle by over 10 minutes. Reason being, with the exception of their first score, all of Purdue’s touchdowns were 32 yards and longer.
Houston 10, Rice 7
Defense was the winner in this game as the teams combined for only 403 yards of total offense. The Rice run defense was stifling, holding the Cougars to 8 yards rushing on 32 carries (0.2 ypc). The Owls were inside the Houston 26 yard line in their first 4 possessions but came away with just one score after an interception and 2 missed field goals. Houston scored their only points with just :09 remaining.
Fresno St. 35, Washington 16
Turnovers were the difference as Washington outgained the Bulldogs 360-262 and had 9 more first downs but Fresno St. was able to make the big play on defense. They scored three touchdowns on two interception returns and a fumble return while setting up a fourth touchdown on another interception. Washington ran 33 additional plays on offense but only put two touchdowns on the board.
Monday, Sept. 6
Louisiana Tech 38, Nevada 21
The Bulldogs won the battle in the trenches as they rushed for 285 yards on 47 carries (6.1 ypc) while holding Nevada to just 7 rushing yards on 34 carries (0.2 ypc). Part of the disparity was 9 sacks by Louisiana Tech that took the Wolf Pack right out of their drives. The Bulldogs lost the turnover battle 4-2 but they made up for it going 7-14 on third down while holding Nevada to 2-14 on third down.
Thursday, Sept. 2
Eastern Michigan 37, Buffalo 34
Buffalo had a 60 yard advantage in total yards and 8 more first downs but they finished 0-5 on 4th down with 4 of those drives ending in Eastern Michigan territory. All 3 drives in the 4th quarter ended on downs. The Eagles survived 4 fumbles, which led to 14 Buffalo points.
Boston College 19, Ball St. 11
Boston College outgained the Cardinals 340-211 in total yards and they held Ball St. to 64 yards rushing on 33 carries (1.9 ypc). The Cardinals entered Boston College territory only once in the second half as they gained just 29 total yards in the final 30 minutes. The Eagles forced 10 Ball St. punts.
TCU 48, Northwestern 45 (OT)
Missed field goals were the story in this game as both teams missed kicks in overtime. Offense was not lacking as the teams combined for 1,162 yards of total offense with the Wildcats holding a 637-525 edge. Northwestern made it into TCU territory in 12 of their 14 drives in regulation but they finished just 4-7 in red zone scoring. They were 1-6 in field goal attempts.
Utah 41, Texas A&M 21
Utah scored on a 78-yard pass in their first possession and never looked back. Texas A&M finished with 437 total yards but 246 of those came in their last 4 drives when the game was already decided. The Aggies punted in 9 of their first 10 drives as the Utes held them to 3-16 on third down attempts.
Arizona St. 41, UTEP 9
After a sluggish start, Arizona St. pulled away in the second quarter as they outgained the Miners by over 200 total yards. UTEP had interceptions in 3 of their first 8 drives leading to 14 Sun Devils points. Neither team was able to run as UTEP averaged 2.8 ypc and Arizona St. averaged 3.1 ypc. The Sun Devils started their drives on average at their own 4 yard line in the 2nd and third quarters where they scored 31 of their 41 points.
Friday, Sept. 3
Washington St. 21, New Mexico 17
Washington St. rallied with 14 fourth quarter points with a blocked punt that led to their final score. New Mexico had 415 total yards to Washington State's 271, but the Cougars' defense forced four turnovers. The blocked punt, 3 turnovers and a turnover on downs were the results of the Lobo’s last 5 drives in the game. The New Mexico defense held the Cougars to 31 yards rushing on 31 attempts (1.0 ypc).
Saturday, Sept. 4
Penn St. 48, Akron 10
Penn St. scored touchdowns in their first 7 possessions, driving at least 70 yards in 4 of those. Two turnovers and a missed field goal led to 21 Penn St. points. The Nittany Lions averaged 8.6 ypc as they rushed for 352 yards on 41 carried. Akron averaged just 2.3 ypc on the ground as they entered Penn St. territory only 3 times on the day.
Rutgers 19, Michigan St. 14
Rutgers outgained the Spartans 415-360 and won despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. The Scarlet Knights scored their only touchdown on an interception return while tacking on 4 field goals for their other points. Michigan St. was only 2-12 on third down and committed 10 penalties. Rutgers entered Michigan St. territory on their first 7 possessions but came away with only 9 points (three missed field goals and one interception).
Virginia 44, Temple 14
Virginia outyarded Temple 504-260 as the Owls gained only 88 yards in the first half. Virginia scored in 5 straight first half drives including a punt return for a touchdown. Virginia rushed for 286 yards on 57 carries (5.0 ypc)as they had 22 more offensive snaps in the game. The only bright spot for Temple was committing 0 penalties on the day.
