Wednesday's MAC Football Results
Central Michigan 38, Buffalo 19
Toledo 24, Miami 3
Northern Illinois 45, UMass 3
Stories couresy of the Associated Press
Central Michigan 38, Buffalo 19
Boxscore
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) — Joe Labas threw two touchdown passes, Central Michigan scored two defensive touchdowns, and the Chippewas became bowl eligible for the first time in four years, defeating Buffalo 38-19 on Wednesday night.
Jordan Kwiatkowski, a senior linebacker, returned an interception 48 yards for the Chippewas’ first touchdown. He had seven solo tackles, nine total.
Dakota Cochran, also a senior linebacker, returned a fumble 85 yards for a score that made it 31-13 in the fourth quarter.
Labas completed 18 of 24 passes for 247 yards. His touchdowns were 75 yards to Langston Lewis and 10 yards to Tommy McIntosh. Lewis had 118 yards on six receptions.
Nik McMillan had seven receptions for 122 yards for Buffalo (5-5, 4-2 Mid-American Conference), including both of the Bulls’ touchdowns.
The Chippewas (6-4, 4-2) continued to dominate at Kelly/Shorts Stadium where they have won five straight home games, are 4-0 at home this season and have won eight of their last 10 in Mount Pleasant.
Central Michigan led 14-10 at halftime and 24-13 through three quarters before pulling away in the final period.
Toledo 24, Miami 3
Boxscore
OXFORD, Ohio (AP) — Tucker Gleason threw two touchdown passes and Chip Trayanum rushed for a score in Toledo’s 24-3 win over Miami (Ohio) on Wednesday night.
Gleason threw two interceptions in the first 11 minutes of the game, but the RedHawks were held to two punts in the span of eight offensive plays.
Gleason was 18-of-31 passing for 169 yards with two touchdowns for Toledo (6-4, 4-2 MAC).
Trayanum punched in the game’s first score from 3-yards out midway through the second quarter to cap a nine-play, 46-yard drive. He ran for 96 yards on 21 carries.
With 18 seconds left in the half, Bryson Hammer returned a punt 54 yards and gained another 7 yards from sideline interference. On the ensuing play, Gleason found Jacob Peterson for a 6-yard touchdown to put the Rockets (6-4, 4-2 MAC) up 14-0 with 18 seconds left in the frame.
Gleason found Ryder Treadway for a 24-yard strike on the opening drive of the second half, and an interception from Henry Hesson set up a 26-yard field goal for Dom Dzioban and a 24-0 lead.
Hesson was 11-of-38 passing for 147 yards with three interceptions for Miami (5-5, 4-2). He was sacked six times, shared by seven different Toledo players. Miami was held to 222 total yards of offense.
Northern Illinois 45, UMass 3
Boxscore
AMHERST, Mass. (AP) — Jalen Macon accounted for four touchdowns in his first Northern Illinois start since transferring in, and the Huskies rolled past Massachusetts 45-3 on Wednesday.
Macon, an FCS Arkansas-Pine Bluff transfer, became the first NIU quarterback to win his debut start with the program since Rocky Lombardi, who led a 22-21 upset of Georgia Tech in 2021.
Macon ran for three scores and threw another, steering an NIU offense that piled up 318 rushing yards while averaging 5.8 yards per carry. He finished with 98 yards on 12 attempts, including a 36-yard touchdown burst early in the third quarter that pushed the lead to 38-0. He also hit Elijah Porter for a 67-yard touchdown in the second quarter for the Huskies (3-7, 2-4 MAC).
Chavon Wright added 86 yards and a 1-yard touchdown, and backup Brady Davidson found Gary Givens for a 31-yard score to cap NIU’s output with 8:16 left in the third. The Huskies scored on seven of their first eight possessions and recorded six plays of 20 yards or more.
NIU’s defense controlled every phase, holding UMass to 65 rushing yards on 25 carries and surrendering points only on a 44-yard field goal by Derek Morris with 6:13 left. The Minutemen (0-10, 0-6 MAC) managed just one red-zone trip and averaged 4.7 yards per pass attempt.
Macon and Brady Davidson were 3-for-4 passing for the Huskies, combining for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
