This past week in the Mid-American Conference.
The Buffalo Bulls improved to 8-1 overall and remained one of two teams perfect in conference play after surviving a shootout against Miami. Northern Illinois extended their winning streak to four games winning at BYU.
Ohio stayed in the Eastern Division race with a win over Ball State. Toledo came up with a must win at Western Michigan while Akron got their first MAC win over Central Michigan as well as Kent State as they endefd a six-game losing streak at Bowling Green
Here is a look at the teams after the tenth week of play
EASTERN DIVISION:
AKRON (4-3, 2-2):
Coming off their overtime win last week at Kent State, the Zips defeated Central Michigan Saturday at InfoCision Stadium 17-10. The win ended a six-game losing streak to the Chippewas and their first win over CMU at home since 1997 at the old Rubber Bowl
Akron scored all their points in the first half when QB Cato Nelson connected with TE Newman Williams for a four-yard touchdown. RB Van Edwards scored on a 20-yard run and PK Nick Gasser added a 43-yard field goal. Edwards finished the rainy, dreary afternoon with 96 yards on 20 carries as the Zips had 154 yards rushing. Nelson completed only 10-of-27 passes for 149 yards and the touchdown. WR Andre Williams led the receivers with five catches for 50 yards.
The defense had five sacks, a forced fumble, and recovery along with five pass breakups. In addition, with CMU driving late in the fourth quarter they came up with a stop at their own five to effectively end the game. LB John Lako had a career day with 23 total tackles a pass breakup, and a fumble recovery and was named MAC East Defensive Player of the Week.
It is a quick turnaround for the Zips as they get back into action on Thursday night at home against Northern Illinois. The Huskies picked up their fourth straight win on Saturday winning at BYU in defensive battle 7-6
BOWLING GREEN (1-8, 0-5):
The Falcons went toe-to-toe with the Kent State Golden Flashes Tuesday night at Perry Stadium. They held a 14-13 lead at halftime then traded scores tying the game 28-28 with 6:34 remaining. However the Flashes scored with 1:50 remaining to send BGSU to defeat 35-28.
QB Jarret Doege completed 20-of-37 passes for 207 yards and a pair of touchdowns. RB Rico Frye led the ground attack with 36 yards on seventeen carries. R Scott Miller had six catches for 75 yards. The defense had four sacks, a pass breakup with a forced fumble and recovery. LB Brandon Harris had 15 total tackles (nine solo).
BGSU will continue to look for their first conference win on Saturday, November 10th as they head to Central Michigan to battle the Chippewas.
BUFFALO (8-1, 5-0):
The Bulls Tuesday night improved to 8-1 overall their best start since 1959 and remained perfect in MAC play at 5-0 as they survived a shootout with the Miami Redhawks winning 51-42.
It was a night tat saw 93 points scored and 958 yards of total offense (Buffalo gaining 505). The night belonged to WR Anthony Johnson as the senior had eight catches for a school record 238 yards and three touchdowns. QB Tyree Jackson three them as he completed 30-of-34 passes on the evening for 338 yards. RB Jaret Patterson flirted with 100 yards rushing finishing with 96 on 2 carries and a score. THE UB defense had five sacks, a forced fumble, two pass breakups and a fumble recovery. LB Khalil Hodge led the tacklers with 11 total stops (seven solo)
UB plays its final home game of the season on Tuesday November 7th as the Kent State Golden Flashes come to UB Stadium. KSU is 2-7 overall and 104 in MAC play after picking up their first conference win of the season at Bowling Green 35-28.
KENT STATE (2-7, 1-4):
The Golden Flashes ended a six-game losing streak overall and a nine-gam skid in MAC play dating back to last season as they traveled to Bowling Green and defeated the Falcons 35-28.
In a game that went back and forth, especially in the fourth quarter when the two teams matched score for score, KSU got the winning touchdown from RB Jo-EL Shaw who went into the end zone from 18-yards out with 1:50 remaining in regulation.
Shaw had a career day rushing with 128 yards on 26 carries and tied his career high with three rushing touchdowns. QB Woody Barrett completed 14-of-24 passes for 152 yards and a touchdown to WR Antuwan Dixon who had six catches on the evening for 75 yards. Barrett also rushed for 77 yards and his 34-yard run set up Shaw’s winning touchdown. The defense had three sacks, a forced fumble, a pass breakup and an interception by LN Kasean Gamble on BGSU’s final offensive play. Dalton Hicks led the defense with 14 total stops.
