MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE UConn blanks Buffalo; N. Illinois is 8-3



The Huskies now need Bowling Green to beat Toledo.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
EAST HARTFORD, Conn. -- Cornell Brockington rushed for 136 yards and two touchdowns to lead Connecticut to a 29-0 victory over Buffalo, assuring the Huskies of a winning record and making them eligible for a bowl bid.
Senior Dan Orlovsky, in his final game at home, threw for 283 yards and a touchdown. His final play before being pulled from the game was a 33-yard touchdown pass to wide receiver Brandon McLean.
Brockington broke the game open with a 43-yard touchdown run in the third quarter that made the score 22-0.
Connecticut's defense held Buffalo to five first downs and 96 yards in total offense.
UConn took a 12-0 lead at the half, scoring a touchdown, a field goal and a safety.
The Huskies opened the game with a 70-yard, 10-play drive, taking a 7-0 lead on a 7-yard run by Brockington.
Buffalo had a scoring chance when LaRon Haymore broke through the middle of the UConn line and blocked a Connecticut punt with six minutes to go in the first quarter. But the Bulls went three and out and Mike Baker missed a 36-yard field goal. He missed another one from the same distance in the second half.
Matt Nuzie hit two field goals for UConn, from 26 and 31 yards.
Connecticut recorded its first safety at Rentschler Field when Buffalo center Eric Webber snapped the ball past P.J. Piskorik on a first down from Bulls' 14-yard line. Piskorik kicked the ball into the end zone, where he fell on it.
Connecticut visits Rutgers on Thanksgiving morning. If the Huskies win, they are expected to receive a bowl bid.
N. Illinois 34, E. Michigan 16
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Garrett Wolfe scored twice and tied his school's record of 20 touchdowns in a season as Northern Illinois beat Eastern Michigan.
The tailback had 120 yards by halftime and finished with 325 on 43 carries.
Northern Illinois (8-3, 7-1 Mid-American) leads the MAC West Division. But in order for the Huskies to claim the outright division title and a berth to the MAC Championship game, Bowling Green must beat Toledo on Nov. 23.
The Falcons and Rockets are both 6-1 in the MAC. The tie-breaker is head-to-head competition, and Northern Illinois beat Bowling Green but lost to Toledo.
Trumaine Riley gave Eastern its only touchdown with an 18-yard catch. Andrew Wellock kicked two field goals.
The Huskies pulled ahead at the end of the second quarter when Josh Haldi heaved a pass into the end zone from 41 yards. Shatone Powers went up in a crowd and came down with the ball with no time left.
Wolfe increased the Huskies lead when he broke free for a 70-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter.
Cent. Michigan 41, Ball St. 20
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Jerry Seymour ran for a career-high 217 yards on 29 carries and scored three touchdowns to lead Central Michigan past Ball State.
Seymour's 3-yard run with 4:57 left in the game proved to be the game winner for the Chippewas (4-7, 3-5 Mid-American). Central Michigan stopped Ball State's final drive on a sack by senior James King with 30 seconds left.
The Cardinals (3-8, 2-6) led most of the second half thanks to a 47-yard scoring pass from Joey Lynch to Adell Givens and field goals of 30 and 25 yards by Brian Jackson. Lynch finished with 397 yards on 22-of-34 passing and four touchdowns.
Kent Smith passed for one TD and added a scoring run for Central Michigan. He finished 15-of-23 for 208 yards while Justin Harper caught three passes for 112 yards and a touchdown.
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