Tag: Arkansas State

Arkansas State Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor (1) warms up before Arkansas State Red Wolves take on the Northern Illinois Huskies during the Camellia Bowl at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery, Ala., on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2023.

Arkansas State outguns Bowling Green to take 68 Ventures Bowl

Posted on | by Field Level Media

Jaylen Raynor completed 18 of 30 passes for 221 yards and two touchdown connections to Corey Rucker as Arkansas State fended off Bowling Green 38-31 to win the 68 Ventures Bowl on Thursday night in Mobile, Ala.

Rucker finished with four catches for 107 yards and Zak Wallace rushed 15 times for 99 yards and a score for the Red Wolves (8-5), who earned their first bowl win since 2019. Courtney Jackson returned a punt 60 yards for a touchdown.

Connor Bazelak went 32-for-49 passing for a season-high 390 yards and three touchdowns for Bowling Green (7-6), which lost a bowl game for the third year running.

Bowling Green tight end Harold Fannin Jr. finished with career highs of 17 receptions and 213 yards with a touchdown, and he broke two major FBS records along the way.

Fannin set the single-season tight end records for receiving yards (previously held by Jace Amaro, 1,352 for Texas Tech in 2013) and receptions (previously James Casey, 111 for Rice in 2008). Fannin ended his season with 117 receptions for 1,555 yards.

Bowling Green trailed 24-21 at halftime and received the ball to start the second half. However, on the first play from scrimmage, Terion Stewart was stripped of the ball and Arkansas State’s Noah Collins recovered. Raynor threw his second touchdown to Rucker, this one from 6 yards out, for a 10-point Red Wolves lead.

The Falcons cut it to seven before the end of the third, but their next three drives ended in a turnover on downs, a missed field goal and a punt.

Arkansas State turned to Wallace to close the game. He gained 59 yards on six straight rushes, the final of which was a 14-yard touchdown with 3:10 to go.

Wallace’s insurance score was crucial, as Bowling Green scored late on Bazelak’s 23-yard pass to Rahkeem Smith (seven catches, 97 yards).

The Red Wolves held an early 10-0 lead after Jackson broke down the left side on his punt return TD less than seven minutes into the game.

Bowling Green got revenge on its second possession when it had backup QB Baron May disguise himself as the punter. May tossed a 43-yard touchdown pass to Malcolm Johnson Jr.

Raynor’s 5-yard TD run put Arkansas State ahead 17-7. Bazelak responded with 6:46 left in the second quarter, hitting Jaison Patterson for an 8-yard score.

Raynor hit Rucker over the top for a 79-yard catch-and-run score, punctuating a 93-yard drive.

The Falcons drove to the 4-yard line, and Bazelak threw to the end zone with 1:36 left. His pass went in and out of a defender’s hands, and Fannin caught it as he fell to the ground.

–Field Level Media

Bowling Green Falcons tight end Harold Fannin Jr (0) makes a touchdown catch during the first quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

‘Dark era’ over, Bowling Green sizes up Arkansas State in 68 Ventures Bowl

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Bowling Green coach Scot Loeffler is happy for the seniors on his roster who persevered through what he called the program’s “dark era.”

The Falcons’ senior class would love nothing more than to go out with a win in the 68 Ventures Bowl against Arkansas State on Thursday in Mobile, Ala.

Bowling Green (7-5) last won a bowl game in 2014. The program suffered seven straight losing seasons from 2016-22, exceeding four wins just once before its recent turnaround.

“I’m super proud of the guys that have been part of this program for four, five and six years,” Loeffler said, per the Toledo Blade. “They were part of the dark era, as I would say, and they really have made this place a competitive, hard-working, do-right program.”

One subplot is star tight end Harold Fannin Jr.’s pursuit of multiple FBS records.

Fannin enters the bowl game with 100 receptions for 1,342 yards and nine touchdowns. If he gains just 11 yards against Arkansas State, Fannin will break Jace Amaro’s single-season record for tight ends set in 2013. Fannin is also 12 catches away from setting the single-season receptions record at the position (James Casey, 111, 2008).

Fannin was the first tight end in FBS history to be named a conference’s player of the year when the Mid-American Conference gave him the honor.

