The more things change, the more they stay the same. That might be the motto for the Mid-American Conference following a flurry of games in Week 1. The conference media predicted Western Michigan to win the West Division, with Toledo second, while five-time defending West champion Northern Illinois was picked to finish third.
The Huskies had the best opening game of all conference teams, flexing their muscles again with a 38-30 triumph over UNLV. Junior quarterback Drew Hare threw for a career-high 360 yards and two touchdowns to erase a 14-point second quarter deficit. Newcomer Kenny Golladay hauled in nine receptions for 213 yards.
“Any win is a good win, we’ll take this win,” NIU coach Rod Carey said.
Meanwhile, upstart Western Michigan battled No. 5 Michigan State to the wire, losing 37-24. Before 30,885 fans at Waldo Stadium, junior wide receiver Corey Davis led the Broncos with 10 catches for 154 yards and one touchdown. Junior quarterback Zach Terrell threw for 365 yards, but Michigan State racked up 452 yards of total offense, with quarterback Connor Cook passing for 256 yards.
Central Michigan nearly pulled off a shocker before dropping a 24-13 decision at home to Oklahoma State. Junior quarterback Cooper Rush threw for 225 yards and added one rushing touchdown. The Chippewas led 13-10 in the third quarter but the Cowboys scored the final 14 points to pull out the win.
Ball State sophomore running back Darian Green might be a player to watch this season after rushing for three touchdowns in Ball State’s 48-36 triumph over Virginia Military Institute.
Bowling Green quarterback Matt Johnson had an impressive showing in a 59-30 defeat at Tennessee. The senior threw for a career-high 424 yards, with two touchdowns in 49 attempts. The Falcons offense ran 85 plays for a total of 557 yards of offense.
AKRON (0-1)
Game: No. 19 Oklahoma 41, Akron 3. The Sooners recorded 539 yards of total offense and limited the Zips to 226 yards. Akron quarterback Kyle Pohl had 88 yards passing and sophomore quarterback Tra’Von Chapman led the Zips with 48 yards on the ground.
Takeaway: A tough way to start the season, but the Zips defense, at least compared to some teams, did a good job holding the Sooners to 41 points, including allowing just 15 total yards in Oklahoma’s first two drives.
Next: vs. Pittsburgh, Sept. 12
BALL STATE (1-0)
Game: Ball State 48, Virginia Military Institute 36: Ball State running back Darian Green rushed for three touchdowns and quarterback Jack Milas threw for a career-high 338 yards and one touchdowns.
Takeaway: The Ball State offense, led by quarterback Jack Milas, moved the ball at will, but the defense had trouble stopping VMI. This could be an early of concern or simply first-game issues, but keep an eye on Ball State’s defense after a shaky showing.
Next: at Texas A&M, Sept. 12
BOWLING GREEN (0-1)
Game: No. 25 Tennessee 59, Bowling Green 30: A lightning delay was part of a long night for the Falcons, though the offense produced its own thunder. Quarterback Matt Johnson passed for a career-high 424 yards, completing 27-of-49 passes for two touchdowns and no interceptions. Overall, the Falcons ran 85 plays for 557 yards of total offense.
Takeaway: Behind one of the best wide receiver groups in the country, the Falcons moved the ball at will against a solid Tennessee defense. Bowling Green showed that this could be a special season if its defense can shore up some mistakes.
Next: at Maryland, Sept. 12.
BUFFALO (1-0)
Game: Buffalo 51, Albany 14: The Lance Leipold era opened with a memorable blowout win at home. The first-year UB coach saw his team compile nearly 500 yards of offense and scored on six of its first eight drives.
“I’m excited about this win, but like I told our team, I hope the focus can now go on the team,” Leipold said.
Takeaway: Led by quarterback Joe Licata, the UB offense was clicking and showed some diversity, with the Bulls rushing for 212 yards and passing for 255 yards. The special teams even got into the act, with Jacob Martinez returning a punt 86 yards for a touchdown.
