Brown's stop saves Western Kentucky's 14-12 win over Vandy

 Joe Brown stopped Nathan Marcus a yard shy of the goal line on a two-point conversion attempt with 33 seconds left to preserve Western Kentucky's 14-12 victory over Vanderbilt on Thursday night.

Brown made an open-field tackle after Marcus caught Johnny McCrary's pass on the conversion attempt. Vanderbilt had cut the lead to 14-12 when McCrary threw a 2-yard touchdown pass to Trent Sherfield on fourth-and-goal.

Vanderbilt recovered the ensuing onside kick but touched the ball before it traveled the necessary 10 yards.

Leon Allen had a 4-yard touchdown run and Tyler Higbee caught a 9-yard touchdown pass for Western Kentucky. Higbee set up Allen's score with a 65-yard reception.

Tommy Openshaw kicked field goals of 49 and 26-yards for Vanderbilt.

Vanderbilt had three scoreless trips inside Western Kentucky's 10-yard line. McCrary had two passes intercepted in the end zone, and Openshaw missed a 28-yard field goal after a low snap. The Commodores had to settle for a field goal on another trip inside the 10 when Marcus dropped a pass in the right corner of the end zone.

Western Kentucky has won six straight games in a streak that began last November. Vanderbilt was seeking to turn things around after going 3-9 last year in Derek Mason's debut season as coach.

Mason, a former Stanford defensive coordinator, responded to that dismal year by firing both his coordinators and putting himself in charge of the defense. Vanderbilt's defense contained a Western Kentucky offense that ranked sixth nationally in points per game (44.4) and fourth in yards per game (534.6) last season.

That high-powered Western Kentucky offense was scoreless for the first 44 minutes of Thursday's game.

Higbee finally awoke Western Kentucky's offense late in the third quarter when he caught a Brandon Doughty pass, headed to the right sideline and broke free before finally getting brought down at the Vanderbilt 4 to set up the Hilltoppers' first touchdown.

After Openshaw's 26-yard field goal cut Western Kentucky's lead to 7-6, Doughty found Higbee again for a touchdown that made it 14-6 with 8:38 remaining.

Higbee finished with four catches for 102 yards, while Doughty was 19 of 30 for 209 yards. Doughty threw for 4,830 yards and 49 touchdowns last season to lead all Football Bowl Subdivision players in both categories.

McCrary, who earned the start for Vanderbilt after winning a quarterback competition with Wade Freebeck, went 18 of 34 for 217 yards and also rushed for 66 yards on eight carries. He engineered a 77-yard touchdown drive in a two-minute drill to get the Commodores within reach.

Then Brown stopped Vanderbilt's comeback hopes one yard short.

OPEN AND SHUT CASE: FIU STARTS FAST IN THE 3RD & 4TH QUARTERS AND CLOSES UCF

This time FIU finished the close one.
 
All offseason the Panthers talked about finishing games in 2015 after losing four games by three points or less in 2014. Mission accomplished in the season opener.
 
After Darrian Dyson blocked the potential game-winning 47-yard field goal by UCF's Matthew Wright to preserve a 15-14 win over the Knights, the Panthers spilled from their sideline on to the Bright House Networks Stadium field to rejoice in the program's first season-opening win since 2011. The Panthers opened the 2011 season with a home win against North Texas.
 
FIU rallied from a 14-3 deficit in the second half with touchdowns to open the third and fourth quarters.
 
FIU narrowed the UCF lead to 14-9 with an 8-yard run by Alex Gardner on its first possession of the second half. The Panthers went 82 yards for their first touchdown in 2015. FIU went for the two-point conversion butAlex McGough's pass was incomplete.
 
The drive which took 6:19 featured the debut of freshman Anthony Jones, who gained 26 yards on his first collegiate rush on the second play of the drive. Later Alex McGough hit Jones for a 15-yard completion and found Jonnu Smith for 17 yards to the UCF 3. Smith extended his consecutive pass catching streak to 25 games with a 3-yard reception in the first quarter.
 
