Saturday, October 29, 2005
Akron, Ohio, Central Michigan and Ball State posted league victories.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
KALAMAZOO, Mich. -- Western Michigan scored five different ways Saturday to defeat Kent State, 44-14.
Western running back Trovon Riley rushed for 91 yards and two touchdowns while freshman quarterback Tim Hiller threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns in his second start.
The Broncos (5-3, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) also scored on an interception return by Zach Davidson, a fumble return by Paul Tithof and a safety by Louis Delmas when he sacked Kent State quarterback Michael Machen in the end zone.
The Golden Flashes (1-7, 0-5) had 1 rushing yard in their sixth consecutive loss. Machen completed 25 of 45 passes for 336 yards and one touchdown, but he was intercepted twice and sacked five times.
Akron 24, Bowling Green 14
BOWLING GREEN -- Brett Biggs rushed for 159 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Zips.
Biggs carried 38 times and scored on runs of 1 and 3 yards in the second half as the Zips (4-4, 3-2 MAC) overcame a 7-3 deficit. Biggs was the only Akron runner with positive rushing yardage.
Luke Getsy, who completed 15-of-29 passes for 205 yards without an interception, led a 12-play, 72-yard drive to open the third quarter. Getsy threw a 2-yard scoring pass to Merce Poindexter to give the Zips the lead for good.
Later in the period, Biggs capped an 80-yard drive with his 1-yard scoring plunge.
The Falcons (4-4, 3-2) countered on Sean O'Drobinak's 11-yard touchdown reception from Anthony Turner to cut Akron's lead to 17-14 early in the fourth quarter. Turner completed 22-of-30 passes for 173 yards with one interception while filling in for the injured Omar Jacobs.
The Falcons got the ball two more times with a chance to tie or take the lead. They were forced to punt after netting just three yards on three plays, then lost the ball on downs at their own 29 with 2:31 left.
Akron ran five plays, with Biggs scoring on a 3-yard run for the clinching score with 50 seconds left.
Ohio 34, Buffalo 20
AMHERST, N.Y. -- Kalvin McRae rushed for 224 yards and two touchdowns as Ohio defeated Buffalo.
McRae topped the 200-yard mark for the second straight week and third time of the season. Austen Everson completed 8 of 14 passes for 105 yards and two touchdowns as the Bobcats (4-4, 3-2 Mid-American Conference) rolled up 474 yards of offense.
Winless Buffalo (0-8, 0-5) rallied from a 20-point deficit. Drew Willy was 9-of-11 for 160 yards in the third quarter in scoring drives of 56 and 80 yards.
Willy finished the day 24-of-36 for 293 yards and one interception, connecting with Evan Wallace for a 36-yard touchdown. Steven King's second touchdown of the day, a 4-yard run in the fourth quarter, closed the gap to 27-20. King gained 70 yards on 18 carries.
Ohio then went four-and-out, but on the Bulls' next possession King fumbled on his own 28. Four plays later, the Bobcats clinched the game when Everson hit Dion Byrum with a 14-yard scoring pass.
Ohio scored on its first two possessions. Everson completed a 39-yard scoring pass to Scott Mayle and McRae had a rushing touchdown.
In the second quarter, Justin Fitzgerald hauled in Brandon Jones' pass with a tumbling catch for the Bobcats.
Buffalo got on the scoreboard with its first possession in the second half when King had a 9-yard TD run. McRae responded with a 34-yard TD run.
Chad Upshaw caught eight passes for 116 yards for the Bulls.
Miami (Ohio) 41, Temple 14
PHILADELPHIA -- Josh Betts threw for 379 yards and three touchdown passes, leading Miami over winless Temple.
Brandon Murphy ran for two scores as the RedHawks (5-3) won their third straight game.
Umar Ferguson had a pair of TD runs for woeful Temple (0-9).
Cent. Michigan 21, Toledo 17
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. -- Kent Smith threw two touchdown passes and ran for another score, and Central Michigan defeated Toledo for a first-place tie in the MAC West.
Toledo's Nick Moore, who caught nine passes for 101 yards and a touchdown, had a pass go off his fingertips in the back of the end zone on the game's final play.
The Chippewas (5-3, 4-1) beat the Rockets (6-2, 4-1) for the first time in 11 tries.
Ball State 31, N. Illinois 17
DEKALB, Ill. -- Ball State surprised Northern Illinois with 17 first-half points.
Northern Illinois (4-4, 3-2 MAC) was held scoreless in the first half for the first time since 2002, while Ball State (2-6, 2-3) won its first game since Oct. 8.