“He’s phenomenal. Phenomenal athlete, really good guy, too,” Falcons linebacker Brock Horne said. “… Obviously, he helped out the team a ton, and just looking forward to him putting the orange and brown on one more time and having a good bowl game.”

“He needs to go to the National Football League as fast as he can,” Loeffler added.

Arkansas State (7-5) won four of its final six games in the regular season to join the ranks of the bowl-eligible. The Red Wolves’ last winning season was 2019, which was capped off by their most recent bowl win.

It’s been their best showing under coaching veteran Butch Jones, who’s led Cincinnati and Tennessee to bowl victories before.

“We have to be better than we were (at Monday’s practice) from a fundamental execution standpoint, from a habit standpoint,” Jones said. “All that goes into playing winning football. But I like our mindset so far.”

Arkansas State’s Jaylen Raynor threw for 2,562 yards with 14 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Zak Wallace led a multipronged rushing attack with 622 yards and 10 touchdowns.

The greater concern is the Red Wolves’ defense, which allowed 32.3 points per game and 460.7 yards per game, the latter ranking sixth-to-worst in FBS.

“Obviously we’ve been decimated up front in the defensive line with some season-ending injuries,” Jones said. “But right now, we’re as healthy as we can possibly be since going through a long season.”

Bowling Green, conversely, allowed just 20.3 points per game.

Falcons quarterback Connor Bazelak passed for 2,654 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. Terion Stewart led the ground game with 890 yards and six scores.

–Field Level Media

Iowa State Cyclones quarterback Rocco Becht (3) passes the ball against Arkansas State during the first quarter in the week-4 NCAA football at Jack Trice Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 21, 2024, in Ames, Iowa.

No. 20 Iowa State dominates Arkansas State

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Rocco Becht threw for two touchdowns and ran for a third in the first half on Saturday as No. 20 Iowa State remained unbeaten with a 52-7 blowout of Arkansas State in Ames, Iowa.

Becht completed 11 of 18 passes for 204 yards with an interception as the Cyclones improved to 3-0. Carson Hansen added two short scoring runs as Iowa State finished with 490 yards in total offense.

Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor was pulled to start the second half after hitting only 5 of 16 passes for 68 yards with two interceptions. Backup Timmy McClain went 4 of 7 for 50 yards and a touchdown as Arkansas State fell to 2-2 with its second straight loss.

Unlike last week’s 28-18 setback at then-No. 17 Michigan, which was at least respectable thanks to two late touchdowns, the Red Wolves couldn’t pretend this was close. They never got past the Iowa State 37 until McClain hit Hunter Summers for a 27-yard score with just under five minutes remaining.

It didn’t take Iowa State long to demonstrate that there wouldn’t be a letdown after its upset of Iowa two weeks ago, followed by a bye week. The Cyclones took the lead for good on their second possession via Hansen’s 1-yard run at the 8:47 mark.

Becht made it 14-0 with 45 seconds left in the first quarter on his 1-yard touchdown run, followed by a 31-yard field goal by Kyle Konrardy with 9:00 remaining in the first half. It was his first kick since a game-winner from 54 yards at Iowa.

Becht limbered up his right arm in the final 2 1/2 minutes of the half for a pair of scores. First, he connected with Tyler Moore on a 10-yarder, then he hit Jayden Higgins for a 16-yard touchdown, one play after Malik Verdon intercepted Raynor and returned it 38 yards.

That capped a half that Iowa State completely dominated. It outgained Arkansas State 287-101 and nearly doubled it in first downs (13-7) while averaging nearly eight yards per play.

–Field Level Media

Michigan running back Donovan Edwards (7) runs for a first down against Texas defensive back Michael Taaffe (16) during the first half at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor on Saturday, September 7, 2024.

No. 17 Michigan meets Arkansas State, out to overcome ‘sting’ of loss

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It’s been awhile since Michigan has dealt with a regular-season loss.

The defending national champions saw their 16-game winning streak, 29-game regular-season winning streak and 23-game home win string end when the Wolverines were routed by Texas 31-12 last Saturday.

