100 Miles of Hate, Shula Bowl Headline Full Week Three Slate

Week three of the Conference USA football season features a pair of key rivalry games as MTSU hosts WKU in the 74^th edition of 100 Miles of Hate, while FIU and Florida Atlantic resume the Shula Bowl series.

Source: Conference USA

The schedule includes another CUSA matchup with UTEP making the program’s first trip to Lynchburg, Va., to take on a 2-0 Liberty squad. LA Tech kicks the day off against NC State, and the busy evening slate includes Sam Houston hosting Hawaii and Jax State visiting Eastern Michigan. Kennesaw State and NM State will each head west to take on Mountain West foes on truTV.

LA TECH (1-0) AT NC STATE (1-1)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 11 a.m. CT
Location: Raleigh, N.C. (Carter-Finley Stadium)
Broadcast: ACC Network
Announcers: Jorge Sedano (PxP), Orlando Franklin (Analyst), Morgan Uber (Sideline)
All-Time Series: NC State leads 2-0

Fresh off a bye week, the Bulldogs hit the road to take on the Wolfpack for the first time since 2021, when LA Tech battled in a 34-37 loss to then No. 23 NC State. Quarterback Jack Turner is set to return to the field after an early exit in the season-opening win over Nicholls. In his limited action, he completed 4-8 passes for 70 yards and a touchdown. Linebacker Kolbe Fields dazzled in his Bulldog debut with team highs in tackles (12), tackles for loss (3.0) and sacks (1.5).

FIU (1-1) AT FLORIDA ATLANTIC (0-2)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 5 p.m. CT
Location: Boca Raton, Fla. (FAU Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: AJ Ricketts (PxP), Leger Douzable (Analyst), Smacker Miles (Sideline)
All-Time Series: Florida Atlantic leads 16-4

The Shula Bowl resumes as the Panthers and Owls square off in a non-conference matchup for the first time since 2004. FIU seeks to snap a six-game losing streak in the series and build on last week’s 52-16 dismantling of Central Michigan. The Panthers tied a program record with five interceptions and recovered a fumble for a total of six takeaways in the win. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins was named CUSA Offensive Player of the Week after he totaled three touchdowns.

UTEP (0-2) AT LIBERTY (2-0, 1-0 CUSA)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 5 p.m. CT
Location: Lynchburg, Va. (Williams Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Matt Warner (PxP), Joe Jauch (Analyst), Emily Austen (Sideline)
All-Time Series: Liberty leads 1-0

The Miners are in search of their first win under first-year head coach Scotty Walden, while the Flames look to keep their regular-season (14) and CUSA (nine) winning streaks alive.

UTEP quarterback Skyler Locklear has flourished in Walden’s “Blue Blaze Offense,” completing 71.7 percent (33-46) of his passes for 410 yards and two touchdowns in the first two games.

Liberty will respond with a high-powered running game that has averaged 248 yards per game this season, led by Quinton Cooley (110.5 YPG, 3 TD) and Billy Lucas (50.5 YPG, TD).

JAX STATE (0-2) AT EASTERN MICHIGAN (1-1)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Ypsilanti, Mich. (Rynearson Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Doug Sherman (PxP), Tyoka Jackson (Analyst)
All-Time Series: Jax State leads 1-0

The Gamecocks are hoping to replicate last season’s result – a 21-0 victory – as they look to notch their first win in 2024. After going 0-5 with two interceptions to start his Jax State tenure, quarterback Tyler Huff has since gone 24-36 for 333 yards with two touchdowns while rushing for 112 yards and another score. In last week’s loss to No. 22 Louisville, he racked up 261 yards (160 passing, 101 rushing) of total offense and a pair of touchdowns.

WKU (1-1) AT MTSU (1-1)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Murfreesboro, Tenn. (Johnny “Red” Floyd Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Jake Rose (PxP), Jeremy Kellem (Analyst), Justin Beasley (Sideline)
All-Time Series: WKU leads 37-35-1

Winners of five straight games in the rivalry, the Hilltoppers travel to enemy territory to take on the Blue Raiders, who own a 21-15-1 mark at home in the series.

WKU quarterback TJ Finley is coming off a breakout game in the team’s 31-0 shutout of Eastern Kentucky in which he completed 27-39 passes for 351 yards and a touchdown.

MTSU safety John Howse IV looks to cause more havoc for opposing offenses as he’s racked up 11 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss, a sack, an interception and a forced fumble already this season.

KENNESAW STATE (0-2) AT SAN JOSE STATE (2-0)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: San Jose, Calif. (CEFCU Stadium)
Broadcast: truTV
Announcers: Ari Wolfe (PxP), Darius Walker (Analyst), Jared Greenberg (Sideline)
All-Time Series: First meeting

The Owls make the 2,100-mile cross-country trek to face the Spartans in KSU’s first nationally televised game since Sept. 6, 2018. The matchup also pits former Navy assistants Brian Bohannon and Ken Niumatololo, who coached the Midshipmen together from 2002-07. The Owls’ offense has run through Davis Bryson, who has accounted for about 75 percent of the team’s total offensive yards with 295 yards through the air and another 50 on the ground.

HAWAII (1-1) AT SAM HOUSTON (1-1)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 6 p.m. CT
Location: Huntsville, Texas (Bowers Stadium)
Broadcast: ESPN+
Announcers: Tom Franklin (PxP), John Harris (Analyst)
All-Time Series: First meeting

Looking to get back in the win column, the Bearkats host the Rainbow Warriors for their home opener. Sam Houston has relied on an explosive offense that has combined for 17 “big plays” (15+ yard pass, 10+ yard run) through the first two games, including a pair of touchdown passes over 60 yards. Wide receivers Qua’Vez Humphreys (6 rec, 128 yards) and Simeon Evans (5 rec, 105 yards) are each averaging at least 21 yards per reception.

NM STATE (1-1, 0-1 CUSA) AT FRESNO STATE (1-1)
Date: Saturday, Sept. 14
Time: 9:30 p.m. CT
Location: Fresno, Calif. (Valley Children’s Stadium)
Broadcast: truTV
Announcers: JB Long (PxP), Mike Golic Jr. (Analyst), Bridget Howard (Sideline)
All-Time Series: Fresno State leads 19-1

The former WAC foes face off in the regular season for just the second time in the last 14 seasons, and Saturday will mark the Aggies’ first trip to Fresno since 2010. Quarterback Parker Awad finished with three total TD in NM State’s loss to Liberty and led the Aggies to scoring drives on each of their first three possessions. His backfield mate, running back Seth McGowan, has carried the ball 26 times for 153 yards (5.9 YPC) for a pair of touchdowns.

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Levi Gwaltney

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