You are here > VanDelaySports.com > MAC Football > Nick's 2005 MAC Football Picks > Week #5 Recap
 |
| MAC Football |
| MAC Basketball |
| MAC Message Boards |
| Related MAC Sites |
| Nick's Picks 2005 |
| Submit Article |
| MAC-Sports.com |
Nick's 2005 MAC Football Picks - Week #5 Recap
published 10.02.05
Toledo @ Fresno State
- Paul Williams caught a touchdown pass and returned a blocked punt for a score - Tyrone Culver returned a fumble for another touchdown for Fresno State's
- FSU’s Bryson Sumlin ran for 106 yards and a score and also caught a TD.
- Capitalizing on two fumbles and superb special-teams play, Fresno State scored 27 points in the second quarter which played without quarterback Bruce Gradkowski.
- The Rockets' had a 304-248 edge in total yards
- Clint Cochran, Gradkowski's freshman replacement, went 16-of-24 for 163 yards and a late rushing TD in his first career.
- The Rockets started well, taking a 7-0 lead into the second quarter on Steve Odom's 36-yard TD reception.
- Fresno State planned to retire former quarterback David Carr's No. 8 jersey in a ceremony at the game, but the honor was postponed by Hurricane Rita as Carr could not return from Houston
Nick’s Pick: Fresno State 41 – Toledo 27
Actual Score: Fresno State 44 – Toledo 14
Nick’s Prophetic Comment: “FSU is a terrific team at home a 41,000 plus wearing red can be quite intimidating. Without any doubt, this is Toledo ’s most difficult game of the season and unless the defense forces mega turnovers”
Cincinnati @ Miami
attendance at Yager Stadium in Oxford, OH: 19,163
- Josh Betts passed for 359 yards and three touchdowns after missing the game's first series for violating an unspecified team rule
- Martin Nance had eight receptions for 119 yards and two TDs & Ryne Robinson caught six passes for 127 yards and another score for the RedHawks
- Brandon Murphy rushed 27 times for 120 yards and scored on an 11-yard run for the RedHawks
- Miami totaled 539 yards on offense.
- The win enabled Miami to reclaim the Victory Bell, the prize that goes to the winner of the annual series the schools bill as the oldest Division I-A rivalry west of the Allegheny Mountains. The series began in 1888 and Miami holds a 59-44-7 lead.
- The Bearcats were held to 66 yards rushing on 27 carries
Nick’s Pick: Miami 33 – Cincinnati 21
Actual Score: Miami 44 – Cincinnati 18
Nick’s Prophetic Comments: “Cincy graduated several players on both sides and thus far this season have struggles offensively. Look for Miami to jump out of the gate early and hold off a late Bearcat rally”
Ball State @ Boston College
- BC scored on its first two possessions to take control and never looked back
- Matthew Ryan completed 21 of 29 passes for 206 yards with no interceptions for the Eagles
- The Cardinals had 15 players sidelined after being suspended earlier in the week for violating an NCAA extra-benefits rule involving the use of textbooks
- BSU' best scoring chance came early in the second quarter when they drove to BC's 15 before Brian Jackson missed a 32-yard field goal attempt
- Ball State was held to 46 yards rushing in 32 attempts, and finished with 159 total yards - BC had 471 total yards, 223 on the ground
Nick’s Pick: Boston College 56 – Ball State 0
Actual Score: Boston College 38- Ball State 0
Nick’s Prophetic Comment: “Ball State will have over a dozen players from their two-deep line up out for this contest serving a school imposed suspension. Even with these players BSU would likely get drilled”
Kent State @ Eastern Michigan
attendance at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, MI: 6,294
- Darran Matthews' interception with a little more than a minute to play sealed Eastern Michigan's 27-20 win
- EMU led 27-7 in the fourth quarter before freshman quarterback Jon Brown rallied the Golden Flashes - Brown completed 29 of 45 passes for 243 yards and one touchdown, most of which came in the fourth quarter comeback
- KSU’s Greg Keys' scored on a 3-yard touchdown run to make it 27-20 but Travis Mayle's onside kick went out of bounds
- EMU was unable to get a first down to run out the clock and had to punt the ball back to Kent State - the Golden Flashes had 1:32 to work with before Matthews' interception ended their comeback bid.