Michigan, which dropped from No. 10 to No. 17 in the latest Associated Press poll, will look to get back into the win column when it hosts Arkansas State this Saturday in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“It should sting, and it stings everybody,” first-year Wolverines coach Sherrone Moore said. “A lot of guys haven’t lost a game here at our home stadium, and nobody likes that feeling. Coaches, players — the players take it the worst. People talk about the coaches and everybody else, but it’s really the players that are in the games that take it the worst.

“So, for us, it’s consoling them, helping them get over it because they’re still feeling it.”

Not only did the Wolverines (1-1) lose last week, but they looked overmatched at times against the Longhorns. Michigan didn’t produce a touchdown until late in the fourth quarter, and their leading rusher, Donovan Edwards, had only 41 yards on eight carries. And Texas led 24-3 at halftime.

Moore isn’t buying the narrative that his team was overmatched. He pointed to three turnovers and a struggle with third-down conversions (3 of 12) for the Wolverines’ downfall.

“They executed very cleanly. All the credit to them, what they did and how they played,” Moore said. “Not going to take anything away from them. But for us, we know that there’s the turnovers, the third-down margin. You take those two things and it gives us a much better chance to be successful. We know where we’re at. We know what we’ve got to do, and it was a good lesson for us to learn.”

The good news for the Wolverines is that their goals haven’t changed. The expanded College Football Playoffs — to 12 teams — gives teams more breathing room to qualify.

“Saturday was a sad day for Michigan, but we have 10 more opportunities left in the season,” Michigan edge rusher TJ Guy said. “We can’t dwell about it and let it bleed into the coming weeks, because that’s not going to help us at all.”

Ironically, Arkansas State will be the undefeated team playing in Ann Arbor — the Red Wolves are 2-0 for the first time since 2008.

Arkansas State scored 21 third-quarter points to rally past Tulsa 28-24 on Saturday. Red Wolves quarterback Jaylen Raynor completed 21 of 32 passes for 255 yards and two scores and rushed for 73 yards and a touchdown.

Arkansas State now must face two ranked teams back-to-back. The Red Wolves will visit No. 21 Iowa State next weekend.

“I don’t know of another G5 (team) going to play back-to-back perennial top 25 teams. But it’s a great opportunity,” Arkansas State coach Butch Jones said. “Michigan will expose you if you’re not fundamentally sound.”

Jones grew up in Saugatuck, Mich., and has friends at the University of Michigan, but he’s going there on a business trip this week.

“We’re in the business of winning. That’s kind of the mindset,” he said. “It will be good to see everyone in passing. It’ll be great to go there, but really, your focus is the task at hand, and that’s the defending national champion.”

–Field Level Media

Oct 7, 2021; Jonesboro, Arkansas, USA; Arkansas State Red Wolves Helmet at Centennial Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Petre Thomas-USA TODAY Sports

Former Arkansas State star arrested in poisoning deaths

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A former Arkansas State football star and Tennessee Titans scout has been arrested in last year’s poisoning deaths of his girlfriend and her unborn child in Nashville, Tenn.

Blaise Taylor, 27, was indicted on two counts of first-degree murder and arrested by U.S. Marshals on Thursday night in Utah. Nashville police said Taylor is “alleged” to have fathered the child.

Taylor is accused of poisoning Jade Benning at her Nashville apartment on Feb. 25, 2023. She was rushed to a hospital after Taylor called 911 and reported that she was suffering an allergic reaction.

Benning’s 5-month-old fetus died two days later, and she passed away on March 6 — her 25th birthday — without ever speaking to police.

Following months of investigation by police, scientists and the medical examiner, authorities determined Benning had been “poisoned without her knowledge” after Taylor visited her home.

Taylor was a four-year starter as a defensive back and return specialist at Arkansas State from 2014-17. A captain and first-team All-Sun Belt selection, he set the school record for career punt-return yards (1,151) — returning one for a touchdown in each of those seasons.

Taylor later worked as a scout for the NFL’s Titans for four years before serving as a defensive analyst at Utah State in 2023. Earlier this month, he joined the defensive staff at Texas A&M, where his father, Trooper Taylor, is the Aggies’ running backs coach.

–Field Level Media

Oklahoma coach Brent Venables runs onto the field before a college football game between the University of Oklahoma Sooners (OU) and the UTEP Miners at Gaylord Family - Oklahoma Memorial Stadium in Norman, Okla., Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Oklahoma won 45-13.

