Excel H Sports SPOTLIGHT Episode X

Excel H Sports SPOTLIGHT is highlighting BEYOND THE POWER 4 and FCS individual accomplishments in their team setting. Occasionally, we will add a FBS individual in a team setting.

This week’s SPOTLIGHT features Sun Belt, Mountain West, MEAC, Southern, Pioneer, NEC, Ivy, OVC/BIG South, Missouri Valley Football Conference and the UAC.

1) Southern Mississippi, 7-2 overall, 5-0 Sun Belt defeated Arkansas State, 5-5 overall, 4-2 Sun Belt 27 to 21 behind QB Braylen Braxton was 20/29 for 228 yards and one touchdown and QB Landry Lyddy was four of six passing for 128 yards and a touchdown, RB Jeffery Pittman carried the ball 18 times for 75 yards along with fellow RB Robert Briggs, 10 carries for 44 yards. WR Elijah Metcalf caught five passes for 143 yards and a score. Defensively, Chris Jones and Michael Montgomery both recorded 13 total tackles each.

2) Arkansas State was led by QB Jaylen Raynor passed for 331 yards on 37 of 48 passing attempts and two touchdowns but threw four interceptions while WR Corey Rucker caught seven passes for 123 yards and the defense was led by Kyle Taylor totaled 11 tackles in the setback.

3) Louisiana 4-6 overall, 3-3 Sun Belt edged Texas State 3-6 overall, 0-5 in Sun Belt league play were led by QB D’Wayne “Lunch” Winfield who completed 17 passes for 27 attempts for 192 yards and three touchdowns despite two interceptions. RB Bill Davis 18 carries for 87 yards and a score along with RB Zylan Perry carried the ball 14 times for 59 yards while Winfield rushed for 49 yards and two scores. WR Shelton Sampson, Jr. caught five passes for 80 yards and two scores while on defense, Jaden Dugger and Brent Gordon Jr. both totaled 17 tackles while Jaelen Crider scored two tackles those two for loss and two sacks.

4) Texas State was led by Brad Jackson 26/33 for 360 yards, and three touchdown passes and RB Lincoln Pare 10 carries for 89 yards and a score while WR Beau Sparks had ten receptions for 186 yards and a touchdown.

5) The Air Force Academy, 3-6 overall, 2-4 in Mountain West was led by QB Liam Szarka who carried the ball 25 times for 87 yards and two touchdowns along with RB Owen Allen, who carried the ball 20 times for 109 yards in the Falcons 26 to 16 victory over San Jose State, 3-6 overall, 2-3 in Mountain West action. On defense, Air Force was led by Dallas Daley 7 total, four solo tackles, Blake Fletcher six total tackles, 4 solos and Roger Jones, Jr. six total tackles, four being solo too. San Jose State Spartans were led by QB Walker Eget who threw for 334 yards on 27 of 42 passing attempts and WR’s Leland Smith, nine catches for 144 yards and Kyri Shoels six receptions for 93 yards.

6) Delaware State 7-3, 3-0 MEAC edged Morgan State 3-7 overall, 0-3 in the MEAC behind QB Kaiden Bennett who threw for 169 yards on 16 of 24 passing attempts along with RB James Jones who toted the ball 13 times for 115 yards and a score while punter Dyson Roberts punted seven times for 280 yards averaging 40 yards per punt.

7) Chattanooga 5-5 overall, 4-2 Southern beat Furman 5-5 overall, 3-4 Southern, 45 to 28 behind QB Battle Albertson 15/22 for 277 yards and four touchdowns and seven carries for 85 yards along with RB Ryan Ingram 22 carries for 94 yards and Justus Durant 16 carries for 65 yards and WR Josh Williams six receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown. Furman was led by QB Trey Hedden threw for 296 yards on 19/27 which resulted in two scores and Evan James caught five passes for 146 yards and a score.

8) Morehead State 6-5 overall, 4-3 Pioneer nipped Butler 5-5 overall, 3-3 Pioneer behind QB Carter Cravens 23/31 for 298 yards and two touchdowns and WR Ryan Upp nine receptions for 154 yards and two scores while Butler was led by QB Reagan Andrew 16 carries for 74 yards and WR Ethan Loss seven grabs for 72 yards.

9) Wagner 4-6 overall, 3-2 NEC outpaced Robert Morris 3-7 overall, 2-3 NEC 24 to 20 behind RB Andre Hines, Jr. 23 carries for 135 yards, RB Jack Stevens 15 carries for 92 yards and RB Damien Mazil four carries for 79 yards. Each recorded a touchdown while Robert Morris was led by QB Jach Turner 12/23 for 185 yards and two touchdowns and WR Jaqai Carter who had seven receptions for 141 yards and a score.

10) Long Island University 4-6 overall, 2-3 NEC downed Duquesne 5-5 overall, 3-2 NEC,  29 to 11 behind QB Ethan Greenwood, 9/15 for 122 yards, 16 carries for 91 yards and three scores and RB O’Shawn Ross, Jr. 17 carries for 92 yards and three catches for 51 yards and a score.

11) In Ivy League play Dartmouth 6-2 overall, 3-2 Ivy edged Princeton 3-5 overall, 2-3 Ivy 20 to 17 behind QB Grayson Saunier 12/15 for 152 yards and a score along with RB D J Crouther 20 carries for 96 yards and a score along with WR Chris Corbo, four receptions for 66 yards and another score. Princeton was led by QB Kai Colon, 29/46 passing attempts for 266 yards and four touchdowns along with WR Josh Robinson eight receptions for 70 yards.

12) Tennessee Tech 10-0 overall, 7-0 OVC/Big South remained undefeated as they downed Eastern Illinois 3-7 overall,2-5 OVC/Big South, 21 to 9 behind QB Kekoa Visperas 17/23 passing for 151 yards and eleven carries for 54 yards.

13) North Dakota State 10-0, 7-0 MVFC, outlasted North Dakota 6-4 overall, 4-2 MVFC by the score of 15 to 10 behind RB Barika Kpeenu 18 carries for 73 yards and QB Cole Payton 16 carries for 68 yards and a score along with WR Bryce Lance three catches for 61 yards. North Dakota was led by Jerry Kaminski 21 of 38 passing for 170 yards and RB Sawyer Seidl 23 carries for 68 yards rushing.

14) Abilene Christian 6-4 overall, 5-1 UAC downed Utah Tech 2-8 overall, 1-5 UAC by the score of 31 to 10 behind QB Stone Earle 17/29 for 156 yards and a touchdown along with RB E J Wilson carried the ball 15 times for 96 yards and one touchdown.

15) Southern Utah 5-5 overall, 4-2 UAC beat back Eastern Kentucky 4-6 overall, 2-4 UAC by ten points 27 to 17behind QB Bronson Barron 18/25 threw for 256 yards along with RB Joshua Dye 33 carries for 221 yards and crossed the goal line three times along with WR Shane Carr caught seven passes for 124 yards.