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News Nuggets, 09.07.03
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Compiled from staff reports and electronic dispatches

Tigers' win over Ole Miss highlights C-USA Saturday action

Thanks in large part to 248 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns from RB DeAngelo Williams the Memphis Tigers (2-0) were able to rally from a 17-point third quarter deficit to defeat Ole Miss, 44-34. Texas Christian also moved to 2-0 on the season with a 17-3 win over Navy, holding the Midshipmen to just 37 total yards in the second half.

Quarterback Ronnie Banks threw four touchdown passes as South Florida posted its first win as a member of Conference USA, defeating Nicholls State, 27-17. Tulane needed overtime, but the Green Wave posted their first win of 2003, defeating Northwestern (La.) State, 27-24.

Elsewhere, C-USA teams fell on hard times as Connecticut thumped Army, 48-21; Michigan overwhelmed Houston, 50-3; and West Virginia dominated East Carolina, 48-7.

Tidbits of interest from college football

ELVIS NO LONGER KING: John Navarre was 13-of-30 for 136 yards and a touchdown in Michigan's 50-3 win over Houston. Navarre, who has completed 527 career passes, surpassed Elvis Grbac for the most completions in school history.

SLUMPING: West Virginia trounced East Carolina 48-7, beating the Pirates for the 13th time in 15 meetings. ... Buffalo has dropped 12 straight, the longest losing streak in college football, after a 56-7 loss to Iowa. ... Marshall is 1-12 all-time against the SEC following a 34-24 loss to No. 12 Tennessee. The Herd's sole SEC win came in 1998 over South Carolina. ... Navy has lost 35 straight games to Top 25 teams, including a 17-3 loss to No. 25 TCU. Navy's last win over a ranked opponent coming eight years ago against Virginia. ... With a 52-14 defeat to North Texas, Baylor lost on the road for the 31st time in 32 tries, including 15 straight.

LONG BALL: Dondrial Pinkins' 99-yard touchdown pass to Troy Williamson in South Carolina's 31-7 upset over No. 15 Virginia broke the record for longest in school history. The old mark was Todd Ellis' 97-yard play to Robert Brooks in 1988.

COMEBACKS: Trailing 19-6, Notre Dame scored 20 points in the fourth quarter of its 29-26 overtime win over Washington State. It was the Irish's biggest come-from-behind win since beating Southern California 25-24 in 1999 after trailing 21-3 at halftime. ... After Florida took a 33-10 lead with 6:10 left in the third quarter, No. 3 Miami scored four straight touchdowns to beat the Gators 38-33. Brock Berlin, who transferred to Miami from Florida, fell down with cramps but got up to complete the 89-yard drive that won the game with 1:44 remaining.

SNAPPED: Bowling Green's 27-26 upset over No. 16 Purdue was the Falcons' first victory against a ranked opponent since 1972, also over Purdue. Saturday's loss was the Boilermakers' first on opening day since 1998 and the first home opener loss in coach Joe Tiller's seven seasons. ... Georgia Tech's 17-3 win over No. 17 Auburn was its first over the Tigers since 1978. ... Memphis' 44-34 win over Mississippi was its first against the Rebels since 1994.

STRONG IN DEFEAT: Philip Rivers had 433 yards passing and three touchdowns in No. 14 North Carolina's 38-24 loss to Wake Forest. ... Mike Souza passed for 385 yards with two touchdowns, and carried the ball 16 times for 71 yards in Illinois State's 49-22 loss to Illinois. ... Charlie Frye was 31-for-49 for 372 yards and a touchdown in Akron's 48-31 loss to No. 18 Wisconsin.

ROCKED: Marcus Howard rushed for 334 yards and scored a school-record five touchdowns as Rockford set the Division III scoring record with a 105-0 win over Trinity Bible. Rockford only attempted two passes in the game, both for touchdowns, and returned three interceptions for TDs. The previous single-game scoring record was 97 points set by Concordia-Moorehead in 1977.

SPEAKING: "Stats are for losers and I'm the loser this week. Ten penalties and two turnovers, that's why we lost. The only numbers that matter now are 2-0, and that's what Wake Forest is." — N.C. State coach Chuck Amato. The Wolfpack had 10 penalties for 90 yards in a 38-24 loss to Wake Forest.'

Coastal Carolina debuts football program with dramatic win

CONWAY, SC — Eshoun Talley scored on a 9-yard run with seven seconds left as Coastal Carolina beat Newberry 21-14 in its first-ever game Saturday. The Chanticleers' winning drive went the length of the field 97 yards in 11 plays and fans rushed the field at sold-out Brooks Stadium, tearing down a goal post after the victory. The journey to bring Division I-AA football to the campus near Myrtle Beach began nearly two years ago.

Newberry (0-1) tied it at 14 with 12:29 left in the game when Bryan Shealy hit Derrick Higgins on a 48-yard touchdown pass. The Indians got an interception late but couldn't drive and were forced to punt to set up Coastal's winning drive.

Aundrus Perkins rushed for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries to lead the Chanticleers rushing attack. Talley had 40 yards on six carries and Tyler Thigpen was 10-for-26 passing for 79 yards. Shealy was 16 of 33 for 144 yards for Newberry but had three interceptions, while the Indians' Mike Brown rushed for 76 yards on 20 carries.

News Nuggets are compiled periodically from staff, ECU, Conference USA and its member schools, and from Associated Press and other reports. Copyright 2003 Bonesville.net and other publishers. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

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