CINCINNATI
at
UCF
Saturday, Nov. 12 • Noon • ESPNU
Bright House Networks Stadium (44,206/Grass)
Orlando, Fla.
Television
ESPNU
Dave Lamont and Ahmad Brooks
Cincinnati Radio - WLW-AM 700 (flagship)
UCF Radio - WYGM-FM 96.9 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the second meeting between Cincinnati and UCF… The schools did not play in the single-division format of the American Athletic Conference’s first two seasons and met for the first time last year, when Cincinnati was a 52-7 winner … Bearcat QB Gunner Kiel threw for 319 yards and five touchdowns.
CINCINNATI
4-5, 1-5 American
Head Coach
Tommy Tuberville (Southern Arkansas ’76)
29-19, fifth season at Cincinnati
160-96, 21st season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
Cincinnati has dropped its last two games, and four of its last five, after a 20-3 setback to Brigham Young at Nippert Stadium … The loss to BYU snapped a 30-game winning streak at Nippert against nonconference opponents, dating to 2003 … Cincinnati has gone 4-0 when it scores at least 27 points and has been held to 20 points or fewer in its five losses … QB Gunner Kiel has started the last three games and has thrown for 713 yards and six touchdowns without an interception … RB Tion Green has rushed for 559 yards and two touchdowns … WR Devin Gray has team highs with 46 receptions for 668 yards … WR Kahlil Lewis has a team-high five touchdown receptions … LB Eric Wilson leads The American with 94 tackles to go with 3.0 sacks and 6.0 tackles for loss.
UCF
5-4, 3-2 American
Head Coach
Scott Frost (Nebraska ’97)
5-4, first season
NOTES
UCF stands one win away from bowl eligibility after the Knights took a 37-6 win against Tulane last week … The Knights outscored the Green Wave 30-0 in the second half one week after UCF saw Houston close with 28 unanswered second-half points in a heartbreaking loss to the Cougars … UCF scored three defensive touchdowns against Tulane … The Knights rank 13th nationally in pass efficiency defense (107.18) … QB McKenzie Milton has thrown for 1,200 yards and eight touchdowns with five interceptions this season … RB Dontravious Wilson has a team-high eight rushing touchdowns and 403 rushing yards … WR Tre’Quan Smith has 38 catches for 516 yards and three touchdowns … LB Shaquem Griffin leads The American with 8.5 sacks and has a team-high 12.0 tackles for loss to go with two forced fumbles.
SMU
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EAST CAROLINA
Saturday, Nov. 12 • Noon • ESPNews
Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium (50,000/Grass)
Greenville, N.C.
Television
ESPNews
Mike Couzens and Dan Hawkins
SMU Radio - KTCK-FM 98.7 (flagship)
East Carolina Radio - WNCT-FM 107.9 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the seventh meeting between SMU and East Carolina … East Carolina holds a 4-2 series lead and has won both meetings since the schools joined the American Athletic Conference … Last year’s meeting in Dallas saw the Pirates overcome an early 23-7 lead by scoring 42 unanswered points in a 49-23 victory.
SMU
4-5, 2-3 American
Head Coach
Chad Morris (Texas A&M ’92)
6-15, second season
NOTES
SMU came up short in its bid for three straight wins as the Mustangs fell 51-7 to Memphis … SMU had won back-to-back games against Houston and Tulane prior to the setback against the Tigers … SMU is ninth in the nation with 14 defensive interceptions in 2016, while the Mustangs are 13th nationally in sacks (3.0 per game) … S Jordan Wyatt, CB Horace Richardson and CB Darrion Millines have four interceptions each, while Wyatt has scored two touchdowns on pick sixes … RB Braeden West has 764 rushing yards and six touchdowns in eight games … QB Ben Hicks has thrown for 1,984 yards and 12 TDs with 11 interceptions … WR James Proche and WR Courtland Sutton have 45 receptions each and have combined for nine touchdowns … DE Justin Lawler has 6.0 sacks, 12.0 tackles for loss and two blocked kicks.