No. 20 Oklahoma rolls out rebuilt defense vs. Arkansas State

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During his time as a defensive coordinator at Clemson and before that at Oklahoma, Brent Venables established a reputation as one of college football’s top defensive minds.

So it was especially disappointing for Venables, during his first season as Oklahoma’s head coach, that the Sooners’ defense struggled as they slipped to a 6-7 finish in 2022.

The defense finished near the bottom nationally in total defense, struggling in virtually every area.

When the 20th-ranked Sooners open the season at home against Arkansas State on Saturday, the personnel on defense will look much different than it did last season.

Venables and defensive coordinator Ted Roof made overhauling the defense a particular emphasis in the offseason, adding a wave of experience in the transfer portal — defensive ends Rondell Bothroyd from Wake Forest and Trace Ford from Oklahoma State, interior linemen Jacob Lacey from Notre Dame, Da’Jon Terry to Tennessee and Davon Sears from Texas State, linebacker Dasan McCullough from Indiana, safety Reggie Pearson from Texas Tech.

Venables was frustrated with his team’s depth all around, but particularly on defense.

Heading into the opener, Venables said he feels much better about where his team stands entering his second season.

“I thought we were soft in short-yardage situations and got knocked off the ball,” Venables said. “Second level didn’t support like we needed to support.
“I think we’re more knowledgeable as well as more physical. Our football IQ has improved. … I do feel like we’ve helped ourselves with the development of the guys that are on our roster and with some of the portal guys that we have brought on.”

The last time Oklahoma and Arkansas State faced off, the Sooners also were ranked No. 20. Oklahoma won that game 45-7 in 2000 and went on to an undefeated season and the program’s seventh national championship – with Venables as co-defensive coordinator.

Arkansas State is coming off an even tougher season than the Sooners, going 3-9 in 2022 in its second season under Butch Jones.

The Red Wolves are looking for their first win over a Power Five opponent since 2020, when they knocked off Kansas State.

Arkansas State hasn’t beaten a ranked opponent since knocking off No. 25 Troy in 2016.

“I like where we’re at, but we’ll know a little bit more (Saturday),” Jones said. “When you play a quality opponent like Oklahoma, everything that you do can be exposed. What I mean is fundamentals, details, simple things like your hand placement, the violence or mentality that you play with, with your style of play, the discipline to execute play-in and play-out, the ability to handle the clutter and distractions of the crowd noise.”

One player who does have experience in those environments is Red Wolves’ starting quarterback J.T. Shrout.

Shrout spent the last two seasons at Colorado, throwing for 1,220 yards and seven touchdowns in nine games last season, after playing for Tennessee from 2018-20.

Shrout beat out redshirt freshman Jaxon Dailey for the starting spot, with Jones saying Shrout’s consistency and experience helped turn the tide.

“We’ll see how that goes,” Jones said.

–Field Level Media

Sep 10, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. (18) makes the touchdown catch during the second quarter against the Arkansas State Red Wolves at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joseph Maiorana-USA TODAY Sports

Marvin Harrison Jr., C.J. Stroud power No. 2 Ohio State past Arkansas State

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C.J. Stroud threw for 351 yards and four touchdowns, three to Marvin Harrison Jr., as No. 3 Ohio State shook off Arkansas State 45-12 in Columbus, Ohio, on Saturday.

The Buckeyes (2-0) led 24-9 at the half before opening the third quarter with a three-play, 75-yard drive capped by TreVeyon Henderson’s 23-yard run to extend the lead to 31-9 over the Red Wolves (1-1).

On their next series, the Buckeyes went 59 yards on two plays, the last a 51-yard TD reception by Emeka Egbuka, who had a 44-yard catch on the previous possession.

Dominic Zvada kicked four field goals for the Red Wolves.

Stroud was 16 for 24. Harrison made seven catches for 184 yards and Emeka Egbuka gained 118 yards on four catches, while Henderson (87 yards on 10 carries) ran for two scores.

Harrison, who tied a Rose Bowl record on Jan. 1 with three touchdowns catches, joined Joey Galloway as the only Buckeye players to have three TD catches in a game multiple times.

