MAC ROUNDUP Toledo holds off Broncos

Akron got its third win of the season, beating Buffalo 21-10.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Toledo quarterback Brian Jones threw for 207 yards and two touchdowns and ran for another Saturday, leading the Rockets to a 42-21 Mid-American Conference victory over Western Michigan.
Toledo (7-3, 5-1) never trailed, but had to answer a 21-point Western Michigan run in the third quarter when the Broncos pulled within six points.
Jones, who entered the game as the nation's leader in completion percentage (.771), threw 27- and 3-yard scoring passes Carl Ford and Andrew Clarke as Toledo built a 27-0 lead in the first half.
Jones also was the game's leading rusher with 94 yards, including a career-long 52-yard run in the second quarter. The win kept the defending MAC champion Rockets in the running for a second consecutive title. But Toledo must win at Northern Illinois next week and Bowling Green on Nov. 30 to take the MAC West and avoid elimination.
Toledo turned the first of three Western Michigan (3-8, 2-5) turnovers into a field goal on its first possession, and scored three of the next five times it had the ball, including a 73-yard punt return for a score by Donta Greene that gave the Rockets a 24-0 lead with 7:36 left in the second quarter.
Greene also extended his consecutive games with pass receptions to 29, catching eight passes for 70 yards.
A 19-yard scoring catch by Western Michigan's Mobolaji Afariogun, a 10-yard touchdown run by Philip Reed and a 59-yard fumble return by Jason Feldpausch in the third quarter closed the Broncos to within six points.
Trinity Dawson's 13-yard scoring run in the fourth quarter finished off an 81-yard drive for Toledo and Jones scored on a 36-yard run.
N. Illinois 49, E. Michigan 21
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Michael Turner ran for 225 yards on 21 carries and tied a MAC record with five touchdowns as Northern Illinois remained unbeaten in the conferencen.
Dan Sheldon added 186 yards receiving and a touchdown on five receptions, while quarterback Josh Haldi was 7-of-11 for 209 yards with two TDs for the Huskies (8-3, 7-0).
Eastern Michigan (3-8, 1-6) held the ball for 43:18, largely because Northern Illinois had an easy time scoring against the Eagles' defense.
The Huskies had six touchdown drives consisting of four or fewer plays or less, four of which lasted three or fewer plays. Despite being outnumbered by Eastern 79-42 in total plays, Northern Illinois outgained Eastern 448-293 in total yards.
The Huskies also forced four turnovers and registered eight sacks.
Turner, the leading rusher in the MAC, now has 1,702 yards rushing and 19 touchdowns this season.
Kevin Walter had 10 receptions for 136 yards and a touchdown, and Troy Edwards was 27-of-43 for 272 yards and two touchdowns for the Eastern.
Northern Illinois broke a 7-7 tie after the first quarter with 35 unanswered points to take a 42-7 lead entering the fourth quarter. Turner scored his touchdowns on runs of 1, 42, 10, 3 and 10 yards.
Akron 21, Buffalo 10
AKRON -- Bob Hendry rushed for 119 yards and two touchdowns as Akron held off Buffalo.
Hendry, who carried 27 times, scored on runs of 2 and 1 yards. He capped a six-play, 57-yard drive in the opening minute of the final quarter for the clinching score.
Charlie Frye completed 12-of-19 passes for 144 yards without an interception for the Zips (3-8, 2-5 Mid-American Conference).
Randall Secky hit on 19-of-38 passes for 240 yards with two interceptions for the Bulls (1-10, 0-7).
Akron scored on its first possession, driving 46 yards in six plays with Brandon Payne scoring on a 4-yard run.
Hendry made it 14-0 early in the second period before Secky hit Andre Forde on a 32-yard scoring pass.
Michael Baker kicked a 23-yard field goal to cut the Zips' lead to 14-10 in the third period. Rickey McKenzie and Dwayne LeFall intercepted passes for Akron, which forced three turnovers.
Buffalo was limited to 34 net yards rushing on 33 attempts, with Aaron Leeper leading the way with 58 yards on 19 carries. Secky was sacked five times for 52 yards in losses.
Ball St. 38, Cent. Michigan 21
MOUNT PLEASANT -- Andy Roesch threw five touchdown passes to lead Ball State past Central Michigan.
Roesch completed 22 of 32 passes for 304 yards, and freshmen wide receiver Dante Ridgeway caught 10 passes for 157 yards and two touchdowns for the Cardinals (5-3, 3-3 Mid-American).
Ball State jumped to a 21-0 lead as Roesch threw three TD passes before the Chippewas (4-7, 2-5) finally got on the scoreboard with a 2-yard pass from Derrick Vickers to Steve Messam with 22 seconds left in the first half.
Ball State running back Marcus Merriweather finished with 129 yards rushing on 29 carries for his school-record eighth 100-yard rushing game this season. He now has 19 career 100-yard games, which also is a school record.
Vickers finished with 133 yards passing and added a touchdown run.
Roesch connected with Ridgeway on scoring passes of 12 and 36 yards as the junior quarterback matched his season touchdown total.
Terrence Jackson had a 1-yard scoring run for the Chippewas, while Ball State got touchdown catches from Ridgeway, Streit, Larry Bostic and Sean Schembra.