Click here to read the 2015 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl Weekly Release – Week 3 (PDF)
THIS SATURDAY: The entire Week 3 schedule for both the MAC and Conference USA will be contested Saturday. In the MAC, coming off two victories over Power Five schools, conference play begins with Ball State (1-1) visiting Eastern Michigan (1-1) in a West Division matchup. Toledo (1-0), which is receiving votes in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches’ Top 25 polls after an upset of Arkansas, hosts Big XII foe Iowa State. Northern Illinois (2-0) travels to Columbus to take on No. 1-ranked and defending CFP national champ Ohio State. In C-USA, two conference games are on the docket as Rice (1-1) visits North Texas (0-1) in a West Division battle while Charlotte (2-0) plays its’ inaugural conference game at Middle Tennessee (1-1) in an East Division tilt. WKU (2-0), receiving votes in both the AP and USA Today polls, looks to stay perfect with a visit to Indiana. In the only C-USA game against a ranked opponent, UTSA (0-2) plays at No. 25 Oklahoma State.
BIG DAY FOR MACTION: The MAC had a big Saturday with a pair of victories over Power Five conferences. Toledo upset the SEC’s No. 18 Arkansas 16-12 on the road and Bowling Green beat Big Ten foe Maryland 48-27. The Toledo victory was the MAC’s first victory over the SEC since 2004, and it was the Rockets’ first victory over a ranked team since 2012. The Rockets held Arkansas to just 103 yards rushing and only three points in four visits in the red zone in the second half. Bowling Green extended the MAC’s streak of seasons with at least one victory over the Big Ten to 10 consecutive by beating the Terps behind 42 second-half points.
WKU TOPS TECH: In a battle of teams picked to win their C-USA divisions, WKU held off Louisiana Tech 41-38, and the Hilltoppers moved to 2-0 for the first time since 2005. WKU senior QB Brandon Doughty threw for 441 yards and a touchdown in the victory. Doughty has now thrown a TD pass in 16 straight games, tying TCU’s Trevone Boykin for the longest current streak in FBS.
KICKING INTO HISTORY: Kent State kicker April Goss became the second female ever to score in a FBS game during a 45-13 victory over Delaware State with a second-quarter PAT kick.
POLLING PLACE: Toledo and WKU received votes in both the Associated Press Top 25 and the USA Today Coaches’ Top 25 polls this week.
C-USA vs. MAC: Ohio helped the MAC even its’ record against Conference USA to 1-1 this season with a 21-10 “Battle for the Bell” victory over Marshall. This Saturday, there is one C-USA vs. MAC game on the schedule as Buffalo (1-0) visits Florida Atlantic (0-2).
CONFERENCE USA/MAC STANDINGS
#PASSPORTTOKICKOFF: #PassportToKickoff is not only our hashtag, but a reminder that all U.S. citizens must have a valid passport to travel to the Bahamas & the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl. For passport info: passports.state.gov.
WEEK 3 SCHEDULE
CONFERENCE USA
Saturday, September 19
Buffalo at Florida Atlantic (ASN)
* Rice at North Texas (FCS)
Louisiana Tech at Kansas State (FSN)
Norfolk State at Marshall (ASN)
UTSA at No. 25 Oklahoma State (FS1)
WKU at Indiana (ESPNews)
N.C. Central at FIU
* Charlotte at Middle Tennessee
NC State at Old Dominion (ASN)
Southern Miss at Texas State (ESPN3)
UTEP at New Mexico State (ESPN3)
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Saturday, September 19
Buffalo at Florida Atlantic (ASN)
Kent State at Minnesota (BTN)
Savannah State at Akron (ESPN3)
Central Michigan at Syracuse (RSN)
Southeastern Louisiana at Ohio (ESPN3)
* Ball State at Eastern Michigan (ESPN3)
Memphis at Bowling Green (ASN/ESPN3)
Temple at UMass (ESPN3)
Cincinnati at Miami (ESPN3)
Northern Illinois at No. 1 Ohio State (ESPN2/ABC)
Murray State at Western Michigan (ESPN3)
Iowa State at Toledo (ESPNews)
* – conference games
(TV/digital network in parentheses)
ASN – American Sports Network
BTN – Big Ten Network
ESPN3 – ESPN3.com (online)
FCS – Fox College Sports
FS1 – Fox Sports 1
FSN – Fox Sports Net
RSN – Raycom Sports Network
WEEK 2 RESULTS
CONFERENCE USA
Thursday, September 10
* WKU 41, Louisiana Tech 38
Friday, September 11
Miami (Fla.) 44, Florida Atlantic 20
Saturday, September 12
Kansas State 30, UTSA 3
Charlotte 34, Presbyterian 10
Texas Tech 39, UTEP 20
Southern Miss 52, Austin Peay 6
No. 2 Alabama 37, Middle Tennessee 10
Ohio 21, Marshall 10
Old Dominion 24, Norfolk State 10
SMU 31, North Texas 13
Indiana 36, FIU 22
Texas 42, UTEP 28
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE
Saturday, September 12
Bowling Green 48, Maryland 27
Penn State 27, Buffalo 14
No. 24 Wisconsin 58, Miami 0
Colorado 48, UMass 14
Central Michigan 31, Monmouth 10
Northern Illinois 57, Murray State 26
Eastern Michigan 48, Wyoming 29
Toledo 16, No. 18 Arkansas 12
Pittsburgh 24, Akron 7
Kent State 45, Delaware State 13
Georgia Southern 43, Western Michigan 17
No. 16 Texas A&M 56, Ball State 23
Ohio 21, Marshall 10
* – conference games
WEEK 2 INDIVIDUAL HONORS
QB Brandon Doughty, WKU: The senior completed 28 of 38 passes for 441 yards and a TD in a 41-38 victory over Louisiana Tech for C-USA Offensive Player of the Week honors.
