Highlights from Week 4:
Four American Athletic Conference teams remain unbeaten through four weeks of the 2015 season, putting the conference in the company of the Big 12, Big Ten, SEC and ACC, who also have at least four teams without a loss.
· Memphis extended its winning streak to 11 games as the Tigers improved to 4-0 overall and earned a win in its American Athletic Conference opener with a wild 53-46 decision against Cincinnati at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The game featured 12 lead changes, capped by a 3-yard touchdown run by RB Sam Craft, who accounted for the winning points with 53 seconds left in regulation. Memphis QB Paxton Lynch threw for a career-high 412 yards with two touchdowns and had a game-high 52 rushing yards for the Tigers.
· Cincinnati fell to 0-2 in The American (2-2 overall) despite finishing with 752 yards of offense and 38 first downs on 100 plays. QB Hayden Moore was the story for the Bearcats as he threw for an American Athletic Conference-record 557 yards and four touchdowns in relief of QB Gunner Kiel, who left the game with an injury in the first quarter.
· Navy is the first team to get to 2-0 in conference play as the Midshipmen captured a 28-18 win at UConn, keeping them unbeaten on the year (3-0) and extending their winning streak to seven games. QB Keenan Reynolds rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another, moving to within four rushing TDs of the NCAA career record (77).
· UConn fell to 2-2 despite a 219-yard, two-touchdown effort from QB Bryant Shirreffs. Navy held a 343-325 edge in total offense and a 21-20 margin in time of possession.
· Houston remained unbeaten at 3-0 as the Cougars rolled to a 59-14 win against Texas State at TDECU Stadium. Houston raced to a 42-7 halftime lead and wasn’t threatened in the second half as QB Greg Ward Jr. threw four touchdown passes and rushed for two TDs. Ward finished with 365 yards of total offense as the Cougars finished with 689 yards against the Bobcats.
· East Carolina continued its recent run of success against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference as the Pirates were 38-25 winners against Virginia Tech at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. It was East Carolina’s fifth straight win against an ACC opponent and it evened the Pirates’ record at 2-2 on the year. QB James Summers provided a spark off the bench as he rushed for a game-high 169 yards with two touchdowns and added 110 passing yards with another TD.
· UCF held a 14-8 halftime lead on the road against South Carolina, but the Gamecocks provided all of the scoring in the second half to hand the Knights a 31-14 setback. The young Knights were led by QB Bo Schneider, who threw for 189 yards and a touchdown.
· SMU fell to 1-3 as the Mustangs’ late comeback bid against James Madison was trumped when the Dukes scored on their final possession to escape with a 48-45 win in Dallas. QB Matt Davis threw for 262 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 95 yards and two TDs for the Mustangs, while WR Courtland Sutton had a touchdown reception for the fourth time in as many games.
Four American Athletic Conference teams remain unbeaten through four weeks of the 2015 season, putting the conference in the company of the Big 12, Big Ten, SEC and ACC, who also have at least four teams without a loss.
· Memphis extended its winning streak to 11 games as the Tigers improved to 4-0 overall and earned a win in its American Athletic Conference opener with a wild 53-46 decision against Cincinnati at Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium. The game featured 12 lead changes, capped by a 3-yard touchdown run by RB Sam Craft, who accounted for the winning points with 53 seconds left in regulation. Memphis QB Paxton Lynch threw for a career-high 412 yards with two touchdowns and had a game-high 52 rushing yards for the Tigers.
· Cincinnati fell to 0-2 in The American (2-2 overall) despite finishing with 752 yards of offense and 38 first downs on 100 plays. QB Hayden Moore was the story for the Bearcats as he threw for an American Athletic Conference-record 557 yards and four touchdowns in relief of QB Gunner Kiel, who left the game with an injury in the first quarter.
· Navy is the first team to get to 2-0 in conference play as the Midshipmen captured a 28-18 win at UConn, keeping them unbeaten on the year (3-0) and extending their winning streak to seven games. QB Keenan Reynolds rushed for three touchdowns and threw for another, moving to within four rushing TDs of the NCAA career record (77).
· UConn fell to 2-2 despite a 219-yard, two-touchdown effort from QB Bryant Shirreffs. Navy held a 343-325 edge in total offense and a 21-20 margin in time of possession.
· Houston remained unbeaten at 3-0 as the Cougars rolled to a 59-14 win against Texas State at TDECU Stadium. Houston raced to a 42-7 halftime lead and wasn’t threatened in the second half as QB Greg Ward Jr. threw four touchdown passes and rushed for two TDs. Ward finished with 365 yards of total offense as the Cougars finished with 689 yards against the Bobcats.
· East Carolina continued its recent run of success against teams from the Atlantic Coast Conference as the Pirates were 38-25 winners against Virginia Tech at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium. It was East Carolina’s fifth straight win against an ACC opponent and it evened the Pirates’ record at 2-2 on the year. QB James Summers provided a spark off the bench as he rushed for a game-high 169 yards with two touchdowns and added 110 passing yards with another TD.
· UCF held a 14-8 halftime lead on the road against South Carolina, but the Gamecocks provided all of the scoring in the second half to hand the Knights a 31-14 setback. The young Knights were led by QB Bo Schneider, who threw for 189 yards and a touchdown.
· SMU fell to 1-3 as the Mustangs’ late comeback bid against James Madison was trumped when the Dukes scored on their final possession to escape with a 48-45 win in Dallas. QB Matt Davis threw for 262 yards and a touchdown and rushed for 95 yards and two TDs for the Mustangs, while WR Courtland Sutton had a touchdown reception for the fourth time in as many games.
