Buffalo tops Charlotte for first bowl win
NASSAU, BAHAMAS >> Buffalo got its first bowl win, and Jaret Patterson put an exclamation point on his record-setting season.
Patterson ran for 173 yards and two touchdowns, Kyle Vantrease passed for a touchdown and ran for another and Buffalo got its first bowl win in four tries by beating Charlotte 31-9 on Friday in the Bahamas Bowl.
“I’m just really proud of this group guys and how hard they worked,” Bulls coach Lance Leipold said. “We overcame a lot.”
Patterson had 32 carries for the Bulls (85), who were winless in three previous bowl appearances. He finished the year with a slew of school single-season records, including 330 carries, 1,799 yards and 19 rushing touchdowns.
Antonio Nunn caught a 12-yard touchdown pass from Vantrease on the first Buffalo drive to open the scoring, and Vantrease capped a marathon 15-play, 74yard, 8-1/2-minute drive by plunging in from the 1 with 3:33 left in the half to push the Bulls’ lead to 14-0.
Patterson scored on a 6-yard run midway through the third quarter to make it 24-0, then sealed the win with a 10-yard TD rush late to cap a 16-play scoring drive.
“He wore us down,” Charlotte coach Will Healy said.
Victor Tucker caught a 51-yard catch-andrun touchdown pass from Chris Reynolds late in the third quarter for Charlotte (76), which saw its five-game winning streak snapped. Charlotte was in a bowl game for the first time.
The bowl game was the first of 40 to be played this season.
KENT STATE 51, UTAH STATE 41 >> Kent State capped a turnaround season with its first bowl victory.
Dustin Crum passed for 289 yards and two touchdowns and ran for a career-high
147 yards and the clinching score to help Kent State (7-6) beat Utah State (7-6) in the Frisco Bowl.
“I’m just so happy for the university,” said Crum, who also was Kent State’s leading rusher during the season. “We weren’t supposed to be here, but here we are.”
Kent State closed with four straight wins to finish with a winning record for the first time since 2012.
“I love these boys,” said second-year coach Sean Lewis, whose first Kent State team finished 2-10. “Just tremendous resolve by them. It was a testament to their character.”
Matthew Trickett kicked five field goals to set a Kent State game record.
Jordan Love passed for 308 yards and three touchdowns, two of them to Siaosi Mariner, in his final game for Utah State. The junior announced last week that he’ll bypass his senior season to enter the NFL draft.
All-star games could shake up team recruiting rankings
College football’s early signing period closed with several top-100 prospects still officially uncommitted.
That doesn’t necessarily mean they’re undecided.
Nine of the nation’s top 100 prospects according to composite rankings of recruiting sites compiled by 247Sports are listed as uncommitted, but the majority of them plan to announce their college decisions over the next two weeks.
Cornerbacks Kelee Ringo (ranked No. 8 overall) and Dontae Manning (No. 76), tight end/athlete Darnell Washington (No. 10), wide receivers Gary Bryant Jr. (No. 57) and Xzavier Henderson (No. 59) and running backs Zachary Evans (No. 14) and Daniyel Ngata (No. 80) are scheduled to announce at their respective high school all-star games. The Under Armour All-America Game takes place Jan. 2 in Orlando, Florida, and the U.S. Army All-American Bowl is Jan. 4 at San Antonio, Texas.
NEW MEXICO BOWL RECORDS:
Central Michigan (8-5) vs. San Diego State (9-3)
2p.m., ESPN
San Diego State by 31⁄2 First meeting
San Diego State is making a school-record
10th straight bowl appearance but hasn’t won one since its 31-10 victory over Houston in the 2016 Las Vegas Bowl. San Diego State started 7-1and then dropped two of its last three conference games. The Chippewas under first-year coach Jim McElwain completed one of the nation’s biggest turnarounds following a 1-11season — the school’s worst.
San Diego State and Central Michigan both have stingy defenses and offenses that seek to control the clock. The Aztecs rank second in the nation in rushing defense (72.3) and second in rushing yards allowed per carry
(2.6). Central Michigan has scored
415points this season, the fifthmost in program history.
TV:
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Georgia Southern (7-5,
5-3Sun Belt) vs. Liberty (7-5, Independent)
2:30p.m., CBS Sports Network Georgia Southern by 41⁄2. Georgia Southern 3-0. It’s a matchup of two relatively new FBS
TV:
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SMU RB Xavier Jones vs. FAU’s defensive front. The Mustangs play fast and can score from anywhere, but everything seems to start with Jones — who has 21rushing TDs this season.
CAMELLIA BOWL RECORDS:
Arkansas State (7-5, Sun Belt) vs. Florida International
(6-6, Conference USA)
5:30p.m., ESPN Arkansas State by 21⁄2. Arkansas St. leads 6-2. Florida International is looking to secure a winning record. It’s been a difficult year for Arkansas State and coach Blake Anderson, whose wife Wendy died in August after a two-year fight with breast cancer.
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Arkansas State’s passing game against FIU’s defense. FIU ranks sixth nationally in pass defense, allowing just 178.5yards per game and holding three teams under 100yards. The Red Wolves rank 14th in passing offense, averaging 305.3yard per game.