Next: At Penn State, Sept. 12.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (0-1)
Game: Oklahoma State 24, Central Michigan 13: Central Michigan quarterback Cooper Rush threw for 225 yards and scored on a rushing touchdown, but the Cowboys scored the final 14 points to pull out the win.
Takeaway: The Chippewas led in the third quarter, but simply ran out of gas. The CMU offense held its own, while the defense played strong for the first three quarters. A strong showing for the Chippewas on both sides of the ball in a tough home loss.
Next: Vs. Monmouth, Sept. 12.
EASTERN MICHIGAN (0-1)
Game: Old Dominion 38, Eastern Michigan 34: Eastern Michigan’s offense rolled up 443 yards of total offense, but the Monarchs scored a touchdown with just under two minutes left in regulation to seal the win.
Takeaway: EMU running back Darius Jackson had a strong game, rushing for 117 yards on 19 carries and two touchdowns. Reginald Bell showed some improvement with 121 yards and two touchdowns.
Next: at Wyoming, Sept. 12.
KENT STATE (0-1)
Game: Illinois 52, Kent State 3: After the game was suspended Friday due to lightning, the Zips came out flat on Saturday. A rash of turnovers and mental mistakes led to the Illini seizing a 38-0 halftime lead. Three of the four scores by the Illini in the first half were off turnovers.
Takeaway: The Zips have been on a downward spiral for a few years, but more disturbing in recent years has been the lack of playmakers or ability to move the ball on the offense. The Zips scored just three points against an Illini team with numerous question marks.
Next: vs. Delaware State, Sept. 12.
MIAMI (1-0)
Game: Miami 26, Presbyterian 7: Miami recorded its first season-opening win since 2007 by grabbing a 13-0 lead at halftime. Sophomore quarterback Drew Kummer finished with 255 yards passing and two touchdowns.
Takeaway: The Miami offense looked solid and the defense held its own against an inferior opponent. The big test comes in Week 2 at Wisconsin.
Next: at Wisconsin, Sept. 12.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (1-0)
Game: Northern Illinois 38, UNLV 30: NIU quarterback Drew Hare threw for a career-best 360 yards and two touchdowns to lead the Huskies to a comeback win. Junior transfer wide receiver Kenny Golladay had nine receptions for 213 yards and Joel Bouagnon ran for 152 yards and three touchdowns.
Takeaway: The Huskies’ offense piled on the points and numerous players stepped up with big games, a showcase of perhaps a prolific offense with numerous weapons. The defense needs some improvement, though that will take some time with several young faces playing key minutes.
Next: vs. Murray State, Sept. 12.
OHIO (1-0)
Game: Ohio 45, Idaho 28: Ohio scored 21 points in the first quarter to cruise to a road win in Moscow, Idaho. Ohio quarterback Derrius Vick passed for 192 yards and two touchdowns, and Daz Patterson added 85 yards rushing and one touchdown.
Takeaway: The Bobcats had no issues with playing in a tough environment, opening the game with their offense in sync. A solid win for the Bobcats, with offense racking up 205 yards on the ground and 284 passing.
Next: vs. Marshall, Sept. 12.
TOLEDO (0-0)
Game: Suspended due to severe weather, will not be played and stats against Stony Brook will not count.
Next: at Arkansas, Sept. 12.
UMASS (0-0)
BYE WEEK
Next: at Colorado, Sept. 12.
WESTERN MICHIGAN (1-0)
Game: No. 5 Michigan State 37, Western Michigan 24: Western Michigan fought local rival Michigan State to the final whistle, as the Broncos produced numerous big plays. Junior receiver Corey Davis is showing why he’s one of the best receivers in the country, hauling in 10 receptions for 154 yards and one touchdown. Sophomore Darius Phillips won’t soon forget the opener after his 100-yard touchdown on a kickoff return.
Takeaway: The Broncos’ offense is definitely prolific and will carry the team most of the season. Meanwhile, the defense had its moments and played better than the final outcome showed.
Next: at Georgia Southern, Sept. 12.