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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Sunday, October 26, 2008

Navy runs down SMU with no passes in 34-7 rout

Associated Press

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Down to his third-string quarterback, with a hard rain falling and winds whipping, Navy coach Ken Niumatalolo modified the game plan.

In came Ricky Dobbs, subbing for the injured Jarod Bryant, and Dobbs ran, ran and ran some more.

He ran for 224 yards and four touchdowns on 42 carries as Navy became the first major college team in 11 years to not attempt a pass in its 34-7 victory over SMU yesterday.

Navy, fourth in the nation in rushing coming in at 296 per game, ran 77 times for 404 yards. The last team to play a game without throwing a pass was Ohio University in a 21-17 victory against Akron on Oct. 25, 1997.

"The elements helped us. It was windy and rainy," said Niumatalolo, a Radford High and University of Hawai'i alum. "The weather that we had today definitely was an advantage for us."

Dobbs replaced Bryant, who injured his right shoulder on a 20-yard run in the first quarter, and quickly directed the Midshipmen (5-3) to two touchdowns on runs of 2 and 5 yards. He carried the ball on his first eight plays.

Niumatalolo reinserted Bryant early in the second quarter, but he was hurt again six plays later.

Dobbs returned and two plays later ran for 38 yards, and scored from a yard out on the next play. He added a 7-yard run early in the fourth quarter.

SMU (1-8) was 11th in the nation in passing, averaging 302 yards per game, but was held to 144 yards — 27 in the second half — and trailed 27-0 at halftime.

"It's just frustrating," said June Jones, who left Hawai'i after last season to take over at SMU. "You have to be able to overcome the conditions. We weren't able to today."

BIG TEN

MICHIGAN STATE 35, MICHIGAN 21: Javon Ringer's second touchdown run broke a 21-all tie midway through the fourth quarter and Brian Hoyer's third touchdown pass padded the lead, lifting the visiting Spartans over the Wolverines for the first time since 2001 and their first victory at the Big House since 1990.

Indiana 21, Northwestern 19: Ben Chappell threw for one touchdown and rushed for another score, and receiver Mitchell Evans hit Tandon Doss with a 28-yard TD pass as the host Hoosiers (3-5, 1-4 Big Ten) beat the Wildcats (6-2, 2-2) to snap a five-game losing streak.

Wisconsin 27, Illinois 17: Dustin Sherer threw two touchdowns passes to David Gilreath, including an 8-yarder for a 27-17 lead with 3:28 to play, helping the host Badgers (4-4, 1-4 Big Ten) rally past the Illini (4-4, 2-3) to snap a four-game losing streak, their longest in 12 years.

ACC

Maryland 27, North Carolina State 24: Obi Egekeze capped an 89-yard drive with a 20-yard field goal with 6 seconds left, lifting the host Terrapins (6-2, 3-1 Atlantic Coast Conference) to a rain-soaked victory over the Wolfpack (2-6, 0-4).

Miami 16, Wake Forest 10: Matt Bosher kicked three field goals and quarterback Robert Marve scored the go-ahead touchdown on a 1-yard sneak run in the third quarter to rally the host Hurricanes (5-3, 2-2 ACC) past the Demon Deacons (4-3, 2-2).

BIG 12

Nebraska 32, Baylor 20: Nate Swift caught 11 passes for 121 yards and two touchdowns, passing Johnny Rodgers to become the school's career leader in receptions with 147 — three more than Rodgers — as the host Cornhuskers (5-3, 2-2 Big 12) beat the Bears (3-5, 1-3).

Texas A&M 49, Iowa State 35: Jerrod Johnson threw for 381 yards and a career-high four touchdown passes, and also ran for a score, helping the visiting Aggies (3-5, 1-3) beat the Cyclones (2-6, 0-4) to snap a three-game losing streak.

CONFERENCE USA

Rice 42, Tulane 17: Chase Clement was 20 of 25 for 168 yards, including touchdowns of 7 and 17 yards to James Casey, and also had eight carries for 57 yards and touchdown runs of 9 and 6 yards to power the visiting Owls (5-3, 4-1 Conference USA) over the Green Wave (2-5, 1-3).