S Marcus Ward, WKU: The junior had a career-high 11 tackles (six solo), two tackles for loss, two pass breakups and a forced fumble in a 41-38 victory over Louisiana Tech for C-USA Defensive Player of the Week honors.
KR/PR Kylen Towner, WKU: The sophomore returned a kickoff 98 yards for a touchdown in a 41-38 victory over Louisiana Tech for C-USA Special Teams Player of the Week recognition.
QB Matt Johnson, Bowling Green: The senior threw for a career-high 491 yards and six TDs in a 48-27 victory at Maryland for MAC East Division Offensive Player of the Week honors.
S Nathan Carpenter, Ohio: The senior had four total tackles, a fumble recovery and an interception in a 21-10 victory over Marshall for MAC East Division Defensive Player of the Week honors.
P Joseph Davidson, Bowling Green: The sophomore averaged 50 yards on three punts, including a 56-yarder in a 48-27 victory at Maryland for MAC East Division Special Teams Player of the Week recognition.
QB Phillip Ely, Toledo: The senior completed 21 of 38 passes for 237 yards and one TD in a 16-12 victory over No. 18 Arkansas for MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week honors.
DB Cheatham Norrils, Toledo: The senior had eight tackles and three pass breakups, including two in the final two minutes, in a 16-12 victory over No. 18 Arkansas for MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week honors.
K Brendan Renius, Eastern Michigan: The junior had eight kickoff touchbacks in a 48-29 victory at Wyoming for MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week recognition.
“POWER FIVE” VICTORIES
A list of Conference USA and MAC victories over “Power Five” opponents (teams from the ACC, Big Ten, Big XII, Pac-12 and SEC)
C-USA/MAC Team vs. Opponent — Score
Sept. 3
WKU (C-USA) vs. Vanderbilt (SEC) — 14-12
Sept. 6
Marshall (C-USA) vs. Purdue (Big Ten)– 41-31
Sept. 12
Bowling Green (MAC) vs. Maryland (Big Ten) — 48-27
Toledo (MAC) vs. No. 18 Arkansas (SEC) — 16-12
POPEYES BAHAMAS BOWL MEDIA PROJECTIONS
Media Organization (Reporter) – Date: C-USA vs. MAC Matchup
USA Today (Erick Smith) – Sept. 16: Louisiana Tech vs. Bowling Green
CollegeFootballNews.com (Pete Fiutak) – Sept. 14: Middle Tennessee vs. Northern Illinois
The Sporting News (Bill Bender) – Sept. 14: WKU vs. Western Michigan
ESPN.com (Brett McMurphy) – Sept. 13: Middle Tennessee vs. Bowling Green
ESPN.com (Mark Schlabach) – Sept. 13: Louisiana Tech vs. Northern Illinois
Orlando Sentinel (Brant Parsons) – Sept. 13: Louisiana Tech vs. Bowling Green
SB Nation (Jason Kirk) – Sept. 13: Rice vs. Ohio
SI.com (Zac Ellis) – Sept. 1: Rice vs. Western Michigan
FOXSports.com (Stuart Mandel) – Aug. 25: Middle Tennessee vs. Western Michigan
CBSSports.com (Jerry Palm) – Aug. 12: Louisiana Tech vs. Bowling Green
Phil Steele Magazine (Phil Steele) – July 20: WKU vs. Western Michigan
Athlon Sports (Steven Lassan) – July 7: Middle Tennessee vs. Northern Illinois
Associated Press (Ralph Russo) – June 9: Middle Tennesse vs. Ball State
Bleacher Report (Brian Pedersen) – May 5: Marshall vs. Toledo
ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT
Each week in 2015, the Popeyes Bahamas Bowl will spotlight an alumni player from each of our partner conferences, Conference USA and the MAC.
