UCF
at
UCONN
Saturday, Oct. 22 • Noon • ESPNews
Pratt & Whitney Stadium (40,000/Grass)
East Hartford, Conn.
Television
ESPNews
Mike Corey and Rene Ingoglia
UCF Radio UConn Radio
WYGM-FM 96.9 (flagship) WTIC-AM 1080 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the fourth meeting between UCF and UConn in a series that began with the formation of the American Athletic Conference in 2013 … UConn is 2-1 against UCF and has taken the last two matchups, including a 40-13 win last year in Orlando … UConn handed UCF its only conference loss in the 2014 season.
UCF
3-3, 1-1 American
Head Coach
Scott Frost (Nebraska ’97)
3-3, first season
NOTES
UCF dropped a heartbreaker to Temple in its bid for a third straight victory as the Owls scored the game-winning touchdown with one second left … UCF had a 25-7 lead in the second quarter, but was held scoreless in the second half … UCF ranks 23rd nationally and second in The American in rushing defense, allowing 126.7 yards per game on the ground … QB McKenzie Milton returned to the starting lineup to throw for 210 yards and two touchdowns to go with a rushing touchdown against the Owls … Milton has thrown for 643 yards and five touchdowns with two interceptions this season … RB Dontravious Wilson has a team-high seven rushing touchdowns and 314 rushing yards … WR Tre’Quan Smith has 19 catches for 324 yards and three touchdowns … LB Shaquem Griffin leads The American with six sacks.
UCONN
3-4, 1-3 American
Head Coach
Bob Diaco (Iowa ’95)
11-21, third season
NOTES
UConn was denied in its bid for back-to-back wins as the Huskies fell 42-27 to USF … The Huskies were within eight points of the Bulls midway through the fourth quarter before USF pulled away … UConn ranks 23rd nationally in rushing defense, allowing an average of 129.9 rushing yards per game … UConn has been outscored by a 38-3 margin in the first quarter this season … QB Bryant Shirreffs has completed 132 of 219 passes (60.3 percent) for 1,558 yards and seven touchdowns and four interceptions … WR Noel Thomas is ranked fourth nationally in receptions (9.6 per game) … Thomas has 67 catches for 758 yards and three touchdowns … RB Arkeel Newsome has a team-high 412 rushing yards … S Obi Melifonwu has a team-high 57 tackles with two interceptions.
MEMPHIS
at
NAVY
Saturday, Oct. 22 • 3:30 p.m. • CBS Sports Network
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000/FieldTurf)
Annapolis, Md.
Television
CBS Sports Network
John Sadak, Randy Cross and Sheehan Burch
Memphis Radio - WREC-AM 600 (flagship)
Navy Radio - WBAL-AM 1090 (flagship)
THE GAME
Memphis and Navy met for the first time last season, when the Midshipmen joined the American Athletic Conference … Navy ended Memphis’ 15-game winning streak last year with a 45-20 decision against the 13th-ranked Tigers in front of more than 55,000 fans as FB Chris Swain rushed for 108 yards and three touchdowns.
-/rv MEMPHIS
5-1, 2-0 American
Head Coach
Mike Norvell (Central Arkansas ’05)
5-1, first season
NOTES
Memphis improved to 5-1 on the season with a 24-14 win at Tulane last Friday … The Tigers picked up the road win despite registered a season-low in points … Memphis is 4-0 at home this season and 1-1 on the road … The Tigers have been led by QB Riley Ferguson, who has completed 129 of 197 passes for 1,596 yards and 12 touchdowns with six interceptions … RB Doroland Dorceus has team highs with 428 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns … WR Anthony Miller has a team-high 32 receptions for 438 yards and two touchdowns … LB Genard Avery leads the defense with 36 tackles, 5.0 tackles for loss and two interceptions … All-America K Jake Elliott has made 10 of 12 field goal attempts and is 2-for-2 from 50 yards this season … WR Tony Pollard is averaging 30.2 yards on kickoff returns with one touchdown.