Memphis 36, Southern Mississippi 30: Curtis Steele ran for 178 yards and two touchdowns and the host Tigers (4-5, 2-3 Conference USA) racked up 285 yards rushing and 516 yards on offense in beating the Golden Eagles (2-6, 0-4).

MID-AMERICAN

Kent State 54, Miami (Ohio) 21: Eugene Jarvis and Julian Edelman combined for five touchdowns and 263 yards rushing to lead the visiting Flashes (2-6, 1-3) over the Redhawks (2-6, 1-3).

Northern illinois 16, Bowling Green 13: Mike Salerno kicked a school record 52-yard field goal in the first quarter, a 25-yarder to tie the game with 8:05 to play, then a 30-yarder with 12 seconds left, lifting the host Huskies (5-3, 4-1) over the Falcons (3-5, 1-3).

Central Michigan 24, Toledo 23: Ontario Sneed capped a 68-yard drive with a one-yard touchdown run and Andrew Aguila kicked the extra point as the visiting Chippewas (6-2, 5-0 MAC) rallied past the Rockets (2-6, 1-3).

MOUNTAIN WEST

Colorado State 38, San Diego State 34: Billy Farris threw three touchdown passes and Eric Morton rushed for a pair of scores to help the visiting Rams (4-4, 2-2 Mountain West) hold off the Aztecs (1-7, 0-4).

PACIFIC-10

California 41, UCLA 20: Kevin Riley threw a 53-yard touchdown pass to Nyan Boateng on a flea-flicker in the fourth quarter, and Mike Mohamed returned an interception 19 yards for a score 19 seconds later to propel the host Bears (5-2, 3-1 Pac-10) past the Bruins (3-5, 2-3).

Notre Dame 33, Washington 7: Junior James Aldridge ran for 84 yards and two touchdowns and the visiting Fighting Irish (5-2) allowed just 124 total yards to beat the Huskies (0-7), who along with North Texas are the only two winless teams in the Bowl Subdivision.

Oregon 54, Arizona State 20: Jeremiah Johnson and LeGarrette Blount each ran for two touchdowns and Jeremiah Masoli ran for a touchdown and threw for another as the visiting Ducks (6-2, 4-1 Pac-10) routed the Sun Devils (2-5, 1-3).

SEC

Duke 10, Vanderbilt 7: Nick Maggio kicked a 42-yard field goal in the third quarter after he and Joe Surgan missed earlier attempts in the first half as the visiting Blue Devils (4-3) made that stand in handing the Commodores (5-3) their third straight loss.

Mississippi 23, Arkansas 21: Jevan Snead threw two touchdown passes, and the visiting Rebels (4-4, 2-3 Southeastern Conference) led 23-14 with 1:45 remaining, but the Razorbacks (3-5, 1-4) cut the deficit to two on Casey Dick's 22-yard touchdown pass to Greg Childs before failing to recover the onside kick.

Mississippi State 31, Middle Tennessee 22: Anthony Dixon rushed for 124 yards and three touchdowns to set a school record for rushing TDs with 29, leading the host Bulldogs (3-5) over the Blue Raiders (2-6)

SUN BELT

Florida Atlantic 29, Louisiana-Monroe 28: After Kinsmon Lancaster hit Zeek Zacharie on an 8-yard touchdown pass for a 28-20 lead, Warley Leroy kicked a 22-yard field goal with 5:41 left in the fourth quarter and Rusty Smith threw a 22-yard touchdown pass to Cortez Gent with 22 seconds left to play as the visiting Owls (3-5, 1-2) beat the Warhawks (2-6, 1-3).

Troy 45, North Texas 17: Levi Brown completed 40 of 50 passes for 391 yards and two touchdowns to set a school record for pass completions in a game in just his second start as the visiting Trojans (5-2, 4-0 Sun Belt) routed the Mean Green (0-8, 0-4).