Arkansas State’s James Blackman was 20 of 34 for 188 yards with his favorite target being Champ Flemings with 10 catches for 105 yards. Flemings also added 20 rushing yards.

Ohio State was without standout receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who sustained a leg injury in the season opener against Notre Dame, but Harrison made up for his loss with a pair of 42-yard TDs in the first half to shake off the Red Wolves, who were 44-point underdogs.

His first gave the Buckeyes a 7-0 lead, and he made a catch for 45 yards on the next series to set up an 8-yard scoring run by Henderson to make it 14-3.

Arkansas State responded with field goals of 38 and 34 yards by Zvada to make it 17-9. But the Buckeyes needed only three plays to go 75 to extend the lead to 24-9 on Harrison’s second score.

–Field Level Media

Sep 3, 2022; Columbus, Ohio, USA; Ohio State Buckeyes quarterback C.J. Stroud (7) drops back to pass during the NCAA football game against the Notre Dame Fighting Irish at Ohio Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Adam Cairns-USA TODAY Sports

No. 3 Ohio State and revamped defense host Arkansas State

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Unlike most of his players, Arkansas State coach Butch Jones knows what it’s like to play — and beat — a highly ranked team.

In a long coaching career with stops as head coach at Tennessee and Cincinnati, he also was a special assistant to head coach Nick Saban when Alabama drilled Ohio State in the national championship game, 52-24, in the 2020 season.

Jones is in his second season as head coach at Arkansas State (1-0), but coming off a 58-3 victory vs. Grambling State, the Red Wolves will move into a different stratosphere Saturday when they play at No. 3 Ohio State (1-0).

“The one thing is when you play a high level of an opponent, the mistakes you make are magnified, so your margin of error is a lot slimmer,” Jones said Monday. “A lot of the mistakes that we made Saturday night, if we make those same mistakes against Ohio State, they’re going to turn into explosive plays and negative-yardage football plays and possibly turnovers generated.”

The Buckeyes opened with a marquee matchup against then-No. 5 Notre Dame and overcame a 10-7 halftime deficit to record a workmanlike 21-10 win.

Ohio State and its Heisman Trophy hopeful quarterback, C.J. Stroud, struggled for much of the game due to the absence of standout wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba, who suffered a leg injury during the Buckeyes’ second series. Smith-Njigba played a few snaps just before halftime and then sat the rest of the game.

Coach Ryan Day said Tuesday he was uncertain whether Smith-Njigba will be available Saturday.

“We will not bring him back if there’s any risk of him getting hurt for the future,” Day said.

Stroud, meantime, still completed 24 of 34 passes for 223 yards with two touchdowns, turning to Emeka Egbuka for a career-high nine catches for 90 yards. The Buckeyes displayed balance, rushing for 176 yards against Notre Dame, with TreVeyon Henderson gaining 91 yards and Miyan Williams 84.

Ohio State led the nation in scoring last season with an average of 45.7 points per game and is expected to be an offensive juggernaut again, but the story of the game was the defense under first-year defensive coordinator Jim Knowles.

Knowles was lured from Oklahoma State to fix a unit that was 59th out of 130 schools in total defense (372.9 yards per game) last season. The Buckeyes held Notre Dame to 253 total yards (72 in the second half) and forced the Fighting Irish to punt on their final six possessions.

“That’s the start we were looking for, for sure,” Day said. “Watching the film, (the defense) played really hard. They played fast and decisive.”

Arkansas State, 2-10 last season, has an experienced quarterback in second-year starter James Blackman, who had been a part-time starter at Florida State. He found an immediate connection this season with Oregon State transfer Champ Flemings, who caught seven passes for 122 yards against Grambling State.

“He’s dynamic with the ball in his hands,” Jones said of Flemings. “Champ is also one of those guys who’s come into our program and bought into our standards, our expectations but has also brought us a whole another level of competitiveness.”

Stroud said the Buckeyes’ goal to win every game will help them avoid a letdown after an emotional victory.

“Arkansas State is a good team,” he said. “They won last week. We’re both 1-0.”

–Field Level Media

Sep 18, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies quarterback Dylan Morris (9) throws a pass against the Arkansas State Red Wolves during the second quarter at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Washington routs Arkansas St. for first win of season

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Dylan Morris threw for a career-high 367 yards and three touchdowns as Washington earned its first victory of the season, defeating Arkansas State 52-3 on a rainy Saturday afternoon in Seattle.