Much like it opened the third quarter with six, FIU did the same to start the final 15 minutes. The Panthers marched 80 yards to paydirt to take a 15-14 lead.
 
Senior tight end Ya'Keem Griner played a crucial part in the go-ahead touchdown drive. Griner caught a career-long 46-yard pass early in the drive. Griner was also the recipient of a fortuitous bounce when he grabbed the go-ahead touchdown after the pass intended for Thomas Owens was batted in the air. The 4-yard touchdown vaulted the Panthers on top.
 
Owens caught a career-high 11 passes for 78 yards to lead the FIU receivers. McGough established career-highs of 29 completions in 38 attempts for 260 yards and a touchdown. Gardner led FIU rushing with 75 yards and a touchdown.
 
FIU's nationally-ranked defense last season continued its steady course Thursday night in Orlando keeping the Panthers in the game while the offense found its footing. The FIU defense held the UCF offense to less than 300 total yards (295 yards) and recorded two sacks by its all-conference defensive ends Michael Wakefield and Denzell Perine. The FIU D also had eight tackles for loss. Treyon Williams (11 tackles),Richard Leonard (10) and Anthony Wint (10) all had double-digit tackles. Williams established a new career-high in tackles.
 
The Panthers scored the first points of any FBS team this college football season when Austin Taylor hit a 28-yard field goal with 6:10 left in the first quarter to give FIU a 3-0 lead. FIU drove 76 yards to the UCF 11, highlighted by a 27-yard catch and run by Gardner on a pass from McGough.
 
The Knights answered near the end of the first quarter after an FIU fumble at its own 31. Justin Holman threw a 9-yard touchdown pass to Jordan Akins to put UCF on top 7-3.
 
Holman and Akins connected again to fuel the Knights' second touchdown. The duo hooked up for 20 yards to the FIU 36. Two plays later, Holman found Akins again for a 33-yard score to send UCF into the locker room with the 14-3 edge.
 
FIU continues on the road next week with its first-ever meeting against Indiana. The Panthers and Hoosiers kickoff at 8 p.m. next Saturday, Sept. 12 from Bloomington, Ind.

Western Kentucky Hilltoppers Season Preview

The Hilltoppers won the inaugural Popeyes Bahamas bowl and ended its season on a five-game winning streak to finish its inaugural Conference USA campaign with an 8-5 record. WKU’s victory represents the program’s first FBS bowl win.

The Hilltoppers 67-66 overtime win at then-No. 19 Marshall in the regular season finale marked the program’s first win over a ranked team in the FBS era.

In 2014, WKU became the first FBS Team to have a 4,500 yard passer and 1,500 yard rusher as QB Brandon Doughty threw for 4,830 and RB Leon Allen rushed for 1,542. WKU was also the fourth team in FBS history to have a 4,000-yard passer and 1,500-yard rusher in the same season. Baylor (2011), Tulsa (2008) and Oregon State (2003) are the only programs in FBS history to have two individuals hit those marks in the same season.

Doughty led the FBS with 4,830 yards and 49 passing TDs for the season. Doughty threw at least 4 TDs on six occasions last season and for 5 TDs five different times. Only five quarterbacks since 1956 have thrown for more touchdowns than Doughty’s 49, and only 15 quarterbacks since 1956 have thrown for more yards than Doughty’s 4,830. Doughty enters 2015 as the FBS’ active career leader in passing yards (7,800) and TD passes (63).

Allen was third in C-USA with 1,542 rushing yards and scored 16 touchdowns (fourth-best in WKU history). WKU has had a running back reach the 1,500 yard mark in each of the last five seasons, becoming just the second program in NCAA history to have a 1,500- yard rusher in five-consecutive seasons. WKU is joined on the list by Northern Illinois (2002-06).

Old Dominion Monarchs

The Monarchs won each of their final three games in 2014 on the final play to finish their first season at the FBS level with at 6-6 record. 

