The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

at
Central Michigan Chippewas (2-2, 0-0 MAC) at Carnegie Mellon Tartans (1-3, 1-0 MAC)
Saturday, October 1, 2011 | 12:30 PM (ET)
Pittsburgh, Pa. – Gesling Stadium | FSN Pittsburgh

Top Storyline: Can the CMU defense get back to its dominant self?

One of the biggest disappointments of the early season for Carnegie Mellon is its defense, which returned a bevy of talent but is coming off one of its worst performances of the season against Buffalo. Despite two early interceptions, the Tartans allowed 470 yards passing against a Bulls side that it dwarfs in talent. Central Michigan will provide a nice test for its CMU acronym counterpart, as the Chippewas are coming off a solid 21-14 home win over Louisville. Redshirt junior quarterback David Green (112.5 QB rtg., 66-117, 727 yards, 5 TD, 6 INT) has some talent, and third-year tailback Tanner Phillips (58 carries, 310 yards, 4 TD) is off to a great start in his first year as a starter, but the Tartans defense should be able to have its way if it plays up to its potential.

Top Matchup: Carnegie Mellon C Joey Muhammad vs. Central Michigan DT Corey Taylor

There’s a fun matchup in the trenches between Central Michigan defensive tackle Corey Taylor and Carnegie Mellon center Joey Muhammad. Taylor, a junior, is the key to the Chippewas defense, with nine career sacks and two forced fumbles. The Preseason All-MAC selection is off to a stellar start in 2011 with 23 tackles, three sacks, and a forced fumble. Muhammad, also a junior, has been a rock in the middle of the Tartan offensive line, but the three-year starter will have to help his inexperienced guards in freshman Collin Bell and redshirt sophomore Ricky Fields.

Top Mismatch: Carnegie Mellon Wide Receivers vs. Central Michigan FS Adam Jensen

One area where the Carnegie Mellon offense can expose the Central Michigan defense is over the top, and it starts with Chippewas free safety Adam Jensen. The second-year starter is the clear weak link in their defense, owning a 65.0 grade from Pro Football Focus. With the talent the Tartans have at wide receiver in redshirt sophomore Eddie Williams (36 catches, 513 yards, 2 TD), sophomore Travis Sledge (13 catches, 179 yards, 1 TD), and sophomore Kelvin Butler (6 catches, 93 yards), junior quarterback Kevin Wilson could have a field day throwing deep balls over Jensen’s head.

Prediction: Carnegie Mellon 31, Central Michigan 27

Central Michigan has one of the most well-rounded rosters in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), but I think Carnegie Mellon found something in its offense against Buffalo. With this tilt being at Gesling Stadium, the Tartans should be able to come away with another victory here, because they will have the best players on the field on offense (Eddie Williams) and defense (Mark Toth).

Central Michigan PFF Top Ten
Adam Buckles, Jr., FB (88)
Marvin McNair, Sr., OT (84)
Corey Taylor, Jr., DT (84)
Lawrence Christian, Jr., TE (84)
E.J. McLaughlin, R-Sr., SS (84)
Nathan Gore, Sr., OLB (82)
Will Mobley, R-Jr., WR (82)
Eugene Smith, R-Jr., OT (82)
Mike Smith, Sr., MLB (82)
Tony Brown, So., CB (82)

Schedule & Results
09/03 | at Virginia Tech | L, 10-28
09/10 | INDIANA | L, 7-27
09/17 | IDAHO STATE | W, 35-21
09/24 | LOUISVILLE | W, 21-14

Injury Report
Central Michigan: None
Carnegie Mellon: Gerald Culver, So., QB (PCL sprain – 1 week)

Suspensions
Central Michigan: Patrick Mack, Fr., HB (team rules – 3 games); Justin Houston, Fr. DT (academics – 1 game)
Carnegie Mellon: Jason Baker, Sr., OT (academics – 3 games)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

McIntire's Career Day Lifts Tartans to Second MAC Victory
Lawrence McIntire rushed for 189 yards and three touchdowns, as the Tartans defeated Central Michigan, 49-33



CMU runningback Lawrence McIntire evads a would-be Central Michigan tackler on this rushing attempt. (Andre Bowman / Getty Images)

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

PITTSBURGH, Pa. -- Behind a career-high 189 rushing yards and three touchdowns by sophomore runningback Lawrence McIntire, Carnegie Mellon moved to 2-0 in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) with a 49-33 victory over Central Michigan this afternoon at Gesling Stadium.

McIntire’s second career 100-yard rushing performance helped Carnegie Mellon (2-3, 2-0 MAC) overcome a slow start, as it flipped a 17-7 first-quarter deficit with 28 unanswered points in the second frame.

“I still don’t believe we have put together a complete game yet,” said CMU head coach Jules Nottingham. “But this was probably the closest thing to it. Thought we showed a lot of composure after a subpar first quarter, and really established ourselves there in the next period. Our rushing attack was excellent – the line blocked well and probably played their best game, and Lawrence (McIntire) was unstoppable.”

The Tartans gained 261 yards on the ground as a team, outpacing Central Michigan (2-3, 0-1 MAC) by over 200. McIntire’s effort came on 23 carries for an average of 8.2 yards per attempt, outdoing his previous best of 108 yards from Nov. 27, 2010 at Buffalo.

“I’ve felt really good, really fresh lately,” added McIntire. “(Former Tartans runningback) Jim Manning actually reached out to me this week and offered a few tips, mainly saying that I was running too high and not using my leverage like I should be. He’s a great mind – I mean he went to Carnegie Mellon for a reason – and whenever the best runningback in program history is offering advice, how can you not hear him out?”

