Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
0-6 , 0-3
Bowling Green
4-3 , 3-1
EMU Falls Short at Bowling Green
10/14/2006 7:22:00 PM | Football
Senior Eric Deslauiers becomes the EMU career leader in receiving yardage
Box score.
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Eastern Michigan University football team came up short against Bowling Green State University, 24-21, in a Mid-American Conference game in front of 14,525 here Saturday at Doyt L. Perry Stadium. The Eagles once again had the chance to pull off the come-from-behind victory and spoil the Falcons' Homecoming, but an EMU turnover with :26 seconds remaining in the contest sealed the BGSU victory.
With the win the Falcons improve to 4-3 (3-1 MAC), while the Eagles fall to 0-6 (0-3 MAC) on the season.
Senior wide receiver Eric Deslauriers racked up 10 catches for 173 receiving yards to become the EMU career leader in yards receiving with 2,859, surpassing Kevin Walter's standard of 2,838 set from 1999-2002. Quarterback Tyler Jones led the Eagles offensively, completing 24-of-38 passes for 260 yards and two touchdowns through the air while rushing for 26 yards. Junior tailback Pierre Walker added 56 yards and a touchdown on the ground.
Neither team could muster any offense coming out of the gate, as the sides traded possessions until the Falcons' third possession of the contest. After taking over at its own 41-yard-line Bowling Green strung together a nine-play, 53-yard drive to take a 3-0 lead, as Sean Ellis finished off the scoring drive with a 23-yard field goal with :06 seconds left in the first quarter.
The Eagles were able to capitalize and get on the scoreboard via the big play, as Jones found Deslauriers for a 79-yard touchdown strike with 8:29 remaining in the second quarter. Andrew Wellock followed with the PAT to give the Eagles a 7-3 advantage. The 79-yard strike was a career-best for Deslauriers and Jones and is tied for the fourth longest reception in school-history.
Bowling Green quickly regained the advantage at 10-7, as quarterback Anthony Turner found Corey Partridge for a 33-yard touchdown strike with 6:49 left in the half. The BGSU defense would not be left out, as the Orange and Brown picked off Jones' pass attempt and returned it 47 yards to the EMU four-yard line. On the very next play, Freddie Barnes took the quarterback option to the end zone to expand the Falcon lead to 10, 17-7, with 4:41 showing on the clock.
On the Eagles' next possession Jones once again executed the spread offense to perfection, as the Eagles marched down the field in nine plays. Jones hooked up with Deslauriers for his second touchdown of the game, a 23-yard strike with :59 left before intermission. A Wellock PAT followed to pull EMU with three at 17-14.
Coming out the lockerroom, BGSU turned the ball over at its own 34-yard line and EMU was able to turn the miscue into six points as Pierre Walker scampered in from 11 yards out to put the Eagles back on top. Wellock's PAT was good to give the Eagles a 21-17 edge with 11:09 left in the third quarter.
After driving to the Bowling Green 22-yard line the Eastern Michigan drive stalled, and Wellock was unable to convert on the 39-yard field goal try. The Falcons' took advantage of the missed EMU opportunity, as BGSU drove 78 yards in 12 plays finished off by a 15-yard touchdown run by Chris Bullock to retake the lead at 24-21.
The Falcons continued to hold onto the slim three-point advantage as neither offense was able to move the chains on the opposing defense. The Eagles had one final try to either tie or take the lead, as the Green and White took over at its own five-yard line with 3:04 left in the contest. But once again a turnover proved costly, as Jones' pass on 3rd-and-10 was intercepted by Terrell White to seal the 24-21 Bowling Green victory.
EMU will get back into action with its annual homecoming game next Saturday, Oct. 21, in Rynearson Stadium against MAC West Division rival Toledo. The game has been designated as the MAC Television Game of the Week with a 3 p.m. kickoff.
Team Stats
EMU 0, BGSU 3
BGSU - ELLIS, Sean 23 yd field goal 9 plays, 53 yards, TOP 3:02
EMU 7, BGSU 3
EMU - DESLAURIERS, E. 79 yd pass from JONES, Tyler (WELLOCK, Andrew kick) 4 plays, 89 yards, TOP 1:58
EMU 7, BGSU 10
BGSU - PARTRIDGE, C. 33 yd pass from TURNER, Anthony (ELLIS, Sean kick) 5 plays, 63 yards, TOP 1:19
EMU 7, BGSU 17
BGSU - BARNES, Freddie 4 yd run (ELLIS, Sean kick), 1 plays, 4 yards, TOP 0:10
EMU 14, BGSU 17
EMU - DESLAURIERS, E. 23 yd pass from JONES, Tyler (WELLOCK, Andrew kick) 9 plays, 78 yards, TOP 3:32
EMU 21, BGSU 17
EMU - WALKER, Pierre 11 yd run (WELLOCK, Andrew kick), 6 plays, 34 yards, TOP 2:26
EMU 21, BGSU 24
BGSU - BULLOCK, Chris 15 yd run (ELLIS, Sean kick), 12 plays, 78 yards, TOP 4:07