24/25 NAVY
4-1, 3-0 American
Head Coach
Ken Niumatalolo (Hawaii ’89)
72-38, eighth season
NOTES
Navy had an unexpected open date last weekend as the Midshipmen’s game at East Carolina was postponed to Nov. 19 due to flooding in the Greenville area in the wake of Hurricane Matthew … Navy enters this week’s game on the heels of a 46-40 win against Houston, which was the Midshipmen’s first victory against a top-10 team since 1984 … Navy has won a school-record-tying 13 straight home games, dating to the 2014 season … The Midshipmen’s last loss at home was a 36-27 setback to Western Kentucky Sept. 27, 2014 … The Midshipmen have averaged 262.4 rushing yards per game (13th in NCAA) … QB Will Worth has thrown for 603 yards and three touchdowns and has a team-high six rushing TDs … The defense is led by LB Micah Thomas, who has 39 tackles, while LB D.J. Palmore has 5.0 tackles for loss.
TULANE
at
TULSA
Saturday, Oct. 22 • 3:45 p.m. • ESPNU
H.A. Chapman Stadium (30,000/FieldTurf)
Tulsa, Okla.
Television
ESPNU
Eamon McAnaney and John Congemi
Tulane Radio - WMTI-FM 106.1 (flagship)
Tulsa Radio - KXBL-FM 99.5 (flagship)
THE GAME
Tulane and Tulsa have met 12 times prior to this year’s matchup … The Golden Hurricane holds a 10-2 series lead and has won both meetings since the schools joined The American … Tulsa took a 38-31 triple-overtime victory at Chapman Stadium in 2014 before the Golden Hurricane was a 45-34 winner in New Orleans last year.
TULANE
3-3, 0-2 American
Head Coach
Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ’83)
3-3, first season at Tulane
158-70, 20th season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
Tulane saw a two-game winning streak end with a 24-14 setback to Memphis last Friday in New Orleans … The Green Wave has matched its win total from last season in only six games this year … Tulane ranks third in the American Athletic Conference (20th nationally) in total defense, allowing 324.0 yards per game … The Green Wave leads The American and is fourth nationally in turnover margin (1.33 per game) … QB Glen Cuiellette has thrown for 616 yards and six touchdowns with three interceptions … WR Terren Encalade has a team-high 22 receptions for 299 yards and four TDs … RB Dontrell Hilliard has rushed for 405 yards and five touchdowns … The defense is led by LB Nico Marley, who has 45 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 6.0 tackles for loss and an interception..
-/rv TULSA
4-2, 1-1 American
Head Coach
Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State ’95)
10-9, second season
NOTES
Tulsa suffered a heartbreaking loss to No. 13/12 Houston last Saturday as the Golden Hurricane’s bid for the tying touchdown was stopped inside the 1-yard line as time expired … Tulsa won back-to-back overtime games and had won its last three games prior to the loss to Houston … RB D’Angelo Brewer leads The American in rushing with 123.7 yards per game, which ranks seventh nationally … Brewer has 742 yards and four touchdowns on 145 carries … QB Dane Evans has completed 122 of 213 passes for 1,500 yards and 10 touchdowns with eight interceptions … WR Keevan Lucas has 41 receptions for 596 yards and five TDs … The defense is led by LB Trent Martin, who has 48 tackles, and LB Petera Wilson, who has a team-high 3.5 sacks … K Redford Jones leads The American in scoring with 10.0 points per game.
EAST CAROLINA
at
CINCINNATI
Saturday, Oct. 22 • 7 p.m. • CBS Sports Network
Nippert Stadium (40,000/UBU Speed Series 55-M)
Cincinnati, Ohio
Television
CBS Sports Network
Dave Ryan, Corey Chavous and Melanie Collins
East Carolina Radio - WNCT-FM 107.9 (flagship)
Cincinnati Radio - WLW-AM 700 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 20th meeting between East Carolina and Cincinnati in a series that dates to 1986 … The Pirates hold a 12-7 series lead, but the Bearcats have won the last five matchups, including a 19-16 decision last year in North Carolina … The schools haven’t played at Nippert Stadium since 2003.