Leaning on McIntire was a change of plans following a disastrous open by Carnegie Mellon. The Tartans defense forced a three-and-out on their first drive, only to see junior quarterback Kevin Wilson throw an interception on their first offensive play and set the Chippewas up inside the hosts’ 20-yard line. However, Carnegie Mellon held the visitors to a field goal, and used two Eddie Williams receptions of 40-plus yards on the ensuing drive to set up the sophomore runningback for a two-yard touchdown to make it 7-3.

Interceptions told the rest of the first quarter story, with the hosts being on the wrong end of the swing. Jabari London was gifted an easy pick on Central Michigan’s ensuing drive, but Wilson provided a bigger bow with a 13-yard pick six by Chippewas linebacker Mike Smith. Elvis Washington then intercepted David Green on fourth down, only to see the Tartans drive to the red zone and end it with another return touchdown – this one of 86 yards by Tony Brown to make it 17-7 in favor of the visitors.

On the next drive, Nottingham took the ball out of Wilson’s hands and put it in McIntire’s, and the sophomore rewarded his head coach with a 51-yard scoring burst to pull Carnegie Mellon within three. It was then Green’s turn for an assortment of interceptions, first finding Jon Crowell for one that led to a Williams four-yard touchdown, followed by a pick six of 33 yards by Chris Hill to make it 28-17. McIntire netted his third touchdown to cap a 10-play, 72-yard drive late in the first half, and the Tartans snagged their fifth interception before the buzzer with London snagging his second in the end zone.

The game’s result was never threatened from there. After a Central Michigan field goal, McIntire ripped off a 52-yard scamper that led to a Wilson-to-Williams 22-yard touchdown connection, and Mark Toth finished the day for the Carnegie Mellon starters with a 32-yard fumble return touchdown early in the fourth quarter.

The Tartans defense finished with six interceptions, three sacks, and two defensive touchdowns, with a pair of garbage time touchdown passes by Michael Bennett making the final score look more respectable. Wilson rebounded from his awful first quarter by throwing for 176 yards and two scores, while Williams had another dominant performance with 116 yards on seven receptions to pair with 41 rushing yards.

Carnegie Mellon begins a two-game road swing next Saturday, Oct. 8 at Bowling Green.

Central Michigan Chippewas at Carnegie Mellon Tartans
Oct 8, 2011	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Central Michigan Chippewas (2-3, 0-1 MAC)	17	0	3	13	33
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (2-3, 2-0 MAC)	7	28	7	7	49

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		CMU	CMU
13:37	(CMU) Adam Kelly 35-yard field goal	3	0
9:57	(CMU) Lawrence McIntire 2-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	3	7
5:40	(CMU) Mike Smith 13-yard interception return (Adam Kelly kick)	10	7
0:17	(CMU) Tony Brown 86-yard interception return (Adam Kelly kick)	17	7
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		CMU	CMU
11:18	(CMU) Lawrence McIntire 51-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	17	14
8:55	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 4-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	17	21
8:45	(CMU) Chris Hill 33-yard interception return (Jon Foster kick)	17	28
1:16	(CMU) Lawrence McIntire 4-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	17	35
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		CMU	CMU
5:17	(CMU) Adam Kelly 28-yard field goal	20	35
1:27	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 22-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	20	42
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		CMU	CMU
13:53	(CMU) Mark Toth 32-yard fumble return (Jon Foster kick)	20	49
3:17	(CMU) Michael Bennett 33-yard pass to Will Mobley (Adam Kelly kick)	27	49
1:44	(CMU) Michael Bennett 19-yard pass to Ryan Foreman (run failed)	33	49

Central Michigan Chippewas PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Michael Bennett 10/11 150 2 1 David Green 14/30 133 0 5 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Tanner Phillips 16 45 2.8 0 David Green 3 6 2.0 0 Adam Buckles 1 6 6.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Will Mobley 7 115 16.4 1 Ryan Foreman 5 72 14.3 1 Kito Poblah 4 43 10.7 0 Josh Wade 3 33 11.0 0 Ryan Taylor 2 15 7.5 0 Tanner Phillips 2 -4 -2.0 0 Lawrence Christian 1 9 9.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Tony Brown 8 0 1 1 E.J. McLaughlin 7 0 0 0 Nathan Gore 6 1 0 0 Tredale Kennedy 6 0 1 0 Mike Smith 6 0 1 1 Jimmy Leffew 6 1 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Adam Kelly 2/2 3/3 9 35 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Mark Cook 3 129 43.0 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Will Mobley 6 136 22.6 0 Kito Poblah 2 38 19.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Will Mobley 1 6 6.0 0

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kevin Wilson 12/26 176 2 3 Albert Williams 1/1 10 0 0 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Lawrence McIntire 23 189 8.2 3 Eddie Williams 3 41 13.6 0 Nate Satele 11 35 3.1 0 Dante Joseph 3 9 3.0 0 Kyle Holland 6 8 1.3 0 Brandon Brewer 1 1 1.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Eddie Williams 7 116 16.5 2 Stephen Carter 2 27 13.5 0 Travis Sledge 2 22 11.0 0 Lawrence McIntire 2 21 10.5 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Erik Sellers 7 0 0 0 Mark Toth 6 0 1 1 Elvis Washington 6 0 1 0 Chris Hill 4 0 1 1 Bobby Magnum 4 0 0 0 Jon Crowell 4 0 1 0 Zac Hood 4 2 0 0 Jabari London 2 0 2 0 Matt Burnsides 1 1 0 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jon Foster 0/0 7/7 7 -- PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Andy Fitzhugh 2 78 39.0 1 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kyle Holland 4 61 15.2 0 Kelvin Butler 2 42 21.0 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 3 19 6.3 0

[RolePlayer]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Glad to see that the offense seems to of found it's groove. Although Kevin Wilson not doing himself any favors with three interceptions. McIntire's third game in a row of rushing for over 5 yards a carry. Could he be the next star running back to don the Tartan's uniform?

