Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
0-4 , 0-1
Temple
2-2 , 2-0
EMU Falls to Temple, 24-12, in Annual Homecoming Tilt
10/3/2009 4:49:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
Temple defense holds Eagles to just 50 rushing yards
Box score.
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Ron English Press Conference.
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team saw its hopes for a Homecoming victory fall short in a 24-12 loss to a visiting Temple University squad in Mid-American Conference action here Saturday afternoon, Oct. 3, in Rynearson Stadium in the annual Homecoming game.
The Eagles, now 0-4 overall and 0-1 in MAC play, saw Temple, now 2-2 overall and 2-0 in the MAC, jump out to a 21-0 lead early in the second quarter before the defense stiffened and held the Owls to just three points over the final 44 minutes.
EMU's offense managed just 12 points with Terrence Blevins (Detroit, Mich.-Denby) scoring the lone touchdown for the Eagles with a three-yard scamper late in the fourth quarter followed by a failed extra point try. Joe Carithers (Dacula, Ga.-Dacula) added two field goals to sum up the scoring for Eastern Michigan.
Junior quarterback Kyle McMahon (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Pontiac Notre Dame Prep), seeing his first action of the season after starter Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns) suffered a season-ending knee injury in the Eagles' last game, Sept. 19, at Michigan, completed 25-for-36 passes, including one to himself on a batted ball, for 230 yards. Eastern was held to just 50 yards on the ground.
Defensively, the Eagles kept the Owls at bay in the second half, holding them to only 82 yards after Temple totaled 283 yards in the first half. For Eastern Michigan, Andre Hatchett (Indianapolis, Ind.-Warren Central) led the way with 10 total tackles, one solo, while Brandon Downs (Springfield, Ohio-Kenton Ridge) came away with 1.5 sacks on the afternoon.
Temple was led tailback Bernard Pierce with 25 for 180 yards and two touchdowns. Quarterback Vaughn Charlton completed 9-of-18 passes for 123 yards and one touchdown.
Temple struck first, rolling 60 yards in five plays on the game's first drive, culminating in a touchdown run of 16 yards by Pierce at the 13:18 mark of the first quarter. Bernard McManus added the PAT kick for a 7-0 Temple advantage.
The Owls stretched their advantage to 14-0 when Pierce ran three yards for a score with McManus adding the PAT kick with 5:07 left in the first stanza.
Temple then made it 21-0 in the early stages of the second quarter when Charlton found tight end Evan Rodriguez for a 14-yard touchdown pass followed by McManus extra point.
The Eagles finally got on the board at the 9:47 mark of the second quarter when junior place-kicker Carithers booted a 38-yard field goal.
Carithers closed out the half for the Eagles with a 43-yard field goal as the first-half clock expired to make it 21-6 heading into intermission.
The Green and White will be back in action next Saturday, Oct. 10, when they travel to Mount Pleasant, Mich. to face off against Central Michigan University at Noon.
Team Stats
TEMPLE 7, EMU 0
TEMPLE - PIERCE, Bernard 16 yd run (McMANUS, B. kick), 5 plays, 60 yards, TOP 1:42
TEMPLE 14, EMU 0
TEMPLE - PIERCE, Bernard 3 yd run (McMANUS, B. kick), 6 plays, 95 yards, TOP 1:58
TEMPLE 21, EMU 0
TEMPLE - RODRIGUEZ, Evan 14 yd pass from CHARLTON, V. (McMANUS, B. kick) 8 plays, 78 yards, TOP 4:11
TEMPLE 21, EMU 3
EMU - CARITHERS, Joe 38 yd field goal 10 plays, 46 yards, TOP 4:30
TEMPLE 21, EMU 6
EMU - CARITHERS, Joe 43 yd field goal 6 plays, 49 yards, TOP 0:43
TEMPLE 24, EMU 6
TEMPLE - McMANUS, B. 40 yd field goal 6 plays, 11 yards, TOP 2:11
TEMPLE 24, EMU 12
EMU - BLEVINS, T. 1 yd run (MCMAHON, Kyle passfailed), 12 plays, 51 yards, TOP 4:05
