Ball State 31, Miami 24
Jahwan Edwards rushed for three touchdowns as Ball State defeated host Miami in the regular-season finale.
The Cardinals (9-3, 6-2 Mid-American Conference) won their sixth consecutive game, their most since winning 12 in a row in 2008.
Edwards, who gained 98 yards on 18 carries, scored on first-half runs of 5 and 2 to help Ball State take a 21-14 lead. His 17-yard third-quarter touchdown made it 28-14.
Steven Schott, who came in leading the nation in field goals with 23, kicked a 27-yarder to make it 31-14 after three quarters.
The RedHawks (4-8, 3-5) narrowed the gap in the final quarter on Zac Dysert’s 10-yard scoring pass to Jamire Westbrook and a Kaleb Patterson field goal. Dysert, who was 26-of-40 for 218 yards, moved into second place on the MAC career passing list with 12,013 yards, passing Byron Leftwich, who played for Marshall when it was in the league.
Central Michigan 42, Massachusetts 21
Zurlon Tipton rushed for 185 yards and four touchdowns as visiting Central Michigan came from behind to beat Massachusetts at Gillette Stadium.
Tipton’s 25 carries helped CMU (6-6, 4-4) become the seventh bowl-eligible team from the MAC as the Chippewas erased a 21-14 third quarter deficit with 28-unanswered points. Ryan Radcliff was 10-of-19 and threw for 82 yards with a touchdown and an interception.
UMass (1-11, 1-7) was narrowly outgained 340-318 in total offense but two second-half interceptions turned the momentum after the Minutemen had taken their first lead of the game early in the third.
Freshman A.J. Doyle made his first career start and threw for 253 yards on 30-of-45 and two touchdowns.
His favorite target was tight end Rob Blanchflower, who caught 10 passes for 100 yards and a touchdown. Alan Williams and Deion Walker each caught seven passes.
Bowling Green 21, Buffalo 7
Matt Schilz threw for one touchdown and ran for another as Bowling Green defeated Buffalo in their regular-season finale in Columbus.
John Pettigrew carried 29 times for 93 yards for the Falcons (8-4, 6-2), including a 1-yard run in the second quarter for the game’s first touchdown. Schilz found Shaun Joplin with a 48-yard pass 1:56 before halftime for a 14-0 lead.
Schilz made it 21-0 with a 7-yard run in the third quarter.
The Bulls (4-8, 3-5) scored with 9:59 left.
— Associated Press