[Tearz49ers]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Back-to-back wins where the offense has really taken over, it's good to see and I hope it continues. I echo RolePlayer's sentiment of McIntire being "that guy".

[studbucket]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

There can only be one CMU! Need a corny name for this game, and the winner gets to claim the CMU acronym for the year.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Glad to see that the offense seems to of found it's groove. Although Kevin Wilson not doing himself any favors with three interceptions. McIntire's third game in a row of rushing for over 5 yards a carry. Could he be the next star running back to don the Tartan's uniform?

McIntire has taken a major step forward as of late after a slow start, and I need to lean on him more with how turnover prone Wilson can be. He doesn't have the shiftiness or athleticism as Jim Manning did (Nate Satele actually has better ratings than him in the game), but he could be a top-three back in the conference if he keeps this up. Not too bad for a former two-star recruit!

Back-to-back wins where the offense has really taken over, it's good to see and I hope it continues. I echo RolePlayer's sentiment of McIntire being "that guy".

Turnovers are still a problem, but the offense has started to match the ceiling it had entering the season. Thankfully McIntire's recent emergence as a workhorse has offset Wilson's mistakes, but if I could get both of them clicking together with Williams and Sledge on the outside, look out!

There can only be one CMU! Need a corny name for this game, and the winner gets to claim the CMU acronym for the year.

Hahaha I definitely need to come up with some sort of name for this budding rivalry! Kind of a shame I only play them once every few years with the division split, though it's easier to write recaps when I can refer to Carnegie Mellon as CMU and not have to type the full name for both teams each time.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the NCAA – Week 5 Edition
A pair of Top 10 teams fell in overtime, as #8 Texas Tech lost to Oklahoma State and #21 Washington knocked off #9 UCLA

ESPN The Magazine Cover Story
Overtime Meltdown! – Fans in Lubbock are mourning Texas Tech’s overtime loss to Oklahoma State.

A late comeback was not enough for No. 8 Texas Tech, as Oklahoma State stunned the heavily-favored Red Raiders in overtime, 38-31. Cowboys redshirt sophomore Corey Page provided the heroics, as he found redshirt freshman Jeff Joseph for a 29-yard game-winning touchdown after Robert Griffin III tossed an interception in overtime. Griffin, who returned from a concussion, brought the visitors back with a nine-yard connection to Odell Beckham Jr. with 4:12 left in regulation. The Heisman candidate finished with 352 yards passing and four touchdowns, with Beckham catching a pair of those scores. Page also threw four touchdowns, adding 67 yards on the ground to pair with 217 passing yards. As if it couldn’t get any worse for Texas Tech, it also lost reigning Biletnikoff winner DeAndre Hopkins to a broken collarbone, which will sideline him for the season.

Top Storylines
#21 Washington tops #9 UCLA in overtime in Game of the Week, 42-35

ESPN’s Game of the Week featured 77 combined points and 12 combined turnovers, but No. 21 Washington ultimately outlasted No. 9 UCLA in overtime, 42-35. The Bruins seemed on the cusp of victory before redshirt senior Chris Forcier threw a game-tying pick six to Anthony Franklin with 2:16 remaining in regulation. Huskies senior quarterback Brandon Rodgers put his team ahead in overtime with a nine-yard touchdown pass, and Forcier ended it with his sixth interception of the evening. The UCLA signal-caller finished with 389 passing yards and four scores – those connections going to Craig Smith (2), LaMichael James, and Brandin Cooks. Rodgers had 272 passing yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions in the win.

Bowling Green junior has game to remember

Junior wide receiver Andre Debose scored five of Bowling Green’s eight touchdowns, as the Falcons blew out Eastern Michigan on the road, 62-31. Debose finished with 11 catches for 367 yards in the outing, and now leads the nation with eight receiving touchdowns. The former four-star prospect has 30 receptions and 593 yards this season, and is coming off a 69-catch, 943-yard sophomore campaign in 2010. On the passing end of those scores was redshirt senior Nathan Brown, who threw for 449 yards and seven touchdowns on just 13-of-19 attempts. Brown came in for Associated Press Freshman All-America quarterback Adam Gilmore in the first quarter.

Ball State star linebacker handed six-game academic suspension

One of the nation’s top mid-major linebackers will miss most of the 2011 season, as Ball State announced senior Brad Haumiller will serve a six-game academic ban starting this week. Haumiller, a Preseason All-MAC selection, had 15 tackles, one interception, one forced fumble, and one touchdown in the early going for the Cardinals this year. As a junior, he recorded 70 tackles, five sacks, three interceptions, three forced fumbles, and two defensive scores while earning an 88.0 grade from Pro Football Focus.

Heisman Watch
John Brantley, R-Sr., QB, Florida | 208.8 QB rtg., 71-115, 1,196 yards, 22 TD, 2 INT
Russell Shepard, Jr., QB, Texas A&M | 185.4 QB rtg., 81-122, 1,282 yards, 15 TD, 6 INT; 47 carries, 224 yards, 3 TD
Logan Gray, R-Sr., QB, Georgia | 190.2 QB rtg., 100-148, 1,494 yards, 20 TD, 5 INT
Blaine Gabbert, R-Jr., QB, Clemson | 160.8 QB rtg., 127-192, 1,536 yards, 20 TD (1 rush), 5 INT
Doug Hogue, R-Sr., HB, Syracuse | 97 carries, 719 yards, 10 TD; 13 catches, 261 yards, 3 TD; 9.2 punt return avg., 1 TD

NCAA Players of the Week
Offensive: Andre Debose, Jr., WR, Bowling Green | 11 catches, 367 yards, 5 TD in 62-31 win at Eastern Michigan
Defensive: Kevin Leach, R-Sr., OLB, Michigan | 12 tackles (3 TFL), 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 TD in 49-27 win against Indiana