RANDY MOSS (MARSHALL)
Randy Moss (Photo Credit: Marshall Athletics)
Former NFL wide receiver and current Fox Sports analyst Randy Moss was a two-time consensus All-American during his college career at Marshall from 1996-97.
Moss set several NCAA records as a redshirt freshman during Marshall’s 1996 I-AA undefeated championship season. He caught 78 passes for 1,709 yards and 28 touchdowns.
In his sophomore season of 1997, he caught 96 passes for 1,820 yards and 26 touchdowns as Marshall moved up to I-A and won the MAC title. Moss finished fourth in voting for the Heisman Trophy and was the Fred Biletnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top receiver.
Moss finished his two-year college career with 168 receptions for 3,467 yards and 53 TDs.
Moss was drafted in the first round of the 1998 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings, and he immediately became one of the most prolific receivers in the NFL.
A six-time Pro Bowler and a four-time All-Pro, Moss set the NFL’s single-season touchdown reception record with 23 in 2007 and is second all-time in career TD catches with 156.
He led the NFL in receiving TDs in 1998, 2000, 2003, 2007 and tied for the lead in 2009. He led the NFC in receiving yards in 1999 (1,413) and 2002 (1,347). Moss also led the NFC in receptions in 2002.
Moss played 14 NFL seasons with the Vikings, Oakland Raiders, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans and the San Francisco 49ers.
He was voted to the 2000s NFL Team of the Decade by the Pro Football Hall of Fame’s Selection Committee.
POPEYES BAHAMAS BOWL PARTICIPANT SELECTION
The highest-ranked conference champion by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee from the American Athletic, Conference USA, Mid-American, Mountain West or Sun Belt will play annually in one of the College Football Playoff bowls (VIZIO Fiesta and Chick-fil-A Peach bowls for the 2015 season) if it is not selected for the Playoff Semifinals.
C-USA has 2015 tie-ins with the Popeyes Bahamas, Arizona, Gildan New Mexico, Miami Beach, R&L Carriers New Orleans, St. Petersburg and Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas bowls, with a secondary tie-in with the Camping World Independence Bowl (if either the ACC or the SEC does not have enough eligible teams). There is no set selection order among C-USA’s bowl partners
The GoDaddy Bowl has first choice of a MAC bowl-eligible team, and the remainder of the selections will follow, with no set selection order among the MAC’s bowl partners. The MAC has 2015 tie-ins with Popeyes Bahamas, Boca Raton, Famous Idaho Potato, GoDaddy and Raycom Media Camellia bowls, with secondary tie-ins with the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl (if Army is not bowl eligible), various ESPN owned-and-operated bowls and the Quick Lane Bowl (if either ACC or Big Ten does not have enough eligible teams).
The 2015 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl participants will be announced Sunday, December 6.
ESPN EVENTS
ESPN Events, a division of ESPN, owns and operates a large portfolio of collegiate sporting events worldwide. The roster includes three Labor Day weekend college football games; 13 college bowl games, 10 college basketball events and two college award shows, which accounts for approximately 250-plus hours of programming, reaches almost 64 million viewers and attracts over 700,000 attendees each year. With satellite offices in Boca Raton, Boise, Birmingham, Dallas-Fort Worth, Albuquerque, St. Petersburg and Las Vegas, ESPN Events builds relationships with conferences, schools and local communities, as well as providing unique experiences for teams and fans.
ESPN Events also manages the Big 12 Corporate Partner Program.
Collegiate Football
AdvoCare Texas Kickoff (Houston); AdvoCare V100 Texas Bowl (Houston); Birmingham Bowl (Alabama); Boca Raton Bowl (Florida); Celebration Bowl (Atlanta); Famous Idaho Potato Bowl (Boise); Gildan New Mexico Bowl (Albuquerque); Hawai’i Bowl (Honolulu); Lockheed Martin Armed Forces Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth); MEAC/SWAC Challenge presented by Disney (Orlando, Fla.); Orlando Kickoff (Florida); Popeyes Bahamas Bowl (Nassau); Raycom Media Camellia Bowl (Montgomery, Ala.); Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl (Nevada); St. Petersburg Bowl (Florida); The Home Depot College Football Awards (Atlanta) and Zaxby’s Heart of Dallas Bowl (Dallas-Fort Worth)
Collegiate Basketball
AdvoCare Invitational (Walt Disney World Resort near Orlando, Fla.); Armed Forces Classic (Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler, Okinawa, Japan); DIRECTV Wooden Legacy (Orange County, Calif.); College Basketball Awards Presented by Wendy’s (Los Angeles); Gildan Charleston Classic (South Carolina); Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic (Honolulu); Jimmy V Men’s Classic Presented by Corona (New York City); Jimmy V Women’s Classic Presented by Corona (Hartford/Storrs, Conn.); NIT Season Tip-Off (Brooklyn, N.Y.); Puerto Rico Tip-Off (San Juan) and State Farm Champions Classic (Chicago)