The Red Wolves (1-2), who entered the game fourth nationally with 596.5 yards of total offense per game, were limited to just 268 while UW amassed 598.

The Huskies (1-2), upset by Montana of the Football Championship Subdivision in their home opener before a loss last week at Michigan, went three-and-out on their first possession. But the Huskies scored touchdowns on their next four drives — all 70 yards or longer — to take a 28-0 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the second quarter.

Washington got a boost from two players making their season debuts — wide receiver Jalen McMillan and running back Sean McGrew. McMillan, who suffered a hand injury midway through fall camp, had 10 receptions for 175 yards and a touchdown. McGrew, a preseason Doak Walker Award candidate, hadn’t played in the first two games but rushed for two scores.

Morris hit tight end Cade Otton with a 13-yard pass to open the scoring.

After Arkansas State missed a short field-goal attempt, McGrew scored on a 13-yard run.

Richard Newton Jr., who led the Huskies with 52 yards rushing on 10 attempts, scored on a 2-yard run early in the second quarter.

McMillan caught a 33-yard scoring strike from Morris with 10 minutes left in the half.

McGrew scored on a 2-yard run with 4:37 left in the third quarter to make it 35-0 before the Red Wolves finally got on the board on Blake Grupe’s 26-yard field goal.

Terrell Bynum caught a 42-yard touchdown pass from Morris with 13:59 remaining to make it 42-3.

Huskies backup quarterback Sam Huard led a 72-yard drive to set up Peyton Henry’s 38-yard field goal with 8:05 left.

UW linebacker Bralen Trice returned a fumble 72 yards for a touchdown with 3:34 to go.

Arkansas State’s James Blackman completed 16 of 38 passes for 176 yards. Backup Layne Hatcher entered in the fourth quarter and was 6 of 11 for 44 yards.

The Red Wolves’ Lincoln Pare made seven catches for 69 yards. Johnnie Lang was their leading rusher with 18 yards on six carries.

–Field Level Media

Sep 4, 2021; Seattle, Washington, USA; Washington Huskies head coach Jimmy Lake returns to the locker room following pregame warmups against the Montana Grizzlies at Alaska Airlines Field at Husky Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports

Washington looks to avoid 0-3 start against Arkansas State

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The “good mojo” Washington coach Jimmy Lake felt after spring ball and fall camp is gone.

The word he used most often in his Monday news conference was “unacceptable.”

The Huskies (0-2, 0-0 Pac-12) have dropped their first two games of the season for the first time since their winless 2008 campaign.

They’ll try to get back on track Saturday afternoon when they play host to Arkansas State (1-1) in Seattle.

“So the positive thing is we have lots of football left to play. Our players are in good spirits. They know we haven’t played our best football,” Lake said. “We know there is a lot of room for improvement, but the improvement needs to happen now. All the work we’ve been doing needs to show up with the results on game day.”

The Huskies opened the season at home with a stunning 13-7 loss to FCS member Montana before suffering a 31-10 defeat last Saturday at Michigan.

Despite scoring just 17 points through two games, and going 20 series between its two offensive touchdowns, Washington opened as a 16 1/2-point favorite against the Red Wolves.

Arkansas State, under new coach Butch Jones, defeated Central Arkansas 40-21 in its opener before nearly rallying in a 55-50 loss to Memphis last week, a late Hail Mary pass falling incomplete in the end zone.

“I’m really proud of our players. They had every opportunity to get out of the game and they kept fighting,” Jones said. “There are no moral victories, but I thought there were things to build upon.”

Arkansas State quarterbacks Layne Hatcher and James Blackman combined to complete 42 of 66 passes for a school-record 582 yards with five touchdowns and no interceptions last weekend.

The Huskies are allowing the fewest passing yards per game in the country (74.5). But they gave up 343 yards rushing to the Wolverines, who built a 10-0 halftime lead and never felt the need to put the ball in the air.

“If we’re not scoring any points and they can keep handing the ball off … you’re going to get the result we just got put on us,” Lake said. “So that’s what we’ve got to figure out and make sure we get a different result this Saturday.”

–Field Level Media