Injury Report
Henry Hynoski, R-Sr., HB, Pittsburgh | Torn bicep (8 weeks)
DeAndre Hopkins, So., WR, Texas Tech | Broken collarbone (season)
Marvin Jones, R-Jr., WR, Penn State | Torn shoulder muscle (6 weeks)
Carlos Robinson, R-Jr., WR, Georgia Tech | Dislocated ankle (3 weeks)
Justin Cook, Fr., DE, Tulane | Torn pectoral (4 weeks)
Anthony Rolle, Jr., CB, Columbia | Broken ankle (10 weeks – medical redshirt)

Week 5 Notable Top 25 Scores
#24 West Virginia 37, Rutgers 10
Oklahoma State 38, #16 Texas Tech 31 (OT)
#9 Clemson 49, Wake Forest 14
#7 Virginia 24, Maryland 20
#11 Notre Dame 42, Purdue 10
#5 USC 52, Washington State 3
#21 Ohio State 38, Northwestern 14
#17 Wisconsin 42, Illinois 10
#15 Virginia Tech 54, North Carolina 14
#19 Washington 42, #14 UCLA 35 (OT)
#1 Texas 62, Kansas State 20
#2 Florida 31, Alabama 7
#8 Hawaii 34, Oregon 6
#4 Texas A&M 56, Baylor 0

Week 6 National Broadcasts
Arizona State (2-1) at #8 Hawaii (3-0) | 10/8, 12:30 PM
#10 Nebraska (5-0) at Missouri (2-1) | 10/8, 3:30 PM (Battle for the Missouri-Nebraska Bell)
#5 USC (3-0) at #19 Washington (4-0) | 10/8, 6:00 PM
Oklahoma (4-0) at #1 Texas (4-0) | 10/8, 6:00 PM (Red River Rivalry)
#17 Wisconsin (4-1) at #3 Penn State (4-0) | 10/8, 6:00 PM (Game of the Week)
#2 Florida (5-0) at #12 LSU (4-0) | 10/8, 8:00 PM
Oklahoma State (4-1) at #4 Texas A&M (5-0) | 10/8, 8:00 PM
#13 Michigan (4-0) at #22 Iowa (5-0) | 10/8, 8:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Around the MAC – Week 5 Edition
The East Division continued its dominance over the West, going 4-1 this weekend

MAC East Standings
Kent State | 5-0, 2-0 MAC
Akron | 3-2, 2-0 MAC
Bowling Green | 3-1, 2-0 MAC
Carnegie Mellon | 2-3, 2-0 MAC
Miami (Ohio) | 2-2, 1-0 MAC
Ohio | 1-4, 0-1 MAC
Buffalo | 2-3, 0-2 MAC

MAC West Standings
Northern Illinois | 2-3, 1-1 MAC
Western Michigan | 1-4, 1-1 MAC
Central Michigan | 2-3, 0-1 MAC
Ball State | 1-3, 0-1 MAC
Eastern Michigan | 1-4, 0-2 MAC
Toledo | 1-4, 0-2 MAC

MAC Players of the Week
Offensive: Andre Debose, Jr., WR, Bowling Green | 11 catches, 367 yards, 5 TD in 62-31 win at Eastern Michigan
Defensive: Mark Toth, Sr., MLB, Carnegie Mellon | 6 tackles (1 TFL), 1 INT, 1 FR, 1 TD in 49-33 win against Central Michigan

Week 5 Scores
Carnegie Mellon 49, Central Michigan 33
Ohio 24, San Diego 6
Northern Illinois 27, Buffalo 21
Akron 38, Western Michigan 20
Bowling Green 62, Eastern Michigan 31
Kent State 29, Toledo 7

Week 6 Matchups
Akron (3-2, 2-0) at Buffalo (2-3, 0-2) | 10/6, 6:00 PM
Carnegie Mellon (2-3, 2-0) at Bowling Green (3-1, 2-0) | 10/8, 12:30 PM
Northern Illinois (2-3) at Alabama (2-3) | 10/8, 1:00 PM
Ball State (1-3, 0-1) at Western Michigan (1-4, 1-1) | 10/8, 3:30 PM
Boise State (3-1) at Miami (Ohio) (2-2) | 10/8, 6:00 PM
Kent State (5-0, 2-0) at Central Michigan (2-3, 0-1) | 10/8, 6:00 PM
Eastern Michigan (1-4, 0-2) at Toledo (1-4, 0-2) | 10/8, 8:00 PM

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

by Jeff Greenberg, Carnegie Mellon insider for Rivals.com

Toth named MAC Defensive Player of the Week

For the third time in his career, senior middle linebacker Mark Toth was named MAC Defensive Player of the Week on Tuesday. Toth led the Tartans defense with six tackles, an interception, and a 32-yard fumble return touchdown in the fourth quarter to collect the honor, previously doing so twice in the 2010 season.

Toth, who is the all-time leading tackler at CMU, has 34 tackles, four interceptions, and a sack this year. For his career, the 2008 MAC Freshman of the Year has accumulated 259 tackles, 20 sacks, 12 interceptions, 13 forced fumbles, three fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns.

Culver returns, will play against Bowling Green

Sophomore quarterback Gerald Culver returned to practice this week and will play in Carnegie Mellon’s matchup against Bowling Green this Saturday.

Culver missed the previous three contests due to a PCL sprain, but comes back to play his change-of-pace role against the Falcons. Junior Kevin Wilson (102.0 QB rtg., 75-175, 977 yards, 7 TD, 10 INT) will remain the starter despite his hot and cold tendencies, and Culver – who has 239 passing yards, 43 rushing yards, and a rushing touchdown this season – will give CMU’s offense a different look with his mobility when he enters the game.

