Football Drops a Non-Conference Affair at Virginia

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CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team put up a valiant fight against the University of Virginia, falling 48-21 in non-conference action here in front of 37,386 fans at Scott Stadium.

The Eagles fell in an early 14-0 hole to start the game, but stormed back to knot the score at 14-all near the midway point of the second quarter. However, the momentum shifted back in the favor of the Cavaliers late in the third, with Virginia rolling off 24 unanswered points to put the game out of reach.

With the loss Eastern Michigan falls to 1-7 overall, while Virginia improves to 3-4 on the year.

For the Eagles, freshman tailback Javonti Greene (West Palm, Fla.-Royal Palm) had a breakout night in leading the Eagles' rushing attack with 155 yards and two touchdowns for his first career 100-yard rushing effort. Both of Greene's scores were expended sprints to the goal line, with a 55 and a 53-yarder to his credit.

Sophomore quarterback Alex Gillett (Green Springs, Ohio-Clyde) completed 7-of-12 passes for 64 yards. The Green Springs, Ohio native also neared 100-yards on the ground, finishing with 86 and a score.

In total, the Eagles gained a season-best 290 yards on the ground for a total of 354 total yards.

Virginia was paced by quarterback Marc Verica who completed 18-of-31 passes for 203 yards and two touchdowns. Keith Payne led the Cavaliers on the ground, gaining 69 yards on 12 rushes.

Not only was the game the 1,000th game in the history of the Eastern Michigan football program, it will was a noteworthy day for minority football coaches and athletic directors. Although no official NCAA record exists, the EMU-Virginia contest is believed to be the first football game on the Division I FBS level with the opposing head coaches and athletic directors all being African-Americans.

The game was also EMU's first venture into the commonwealth of Virginia and only the second-ever meeting against a team from the Old Dominion State. Previously, Eastern dropped a 25-24 heartbreaker to Liberty University, Oct. 14, 1989, at Rynearson Stadium.

The Cavaliers got the ball first to open the contest and promptly marched 81 yards in 10 plays. Senior tailback Keith Payne capped the drive with a four-yard touchdown rush with 10:40 showing on the clock. Robert Randolph tacked on the extra point to make it 7-0 in favor of Virginia.

The teams would exchange field position and punts on the ensuing drives, but again UVa would find paydirt with 4:38 remaining in the opening frame. Verica was able to hook up with tight end Paul Freedman, who was able to shake off the EMU defenders and rumble for the 21-yard touchdown completion to make it 14-0.

The Green and White would roar back, however, as Greene would cut around the right side and sprint towards the end zone for his first career touchdown. Freshman kicker Kody Fulkerson (Roseville, Ohio-Maysville) pushed through the PAT to make it 14-7 with 2:55 still showing. The 55-yard run is also the longest rush of the season for the Eagles, surpassing a 52-yard scamper by Dwayne Priest (Roanoke, Va.-William Fleming-Fork Union Academy) for a score against Ohio, Oct. 2.

After again forcing the Cavaliers to punt the ball away, Gillett would methodically direct the Eagles down field into Virginia territory. The drive would stall, however, and Fulkerson was called upon to attempt the 29-yard field goal but his kick would miss to the right with 9:14 left in the second quarter.

The first-half momentum was shifting dramatically in favor of the Eagles thanks to a potent ground attack. Driving 80 yards in just five plays, Gillett called his own number and rushed around the left side for a 31-yard touchdown. The extra point by Fulkerson followed to knot the score at 14-14 with 5:18 to play in the half. Gillett's 31-yard scamper was the longest of the season for the sophomore signal caller and his sixth career score on the ground.

Randolph would give the Cavaliers the 17-14 advantage heading into the locker room at the half, connecting on a 24-yard field goal with just 23 seconds showing on the clock.

Following the break, Verica would expand the lead back to 10, 24-10, finding Terence Fells-Danzer for a three-yard touchdown grab with just over five minutes gone in the stanza.

The offensive fireworks continued, Greene with finding space around the left side of the line to sprint 53-yards for his second touchdown of the evening.

Not to be out done, Virginia's Chris Hickebein would dash 70-yards on the kickoff for the score to keep the deficit at 10 points, 31-21, with 7:37 left in the third.

Things continued to roll for the Cavaliers, off a fake punt Jimmy Howell found Trey Womack for a 56-yard touchdown pass to give the Cavaliers a 38-21 lead. Moments later, Chase Minnifield picked off a Gillett pass and returned the ball to the EMU 15. Two plays later, Payne ran 15 yards around the right end to give the Cavaliers a commanding 45-21 lead.

Eastern returns to Mid-American Conference action Saturday, Oct. 30, against the University of Toledo. Game time is set for 4 p.m. at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti. WEMU (89.1 FM) and WCHB (1200 AM) will carry the game on the radio with Eagle All-Access video streaming the game.

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Team Stats

Alex Gillett

Devontae Payne

Players Mentioned

Kody Fulkerson

Alex Gillett

Javonti Greene

Dwayne Priest

Players Mentioned

Kody Fulkerson

Alex Gillett

Javonti Greene

Dwayne Priest

Eastern Michigan Athletics