Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
2-7 , 1-4
No. 20 Ball State
8-0 , 4-0
Football Falls to Nationally Ranked Ball State, 38-16
10/25/2008 3:11:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
Cardinals post 28 second-half points to capture the victory
Box score.
MUNCIE, Ind. — The Eastern Michigan University football team fell to nationally ranked Ball State University, 38-16, Saturday afternoon in Mid-American Conference action at Scheumann Stadium. The Cardinals, ranked 20th in the latest Associated Press Top 25 Poll, racked up 245 yards in the air against the Eagles' defense that ranked as the best in the MAC versus the pass.
EMU, which entered the game giving up just 151.9 yards per contest, saw the Cardinals jump out to an early 10-0 lead before expanding the margin to 24 points, 24-0, midway through the third quarter. EMU was able to tack on a pair of touchdowns and a 37-yard field goal but the deficit was just too much to overcome.
With the loss the Eagles fall to 2-7 (1-4 MAC), while the Cardinals remain perfect at 8-0 (4-0 MAC). Today's contest was the Eagles' first versus a ranked team since a 55-0 setback to No. 14th ranked University of Michigan, Sept. 17, 2005.
Junior quarterback Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns) led the Eagles offensively, going 28-for-49 for a career-high 309 yards via the air, including two touchdown passes. Entering the contest, Schmitt's previous best passing yardage total was 258 just last week versus the University of Akron, Oct. 18.
Senior wide receiver Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) picked up his second career 100-yard receiving game, catching 11 balls for 120 yards and a touchdown. Sophomore tight end Josh LeDuc (Canton, Mich.-Canton) added four catches for 92 yards and a score.
Junior quarterback Nate Davis turned in a complete game of Ball State, passing for 241 yard on 31 attempts and a pair touchdowns. He also rushed for 34 yards while adding a four yard touchdown reception.
After a quick three-and-out for the Cardinals to open the game, EMU took over at their own two-yard line after being pinned back deep to a solid punt from Chris Miller. Needing to go 98 yards for a score, Schmitt was able to direct the offense out of the shadows of their own goal post via a pair of clutch third down conversions into BSU territory. However, the drive to falter near midfield with Zach Johnson (Springboro, Ohio/Springboro) having to punt the ball back to the Cardinals.
Ball State's offense would begin to click on the second possession, driving 55 yards in just eight plays but the drive would stall at the EMU 10-yard line. Ian McGarvey would come on to split the upright and give BSU the early 3-0 edge with 2:31 left in the opening quarter.
Neither side was able to get much going offensively, trading possessions and field position. Both Eastern Michigan and Ball State have been traditionally slow starters, with the teams having combined for just 69 first quarter points (EMU 14, BSU 55) all season long.
Field possession remained key in the second period and neither side was able to reach paydirt. Finally, BSU was able to put together a strong six play, 53 yard drive that was capped with a Davis hand off to wide receiver Briggs Orsbon who then tossed it back to the wide open junior signal caller for the four yard touchdown strike. McGarvey tacked on the PAT to make it 10-0 with 2:36 left in the half.
Ball State had one more shot to tack some points on the board just before the intermission as Davis drove the Cardinals inside the EMU 25-yard line. But on second down, Daniel Holtzclaw (Enid, Okla.-Enid) tipped Davis' pass allowing sophomore safety Kevin Long (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.-Walled Lake Central) to collect his first career interception with 22 seconds left in the quarter. Schmitt took a knee as the team headed into the locker room with Ball State clinging to a 10-0 lead.
Eastern Michigan opened the second half with the football but was unable to get anything going, punting the ball back to Ball State at the 40-yard line. Davis would orchestrate a six play, 60 yard drive that was capped with a five-yard touchdown strike from Davis to Darius Hill with 10:43 left in the third period. McGarvey added the PAT to make it 17-0.
The Green and White would quickly respond with a drive of their own, as Schmitt hooked up with LeDuc for a 39 yard reception into BSU territory. However, two plays later the Cardinals would snuff out the scoring opportunity as Alex Knipp pick off Schmitt's pass inside the BSU 20-yard line.
Ball State would once again capitalize for the touchdown with 4:38 to play in the third quarter when Davis hit Orsborn in the front corner of the endzone for the score to complete the six play, 76 yard drive. The PAT followed to expand the margin to 24-0.
EMU was able to string together its best drive of the contest late in the third quarter, as Schmitt found Stone for the seven-yard touchdown strike as time expired in the period. The drive covered 80 yards in 12 plays and was propelled by a fourth-down conversion at the EMU 44-yard line when the junior quarterback completed a 22 yard pass to Jones. Sophomore kicker Joe Carithers' (Dacula, Ga.-Dacula (Palomar J.C.) PAT was true to cut the deficit to 17, 24-7.
Not to be outdone though Ball State used got the score right back as MiQuake Lewis sprinted 52 yards for the score. The extra point followed to make it 31-7 with 14:29 to go in the game.
Schmitt marched the Eagles back down the field in 14 plays covering 71 yards capped with a five yard touchdown toss to Jones for the score. The two-point conversion pass was no go making the score 31-13 with 9:08 remaining in the fourth quarter.
BSU would tack on another seven-points when Trey Buice intercepted Schmitt's pass attempt and ran it back 45 yards for the touchdown with 7:16 left to make it 38-13.
EMU's Carithers would wrap up the day's scoring with a 37-yard field goal to trim the deficit to 22 points, 38-16, with 3:10 showing on the fourth quarter clock.
Head coach Jeff Genyk's crew remains on the road next week, traveling to Kalamazoo, Mich. Saturday, Nov. 1, to renew the rivalry with Western Michigan University. Kick off is scheduled for 2 p.m. at Waldo Stadium. Tickets are available by calling the EMU Ticket Office at 734.487.2282.
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Team Stats
EMU 0, BSU 3
BSU - McGARVEY, Ian 27 yd field goal 8 plays, 55 yards, TOP 2:28
EMU 0, BSU 10
BSU - DAVIS, Nate 4 yd pass from ORSBON, Briggs (McGARVEY, Ian kick) 6 plays, 53 yards, TOP 2:42
EMU 0, BSU 17
BSU - HILL, Darius 5 yd pass from DAVIS, Nate (McGARVEY, Ian kick) 6 plays, 60 yards, TOP 2:19
EMU 0, BSU 24
BSU - ORSBON, Briggs 6 yd pass from DAVIS, Nate (McGARVEY, Ian kick) 7 plays, 82 yards, TOP 4:57
EMU 7, BSU 24
EMU - STONE, Jacory 7 yd pass from SCHMITT, Andy (CARITHERS, Joe kick) 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:33
EMU 7, BSU 31
BSU - LEWIS, MiQuale 52 yd run (McGARVEY, Ian kick), 2 plays, 52 yards, TOP 0:23
EMU 13, BSU 31
EMU - JONES, Tyler 5 yd pass from SCHMITT, Andy (SCHMITT, Andy passfailed) 14 plays, 71 yards, TOP 5:16
EMU 13, BSU 38
BSU - BUICE, Trey 45 yd interception (McGARVEY, Ian kick)
EMU 16, BSU 38
EMU - CARITHERS, Joe 37 yd field goal 9 plays, 48 yards, TOP 3:57
