MAC ROUNDUP Buffalo upsets Kent State 10-6 for first victory

It was the Bulls' first game since coach Jim Hofher was told he wouldn't return.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KENT -- Jared Patterson ran for a touchdown and Buffalo defeated Kent State 10-6 on Saturday in its first game since the school announced that coach Jim Hofher will not return next season.
The win snapped a 10-game losing streak for the Bulls (1-9, 1-6 Mid-American Conference) dating to last season. It also was Buffalo's first conference win on the road since it joined the MAC in 1999.
Bulls athletic director Warde Manuel said Tuesday that Hofher will be fired after coaching the final two games. Hofher has an 8-48 record in five seasons.
Michael Machen completed 15 of 25 passes for 129 yards with two interceptions for Kent State (1-9, 0-7), which managed only 138 yards of offense.
The Bulls had six sacks, forced four turnovers and held the Golden Flashes to a net loss of 37 yards rushing.
Buffalo recovered a fumble on the Kent State 12-yard line in the third quarter, setting up Patterson's 4-yard TD run.
Travis Mayle kicked two field goals for the Golden Flashes, who had won four straight games against the Bulls.
Drew Willy connected on 16 of 22 passes for 97 yards for Buffalo. Kareem Byrom also had a fumble recovery and an interception.
Michael Baker kicked a 20-yard field goal in the second quarter to give the Bulls a 3-0 lead at halftime.
The Bulls' last win was a 36-6 victory over Central Michigan on Nov. 14, 2004.
W. Michigan 31, Cent. Michigan 24
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (AP) -- Western Michigan overcame a Central Michigan-record 460-yard passing day by Kent Smith and rallied from a 14-point deficit.
Smith attempted a Mid-American Conference-record 70 passes and completed a school-record 46. He threw for one touchdown.
Smith's final pass, a 45-yarder, dropped into the end zone among a swarm of players with no time left, securing the Broncos' fourth consecutive win.
Western Michigan's Tim Hiller threw for 212 yards and four touchdowns. The Broncos (7-3, 5-2) took advantage of four Central turnovers, three of them interceptions of Smith.
The victory kept alive Western's slim hopes for a MAC West title. The Broncos would win the West and play in the MAC championship game if they win their final game Nov. 23 at Northern Illinois and Toledo loses its final two games.
The loss put Central (5-5, 4-3) out of title contention. Justin Harper caught a school-record 14 passes for the Chippewas, one of them a 26-yard scoring catch in the first quarter. Damien Linson caught nine passes for 108 yards.
Ball St. 26, E. Michigan 25
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- Joey Lynch found Dante Love in the right corner of the end zone with 12 seconds to play to lift Ball State.
The Cardinals (4-6, 4-3 Mid-American) trailed 22-7 at the beginning of the fourth quarter and scored 19 unanswered points, the final six coming after an unlikely string of events unraveled in the final four minutes.
After climbing to within five points of the Eagles at 25-20, defensive back Duan Bracey appeared to end Ball State's hopes when he forced a fumble and recovered at the Eastern Michigan 41 yard line. But Eastern Michigan (3-7, 2-5) was unable to gain a first down, and running back Larry Bostic blocked Andrew Wellock's punt to give the Cardinals one more chance.
With the ball on the 30 yard line and 55 seconds on the clock, Ball State was bailed out by a pass interference call on fourth down and had one touchdown pass overturned by instant replay before Lynch found Love for the winning score.