Trio set official visit of Nov. 5 against Ohio

Carnegie Mellon will have three recruiting targets at Gesling Stadium for its matchup against Ohio on Nov. 5, with quarterback Eric Frederick, defensive tackle Brian Adams, and runningback Eric Pettit set to make official visits.

Frederick, a four-star signal-caller from Brownsville, La., is the Tartans’ top target and lists CMU neck-and-neck with LSU as his top school. Texas is the other finalist for his services, and the Tartans believe he can come in right away and play, if not start considering the team’s current quarterback situation.

Adams, a three-star defensive tackle from Naperville, Ill., has CMU second behind clear favorite Wisconsin. He is a model student with a 4.5 GPA but scouts say he has average potential. Adams would factor in the defensive tackle rotation right away as a backup if he signed with the Tartans.

Pettit, a three-star runningback from Fort McKinley, Ohio, has CMU as the clear favorite for his signature. He has been clocked in at 4.45 seconds for the 40-yard dash, and scouts are intrigued by his potential to grow. He’s also considering Penn State and Notre Dame.

Williams lists Tartans as favorite as he trims to five

There was more good news on the recruiting front this week for Carnegie Mellon, as it made the top five for four-star defensive tackle Mario Williams.

Williams, a five-foot-eleven, 280-pound interior product from Glenbard East, has the Tartans in the top spot ahead of Notre Dame, Clemson, Wisconsin, and Tennessee. He could be an immediate starter for CMU, regardless if current junior Matt Burnsides departs early for the NFL Draft, and would continue an impressive lineage at the position with the aforementioned Burnsides and Devon Elliott starring before him.

Carnegie Mellon In-Season Recruiting Targets
Eric Frederick, QB, **** (6’2”, 190 lbs.; Brownsville, La. / West Monroe) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, LSU, Texas
Brian Adams, DT, *** (6’2”, 275 lbs.; Naperville, Ill. / Naperville Central) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Wisconsin, Carnegie Mellon, Georgia
Eric Pettit, HB, *** (6’2”, 175 lbs.; Fort McKinley, Ohio / McKinley) – Top 3, Official Visit 11/5
- Carnegie Mellon, Penn State, Notre Dame
Andrew Graham, OT, **** (6’6”, 337 lbs.; Forestville, Ohio / Winton Woods) – Top 5
- Ohio State, Carnegie Mellon, Notre Dame, Penn State, West Virginia
Mario Williams, DT, **** (5’11”, 280 lbs.; Lombard, Ill. – Top 5
- Carnegie Mellon, Notre Dame, Clemson, Wisconsin, Tennessee
Jason Sharp, CB, *** (6’1”, 182 lbs.; Bartow, Fla. / Bartow) – Top 5
- Carnegie Mellon, Miami (Fla.), Florida, Oklahoma, Texas Tech
Ron Williams, CB, **** (5’11”, 170 lbs., Wooster, Ohio / Wooster) – Removed
Chris Gaston, OLB, *** (6’0”, 248 lbs.; Hampton, Va. / Phoebus) – Removed
Jason Mack, HB, **** (6’0”, 205 lbs.; Nether Providence, Pa. / Strath Haven) – Removed
Mike Petty, WR, *** (6’0”, 208 lbs.; Warren, Ohio / Harding) – Removed
Steve Johnson, OLB, *** (6’2”, 232 lbs.; North Canton, Ohio / Hoover) – Removed
Matt Hughes, OT, **** (6’5”, 331 lbs.; Salem, Ohio / Salem) – Removed
Andy Dockery, HB, *** (5’10”, 195 lbs.; Middletown, Ohio / Madison) – Removed
Bryant Elimimian, QB, *** (6’4”, 232 lbs.; Garfield Heights, Ohio / Garfield Heights) – Removed
Zach Carter, OLB, *** (6’3”, 213 lbs.; East Grand Rapids, Mich. / East Grand Rapids) – Removed

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

at
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (2-3, 2-0 MAC) at Bowling Green Falcons (3-1, 2-0 MAC)
Saturday, October 8, 2011 | 12:30 PM (ET)
Bowling Green, Ohio – Doyt L. Perry Stadium | FSN Pittsburgh

Top Storyline: What do both teams do at quarterback?

It’s unique to preview a matchup and expect four different quarterbacks to play, but that’s exactly what we have this week with Carnegie Mellon and Bowling Green. For the host Falcons, the two-quarterback system is not necessarily a bad thing as redshirt senior backup Nathan Brown is coming off a video-game-esque 449-yard, seven-touchdown afternoon at Eastern Michigan last weekend. Their usual starter, redshirt sophomore Adam Gilmore (137.8 QB rtg., 59-105, 801 yards, 8 TD, 4 INT), will likely return however, recovering from a concussion suffered against the Eagles. On the other side, Tartans junior Kevin Wilson (102.0 QB rtg., 75-157, 977 yards, 7 TD, 10 INT) has been inconsistent since taking over the starting role, and this week he will see his snaps decreased with the return of sophomore Gerald Culver (161.5 QB rtg., 11-18, 239 yards, 1 INT; 21 carries, 43 yards, 1 TD), who brings a change-of-pace look to CMU head coach Jules Nottingham’s spread offense.