EAST CAROLINA
3-6, 1-4 American
Head Coach
Scottie Montgomery (Duke ’00)
3-6, first season
NOTES
East Carolina, which snapped a five-game losing streak two weeks ago against UConn, fell 45-24 at Tulsa last week … East Carolina is 3-1 at home this season and 0-5 away from Greenville … The Pirates are ranked third in the NCAA in passing offense (364.6 ypg) and 18th in total offense (500.0 ypg) … QB Philip Nelson has completed 226 of 330 passes (68.5 percent) for 2,477 yards and 16 touchdowns with six interceptions … WR Zay Jones leads the NCAA in receptions (14.1 per game) and has an American Athletic Conference record with 127 catches for 1,300 yards and five touchdowns … Jones needs 19 receptions to tie former teammate Justin Hardy for the NCAA career record (387) … RB James Summers has rushed for 594 yards and five touchdowns … LB Dayon Pratt has a team-high 58 tackles with 7.5 tackles for loss.
TULSA
at
NAVY
Saturday, Nov. 12 • Noon • CBS Sports Network
Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium (34,000/FieldTurf)
Annapolis, Md.
Television
CBS Sports Network
John Sadak, Randy Cross and Sheehan Burch
Tulsa Radio - KXBL-FM 99.5 (flagship)
Navy Radio - WBAL-AM 1090 (flagship)
THE GAME
Tulsa and Navy count three previous meetings prior to Saturday’s game as the Midshipmen hold a 2-1 series lead … The schools played a home-and-home series in 2004 and 2006 and renewed acquaintances with last year’s 44-21 Navy win in Tulsa … The Midshipmen rushed for 469 yards and five touchdowns in last year’s meeting.
rv/rv TULSA
7-2, 4-1 American
Head Coach
Philip Montgomery (Tarleton State ’95)
13-9, second season
NOTES
Tulsa has won its last three games, and six of its last seven, after a 45-24 win against East Carolina last Saturday, pulling the Golden Hurricane into a first-place tie in the West Division standings … Tulsa is ranked ninth nationally in total offense (512.1 ypg) and 11th in scoring offense (42.4 ppg) … Tulsa has the top two rushers in The American as RB D’Angelo Brewer averages 122.9 yards per game and RB James Flanders is at 120.0 ypg … Flanders is second in The American with 14 rushing touchdowns … QB Dane Evans has completed 178 of 307 passes for 2,244 yards and 18 touchdowns with eight interceptions … WR Keevan Lucas has 60 receptions for 845 yards and nine TDs … The defense is led by LB Trent Martin, who has 65 tackles with two interceptions and seven passes defended.
rv/rv NAVY
6-2, 4-1 American
Head Coach
Ken Niumatalolo (Hawaii ’89)
74-39, eighth season
NOTES
Navy bounced back from its first conference loss of the season with a 28-27 win against Notre Dame in Jacksonville, Florida … The Midshipmen limited the Irish to six offensive possessions and closed the game by keeping possession for the last 7:28 … Navy has won a school-record 14 straight home games, dating to the 2014 season, trailing only Clemson’s 21-game home streak as the longest in Division I FBS football … Navy is 4-0 at home this season … The Midshipmen have averaged 299.5 rushing yards per game (fourth in NCAA) … QB Will Worth has thrown for 1,035 yards and six touchdowns and leads the American Athletic Conference with 15 rushing TDs to go with 793 yards on the ground … The defense is led by LB Micah Thomas, who has 58 tackles, while LB D.J. Palmore has 5.0 sacks and 8.0 tackles for loss.
TULANE
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HOUSTON
Saturday, Nov. 12 • 3:30 p.m. • CBS Sports Network
TDECU Stadium (40,000/Synthetic)
Houston, Texas
Television
CBS Sports Network
Dave Ryan, Corey Chavous and Melanie Collins
Tulane Radio Houston Radio
WMTI-FM 106.1 (flagship) KPRC-AM 950 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the 21st meeting between Houston and Tulane in a series that dates to 1968 … Houston holds a 15-5 series lead after last year’s 42-7 win in New Orleans … The Green Wave took the last matchup in Houston with a 31-24 decision at TDECU Stadium in 2014, snapping the Cougars’ 10-game series winning streak.
