Boise State 28, Memphis 20: In an AAC versus MWC matchup, the Memphis Tigers head to the blue turf of Boise State for the first ever meeting between the two programs. The visiting Tigers win the opening kickoff and take the opening drive to midfield before stalling. Boise State quickly goes three and out with both defenses standing tall in the opening period of action. When the first quarter comes to a close, the game is tied at 0-0.
The Broncos quickly strike in the second quarter with a long touchdown run to pull ahead 7-0 over Memphis. The Tigers respond with a long drive that is capped by a touchdown pass to pull even with 6:40 left in the first half. Two player later, the Memphis defense comes up big with a pick-six followed by a three and out to hold the ball and a 14-7 lead with 2:25 left in the first half. A field goal makes it 17-7 Memphis at the break.
Boise State finally gets their offense rolling in the second half with touchdowns in back to back drives to turn a 17-7 deficit into a 21-17 lead late in the third quarter. Moving downfield with hopes to retake the lead, Memphis turns the ball over with Boise State holding the ball and a 21-17 lead at the end of three quarters of action. The Broncos make Memphis pay with a long drive that takes up eight minutes of the final quarter, capped by a three yard touchdown plunge to take a 28-17 lead with 6:48 left in the game. Memphis moves downfield and gets a 28-yard field goal with 4:14 left to pull within a score at 28-20 but get no closer as the Broncos run out the clock and win 28-20.
Marshall 27, BYU 19: Meeting for the first time since the 1999 Motor City Bowl, BYU travels cross country to face Marshall in cold, windy, and wet conditions. BYU, receiving the opening kickoff, move downfield on an 11-play, 63-yard drive that is capped by a 24-yard field goal to give the Cougars a 3-0 lead not even five minutes into the game. Marshall comes out throwing but struggle in the wet conditions to a three an out before the Thundering Herd follow suit in stopping the BYU offense on three plays. Moving to the run game, the BYU defense is ready and stops Marshall once again. The Cougars use the legs of Hill to move to the Marshall 30 yard line to kick a 47-yard field goal and take a 6-0 lead at the end of the first quarter.
The Thundering Herd finally get on the board on their first drive of the second quarter with a 26-yard field goal to cut the BYU lead to 6-3 with 8:23 left in the first half. With BYU's offense stalling and facing a 3rd-and-15, Hill shows his ability to run in traffic and stuns the Marshall faithful with a weaving 76-yard touchdown run to extend the BYU lead to 13-3 with 6:01 left in the half. Both teams trade late fist half field goals with Marshall heading to the half in a 16-6 hole.
Needing to work on getting first downs and move the ball, Marshall finally starts to break the BYU defense on a 7-play, 81-yards drive that ends in a touchdown pass to cut the BYU lead to 16-13 with 8:01 left in the third quarter. After a series of drives that stall after gaining a first down, BYU again moves downfield and hit another 40+ yard field goal to take a 19-13 lead at the end of the third quarter.
With both teams worn down from the weather and the brutal contact of this game, Marshall gives the game to running back Devon Johnson. The bruising running back carries the ball on the first eight plays of the fourth quarter for the Thundering Herd before the passing game finds an opening and hits an open receiver in the corner to take their first lead of the game at 20-19. Finally holding a lead, Marshall's defense shows why they are one of the best in the nation and stop BYU on fourth down at midfield with :45 seconds left. A first down hand off up the middle breaks open and the Thundering Herd extend the lead to 27-19 with :29 seconds left. BYU's hail mary falls short and Marshall pulls out the 27-19 win.
Western Kentucky 35, Navy 10: Meeting for the fifth time since the 2009 season, the Hilltoppers and the Midshipmen look to secure one of four berths in the semifinals of the G5 playoff. Western Kentucky quickly goes on the attack with a long pass into Navy territory on the opening offensive play of the game. Despite the great start, WKU is stopped at the Navy 40 and forced to punt the ball to the Midshipmen. Navy rolls downfield versus the WKU defense and get as close as WKU's 43 yard line before punting the ball. WKU earns a couple of first downs before being stuffed yet again and forced to punt. Navy immediately capitalizes on the field position with a 65-yard run right up the middle to take a 7-0 lead with 6:55 left in the quarter. The Hilltoppers immediately respond with a 10-play, 64-yard drive capped by am 8-yards touchdown pass to tied the game at 7-7 late in the opening quarter. With the Midshipmen moving into WKU territory, the clock expires with the game tied at 7-7 after one quarter.
