Appalachian State cornerback Steven Jones is making the most of his interceptions lately.
Jones has returned three of his four interceptions the last two weeks for touchdowns, with two of the plays coming in Saturday’s 48-14 win at Arkansas State. His first interception return for a TD was in a win over Louisiana-Monroe on Oct. 30.
Jones had three picks against Arkansas State, tying him with Kent State’s Montre Miller for most in a game this season. Jones and Iowa’s Riley Moss are the only players with two interceptions for TDs in a game.
Jones is the first player with three interception returns for TDs since Emmanuel Forbes of Mississippi State had the same number last season.
Jones’ TD picks went for 47 and 34 yards against Arkansas State.
Jones has five interceptions and is tied with South Carolina’s Jaylan Foster for the national lead.
THE 200 CLUB
Four new members joined the 200-yard rushing club, increasing the total to 25 players who have accounted for 30 such games this season.
North Carolina’s Ty Chander ran 22 times for 213 yards against Wake Forest, Oregon’s Travis Dye had 28 carries for 211 yards against Washington, UAB’s DeWayne McBride picked up 210 yards on 14 attempts, and Arizona State’s Rachaad White ran 28 times for 202 yards against Washington.
THERE HE GOES AGAIN
South Florida’s Brian Battie ran back two kickoffs 100 yards in a loss to Houston, joining Utah’s Reggie Dunn (2012) as the only players in Bowl Subdivision history with a pair of 100-yarders in a game.
The 5-foot-8, 162-pound Battie’s big returns came on the opening kickoff and in the second quarter. He also went all the way against Tulsa on Oct. 16. His three kick return TDs are a school career record.
LONG FIELD GOAL
Everett Hayes set the Oregon State record for longest field with his 60-yarder against Colorado. It was the longest in the nation this season and broke the previous school record of 58 by Chris Mangold in 1982 and Alexis Serna in 2006.
300-YARD RECEIVER
Northern Illinois’ Trayvon Rudolph became the first FBS player with 300 yards receiving this season when he piled up a Mid-American Conference record 309 on 14 catches in a loss to Kent State on Wednesday.
Rudolph was only the fifth receiver to go over 300 yards since 2014, and the first since LSU’s Kayshon Boutte had 308 against Mississippi last season.
NATIONAL LEADERS
National leaders heading into the final three weeks of the regular season for most teams:
Scoring offense, Pittsburgh, 45 ppg; rushing offense, Air Force, 302.4 ypg; passing offense, Western Kentucky, 415.8 ypg; total offense, Virginia, 542.2 ypg.
Scoring defense, Georgia, 6.6 ppg; rushing defense, Wisconsin, 54.7 ypg; passing defense, Washington, 140.9 ypg; total defense, Wisconsin, 213.8 ypg.
Rushing, Kenneth Walker III, Michigan State, 148.9 ypg; passing, Bailey Zappe, Western Kentucky, 409.8 ypg; receiving, Deven Thompkins, Utah State, 146 ypg.