Navy 27, Duke 12
Navy rushed for 301 yards on 57 attempts (5.3 ypc) and they were 8-9 in passing including a 58 yard touchdown pass. The Midshipmen fumbled on their first 3 possessions, 2 inside the Duke 20-yard line, which kept the Blue Devils in the game. Duke had only 2 drives that went for more than 27 yards and besides their 80-yard scoring drive in the third quarter, they had only 8 other yards in the second half.
West Virginia 56, East Carolina 23
West Virginia had only one more first down yet gained 240 more yard than the Pirates. The Mountaineers rushed for 478 yards on 56 carries (8.5 ypc) while holding East Carolina to 59 yards on 28 carries (2.1 ypc). After a 75-yard opening drive, the Pirates netted –8 yards in their next 7 possessions. West Virginia did commit 14 penalties for 141 yards.
Alabama 48, Utah St. 17
Utah St. made a game of it in the first half but Alabama outgained the Aggies 255-118 in the second half. The Tide rushed for 255 yards on 44 carries (5.8 ypc) while holding Utah St. to 61 yards on 25 carries (2.4 ypc). The Aggies never made it to the red zone while Alabama was 5-5 in scoring inside the Utah St. 20-yard line.
Auburn 31, Louisiana-Monroe 0
Auburn outgained the Indians by just 141 yards but 3 turnovers led to 14 points for the Tigers. La-Monroe was in Auburn territory 6 times in their 12 drives but they cracked the red zone only once, leading to a missed field goal. Auburn finished 9-15 on third down while the Indians were just 2-12. La-Monroe finished 17-23 passing but gained only 99 yards on those completions.
Clemson 37, Wake Forest 30, 2OT
Wake Forest outgained the Tigers 410-371 and Clemson needed a touchdown and 2-point conversion late in the 4th quarter to send the game into overtime. The Demon Deacons went 4 and out in the second OT to end the game. Wake Forest finished with 254 yards rushing on 54 attempts (4.7 ypc) while holding Clemson to 83 yards on 35 carries (2.4 ypc).
LSU 22, Oregon St. 21, OT
The Beavers outgained LSU 315-302 but they missed 3 extra points including one in overtime. The Oregon State defense held the Tigers to just 165 yards through the first three quarters as LSU had drives of 5 plays or less in 13 of their 17 total possessions in regulation. The teams combined for only 175 yards on the ground.
Maryland 23, N. Illinois 20
Northern Illinois scored on an 85-yard fumble return for a touchdown to cut the Maryland lead to 3 points. They got the ball back on a punt but ran out of time as they ended the game on the Maryland 33 yard line. Northern Illinois got only one series out of senior quarterback Josh Haldi, who attempted to play with a stress fracture in his right foot but was forced to leave after three plays.
Memphis 20, Mississippi 13
Memphis outgained Ole Miss 392-240 in total yardage, while the Tigers also held a 20-13 advantage in first downs. The Rebels were forced to punt on their first 5 possessions and they finished the game going 3-15 on third down. The Tigers held Ole Miss to only 58 yards rushing on 33 carries (1.8 ypc). The Rebels committed 7 penalties but 4 of those led to first downs for Memphis.
Mississippi St. 28, Tulane 7
After a scoreless first half, the Bulldogs scored on their first 2 possessions of the second half as they held Tulane to 205 yards of total offense. The Green Wave penetrated Mississippi St. territory only once in their seven 2nd half possessions. The Bulldogs held a 245-118 total yard advantage in the final 30 minutes with Tulane having only one drive lasting more than 5 plays.
South Carolina 31, Vanderbilt 6
South Carolina racked up 453 yards of offense and held the ball for over 15 minutes longer than the Commodores. The Gamecocks entered Vanderbilt territory in 8 of their first 9 drives but 2 missed field goals and a fumble in the endzone made them 4-7 in the redzone. Vanderbilt was held to 36 yards rushing on 22 attempts (1.6 ypc).
Troy St. 17, Marshall 15
The Trojans held the Thundering Herd to 177 yards on 62 plays, including 25 rushing yards on 34 attempts (0.7 ypc). Marshall finished the game 4-4 in the redzone but 3 of those scores were field goals. Marshall had one last chance as they got the ball with :24 seconds left, drove 48 yards down to the 32-yard line but ran out of time.
UAB 56, Baylor 14
The Blazers outgained Baylor 516-278 as they rushed for 343 yards on 53 attempts (6.5 ypc). The defense held the Bears to just 50 yards on 27 carries (1.9 ypc). UAB's defense also contributed to the scoring, returning one interception and one fumble recovery for touchdowns. In total, 6 Baylor turnovers led to 28 points for the Blazers.