KSU plays their final road game of the season on Tuesday November 6th as they travel to Buffalo to face the Eastern Division leading Bulls who improved to 8-1 on the season with a 51-42 home win over Miami
MIAMI (3-6, 3-2):
The Redhawks traveled to Western New York on Tuesday and engaged in a shootout with the Eastern Division leading Buffalo Bulls before falling in the fourth quarter 51-42 for their second straight loss overall and ended a two-game MAC winning streak.
MU held a seven-point lead on three occasions in the first half. After the Bulls went ahead 28-21 just before halftime and built a 42-21 lead, the Hawks battled back and tied the score at 42-42 at the end of the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, Buffalo scored a touchdown and a field goal for their margic of victory. QB Gus Ragland completed 21-of-35 passes for 313 yards and a touchdown. He also ran for 52 yards and three scores (Miami had six rushing touchdowns on the evening). RB Alonzo Smith had 63 yards on 13 carries to lead the rushing attack while another RB Kenny Young had five receptions for 95 yards and a touchdown. The defense had two sacks, three pass breakups and a forced fumble. They were led by LB Brad Koenig with 11 total stops (eight solo) with a sack and that forced fumble.
The Redhawks return to Yager Stadium on Wednesday, November 7th to battle their arch-rivals the Ohio Bobcats who get back into action at home against Ball State.
OHIO (5-3, 3-1):
The Bobcats won their third in the last four games as they gained 445 yards on offense and scored 52 points in a home rout of Ball State 52-14. The victory moved Ohio into second place in the Eastern Division one game behind Buffalo as well as end a two-game losing streak to the Cardinals.
Similar to their win last Saturday against Bowling Green, Cats trailed in the first quarter 7-0. From that point on, it was all Green and White as they scored all 52 of their points between the second and third quarters. As it was in the win over the Falcons, it was the ground game that was the main offensive weapon with 411 yards and six touchdowns. RB AJ Ouellette led with 135 yards on 13 carries and two touchdowns as named MAC East Offensive Player of the Week, fellow RB Maleek Irons had 102 yards and a pair of scores while QB Nathan Rourke had 77 yards and two touchdowns. In addition, Rourke completed 11-of-19 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown to Andrew Meyer who led the receivers with four catches for 50 yards. PK Louie Zervos was named MAC East Special Teams Player of the Week.
The defense had two sacks-an interceptions-five pass breakups-a forced fumble and fumble recovery. DB Javon Hagan had five total tackles.
Next week, the Cats are on the road as they travel to Western Michigan to face a Broncos team that saw their six-game winning streak come to an end on Thursday night at the hands of Toledo 51-24.
WESTERN DIVISION:
BALL STATE (3-6, 2-3):
The Cardinals traveled to Ohio on Thursday night and led the Bobcats 7-0 at the end of the first quarter. From that point on, the home team flexed its muscles and scored 52 points between the second and third quarters for a 2-14 victory. The loss was BSU’s third loss in the last four games.
The Cards took that first quarter lead on an 18-yard touchdown pass from QB Riley Neal to WR Riley Miller. BSU only managed 242 yards in the contest. Neal was injured in the game completing only 7-of-15 passes for 78 yards. Backup QB Drew Plitt came in an scored on an eight-yard run in the fourth quarter. EB James Gilbert had 52 yards on nine carries. WR Justin Hall led the receivers with four catches for 42 yards. The defense was led by LB Brandon Martin, DB Bryce Cosby and LB Jaylin Thomas all with nine total stops.
Next week, the Cards travel to Toledo to battle the Rockets who ended Western Michigan’s six-game winning streak Thursday night in Kalamazoo with a 51-24 victory.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (1-8. 0-5):
The Chippewas traveled on Saturday to Akron, feel behind 17-0 at halftime came back in the second half to close to withing 17-10 but could not get any further falling to the Zips 17-10. The loss was CMU’s fifth straight their longest since 2010 along with being 0-5 in MAC play for the first time since 2003.
QB Tony Poljan got the start for the injured Tony Lazzaro and completed 16-of-37 passes for 169 yards along with a rushing touchdown in the third quarter. RB Rumello Ross led the ground game with 75 yards on 22 carries. The Chips had their chances to cut into their deficit of tie the game. Late in the third quarter they were stopped inside the Akron five yard line. However, PK Ryan Tice who kicked a field goal to get CMU on the scoreboard missed a 23-yard attempt when his kick hit the left upright. Then late in the fourth quarter, Poljan and the offense reached the Zips four, but turned the ball over on downs when they failed to get a first down.
The defense forced five Akron fumbles (recovering four of them) with two sacks and nine pass breakups with LB Malik Fountain leads with 15 total tackles (11 of them solo) with his performance Fountain passed the 100 total tackle mark for the season.
