UCONN at USF
Saturday, Oct. 15 • 7 p.m. • CBS Sports Network
Raymond James Stadium (65,857/Grass)
Tampa, Fla.
Television: CBS Sports Network
Dave Ryan, Corey Chavous and Melanie Collins
East Carolina Radio - WNCT-FM 107.9 (flagship)
USF Radio - WWBA-AM 820 (flagship)
THE GAME
USF holds an 8-5 series lead against UConn and has won the last four meetings with the Huskies … Each of the last nine meetings has been decided by eight points or fewer, while five of the last seven games have been decided by no more than four points … USF is 4-2 against UConn at Raymond James Stadium.
UCONN
3-3, 1-2 American
Head Coach
Bob Diaco (Iowa ’95)
11-20, third season
NOTES
UConn snapped a two-game slide with a 20-9 win against Cincinnati … The Huskies trailed 9-0, but closed the game with 20 unanswered points … UConn held Cincinnati to two rushing yards, wihch ranks third on The American’s single-game defensive chart … UConn has been outscored by a 31-0 margin in the first quarter this season … QB Bryant Shirreffs has completed 110 of 180 passes (61.1 percent) for 1,282 yards and five touchdowns and four interceptions … WR Noel Thomas is ranked fourth nationally in receptions (9.2 per game) … Thomas has 55 catches for 631 yards and three touchdowns … RB Arkeel Newsome has a team-high 340 rushing yards, while RB Ron Johnson leads the team with four rushing TDs … S Obi Melifonwu has a team-high 50 tackles … The Huskies have forced only three turnovers in their first six games.
rv/rv USF
5-1, 2-0 American
Head Coach
Willie Taggart (Western Kentucky ’98)
21-21, fourth season at USF
35-44, seventh season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
USF picked up back-to-back wins with a 38-22 decision against East Carolina last Saturday … USF has won its last seven games against American Athletic Conference East Division teams, dating to last season … USF ranks 12th nationally in rushing (260.5 ypg) and eighth in scoring offense (44.5 ppg) … QB Quinton Flowers, has completed 83 of 144 passes for 1,322 yards and 11 touchdowns with three interceptions to go with four rushing TDs … RB Marlon Mack has rushed for 485 yards and eight touchdowns on 68 carries and is averaging 7.1 yards per attempt … WR Rodney Adams has 25 catches for 416 yards and four touchdowns and has added four rushing TDs … LB Auggie Sanchez leads the team with 54 tackles and 3.0 sacks.
TULSA at HOUSTON
Saturday, Oct. 15 • 7 p.m. • ESPN2
TDECU Stadium (40,000/Synthetic)
Houston, Texas
Television: ESPN •
Live Video •
Live Stats
Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer and Paul Carcaterra
UConn Radio - WTIC-AM 1080 (flagship)
Houston Radio - KPRC-AM 950 (flagship)
THE GAME
Tulsa-Houston is the most-played series among active American Athletic Conference rivalries as the teams meet for the 41st time Saturday … Houston holds a 22-18 series lead and has won the last two matchups … Tulsa head coach Philip Montgomery served as an assistant at Houston from 2003-07.
-/rv TULSA
4-1, 1-0 American
Head Coach
Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State ’95)
10-8, second season
NOTES
Tulsa won in overtime for the second straight game as the Golden Hurricane edged SMU 43-40 … Tulsa previously overcome a 31-0 deficit to defeat Fresno State 48-41 in two overtimes Sept. 24 … Tulsa is looking for its first four-game winning streak since the 2012 season … RB D’Angelo Brewer leads The American in rushing with 143.2 yards per game, which ranks fourth nationally … Brewer has 716 yards and four touchdowns on 135 carries … QB Dane Evans has completed 95 of 162 passes for 1,135 yards and nine touchdowns with seven interceptions … WR Keevan Lucas has 36 receptions for 508 yards and five TDs and is ranked eighth nationally in receptions (7.2 per game) … The defense is led by LB Trent Martin, who has 35 tackles, and LB Petera Wilson, who has 3.5 sacks.
13/12 HOUSTON
5-1, 2-1 American
Head Coach
Tom Herman (Cal Lutheran ’97)
18-2, second season
NOTES
Houston saw an eight-game winning streak end as the Cougars fell 46-40 at Navy last Saturday… The Cougars rank fourth the nation in rushing defense (86.0 ypg) and are 14th in scoring defense (17.0 ppg) and seventh in total defense (272.0 ypg) … The Cougars were ranked No. 6 in the Associated Press poll for four straight weeks, but fell to No. 13 with their first loss … QB Greg Ward Jr. has completed 131 of 190 passes (68.9 percent) for 1,684 yards and 11 touchdowns with four interceptions … Ward, who also has six rushing TDs is 23-3 as Houston’s starting quarterback … WR Linell Bonner leads the team with 42 catches for 556 yards and two TDs … LB Steven Taylor has 27 tackles, 5.5 sacks, an interception and a fumble recovery and is expected to return to the lineup after he missed the Navy game for disciplinary reasons.
TEMPLE at UCF
Saturday, Oct. 15 • 7:30 p.m. • ESPNU
Bright House Networks Stadium (44,206/Grass)
Orlando, Fla.
Television: ESPNU •
Live Video •
Live Stats
Dave Lamont and Rene Ingoglia
Temple Radio - WPEN-FM 97.5 (flagship)
UCF Radio - WYGM-FM 96.9 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fourth meeting between UCF and Temple, a series that began with the formation of the American Athletic Conference in 2013 … UCF won the first two meetings, but Temple took a 30-16 decision last year in Philadelphia … Temple RB Jahad Thomas rushed for 199 yards and three touchdowns in last year’s meeting.
TEMPLE
3-3, 1-1 American
Head Coach
Matt Rhule (Penn State ’97)
21-23, third season
NOTES
Temple looks to bounce back from a 34-27 setback at Memphis in which the Owls had the advantage in total yards (531-323) and first downs (27-15), but allowed touchdowns on defense and special teams … Temple has outscored its opponents by a 127-52 margin in the first half, but has been outscored 84-71 in the second half … QB Phillip Walker has thrown for 1,415 yards and eight touchdowns with nine interceptions … RB Ryquell Armstead has a team-high 325 rushing yards, while RB Jahad Thomas has 237 … The duo has combined for 13 touchdowns (seven for Armstead, six for Thomas) … Armstead and Thomas have six rushing touchdowns each … WR Keith Kirkwood has 21 receptions for 315 yards and two touchdowns … DE Haason Reddick has a team-high 28 tackles with 4.5 sacks and 12.0 tackles for loss.
UCF
3-2, 1-0 American
Head Coach
Scott Frost (Nebraska ’97)
3-2, first season
NOTES
UCF goes for its third straight win after the Knights took a 47-29 win at East Carolina … The Knights had an unexpected bye last week with last Friday’s game against Tulane moved to Nov. 5 … UCF ranks 21st nationally and second in The American in rushing defense, allowing 112.6 yards per game on the ground … QB Justin Holman returned to the starting lineup after missing two games with a leg injury … QB McKenzie Milton, who had started the previous two games, sat out against East Carolina with an ankle injury … RB Dontravious Wilson has a team-high seven rushing touchdowns and 279 rushing yards … WR Tre’Quan Smith has 16 catches for 221 yards and two touchdowns … LB Shaquem Griffin leads the defense with 5.0 sacks and 7.0 tackles for loss to go with 29 tackles, two pass breakups and two forced fumbles.