Top Matchup: Carnegie Mellon Cornerbacks vs. Bowling Green Wide Receivers

Bowling Green boasts the best wide receiver group in the Mid-American Conference (MAC), but it could meet its match against a talented – albeit inconsistent – Carnegie Mellon secondary. The Falcons are led by junior Andre Debose (30 catches, 593 yards, 8 TD), a burner that leads the nation in receiving touchdowns. Classmate Andrew Joseph (14 catches, 208 yards, 1 TD) is a huge target at six-foot-five, and caught six scores last season, while redshirt sophomore Jon Brown (15 catches, 321 yards, 4 TD) had five touchdowns as the fourth receiver in 2010. Lining up opposite of them will be redshirt junior Jon Crowell (17 tackles, 3 INT, 1 TD), senior Erik Sellers (26 tackles, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 TD), and sophomore Rob Jones (19 tackles, 1 sack, 2 INT, 1 FR). Crowell will likely shadow Debose as they match up similarity speed-wise, while Sellers should see plenty of Joseph on the outside.

Top Mismatch: Carnegie Mellon WR Eddie Williams vs. Bowling Green Cornerbacks

The best player on either side in almost every Carnegie Mellon contest is redshirt sophomore wide receiver Eddie Williams, and he has one of his best matchups of the season against Bowling Green. The Falcons will probably shuffle different cornerbacks against Williams, but neither redshirt senior Anthony Mosley (12 tackles) nor sophomore Reggie Powers (4 tackles, 1 INT, 1 TD) can match him up one-on-one, with both possessing Pro Football Focus (PFF) grades of 76.0 or below. The Tartans star has accumulated 752 total yards (629 receiving, 123 rushing), 43 receptions, and five touchdowns (4 receiving, 1 rushing) so far this season, and looks in like for another 10-catch, multi-score day.

Prediction: Carnegie Mellon 42, Bowling Green 35

This has all the makings to be one of the Tartans’ top scoring games of 2011, but they should prevail in a close one. I think CMU will make enough plays and get a game-changing interception somewhere to swing the momentum, and the return of Gerald Culver should add another dimension to the offense to help move the Tartans to 3-0 in the MAC.

Bowling Green PFF Top Ten
Andre Debose, Jr., WR (89)
Andrew Joseph, Jr., WR (84)
Willie Geter, R-Sr., HB (84)
Jon Brown, R-So., WR (82)
Justin Thompson, R-Jr., TE (82)
Justin McPhearson, R-Jr., OT (82)
Lionel Walker, Sr., FB (82)
Nathan Brown, R-Sr., QB (82)
Gerry Harris, Jr., OT (80)
George Watts, R-Jr., G (80)

Schedule & Results
09/03 | EASTERN KENTUCKY | W, 42-16
09/17 | at Ohio State | L, 21-40
09/24 | NORTHERN ILLINOIS * | W, 28-25
10/01 | at Eastern Michigan * | W, 62-31

Injury Report
Carnegie Mellon: None
Bowling Green: Andrew Johnson, R-Sr., DE (broken ankle – 6 weeks); Keith Miller, So., MLB (broken jaw – 5 weeks, medical redshirt)

Suspensions
Carnegie Mellon: Jason Baker, Sr., OT (academics – 2 games)
Bowling Green: E.J Lowe, Fr., CB (academics – 3 games)

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Déjà Vu: Tartans Take Another Wild One in Bowling Green
Kevin Wilson threw for a school-record 378 yards and four touchdowns, as well as two pick sixes to Bowling Green



CMU wide receiver Eddie Williams outleaps two Bowling Green defenders for one of his three touchdown catches. (Andre Bowman / Getty Images)

by Jayson Thomas, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reporter

BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- “The campus of Bowling Green State University is approximately 56 miles west of Cedar Point Amusement Park, which dubs itself as the roller coaster capital of the world. On Saturday afternoon, it felt like the Mid-American Conference (MAC) contest between the Falcons and Carnegie Mellon was played on one of Cedar Point’s 18 thrill rides.”

The quote above is pulled directly from my recap from last year’s thriller, a 42-41 win by the visiting Tartans thanks to a blocked extra point. This year’s rematch didn’t provide quite the same drama, but the action provided the same peaks and valleys as a roller coaster nonetheless, with CMU pulling out a 64-50 victory over host Bowling Green.

Carnegie Mellon (3-3, 3-0 MAC) saw a 14-3 first-quarter lead quickly disappear with a 21-0 run by Bowling Green (3-2, 2-1 MAC), but managed to turn a nine-point deficit into a five-point halftime lead with two touchdowns in 44 seconds. There were six touchdowns of 40-plus yards, and Tartans quarterback Kevin Wilson threw for a school-record 378 yards and six touchdowns – though two of those were interceptions returned to paydirt by the Falcons.

“Thankful to be on the right side of a game like this,” said CMU head coach Jules Nottingham. “There must be something about this place that brings out the craziness of this sport. That’s a great team on the other side, and I would put their offense amongst some of the best in the country. I thought our guys handled the pressure and adversity well, and never let the game get away from them.”

Kelvin Butler provided the game’s first momentum-shifting play, answering a Bowling Green field goal with a 94-yard kick return touchdown – the reigning Randy Moss Award winner’s second of the season and eighth return score of his young career. That 14-3 advantage would carry into the second quarter before the Falcons responded with a 21-point blitz over a span of 54 seconds. Adam Gilmore started the run with a four-yard pass to Justin Thomas, then capitalized immediately on fumbles by Travis Sledge and Kyle Holland with two more scores to Lamar Butler and Andrew Joseph.

CMU would answer with a quick counterpunch of its own in the final seconds of the first half. After Wilson’s first pick six to Anthony Mosley made it 30-21 in favor of the hosts – with Mark Toth blocking the extra point, again – the junior quarterback came back with two big passes to pull the Tartans within two points, finding Butler for 46 yards then Sledge on a 10-yard touchdown connection. CMU forced a three-and-out on the ensuing drive and burned through its timeouts, then Butler snagged a 28-yard catch before Williams scored his second of three touchdowns on a 15-yard pass with nine seconds on the clock.