Running back Ray Lawry earned C-USA Freshman of the Year honors after rushing for an ODU single-season record 947 yards and 16 touchdowns. He led all league freshman backs with a school-record 7.1 yards per carry and tied for third in C-USA with 16 rushing TDs. 

Quarterback Taylor Heinicke is gone after a spectacular four-year career in which he passed for 14,959 yards and tossed 132 touchdown passes. Two players are in the running to replace the record-setting signal-caller. Shuler Bentley redshirted in 2014 sitting after a standout career at Byrnes High School in South Carolina. A USA Today Parade All-American and two-time South Carolina Gatorade Player of the Year, Bentley has a year of fall practice and off-season training under his belt. Sophomore Joey Verhaegh comes in from Fullerton CC after throwing for 2,515 yards and 18 touchdowns as a sophomore. Verhaegh and Bentley will compete in the first ODU quarterback competition in spring football since Thomas DeMarco won the job in 2009. 

Senior David Washington was Heinicke’s backup in 2013 and 2014, but added another role in 2014: starting wide receiver. The redshirt junior caught 47 passes for 599 yards and four touchdowns and the game-winning touchdown in the overtime thriller against Louisiana Tech. The plan is for Washington to stay at wide receiver but take some snaps at quarterback.

Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Season Preview

Junior RB Shane Tucker had 12 touchdowns last season and has scored 17 times in 17 career games. His 25 receptions were the most by a Blue Raider back since Eugene Gross hauled in 33 in 2005. 

Senior RB Jordan Parker’s 10 career 100-yard rushing games rank 7th most in school history. Eight of his ten 100-yard games have come against conference foes. 

In its two years as members of Conference USA, Middle Tennessee is averaging 240.1 yards rushing per game in league play. 

Senior S Kevin Byard had 66 tackles and led the team and conference with six interceptions. Byard also had four pass breakups, two forced fumbles and a blocked kick. Byard ranks third among the NCAA’s active players in interceptions per game at 0.41. He is tied for second in total interceptions with 15 and that figure is two shy of equaling the Middle Tennessee career record. 

Head Coach Rick Stockstill is in his 10th season leading the Blue Raiders. His 10 seasons make him the longest tenured head coach in C-USA. In nine years under Stockstill, Middle Tennessee has reached bowl eligibility six times, including five times in the last six years. 

The Blue Raiders have been bowl eligible under Rick Stockstill in 2006, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013 and 2014. Middle Tennessee’s special teams unit recorded five blocked kicks in 2014.

Marshall Thundering Herd Season Preview

Marshall finished last season 13-1 (tying the C-USA record for victories), won its first C-USA Championship and defeated MAC Champion Northern Illinois in the Boca Raton Bowl, 52-23. The Herd finished the season as the only FBS team ranked in the top 20 nationally in both rushing offense (No. 8, 271.9 yards per game) and passing offense (No. 17, 287.3).

Head coach Doc Holliday’s last two Marshall teams have posted a 23-5 record. The only teams with more wins in 2013 and ’14 were Florida State (27-1), Ohio State (26-3), Michigan State (24-3) and Oregon (24-4).

Marshall tied national runner-up Oregon for the most touchdown receptions by freshmen (17). The Herd ranked No. 5 in FBS in freshmen receiving yards, with 1,315, on 82 catches by wide receivers Angelo Jean-Louis, Deon-Tay McManus, Hyleck Foster and tight end Ryan Yurachek.

Senior RB Devon Johnson topped the 100-yard mark 10 times during the 2014 season, reaching the century mark in 10 of the 11 games he played in from start to finish. The converted tight end led C-USA with 1,767 yards and had 17 rushing TDs in 13 games. Johnson finished among the FBS leaders in total rushing yards (sixth), average per game (fifth at 135.2 yards per game), yards per carry (fifth at 8.58) and scoring (24th with 8.8 points per game). He also had seven runs of 50 yards or longer last season.

Florida Atlantic Owls Season Preview

Senior QB Jaquez Johnson had a solid second season as a starter for the Owls, passing for 2,215 yards and 17 TDs, while rushing for 513 yards and seven scores. In just two seasons at Florida Atlantic, he is already fifth in school history in career rushing yards, fourth in career rushing TDs and fourth in pass attempts, completions and yards. He is third in passing TDs and No. 2 in completion percentage and passing yards per game.