EAST CAROLINA
2-4, 0-2 American
Head Coach
Scottie Montgomery (Duke ’00)
2-4, first season
NOTES
East Carolina looks to snap a four-game slide after the Pirates fell 38-22 to USF … East Carolina has gone 0-3 on the road this season … The Pirates are ranked third in the NCAA in passing offense (378.0 ypg) and 13th in total offense (515.3 ypg) … QB Philip Nelson has completed 160 of 233 passes (70.5 percent) for 1,753 yards and 11 touchdowns with four interceptions, while QB Gardner Minshew has thrown for 412 yards and two TDs … WR Zay Jones leads the NCAA in receptions (14.0 per game) and has 84 catches for 840 yards and three touchdowns, averaging 140.0 yards per game … LB Terrell Richardson and LB Jordan Williams lead the defense with 31 tackles and 3.0 tackles for loss each … East Carolina has registered only one sack in six games … The Pirates’ game against Navy was rescheduled to Nov. 19.
CINCINNATI
3-3, 0-3 American
Head Coach
Tommy Tuberville (Southern Arkansas ’76)
28-17, fifth season at Cincinnati
159-94, 21st season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
Cincinnati looks to snap a two-game slide as the Bearcats go for their first win in conference play … The Bearcats rank third nationally with 12 defensive interceptions, giving them three more than they had in the entire 2015 season … QB Hayden Moore returned to the starting lineup against UConn after he had missed the two previous games due to injury … Moore has thrown for 1,100 yards and seven touchdowns with four interceptions … RB Tion Green has rushed for 360 yards and two touchdowns, while RB Mike Boone has 254 yards and two TDs … WR Nate Cole leads the squad with 35 catches for 364 yards and four touchdowns … LB Eric Wilson is the American Athletic Conference leader with 65 tackles and is ranked seventh nationally at 10.8 tackles per game.
HOUSTON
at
SMU
Saturday, Oct. 22 • Noon • ESPN2
Gerald J. Ford Stadium (32,000/FieldTurf)
Dallas, Texas
Television
ESPN2
Jason Benetti, Kelly Stouffer and Paul Carcaterra
Houston Radio - KTCK-FM 98.7 (flagship)
SMU Radio - KTCK-FM 98.7 (flagship)
THE GAME
The series between The American’s two Texas-based schools dates to 1975 … Houston holds a 20-10-1 series lead and has won the last three games against the Mustangs … SMU’s last win against the Cougars was a 72-42 decision in Dallas in 2012 … The schools played in Tokyo in the 1983 season, when SMU was a 34-23 winner.
11/11 HOUSTON
6-1, 3-1 American
Head Coach
Tom Herman (Cal Lutheran ’97)
19-2, second season
NOTES
Houston bounced back from its first loss of the season with a 38-31 win against Tulsa … The Cougars got the go-ahead touchdown on a fumble return by LB Emeke Egbule with 1:21 left … The Cougars rank third the nation in rushing defense (87.1 ypg), 20th in scoring defense (19.0 ppg) and 10th in total defense (298.7 ypg) … The Cougars have been ranked as high as No. 5 in the USA Today coaches’ poll … QB Greg Ward Jr. has completed 157 of 224 passes (70.1 percent) for 1,938 yards and 11 touchdowns with five interceptions … Ward, who also has six rushing TDs, is 24-3 as Houston’s starting quarterback … WR Linell Bonner leads the team with 55 catches for 653 yards and two TDs … DT Ed Oliver has a team-high 43 tackles with 3.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss as a true freshman.
SMU
2-4, 0-2 American
Head Coach
Chad Morris (Texas A&M ’92)
4-14, second season
NOTES
SMU looks to snap a three-game slide after the Mustangs fell 43-40 to Tulsa in overtime … The Mustangs had a bye in Week 7 … The game against Houston will be SMU’s first home game since Sept. 23 … SMU is second in the nation with 13 defensive interceptions in 2016, or three more than the Mustangs’ had in 2015 … S Jordan Wyatt and CB Horace Richardson have four interceptions each, while Wyatt has scored two touchdowns on pick sixes … RB Braeden West has 521 rushing yards and three touchdowns in six games … QB Ben Hicks has thrown for 1,294 yards and six TDs with nine interceptions … WR Courtland Sutton has 30 catches for 590 yards and four touchdowns, while WR James Proche has a team-high 33 catches … DE Justin Lawler has 36 tackles, 4.5 sacks and 6.5 tackles for loss to go with two blocked kicks.