TULANE
3-6, 0-5 American
Head Coach
Willie Fritz (Pittsburg State ’83)
3-6, first season at Tulane
158-72, 20th season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
Tulane looks to snap a four-game slide after the Green Wave fell 37-6 at UCF last week …Tulane had won three of four games prior to the current stretch … Tulane ranks third in the American Athletic Conference in total defense, allowing 360.7 yards per game … The Green Wave is tied for the American Athletic Conference lead in turnover margin (0.78), but had an uncharacteristic five turnovers against UCF … QB Glen Cuiellette has thrown for 885 yards and eight touchdowns with seven interceptions … WR Terren Encalade has a team-high 28 receptions for 397 yards and six TDs … RB Dontrell Hilliard has rushed for 724 yards and nine touchdowns … The defense is led by LB Nico Marley, who has 67 tackles, 3.0 sacks, 9.5 tackles for loss, an interception and two forced fumbles.
rv/rv HOUSTON
7-2, 4-2 American
Head Coach
Tom Herman (Cal Lutheran ’97)
20-3, second season
NOTES
Houston, which had won 18 of its first 19 games under second-year coach Tom Herman, used a big second half to avoid back-to-back losses as the Cougars overcame a 21-3 halftime deficit to get a 31-24 win against UCF Oct. 29 … Houston had a bye in Week 10 … The Cougars rank third the nation in rushing defense (92.0 ypg) and 10th in total defense (299.1 ypg) … QB Greg Ward Jr. has completed 204 of 294 passes (69.4 percent) for 2,419 yards and 14 touchdowns with eight interceptions … Ward, who also has eight rushing TDs, is 25-4 as Houston’s starting quarterback … WR Linell Bonner leads the team with 59 catches for 677 yards and two TDs … DT Ed Oliver has team highs with 52 tackles 15.0 tackles for loss and two forced fumbles as a true freshman … LB Steven Taylor has 6.0 sacks, while CB Howard Wilson has five interceptions.
USF
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MEMPHIS
Saturday, Nov. 12 • 7 p.m. • ESPNU
Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium (58,862/FieldTurf)
Memphis, Tenn.
Television
ESPNU
Eamon McAnaney and John Congemi
USF Radio Memphis Radio
WWBA-AM 820 (flagship) WREC-AM 600 (flagship)
THE GAME
Saturday’s game will be the ninth meeting between USF and Memphis since the series began in 2001 … Memphis is 5-3 against the Bulls and has won three straight in the series after last year’s 24-17 win in Tampa … USF’s last win against the Tigers was a 41-14 victory in the 2008 St. Petersburg Bowl at Tropicana Field.
-/rv USF
7-2, 4-1 American
Head Coach
Willie Taggart (Western Kentucky ’98)
23-22, fourth season at USF
37-45, seventh season as collegiate head coach
NOTES
USF bounced back from its first conference loss with a 52-45 win against Navy Oct. 28 before the Bulls’ open week in Week 10 … USF ranks eighth nationally in rushing (272.9 ypg) and ninth in scoring offense (43.4 ppg) … QB Quinton Flowers, has completed 136 of 229 passes for 1,941 yards and 17 touchdowns with five interceptions to go with 10 rushing TDs and 921 rushing yards … RB Marlon Mack has rushed for 784 yards and 11 touchdowns … WR Rodney Adams has 41 catches for 556 yards and four touchdowns and has added four rushing TDs … RB D’Ernest Johnson has 11 total touchdowns (six rushing, four receiving, one punt return) … LB Auggie Sanchez leads the team with 79 tackles, 6.0 sacks, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery.
MEMPHIS
6-3, 3-2 American
Head Coach
Mike Norvell (Central Arkansas ’05)
6-3, first season
NOTES
Memphis snapped a two-game losing streak with a 51-7 win against SMU in which the Tigers closed the game with 37 unanswered points … The Tigers have been led by QB Riley Ferguson, who has completed 193 of 304 passes for 2,565 yards and a league-leading 21 touchdowns with eight interceptions … RB Doroland Dorceus has team highs with 560 rushing yards and six touchdowns … WR Anthony Miller has a team-high 57 receptions for 924 yards and seven touchdowns … LB Genard Avery leads the defense with 56 tackles and two interceptions … The Tigers are outstanding on special teams, leading The American in net punting and kickoff return average (29.28) … The Tigers have three kickoff returns for touchdowns this season … All-America K Jake Elliott has made 14 of 17 field goal attempts.