Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, November 20
Buffalo, N.Y.
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
2-9 , 2-5
21
at
17
Buffalo
2-9 , 1-6
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Eastern Michigan
0
14
7
0
21
Buffalo
0
10
7
0
17
Photo by: Scott Olmstead
Stellar Rushing Attack Propels EMU to 21-17 Win at Buffalo
11/20/2010 5:49:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
Senior Dwayne Priest carried the ball 35 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns
Box score.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team's second trip to western New York was a memorable one, as the Eagles defeated the University at Buffalo, 21-17, here Saturday, Nov. 20, in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional contest played in UB Stadium.
Leading 21-17 with 1:14 to play, Buffalo had one last gasp remaining in the contest. UB moved the ball up to the EMU 39-yard line. Then with five seconds to play, quarterback Jerry Davis escaped the EMU pressure and heaved a pass towards the end zone that landed harmlessly at the end line to give Eastern the hard-fought victory.
Senior tailback Dwayne Priest (Roanoke, Va.-William Fleming-Fork Union Academy) had a career day for the Eagles running the ball 35 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns. The 192 yards were a personal-best for the Roanoke, Va. native, surpassing his previous high of 142 yards from scrimmage in the season-opener against Army, Sept. 5. In total the Eagles rolled up 272 yards on the ground, despite coming into the contest averaging just 167.0 yards per game.
Priest's 35 carries and 192 yards were also season-bests for EMU, overtaking the 35 rushes for 189 yards by sophomore quarterback Alex Gillett (Green Springs, Ohio-Clyde) in the 41-38 overtime victory at Ball State, Oct. 16.
With the win Eastern Michigan improves to 2-9 overall and 2-5 in the MAC, while Buffalo drops to 1-6 in the league and 2-9 on the year. Additionally, Eastern Michigan remains perfect all-time against Buffalo with a 4-0 record, including a 2-0 mark in games played in Buffalo, N.Y.
Gillett completed 6-of-9 passes for 92 yards despite throwing a pair of interceptions. The Green Springs, Ohio native also picked up 56 on the ground. Senior tight end Ben Thayer (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Hackett Catholic Central) caught three balls for 73 yards.
Both offenses struggled in the opening period with the score remaining at zeros with 15 minutes of action completed. The Eagles ran the ball 14 times for 88 yards, including a fourth-down conversion via a Dominique Sherrer (Cincinnati, Ohio-Colerain) rush off a fake punt deep in EMU territory. However, the possession would eventually stall at the UB 43-yard line and the Eagles would have to punt it away.
Just moments into the second quarter though, Eastern Michigan was able to crack the scoreboard first with 13:36 showing on the clock. Priest was able to punch it over the goal line from one-yard out for his sixth touchdown of the 2010 campaign. Priest carried the load on the drive, running the ball four time for 41 yards. Sean Graham's (Orchard Lake, Mich.-Orchard Lake St. Marys-Florida State) extra point was good to make it 7-0 in favor of the Green and White.
The EMU defense continued to play outstanding football, limiting UB to just 14 plays over its first three offensive possessions, including a pair of three-and-outs. However, an interception by the Bulls with 10:07 to play in the half jump started the Buffalo offense.
Buffalo would march 75 yards in seven plays with Jerry Davis lofting a pass to Marcus Rivers in the back of the end zone. Both Rivers and EMU's Marcell Rose (Orlando, Fla.-Cypress Creek) came down with simultaneous control of the ball, but the touchdown would be credited to UB upon further review. The extra point sailed through the uprights to knot the score at 7-7.
Following a great kickoff return by the Eagles' Sherrer, Gillett calmly directed Eastern back down the field for a score. On 4th-and-2 at the UB 32-yard line, Gillett dropped back and found a wide-open Thayer for the first down at the three-yard line. Two plays later Priest would find pay dirt for the second time of the day with 3:03 still left before the intermission. The PAT was good to give EMU the 14-7 edge.
Not to be outdone though, Buffalo would answer with a 30-yard field goal to slice the advantage to four, 14-10, as the first half expired and the teams headed to the locker room at the half.
The ground invasion continued for the Eastern Michigan after the break. On the Eagles' first drive of the second half, the team rushed nine times for 70 yards with Priest finally capping the drive with another one-yard scamper for the touchdown. His third score of the day made it 21-10 with 8:51 left in the third quarter, as the senior from Roanoke, Va. carried the rock eight times for 63 yards during the possession.
Right back down the field came the Bulls, Davis found a streaking Ed Young in the front corner of the end zone for the 14-yardtouchdown strike with 4:11 left in the third. The extra point was true to cut the EMU lead back to four points at 21-17.
Resilient proved the be the Eagles, however, moving the ball down the field to open the fourth quarter. Gillett hooked up with Thayer on 2nd-and-6 for a 36 yard pickup into Bull territory. Buffalo's defense would stiffen, but again on fourth down Gillett flared a pass out to Priest in the backfield to move the chains for another EMU first down.
The time-consuming drive would stall and Graham would be called upon for the 30-yard field goal attempt. However, his seventh try of the season sailed left to give the ball back to Buffalo would 6:30 left in regulation.
Needing a defensive stop, Eastern Michigan promptly forced Buffalo into a quick three-and-out situation and a punt. Buffalo would respond with a quick stop of its own to again get the ball back with 3:09 to go.