Indiana 41, Cent. Michigan 10
Central Michigan actually outgained Indiana 389-344 and had 4 more first downs but they finished 2-4 in redzone scoring. The turning point was a 96-yard interception return for a touchdown for the Hoosiers than extended the lead to 27-3, a 14-point swing. The Chippewas also ended the game at the Hoosiers one-yard line, turning the ball over on downs.
Iowa 39, Kent St. 7
The Golden Flashes had 110 yards of total offense, including -13 rushing while Iowa racked up 420 yards of total offense. Kent entered Iowa territory only twice where they were intercepted and turned the ball over on downs. Their only touchdown came on a 99-yard interception return for a touchdown. The Hawkeyes average starting field position was at midfield.
Kansas 21, Tulsa 3
Kansas finished with just 201 yards of offense but they held the Golden Hurricane to only 141 total yards. The Jayhawks had only one drive more than 42 yards but the defense let Tulsa drive past their 45-yard line only one time. Three turnovers by Tulsa led to 10 Kansas points. Both teams finished the game averaging 3.0 ypp or less.
Michigan 43, Miami (Ohio) 10
Michigan won by 33 points despite gaining only 24 more yards of offense and grabbing just one more first down. Michigan used an 88-yard interception return for a touchdown while 4 of their other touchdowns came on drives of 20 yards or less. Seven turnovers led to 5 Michigan scores. The Redhawks gained just 33 rushing yards on 25 attempts (1.3 ypc).
Minnesota 63, Toledo 21
Minnesota racked up 704 yards of total offense including 415 yards on the ground on 68 attempts (6.1 ypc). They held the ball for more than 13 minutes more than the Rockets and they were a perfect 8-8 in the redzone. The Gophers scored 56 unanswered points after Toledo tied the score at 7-7 early in the first quarter.
Missouri 52, Arkansas St. 20
Missouri outgained the Indians by only 68 total yards and Arkansas St. held a 38:24-21:36 TOP edge. The Indians were hurt by 14 penalties and an interception return that was scored a touchdown. Missouri did hold Arkansas St. to 88 yards rushing on 36 carries (2.4 ypc) while gaining 263 yards on 34 carries (7.7 ypg). The Tigers didn't punt until less than eight minutes remained in the game.
Ohio St. 27, Cincinnati 6
Ohio St. used a balanced attack as they outyarded the Bearcats 462-238, including a 220-76 yard edge on the ground. Cincinnati pulled within 10-6 midway through the third quarter but Ohio St. scored the next 17 points to pull away. Both scoring drives for Cincinnati came as the result of Buckeye turnovers. The Bearcats were able to enter Ohio St. territory only one other time.
Wisconsin 34, UCF 6
Wisconsin held Central Florida to only 53 yards rushing on 35 attempts (1.5 ypc) while their offense rushed for 230 yards on 49 carries (4.7 ypc). 9 of the Golden Knights 12 drives consisted of 6 plays or less while Wisconsin tallied 6 drives of 6 or more plays. The Badgers average starting field position was their own 37-yard line while Central Florida started their drives on their own 21-yard line.
Arkansas 63, New Mexico St. 13
Arkansas outyarded the Aggies 548-216 and nearly doubled their first downs 25-13. The Razorbacks were balances, throwing for 327 yards while rushing for 221 yards on 54 carries (4.1 ypc). New Mexico St. could get nothing going on the ground, rushing for only 55 yards on 29 carries (1.9 ypc). 3 fumbles by the Aggies led to 21 Arkansas points.
Oklahoma 40, Bowling Green 24
Bowling Green was held to just 51 yards rushing on 19 carries (2.7 ypc) while the Sooners racked up 496 yards of total offense including 258 yards on the ground on 52 carries (5.0 ypc). The Flacons capitalized off both Oklahoma turnovers but managed to get into Sooners territory only two other times. Oklahoma had 5 drives of 65 yards or more as they held the ball for nearly 18 minutes longer.
Texas 65, North Texas 0
Texas held the Mean Green to just 130 total yards and only 4 first downs. They tallied 673 yards of total offense themselves as they scored in all but two of their first 13 possessions. Only one of North Texas’ 15 drives was more than 4 plays and they made it into Texas territory only one time. Texas finished 8-8 in the redzone.
Texas Tech 27, SMU 13
Texas Tech grabbed 32 first downs but they came away with just one touchdown in the first half. They were in SMU territory in 5 of their 6 first half drives but a missed field goal and turning the ball over on downs three times led to 0 points. The Red Raiders passed for 470 yards on 66 attempts. They were hurt by committing 11 penalties for 84 yards.
California 56, Air Force 14
Cal racked up 573 yards of offense including 342 yards rushing on 44 carries (7.8 ypc). The Bears blanked the Falcons 35-0 in the second half as they scored touchdowns in 5 of their first 6 second half possessions. Air Force managed only 46 total yards in the second half and only 47 yards in their final 9 possessions, crossing midfield only once.