Junior Jay Warren is scheduled to return as the Owls starting run- ning back after leading the team with 571 yards last season and av- eraging 4.7 yards per carry. Complimenting Warren’s efforts will be sophomore Greg Howell, who dropped his redshirt mid-way through the 2014 season. He saw action in three games, tallied 50 carries for 253 yards and averaged 5.1 yards per carry before he was sidelined with an injury.

Freshman LT Reggie Bain was FAU Newcomer of the Year after earn- ing a 97 percent grade for his season of work. Bain allowed just two QB hurries, tallied 52.5 knockdowns, saw just two sacks and had no pre-snap penalties. He also earned Freshman All-America honors.

The defensive line returns eight players who started at least one game in 2014, including senior DT Trevon Coley, who has started every game since coming to FAU in 2012.

The secondary leadership will be carried by senior CB Cre’von LeB- lanc. He is the team’s leading returning tackler after registering 71 stops in 2014. LeBlanc also leads all returners with two interceptions and three pass break-ups.

Florida International Panthers Season Preview

Junior DB Richard Leonard was the first player in C-USA history to win Defensive and Special Teams Player of the Week twice in the same season last year. He registered four touchdowns on the year (two INTs, one fumble recovery, one punt return), recorded a school-record-tying five interceptions and averaged 25.7 yards per kickoff return and a nationleading 23.8 yards per punt return.

Junior TE Jonnu Smith finished the 2104 season with 61 catches for a team-best 710 yards, the most ever by an FIU tight end. His eight receiving touchdowns led all FBS tight ends in 2014 and set the school mark for receiving scores in a season, breaking the previous mark set by T.Y. Hilton (2008 & 2011) and Cory McKinney (2002). He enters his junior season ranked second all-time among tight ends at FIU in career receptions (100) and career receiving yards (1,098).

In 2014, FIU’s defense made an impact. The Panthers ranked No. 35 in the nation in total defense (363.8 ypg), No. 40 in scoring defense (24.8 ppg), No. 28 in third down conversion defense (35.8 percent), and scored a conference-best six defensive touchdowns (No. 2 in the nation), including a school-record five interceptions for TDs.

FIU returns 95.1 percent of its total rushing yards, 83.3 percent of its passing yards, 66.1 percent of its total receptions, 59.6 percent of its receiving yards and 87.0 percent of its total scoring from the 2014 season.

Charlotte 49ers Season Preview

2015 will be the 49ers first in Conference USA and first as a member of the FBS. 

The Charlotte 49ers start-up football program took the fast track to the FBS. The program debuted in 2013 and played for two years (2013, 2014) as an FCS Independent before making the jump to the FBS and Conference USA in 2015. The 49ers were invited to be a member of Conference USA in the summer of 2012 – before holding their first practice. 

The 49ers will move to Conference USA in 2015 with an opportunity to gain full FBS member status with bowl eligibility in 2016. 

Head coach Brad Lambert and his 10-man full-time staff have 115 years of collegiate coaching experience. Lambert (26) and coordina- tors Jeff Mullen (24) and Matt Wallerstedt (23) each have over 20 years of collegiate coaching experience. 

Top returners for the 49ers include a pair of 1,000-yard performers. RB Kalif Phillips rushed for a school-record 1,441 yards (131.0/gm) and 20 touchdowns as a sophomore in 2014. Slot receiver Austin Duke had a school-record 1,373 receiving yards (124.8/gm) as a redshirt sophomore in 2014. Phillips had six games with 150 or more rushing yards and seven 100-yard games. Duke had six games with at least 100 receiving yards including two games of over 200 yards. 

Safety Branden Dozier topped the 49ers with 86 tackles as a junior while NT Larry Ogunjobi led the squad with 11.5 tackles for loss and 5.0 sacks as a red-shirt sophomore.