CMU looks to end their losing streak next Saturday as they travel to Eastern Michigan to face the Eagles who are 4-5 overall and 2-3 in MAC play. They completed the non-conference portion of their schedule losing to Army at home 37-22.
EASTERN MICHIGAN (4-5, 2-3):
The Eagles two-game winning streak came to a screeching halt last Saturday as the Black Knights of Army and their triple-option offense built a 16-0 lead at halftime and never looked back posting a 37-22 victory.
The Eagles offense had trouble moving the football in the rainy conditions with QB Tyler Weigers completing only 19-of-29 passes for 201 yards and a pair of touchdowns, He also led EMU in rushing with 26 yards on five carries (had a total of 34 rushing yards for the game). WR Blake Banham had seven catches for 104 yards and a score as well as a one-yard touchdown run. The defense had four players have 10 or more tackles in the contest. LB Kyle Rachwal had 14 total stops.
Eastern returns to action on Saturday as the Central Michigan Chippewas come to Rynearson Stadium. CMU comes in riding a five-game losing streak being 1-8 overall and winless in MAC competition (0-5) after losing last Saturday at Akron 17-10.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (5-3, 3-0):
The Huskies traveled to BYU on Saturday and came out with a 7-6 victory for their fourth consecutive victory. It was the first time since 1988 that NIU scored seven or fewer points and claimed victory. It was the first non-conference win of 2018 after losses to Iowa, Utah, and Florida State).
NIU managed just 201 yards on total offense but they made them count as QB Marcus Childress scored on a one-yard touchdown run on the opening drive of the second half. He finished the afternoon going 10-of-21 passing for 115 yards. RB Tre Harbison led the rushers with 54 yards on 11 carries. WR Jajuan Wesley led the receivers with four catches for 70 yards.
The Huskies defense held the Cougars to a pair of field goals, then with 1:47 remaining S Mykleti Williamson made the play of the game with an interception that blunted BYU’s hope for victory and was named MAC West Defensive Player of the Week. Overall, the defense had five sacks and two pass breakups along with the Williamson INT. LB Antonio Jones-Davis (six solos) and Kyle Pugh each had seven total tackles. P Matt Ference was named MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week averaging 46.8 yards on eight kicks.
A short week for NIU as they travel to Northeast Ohio on Thursday night to battle the Akron Zips who are 4-3 overall and 2-2 in MAC play after defeating Central Michigan last Saturday at home 17-10.
TOLEDO (4-4, 2-2):
Thursday night the Rockets picked up their biggest win of the season as they ended a two-game losing streak winning at Western Michigan 51-24 in a game that UT had to win to stay in touch in the Western Division.
Toledo used its ground game to pave the road to victory as they gained 268 yards part of an evening that saw them gain 515 total yards. RB Brogn Roback had 99 yards on 10 carries and a touchdown. QB Mitchell Guardagni completed 10-of-18 passes for 140 yards and two touchdowns before leaving the game in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury. Backup QB Eli Peters went 8-of-14 through the air for 107 yards and a score. WR Cody Thompson led the receivers with six receptions for 63 yards and three scores. The UT defense had five sacks and a fumble recovery. LB Richard Olekawanna led the tacklers with nine total stops (six solos).
This week, The Rockets play their second MACTION game as the Ball State Cardinals come to the Glass Bowl. BSU is 3-5 on the season and 2-3 in MAC play after falling Thursday night at Ohio 52-14.
WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-3, 4-1):
The Broncos saw their six-game winning streak come to an end Thursday night at the hands of the Toledo Rockets at home 52-24. The loss was WMU’s first in MAC play and have lost three of the last four meetings with the Midnight Blue and Gold.
QB Jon Wassink left the game in the first quarter with a foot injury. Backup QB Caleb Emery came in and played well completing 23-of-28 passes for 293 yards and two touchdowns. RB La’Vante Bellamy was held in check by the UT defense as he gained only 45 yards ith Jamari Bogan leading the ground game with 66 yards on 10 carries. WR Jaylen Reed had six catches for 163 yards and two touchdowns including a 67-yard catch and run just before halftime. The WMU defense did not register a sack, or an interception and had only four pass breakups. LB Drake Spears had 12 total tackles (seven solo)
This week the Broncos welcome the Ohio Bobcats to Waldo Stadium. Ohio has won three of their last four games and are coming off a 52-14 win over Ball State at home on Thursday night.
There you have it. INSIDE MAC FOOTBALL for week 10. MACTION week two begins on Wednesday with Toledo hosting Ball State. Then on Thursday, Ohio travels to Western Michigan and NIU puts its winning streak on the line at Akron. The week finishes with Central Michigan traveling to Eastern Michigan
SEE YOU AT THE STADIUM