Oklahoma St. 31, UCLA 20
Oklahoma St. used the ground game to win as they rushed for 426 yards on 67 carries (6.4 ypc) while they passed for only 23 yards on 8 throws. UCLA was only outgained by 6 yards in total offense but 4 turnovers led to 14 Cowboys points. All 4 of the Bruins turnover happened in Oklahoma St. territory, two of which were in the redzone.
Boise St. 65, Idaho 7
Boise St. outgained the Vandals 572-212 as they averaged 8.3 ypp compared to only 3.4 ypp for Idaho. 71 of those yards for the Vandals came on a 71-yard touchdown run late in the 4th quarter. Boise State scored on three of its first four possessions to forge a 21-0 lead before the end of the first quarter. The Broncos did not punt once in the game.
Colorado 27, Colorado St. 24
Colorado St. fell behind 17-0 before rallying to almost pull out the win. They pulled within 3 points with 4:35 to play and were driving as time expired. They were stopped at the Buffaloes one-yard line before they could get another play off. The Rams finished with 73 more yards of total offense as they outgained Colorado 335-119 in the second half.
BYU 20, Notre Dame 17
The defensive unit was huge for the Cougars, limiting the Irish to 201 yards of total offense and completely shutting down the Notre Dame running game. Notre Dame rushed for just 11 yards but their defense did the job as well, holding the Cougars to only 12 yards on the ground. Notre Dame elected to punt with over two minutes remaining and BYU successfully ran out the clock.
Stanford 43, San Jose St. 3
San Jose St. was outgained considerable but they trailed just 15-0 at halftime before Stanford pulled away in the third quarter. Stanford gained over 1/3 of their total offense in their first three possessions of the second half, all of which went for touchdowns. The Spartans controlled the clock for 5 minutes longer but they were only 3-16 on third and fourth down.
Florida Atlantic 35, Hawaii 28, OT
In the shocker of the day, Florida Atlantic won in their division 1-A debut. The Owls outgained the Warriors 445-329 in total offense but didn’t take their first lead until overtime. Hawaii tried to answer in overtime, but a failed toss on 4th-and-3 ended their hopes. Hawaii was held to just 27 yards rushing on 10 carries (2.7 ypc).
Sunday, Sept. 5
Louisville 28, Kentucky 0
Louisville outgained the Wildcats 439-238 and held them to only 66 yards rushing on 26 carries (2.5 ypc). The Cardinals were leading by a 7-0 score when they intercepted a pass and returned it for a touchdown in the opening drive of the third quarter. Kentucky got into Louisville territory only once in their first 9 possessions. Surprisingly, the Cardinals ended the game at the Kentucky two-yard line instead of running up the score as payback.
Tennessee 42, UNLV 17
Following a Tennessee fumble in the first 2 minutes of the game, UNLV struck first with a 26-yard field goal but the Vols responded with 28 unanswered points. The Rebels had 2 turnovers and missed a field goal all inside the Tennessee 34-yard line before halftime. All 6 of the Vols touchdown drives were from 80 yards or longer.
Purdue 51, Syracuse 0
Purdue completely dominated this game, outgaining Syracuse 571-197 and more than doubling the first downs 25-12. Syracuse only gained 40 yards on 32 carries (1.3 ypc) but surprisingly won the TOP battle by over 10 minutes. Reason being, with the exception of their first score, all of Purdue’s touchdowns were 32 yards and longer.
Houston 10, Rice 7
Defense was the winner in this game as the teams combined for only 403 yards of total offense. The Rice run defense was stifling, holding the Cougars to 8 yards rushing on 32 carries (0.2 ypc). The Owls were inside the Houston 26 yard line in their first 4 possessions but came away with just one score after an interception and 2 missed field goals. Houston scored their only points with just :09 remaining.
Fresno St. 35, Washington 16
Turnovers were the difference as Washington outgained the Bulldogs 360-262 and had 9 more first downs but Fresno St. was able to make the big play on defense. They scored three touchdowns on two interception returns and a fumble return while setting up a fourth touchdown on another interception. Washington ran 33 additional plays on offense but only put two touchdowns on the board.
Monday, Sept. 6
Louisiana Tech 38, Nevada 21
The Bulldogs won the battle in the trenches as they rushed for 285 yards on 47 carries (6.1 ypc) while holding Nevada to just 7 rushing yards on 34 carries (0.2 ypc). Part of the disparity was 9 sacks by Louisiana Tech that took the Wolf Pack right out of their drives. The Bulldogs lost the turnover battle 4-2 but they made up for it going 7-14 on third down while holding Nevada to 2-14 on third down.