Bowling Green regained the lead early in the third quarter with some trickery on a punt return, as Andre Debose handed the ball off to Jon Brown on a designed reverse and he scampered 83 yards to paydirt. The two-point pass failed and kept it at 36-35, which would be the hosts’ final lead of the afternoon. On CMU’s next drive, Gerald Culver ran back-to-back options to perfection – first pitching it to Lawrence McIntire for a four-yard score, then keeping it himself for the two-pointer to make it 43-36.

Culver’s performance was anything but consistent returning from a knee injury, as he tossed an awful interception to Anthony Mosley in triple coverage on the next drive, but rebounded with a perfectly-timed backward toss to Kelvin Butler for a 25-yard score at the end of the frame. Wilson checked back in midway through the fourth quarter and immediately threw his second pick six, this to Reggie Powers to pull the Falcons within seven at 50-43. However, the junior made up for it right away as he connected with Williams on a 66-yard touchdown just 37 seconds later to essentially put the game away.

Williams continued his dominant redshirt sophomore season, finishing with 12 receptions for 222 yards and three touchdowns. His counterpart, Andre Debose, tallied four catches for 105 yards and one score – though outside of a 78-yard touchdown with 2:01 left in regulation, was primarily held in check.

The Tartans defense forced four interceptions from Gilmore, with Erik Sellers snagging two, and David Brown and Bobby Magnum both catching one. Brown added three of the team’s six sacks, giving him two three-sack performances over the last three games.

Carnegie Mellon finishes up its two-game road swing on Saturday, October 15 against Miami of Ohio.

Carnegie Mellon Tartans at Bowling Green Falcons
Oct 8, 2011	1ST	2ND	3RD	4TH	SCORE
Carnegie Mellon Tartans (3-3, 3-0 MAC)	14	21	15	14	64
Bowling Green Falcons (3-2, 2-1 MAC)	3	27	6	14	50

Scoring Summary
FIRST QUARTER SCORING		CMU	BGSU
4:45	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 7-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	7	0
1:11	(BGSU) Fred Mathis 43-yard field goal	7	3
1:02	(CMU) Kelvin Butler 94-yard kick return (Jon Foster kick)	14	3
SECOND QUARTER SCORING		CMU	BGSU
12:26	(BGSU) Adam Gilmore 4-yard pass to Justin Thomas (Fred Mathis kick)	14	10
11:39	(BGSU) Adam Gilmore 11-yard pass to Lamar Butler (Fred Mathis kick)	14	17
11:30	(BGSU) Adam Gilmore 24-yard pass to Andrew Joseph (Fred Mathis kick)	14	24
7:27	(CMU) Lawrence McIntire 2-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	21	24
2:49	(BGSU) Anthony Mosley 47-yard interception return (XP blocked)	21	30
0:53	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 10-yard pass to Travis Sledge (Jon Foster kick)	28	30
0:09	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 15-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	35	30
THIRD QUARTER SCORING		CMU	BGSU
12:05	(BGSU) Jon Brown 83-yard punt return (pass failed)	35	36
7:26	(CMU) Lawrence McIntire 4-yard run (Gerald Culver run)	43	36
0:00	(CMU) Kelvin Butler 25-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	50	36
FOURTH QUARTER SCORING		CMU	BGSU
8:46	(BGSU) Reggie Powers 42-yard interception return (Fred Mathis kick)	50	43
8:09	(CMU) Kevin Wilson 66-yard pass to Eddie Williams (Jon Foster kick)	57	43
2:13	(CMU) Nate Satele 4-yard run (Jon Foster kick)	64	43
2:01	(BGSU) Adam Gilmore 78-yard pass to Andre Debose (Fred Mathis kick)	64	50

Carnegie Mellon Tartans PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Kevin Wilson 22/33 378 4 2 Gerald Culver 1/4 -1 0 1 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Lawrence McIntire 20 57 2.8 2 Nate Satele 5 39 7.8 1 Kelvin Butler 1 25 25.0 1 Eddie Williams 1 23 23.0 0 Gerald Culver 10 2 0.2 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Eddie Williams 12 222 18.5 3 Travis Sledge 5 58 11.6 1 Kelvin Butler 3 74 24.6 0 Stephen Carter 2 17 8.5 0 David Young 1 6 6.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD David Brown 7 3 1 0 Elvis Washington 7 0 0 0 Bobby Magnum 6 1 1 0 Jon Crowell 5 0 0 0 Chris Hill 5 0 0 0 P.J. Ryan 3 1 0 0 Matt Burnsides 3 1 0 0 Erik Sellers 1 0 2 0 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Jon Foster 0/0 8/8 8 -- PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Andy Fitzhugh 3 134 44.6 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 5 191 38.2 1 Kyle Holland 3 71 23.6 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Kelvin Butler 5 26 5.1 0

Bowling Green Falcons PASSING C/A YDS TD INT Adam Gilmore 13/27 208 4 4 RUSHING ATT YDS AVG TD Willie Geter 15 66 4.4 0 Adam Gilmore 14 11 0.7 0 Andre Debose 1 5 5.0 0 Andrew Joseph 1 4 4.0 0 Jon Brown 1 3 3.0 0 RECEIVING REC YDS AVG TD Andre Debose 4 105 26.2 1 Andrew Joseph 3 34 11.3 1 Justin Thomas 3 26 8.6 1 Lamar Butler 2 18 9.0 1 Jon Brown 1 25 25.0 0 DEFENSE TACK SACK INT TD Derrick Williams 12 0 0 0 Anthony Mosley 10 0 2 1 Marshall Ham 8 1 0 0 David Reed 7 0 0 0 Reggie Powers 5 0 1 1 KICKING FG XP PTS LONG Fred Mathis 1/1 5/6 8 43 PUNTING NO YDS AVG IN20 Ben Williams 6 225 37.5 0 KICK RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Andrew Joseph 5 126 25.2 0 Andre Debose 5 103 20.6 0 PUNT RETURN RET YDS AVG TD Jon Brown 1 83 83.0 1 Andre Debose 1 5 5.0 0

[studbucket]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

This feels like the kind of program that I'd love to be in the student section for. These games are wild.

