Football Upends Toledo, 17-13

Box score.

YPSILANTI, Mich. – For the first time in seven years the Eastern Michigan University football team defeated the Toledo Rockets, 17-13, for its first victory of the 2006 season here Saturday afternoon in Rynearson Stadium in the Eagles' annual Homecoming game. The victory marks only the fifth time in 18 attempts that the Eagles have notched a victory over the Rockets.

With the win, Eastern moves to 1-6 (1-3 MAC) while Toledo falls to 2-6 (0-4 MAC).

With EMU clinging to a 9-7 lead late in the fourth quarter, Toledo missed a field goal that would have put them ahead by one but a personal foul penalty for roughing the center by the Eagles gave the Rockets a second chance that they would take advantage of with a score. UT quarterback Clint Cochran connected with tight end Josh Powell on a four-yard touchdown strike to give Toledo a 13-9 lead with just 3:11 left in the game. On the ensuing two-point conversion attempt, EMU defensive end Kevin Howe (Fruitport, Mich.-Grand Haven) forced a fumble by Cochran which was picked up and returned by Darran Matthews (Redford, Mich.-Thurston) for two points to cut the EMU lead to 13-11.

The Eagles' Trumaine Riley (Akron, Ohio-Walsh Jesuit) returned the ensuing kick off 45 yards to the EMU 46-yard line. The Eagles then put on a game-winning march, going 54 yards in five plays capped off by an 18-yard touchdown run by Pierre Walker (Detroit, Mich.-Central) to give the Eagles the victory.

"From my perspective, its really all about the seniors, EMU head coach Jeff Genyk said. "When you have seven guys playing their last homecoming game. That is why winning this game was so important to our team".

Redshirt freshman quarterback Andy Schmitt (St. John's Mich.-St. John's) led the Eagles offensively, going 17-for-27 passing for 196 yards while rushing for 67 yards on 18 carries. Walker chipped in with 70 yards on 14 carries with one touchdown on the ground.

Defensively for EMU senior linebacker Michael Richardson (Indianapolis, Ind.-Ben Davis Harper (III) J.C.) led the team in tackles with 15 (six solo and nine assisted).

Toledo freshman quarterback Aaron Opelt went 12-for-21 passing for 100 yards while Jalen Parmele rushed for 99 yards and one touchdown on 17 carries. Keith Forestal led Toledo with 10 tackles.

"We didn't take care of the football," said Toledo head coach Tom Amstutz. "They made a good play on defense and scooped up the ball on the two point conversion but we still needed to play afterwards which they did and we didn't."

In the first half, EMU took an 3-0 lead on a 48-yard field goal by Andrew Wellock (Canton, Ohio-Green) at the 6:35 mark of the second quarter to cap off a five-play 19-yard drive. Wellock added another field goal from 38 yards out to give the Eagles a 6-0 lead with seven seconds remaining in the first quarter that was set up by a 40-yard pass completion from Schmitt to Riley.

At the 8:29 mark of the second quarter, EMU missed a golden opportunity to increase its lead when they were stopped on fourth down on Toledo's one-yard line. However, the Green and White put together an eight-play 33-yard drive that was capped off by Wellock's third field goal of the game which came from 43 yards out with 1:47 left in the half.

On the last play in the third quarter, EMU squandered a third and goal opportunity from the UT four-yard line as Schmitt's pass was intercepted by Tyrrell Herbert in the end zone and returned it to the Toledo 45-yard line. The Rockets then marched 55 yards in nine plays scoring on a 14 yard touchdown run by Parmele to cut the EMU lead to 9-7.

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Team Stats

Andy Schmitt

Players Mentioned

Kevin Howe

Michael Richardson

Trumaine Riley

Andy Schmitt

Pierre Walker

Andrew Wellock

Players Mentioned

Kevin Howe

Michael Richardson

Trumaine Riley

Andy Schmitt

Pierre Walker

Andrew Wellock

Eastern Michigan Athletics