SMU loses to JMU 48-45

FCS powerhouse JMU, ranked #9 in Division 1-AA, beat SMU of the American Athletic Conference 48-45 today. SMU was expected to win by 22 points at home.


SMU turned the ball over two times on three fumbles and was 5-for-15 on third down. Three Mustangs had an interception in the game, but the SMU defense gave up 729 yards of total offense to help James Madison win its first game against an FBS team since 2010 (shocking Virginia Tech who was ranked #13). JMU was very successful with the run game, tallying up 440 rushing yards, and found success with lots of slant passes.

SMU was down 10 with five minutes left in a game that looked all but over against the James Madison Dukes. Then the Mustangs executed an incredibly efficient five-play, 72 yard drive in 66 seconds to cut the lead to three. Not to be outdone, the special teams recovered an onside kick that led to a go ahead touchdown to put them up by 4. JMU put together an eight play, 75 yard scoring drive capped by a 17-yard game-winning touchdown pass with 27 seconds left.

JMU quarterback Vad Lee rushed for 276 yards on 20 carries

Highlights

Furman pulls out victory over UCF 16-15

Predicted by the computers to be 27 point favorites, UCF, 2014 AAC Co-Champions lose their third game of the year, but by far most gut-wrenching. George O'Leary's team doesn't look like the UCF team we've come to know and see in recent years. FCS teams took a beating today going 1-16, with this being the only victory. Over 36,000 came to cheer on the Knights at Bright House Networks Stadium, but were disappointed as UCF lost for the first time to a FCS school since joining the Div 1-A ranks in 1996.

This was the second meeting between UCF and the Furman Paladins, with the Paladins winning a 1984 game, 42–6. This was QB Bo Schneider's first career start, going 7-for-11 for 63 yards. UCF initially took a 12-0 lead, which included the first sacks of the season for defense, one of those resulting in a safety. After getting a turnover on downs, Furman scored a touchdown with 1:10 remaining in the half. At the third quarter, Tyler Harris started as QB. A few minutes into the 3rd quarter, Furman scored a 61-yard touchdown which gave them the lead 13-12. Towards the end of the quarter, UCF kicked a field goal to retake the lead 15-13. Furman responded with a 55 yard field goal to retake the lead 16-15. With forty-nine seconds remaining, QB Tyler Harris threw an interception which sealed the victory for the Paladins.

Furman quarterback Reese Hannon, left, and place kicker Jon Croft Hollingsworth, right celebrate after beating Central Florida.

Week 1 Round Up

Friday, September 4

Army 35
Fordham 37

FCS-ranked #20 Fordham beats Army to open the season, despite Army QB Ahmad Bradshaw's heroic performance. In the 4th quarter, with the score tied 29-29, Chase Edmonds rushed for 10 yards for a touchdown and Fordham's Joe Pavlik two point rush was good to cap a 13 Play, 87 yard, and almost 7 minute drive. Fordham led 37-29.
Army's Ahmad Bradshaw pass completion to Edgar Poe for 27 yards for a touchdown completed a 6 play, 90 yard drive. But an Ahmad Bradshaw two point rush failed and was the difference in a 37-35 game. 22,253 came to watch the game in West Point and believe it or not, the Army QB threw for more touchdowns than Fordham's.

WhatIf Sports gave Army a 95% chance of winning and predicted a score of 41-9.



3 more FCS teams completed their upsets on Saturday and by the end of the weekend the FBS vs FCS record was 42-4.

The other FCS-ranked team to win during opening weekend was #16 ranked South Dakota State, who beat the Kansas Jayhawks (no surprise) 41-38. The other in-state school, South Dakota Coyotes actually played on Saturday as well and played a much harder Kansas State, but lost 34-0. The Jayhawks were predicted to win by over 9 points.


Not to be outdone by their brothers to the south, North Dakota (not mighty North Dakota State, who didn't schedule a Division 1-A opponent) beat Wyoming 24-13 in Laramie, Wyoming at War Memorial Stadium and by that, earning their first win over a FBS program. They were predicted to lose by 15. UND is 1-8 vs FBS team since moving up to Division 1-AA in 2008.

UND never trailed in the contest and led 21-0 early in the fourth quarter after the second rushing touchdown of the day by true freshman John Santiago. Wyoming would not let UND cruise to the victory, however, as the Cowboys put together a mini-comeback attempt with a pair of fourth-quarter touchdowns.
Santiago finished with 24 carries for 148 yards and two touchdowns in his collegiate debut as UND rushed for 276 yards in the contest, while the defense held Wyoming to only 41 rushing yards. The Cowboys finished with 330 yards of total offense and nearly half of those came in the fourth quarter when the home team was mounting its failed rally.
"This was a good win and a big step for our program," UND head coach Bubba Schweigert said. "We have to keep things in the proper perpsective though. We'll enjoy this one tonight, but will get back to work tomorrow because we have not accomplished anything yet."
highlights




The other "state" school to beat a Power 5 opponent Saturday was Portland State who beat the Washington State Cougars 24-17. The Vikings will also play the (probably much easier) North Texas Mean Green later in the season. The Cougars were over 25 points favorites in the computer model. 24,000 came to Martin Stadium in Pullman, WA to watch their Courgars lose to the Vikings. Maybe the 11am kickoff time was too early for them? The Cougars are 0-4 in all 4 years of Mike Leach's tenure on opening weekends.