- EMU QB Matt Bohnet completed passes to seven different receivers and finished 23-40 for 218 yards passing with two touchdowns and one interception
- Andrew Wellock helped Eastern Michigan gain revenge for its embarrassing 63-17 loss to the KSU connecting on field goals of 18 and 25 yards but came up short on a 55-yard attempt in the first half
- Derrick Bush led Kent State with five receptions for 46 yards and one touchdown
- A.J. Bennett caught seven passes for 88 yards and one score to lead the Eagles
- The attendance at EMU was just 6,294
Nick’s Pick: EMU 31 – Kent State 28 Actual Score: EMU 27 – Kent State 20 Nick’s Prophetic Comment: “This year both teams are very evenly matched by EMU has the confidence factor going there way with the OT win last week at Central. Add to that that the Eagles have the best place kicker in the league and the nod goes to the home team in a thriller.” |
|
Temple @ Bowling Green
attendance at Doyt Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, OH: 19,462
- Omar Jacobs threw for 326 yards and four touchdowns (on 26-30 passing) while Corey Partridge returned a punt 79 yards for a score to help BG crush Temple
- Steve Sanders had five receptions for 108 yards and two touchdowns
- Charles Sharon finished with seven catches for 95 yards and a score
- Temple’s Umar Ferguson was the lone bright spot for the Owls rushing for 132 yards and a touchdown on 28 carries
- Antonio Smith intercepted a Mike McGann pass and returned it 53 yards for a touchdown in the second half for the Falcons
- McGann finished 8-for-16 for just 66 yards with three interceptions
- Temple had just 263 yards of total offense.
- Four different Falcons rushed for a touchdown as Bowling Green rolled up 30 first downs and 461 yards of offense
- Attendance in Bowling Green was 19,462
Nick’s Pick: BGSU 59 – Temple 14
Actual Score: BGSU 70 – Temple 7
Nick’s Prophetic Comment: “Look for BG to make their 2005 home opener a real laugher against an offensively challenged Temple squad”
Central Michigan @ Akron
attendance at the Rubber Bowl in Akron, OH: 10,093
- Ontario Sneed rushed for 183 yards and scored three touchdowns to help Central Michigan defeat Akron 31-17 at the Rubber Bowl
- Sneed had a 50-yard touchdown run and also had a 10-yard reception for another score as Central Michigan scored 24 straight points in the second half - he also had a 45-yard TD reception in the second quarter
- CMU’s Kent Smith was 18-33 passes for 224 yards and two scores for the Chippewas who finished with 461 yards of total offense.
- Dominik Hixon had 10 receptions for 138 yards and two touchdowns for Akron
- Luke Getsy completed 30 of 57 passes for 270 yards with three interceptions and was sacked once
- Akron’s Brett Biggs had 14 carries for 69 yards and Jason Montgomery had six receptions for 49 yards
- Justin Harper had six receptions for 98 yards for Central Michigan and Sneed had six catches for 77 yards
- Attendance in Akron was 10,093
Nick’s Pick: Akron 35 – CMU 23 Actual Score: CMU 31 – Akron 17 Nick’s Prophetic Comment: “Central is reeling from a home loss to intra-state rival EMU. Look for Akron to win by a good margin.” Just when I was starting to believe that Coach Brookhart has changed the mindset at Akron, they lose a home game to a struggling team, just like old times. |
|
Buffalo @ Western Michigan
attendance at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, MI: 14,198
- Three different WMU players threw for touchdowns for Broncos
- True freshman backup quarterback Tim Hiller threw two touchdowns for Western which won its third consecutive game for the first time in four years
- Starting quarterback Robbie Haas passed for 134 yards and one touchdown, while WR Greg Jennings threw his first career TD pass -- a 22-yarder to Joe Chapple
- Buffalo lost its 20th consecutive road game dating back to 2002, but the Bulls did score touchdowns for the first time this season
- Buffalo's Drew Willy, a freshman who made his first start Saturday, threw for two touchdowns and a career-high 288 yards completing 30 of 38 passes, including all 13 in the fourth quarter, when he passed for 171 yards to finish with 288 total
- Greg Jennings caught his 29th and 30th career TDs in the first half, when Western cruised to a 24-0 lead
- UB had a sizable advantage in time of possession – 37:10 to 22:50 and had a small advantage in total yards (360-335) and 1 st downs (20-16)
- Attendance in Kalamazoo was 14,198
Nick’s Pick: WMU 28 – Buffalo 10
Actual Score: WMU 31 – Buffalo 21
Nick’s Prophetic Comment: “Western is coming off an emotional victory in Philadelphia last week but may struggle against a Bull’s defense that is not that bad. Western should pull away in the 2nd half”
