CAA Football Recap - Sept. 3-6
Rob Washburn
Campbell 28, #24 Western Carolina 19
Box Score
Quarterback Kamden Sixkiller accounted for 349 yards of offense and three touchdowns and Campbell’s defense made several key stops as the Camels improved to 2-0 with a 28-19 victory over #24 Western Carolina.
Sixkiller was 29-of-44 passing for 330 yards and 2 TD’s and added an 8-yard scoring run, with Spencer Jones making seven receptions for 126 yards and a TD. Campbell rushed for 198 yards as JJ Cowan tallied a team-high 83 yards. The Camels’ defense held WCU to one yard rushing and recorded three sacks. AJ Benton made a team-high eight stops with a sack and a pass breakup. Campbell held WCU to its lowest point against an FCS foe since 2024.
Campbell took a 14-0 first-quarter advantage on a 6-yard TD grab by Brady Ambrose and Sixkiller’s 8-yard run. The Camels were able to up their lead to 28-10 at the half following a 1-yard TD run by Ethan Lawrence and a 32-yard strike from Sixkiller to Jones with 18 seconds on the clock. Campbell didn’t score in the final 30 minutes, but the defense came up big to limit the Catamounts’ high-powered offense to one second-half touchdown.
SATURDAY
Monmouth 31, Sacred Heart 24
Box Score
Kenny Smith Jr. caught a 7-yard touchdown pass with 2:54 remaining, lifting Monmouth to a 31-24 comeback win over Sacred Heart in the conference opener for both programs. Neither team led by more than seven points in a back-and-forth contest.
Smith Jr.’s 7-yard scoring run on the Hawks’ opening drive made it 7-0, but Sacred Heart responded with consecutive touchdown passes from Poochie Snyder, hitting Jason Palmeri with a six-yarder and Dean Hangey from nine yards. Monmouth tied the game at 14-14 at the half following a 19-yard TD pass from Frankie Weaver to Gavin Nelson. Weaver connected on a 10-yard scoring toss to Elijah Jennings to open the second half, but the Pioneers tied the game at 21-21 later in the quarter on Hangey’s 52-yard TD catch. After both teams traded short field goals early in the fourth period, Smith’s TD catch ended a 68-yard drive. SHU drove to the MU 39-yard line, but turned the ball over on downs.
Weaver finished 26-of-37 passing for 237 yards and 3 TD’s, with Nelson and Tra Neal each making eight receptions. Jaeden Jones made 12 tackles for the Hawks’ defense. For Sacred Heart, Snyder threw for 191 yards and 3 TD’s and added 67 yards on the ground, while Hangey made five catches for 110 yards and 2 TD’s. Myles Hamilton and Ryan Palmieri recorded nine stops each for the Pioneers.
Elon 38, Davidson 0
Box Score
Elon is off a 2-0 start for the first time since 2009 following a 38-0 shutout victory at Davidson. The Phoenix defense held the Wildcats to 251 total yards.
A 39-yard Luke Barnes field goal got Elon on the board and a 29-yard TD run from Kamerin McDowell-Moore extended the margin to 10 early in the second quarter. A blocked punt by Codey Larkins set up a 3-yard TD run by Jimmyll Williams and Williams later added a 1-yard plunge to make it 24-0 at the half. The Phoenix tacked on two more TD’s in the second half as Jaedon Alford caught a 36-yard strike from TJ Crews IV and McDowell-Moore (15 att.,88 yds) scored his second of the night from a yard out. Tony Hart III made a team-high five stops as Elon posted its first shutout since 2022.
Temple 38, Rhode Island 14
Box Score
All-America wide receiver Marquis Buchanan was outstanding with 10 receptions for 137 yards and a touchdown, but Rhode Island was beaten 38-14 at Temple.
Temple went up 7-0 on its opening drive, but Rhode Island answered quickly as Buchanan caught a 35-scoring strike from Tyler Budge. The Owls pushed their advantage to 10 in the second quarter, but the Rams put together a 14-play, 75-yard drive finished by a 1-yard Budge run that made it 17-14. However, Temple added a TD just before halftime and two more in the second half to pick up the victory. Budge threw for 195 yards and ran for 38 in the game. Andre DePina-Gray tallied seven tackles and Case Mankins had two sacks and a forced fumble.
Navy 42, Towson 15
Box Score
Andrew Indorf passed for 208 yards and two touchdowns as Towson dropped a 42-15 decision at Navy.
The Tigers fell behind 14-0 in the first quarter, but Indorf found Aaron Enterline with a 48-yard TD pass early in the second period to pull Towson with 14-6. Following another Midshipmen score, Towson responded again as Indorf connected with Jacob Zollar on a 30-yard strike to make it 21-12. Navy went ahead 28-12 at the half and limited the Tigers to a 40-yard Zaydaan Faridi field goal in the second half. Ben Kumpon tallied 11 tackles for Towson.