WKU comes up with a stop at their own 33-yard line and force Navy to kick a 50-yard field goal. The attempt falls wide right keeping the score tied at 7-7. The Hilltoppers, with their offense on track, move downfield on the arm of Brandon Doughty before handing the ball off to running back Leon Allen for a five yard touchdown run that gives WKU a 14-7 lead with 7:02 left in the first half. Both teams proceed to go nowhere on offense with the Hilltoppers holding the ball on their own 21-yard line with 1:14 left in the first half. WKU goes on a 7-play, 79-yard drive that ends with a touchdown pass from Doughty with :12 left in the half to give WKU a 21-7 lead at the break.
Navy takes the opening kickoff and moves downfield in a slow, time consuming drive that is stalled with a 4th-and-3 on the WKU nine yard line. This time Navy drills the field goal and pull within 21-10 with only 4:45 left in the quarter. WKU quickly moves to the ball but is stuffed on third down and forced to punt back to the Midshipmen as time expires in the third period with WKU leading 21-10.
Navy moves the ball but is stopped at midfield, punting and stuffing WKU at their own five yard line. The Hilltoppers proceed to have their most impressive drive of the season, a 14-play, 95-yard drive that is capped by a 1-yard touchdown pass that puts WKU up 28-10 with 6:37 left in the game. Needing a touchdown desperately to get back in the game, Navy goes the passing route with success until a pass deflects off the wide receiver's hands for a pick-six that makes the score 35-10 with 1:45 left in the game. As the clock strikes zero, WKU pulls out the 35-10 win.
Cincinnati 21, Utah State 17: With a healthy Chuckie Keeton in the game, the Aggies take on the best of the AAC in passing powerhouse Cincinnati. Utah State receives the opening kickoffs and rolls downfield to the Bearcats 13-yard line, facing a 3rd-and-6. The pass to the flat falls incomplete and Utah State proceeds to miss a 30-yard field goal attempt wide right in the windy conditions. The Aggies defense shows up quickly with a sack of quarterback Gunner Kiel to force a Cincinnati punt. The punt is short and Utah State starts on the Bearcats 45-yard line. Four plays later, Utah State opens the scoring at 7-0 on a 28-yard run around the left edge. Cincinnati responds with an 8-play, 73-yard drive that was aided by two pass interference calls against the Aggies. The drive was capped by a seven yard pass from Kiel to tie the game at 7-7 with 4:04 left in the first quarter. Utah State again proves the Berarcats defense is no match and move to the Cincinnati 11-yard line before stopped and forced to kick a 28-yard field goal. This time it is good and Utah State heading into the second quarter leading 10-7.
As if a wall was put up at the line of scrimmage, the Aggies struggle to move the ball at all in the second quarter. Cincinnati, with struggles of their own on offense, finally move to the Utah State 25-yard line with hopes to take the lead heading into the half but are intercepted with the Aggies returning the pick to midfield. Both teams trade punts and we head into the third quarter with Utah State still leading 10-7.
Picking up from the offensively challenged second quarter both teams again struggle to move the ball before Utah State makes their first big mistake of the day. A run off of the right edge goes wrong with the Aggies fumbling and the Bearcats returning it to the Utah State 25-yard line. Three plays later, Cincinnati takes the lead 14-10 with a 12-yard touchdown pass at the 4:35 mark of the third quarter. Utah State responds with a drive that gets as far as the Cincinnati 30-yard line with a fourth down staring them in the face. The Aggies miss a 48-yard field goal and go into the fourth quarter trailing 14-10 to Cincinnati.
After a great defensive stop to behind the fourth quarter, Utah State rolls downfield versus the Bearcats defense and face a 1st-and-10 at the Cincy 26-yard line. The Aggies find room around the right corner and race 26 yards for a touchdown to take a 17-14 lead with 11:08 left in the game. Both teams trade the ball with Cincinnati taking advantage of a long punt return to the Utah State 38-yard line with only six minutes left in the game. One play later, the Bearcats are in the endzone with a draw that catches the Utah State defense by surprise and gives Cincinnati a 21-17 lead late in the game. The Aggies move as close as the Cincinnati 20 yard line before a fourth down conversion falls to the ground, guaranteeing the Bearcats a hard fought 21-17 win over Utah State.
Final Four Matchups:
- Western Kentucky at Boise State
- Marshall at Cincinnati
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