[Tearz49ers]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Another high-scoring game that goes down to the wire. I bet those palms were sweaty on the old sticks during that one.

[Hellisan]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

Glad you were able to come back from a busy life period. This is one of the dynasties I enjoy most as a reader, I like to get immersed (although the comedic BREAKING of immersion in Bdawg's dynasty is loved for the entirely opposite reason) and there is plenty of immersion to be had.

So many tough moments in the opening season loss, from Culver fumbling an option pitch to Penn tying the game as time expired in the first half, Wilson suffering the insult to injury injury, to Culver's pass not quite getting to the end zone for Mr. Williams to make the game winning play.

A second early, big-momentum play on defense squandered against Neb, however, losing Eddie was going to limit the chances to win no matter what.

I'm definitely looking forward to the day when CMeU beat Pitt. It hasn't been easy, but the talent is improving enough to expect that with a little luck it could happen in the next two to three years. Halterman was just too much, gashing the Tartans on the ground and escaping the sack for the huge completion!

Eddie coming up big at all the right moments to get the team their first win against Buffalo. One of the reasons I think I have enjoyed this dynasty is that two of the main characters have great names that remind me of some of the greats in football, first Jim Manning now Eddie Williams. Hate to ask for a peek behind the curtain but are these randomly generated names?

It seems like you were on McIntire pretty early against CMU was that the plan going in, to move a bit more run heavy to protect from the downside offered by Wilson? Or was that just a typical game plan working better on one side of the ball? Great bounce-back performance by the D, was it just EA/NCAA swings or something the team did better?

Kevin Wilson is a giver, at least against Bowling Green he gave more to his own side. Team has really done well to get back to .500 and set them up for a potential MAC championship. Whatever happens it will definitely be interesting.

[Careless Whisper]

Re: The Rise of the Carnegie Mellon Tartans (NCAA Football 07)

This feels like the kind of program that I'd love to be in the student section for. These games are wild.

Agreed! Imagine if they took a drink for every scoring play...

Another high-scoring game that goes down to the wire. I bet those palms were sweaty on the old sticks during that one.

Definitely were, thought I was done for after the second pick six and Bowling Green would ride that momentum to a comeback win. Thankfully, having Eddie Williams on your team is better than not having Eddie Williams on your team - what a special talent.

Glad you were able to come back from a busy life period. This is one of the dynasties I enjoy most as a reader, I like to get immersed (although the comedic BREAKING of immersion in Bdawg's dynasty is loved for the entirely opposite reason) and there is plenty of immersion to be had.

So many tough moments in the opening season loss, from Culver fumbling an option pitch to Penn tying the game as time expired in the first half, Wilson suffering the insult to injury injury, to Culver's pass not quite getting to the end zone for Mr. Williams to make the game winning play.

A second early, big-momentum play on defense squandered against Neb, however, losing Eddie was going to limit the chances to win no matter what.

I'm definitely looking forward to the day when CMeU beat Pitt. It hasn't been easy, but the talent is improving enough to expect that with a little luck it could happen in the next two to three years. Halterman was just too much, gashing the Tartans on the ground and escaping the sack for the huge completion!

Eddie coming up big at all the right moments to get the team their first win against Buffalo. One of the reasons I think I have enjoyed this dynasty is that two of the main characters have great names that remind me of some of the greats in football, first Jim Manning now Eddie Williams. Hate to ask for a peek behind the curtain but are these randomly generated names?

It seems like you were on McIntire pretty early against CMU was that the plan going in, to move a bit more run heavy to protect from the downside offered by Wilson? Or was that just a typical game plan working better on one side of the ball? Great bounce-back performance by the D, was it just EA/NCAA swings or something the team did better?

Kevin Wilson is a giver, at least against Bowling Green he gave more to his own side. Team has really done well to get back to .500 and set them up for a potential MAC championship. Whatever happens it will definitely be interesting.

Helli! Glad to have you back and your report back in full swing. I had a long post typed up responding to each one of your thoughts, but it never went through apparently. Appreciate the kind words, it's been a blast putting together this report and I have no plans of stopping as we approach 1K posts. (Which is crazy to believe, thankful for all the readers of this from any point of its duration!)

This team has definitely had its ups and downs thus far, but pound-for-pound is the most talented in the MAC and I'm glad we're showing that as of late. Definitely some missed opportunities early on - Penn was probably because of the lay-off, and I think the Satele first-quarter fumble potentially spoiled my first win over Pitt - but I knew conference play would cure this team of its ailments.

Jim Manning and Eddie Williams are both computer-generated names, and we're getting to the point where next year will be fully computer-generated names across the nation or my real-life recruit names and created players. I have a few names in the docket for potential use depending on the quality of recruit, though!

Another peek behind the curtain here, but I also plan on user-controlling Pitt as soon as next year to help them in recruiting. Their talent level has dropped a lot - which makes the loss to them this year even more frustrating - and I rather have them be a formidable rival and player in the Big East than a two-star program I have little trouble with each year.

On the Central Michigan game, McIntire became the focus of my offensive attack after Wilson's three first-quarter interceptions. I preferably would like a 60/40 pass/rush split since McIntire doesn't have the talent of Manning, but it became obvious that I needed to roll with my tailback since he was in a groove. Defensively, there wasn't much I did different - just caught a good matchup with the lack of playmakers in the Chippewas offense. Never felt threatened in that game despite the early deficit, my secondary had its way with their starting quarterback and their only offensive scores came with my second unit in.