Appalachian State 55, Maine 3
Box Score
Appalachian State generated 647 yards of offense in a 55-3 triumph over Maine. Black Bears’ quarterback Eddie Buehler threw for 198 yards and the Maine defense got a game-high 14 tackles from Sam Oppenheimer.
The Black Bears’ defense came up with a big play early as Kye Pressley’s strip sack was recovered by Jeremiah McGill to end an ASU drive. However, the Mountaineers were able to build a commanding 31-0 halftime lead. Maine got on the board late in the third quarter on a 40-yard Samuel Tremblay field goal.
Maryland 62, Hampton 0
Box Score
Maryland broke a 94-yard TD run in the opening quarter and added a 10-yard scoring pass in the final seconds of the second quarter to build a commanding 34-point halftime lead on the way to a 62-0 win over Hampton. The Terps finished with 646 total yards.
Hampton quarterback Jalen Woods threw for 56 yards with Chaz Portis making a pair of catches for 40 yards. Qwae Willis recorded nine tackles for the Pirates defense and Cam Sturdifen added seven stops.
Army 59, Bryant 3
Box Score
Army rolled up 569 yards on the ground to power past Bryant, 59-3. Quarterback Brennan Myer completed 9-of-18 passes for 88 yards to lead the Bulldogs’ offense while Drake Lusk made a team-high seven tackles defensively.
The Black Knights went ahead 28-0 in the second quarter before Bryant put together a 12-play, 64-yard drive that ended with a 28-yard field goal by Nicholas Stoyanovich. That would be the lone score of the game for Bryant as Army tacked on four second-half touchdowns.
Syracuse 66, New Hampshire 3
Box Score
Syracuse tallied 513 yards of total offense and forced three New Hampshire turnovers as the Orange topped the Wildcats, 66-3. Linebacker Trevor Barry had a big game for the UNH defense with 11 tackles and Jackson Stone added a career-best eight stops. Running back Myles Thomason made seven catches for 53 yards and Joquez Smith rushed for 60 yards on eight carries.
The Orange built a commanding 41-0 advantage at the half. UNH put together a 70-yard drive late in the third quarter and got a 46-yard field goal from Lucas Glassburn with 14:50 remaining in the contest.
FRIDAY
Georgia State 59, North Carolina A&T 10
Box Score
Quarterback Kevin White passed for 122 yards and a TD and added 27 yards on the ground as North Carolina A&T fell 59-10 at Georgia State.
A&T trailed 21-0 midway through the second quarter but got on the board when White found tight end Anthony Rucker wide open down the seam for a 61-yard touchdown pass with 5:12 left until halftime. However, GSU responded with a pair of scores in the final three minutes to take a commanding 35-7 advantage into halftime. The Aggies added a 39-yard field goal from Asher Holland in the fourth quarter.
THURSDAY
Stony Brook 36, Lindenwood 32
Box Score
Quinn Boyd’s 8-yard touchdown run with 7:39 remaining capped a 36-32 comeback victory for Stony Brook over Lindenwood in the Seawolves’ home opener. SBU battled back from a 15-point halftime deficit to even its record at 1-1.
Stony Brook trailed 22-7 at the break but got a 29-yard TD pass from Boyd to Seth Sweitzer midway through the third quarter. After the teams traded field goals, SBU’s CJ Hester broke loose for a 52-yard scoring run that pulled the Seawolves within 25-23 early in the fourth period. Lindenwood scored to go back up by nine, but SBU responded with a 5-yard run by Hester that was set up by a 55-yard Sweitzer reception. Midway through the final period, Boyd converted a 29-yard fourth down pass to Rayden Aphayvong before giving SBU its first lead of the game on the 8-yard run. Boyd finished 27-of-35 passing for 298 yards and 2 TD’s with Sweitzer making 12 catches for 157 yards. Hester added 95 yards and 2 TD’s on the ground. Jojo Garcia made a team-high 13 tackles and 2.5 TFL’s defensively.
Buffalo 21, UAlbany 17
Box Score
UAlbany (1-1) took FBS member Buffalo to the wire before dropping a 21-17 decision. The Great Danes drove to the UB 1-yard line with just over a minute to go but were unable to punch in the winning score.
In a game delayed nearly three hours due to weather, UAlbany took a 7-0 lead late in the first quarter on a 14-yard TD pass from Kai Colon to Tavhari Groves. The Bulls found the end zone twice in the second quarter before a 46-yard RJ Kocan field goal pulled the Great Danes within 14-10 at the half. Colon hit Justus Murray, Jr. with a 14-yard TD toss late in the third quarter to put UA ahead 17-14, but Buffalo was able to move back on top with 4:53 to play. Colon finished 16-of-36 passing for 191 yards and 2 TD’s with BJ Norman making six receptions for 67 yards. Victor Holt recorded a team-high nine tackles and two pass breakups for the Great Danes’ defense.