The defensive for the Eagles stood strong forcing another punt, but Eastern could get nothing going on offense as UB still had life with 1:14 showing.
With one last gasp remaining for the Bulls moved the ball up to the EMU 39-yard line. Then with five seconds to play, Davis escaped the EMU pressure and heaved a pass towards the end zone that landed harmlessly at the end line to give Eastern the 21-17 victory.
Eastern closes out the 2010 campaign Friday, Nov. 26, against Northern Illinois University. Game time is set for noon at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Mich.. WEMU (89.1 FM) and WCHB (1200 AM) will carry the game on the radio with Eagle All-Access video streaming the game via EMUEagles.com For tickets, call 734.487.2282.
BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team's second trip to western New York was a memorable one, as the Eagles defeated the University at Buffalo, 21-17, here Saturday, Nov. 20, in a Mid-American Conference cross-divisional contest played in UB Stadium.
Leading 21-17 with 1:14 to play, Buffalo had one last gasp remaining in the contest. UB moved the ball up to the EMU 39-yard line. Then with five seconds to play, quarterback Jerry Davis escaped the EMU pressure and heaved a pass towards the end zone that landed harmlessly at the end line to give Eastern the hard-fought victory.
Senior tailback Dwayne Priest (Roanoke, Va.-William Fleming-Fork Union Academy) had a career day for the Eagles running the ball 35 times for 192 yards and three touchdowns. The 192 yards were a personal-best for the Roanoke, Va. native, surpassing his previous high of 142 yards from scrimmage in the season-opener against Army, Sept. 5. In total the Eagles rolled up 272 yards on the ground, despite coming into the contest averaging just 167.0 yards per game.
Priest's 35 carries and 192 yards were also season-bests for EMU, overtaking the 35 rushes for 189 yards by sophomore quarterback Alex Gillett (Green Springs, Ohio-Clyde) in the 41-38 overtime victory at Ball State, Oct. 16.
With the win Eastern Michigan improves to 2-9 overall and 2-5 in the MAC, while Buffalo drops to 1-6 in the league and 2-9 on the year. Additionally, Eastern Michigan remains perfect all-time against Buffalo with a 4-0 record, including a 2-0 mark in games played in Buffalo, N.Y.
Gillett completed 6-of-9 passes for 92 yards despite throwing a pair of interceptions. The Green Springs, Ohio native also picked up 56 on the ground. Senior tight end Ben Thayer (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Hackett Catholic Central) caught three balls for 73 yards.
Both offenses struggled in the opening period with the score remaining at zeros with 15 minutes of action completed. The Eagles ran the ball 14 times for 88 yards, including a fourth-down conversion via a Dominique Sherrer (Cincinnati, Ohio-Colerain) rush off a fake punt deep in EMU territory. However, the possession would eventually stall at the UB 43-yard line and the Eagles would have to punt it away.
Just moments into the second quarter though, Eastern Michigan was able to crack the scoreboard first with 13:36 showing on the clock. Priest was able to punch it over the goal line from one-yard out for his sixth touchdown of the 2010 campaign. Priest carried the load on the drive, running the ball four time for 41 yards. Sean Graham's (Orchard Lake, Mich.-Orchard Lake St. Marys-Florida State) extra point was good to make it 7-0 in favor of the Green and White.
The EMU defense continued to play outstanding football, limiting UB to just 14 plays over its first three offensive possessions, including a pair of three-and-outs. However, an interception by the Bulls with 10:07 to play in the half jump started the Buffalo offense.
Buffalo would march 75 yards in seven plays with Jerry Davis lofting a pass to Marcus Rivers in the back of the end zone. Both Rivers and EMU's Marcell Rose (Orlando, Fla.-Cypress Creek) came down with simultaneous control of the ball, but the touchdown would be credited to UB upon further review. The extra point sailed through the uprights to knot the score at 7-7.
Following a great kickoff return by the Eagles' Sherrer, Gillett calmly directed Eastern back down the field for a score. On 4th-and-2 at the UB 32-yard line, Gillett dropped back and found a wide-open Thayer for the first down at the three-yard line. Two plays later Priest would find pay dirt for the second time of the day with 3:03 still left before the intermission. The PAT was good to give EMU the 14-7 edge.
Not to be outdone though, Buffalo would answer with a 30-yard field goal to slice the advantage to four, 14-10, as the first half expired and the teams headed to the locker room at the half.
The ground invasion continued for the Eastern Michigan after the break. On the Eagles' first drive of the second half, the team rushed nine times for 70 yards with Priest finally capping the drive with another one-yard scamper for the touchdown. His third score of the day made it 21-10 with 8:51 left in the third quarter, as the senior from Roanoke, Va. carried the rock eight times for 63 yards during the possession.
Right back down the field came the Bulls, Davis found a streaking Ed Young in the front corner of the end zone for the 14-yardtouchdown strike with 4:11 left in the third. The extra point was true to cut the EMU lead back to four points at 21-17.
Resilient proved the be the Eagles, however, moving the ball down the field to open the fourth quarter. Gillett hooked up with Thayer on 2nd-and-6 for a 36 yard pickup into Bull territory. Buffalo's defense would stiffen, but again on fourth down Gillett flared a pass out to Priest in the backfield to move the chains for another EMU first down.
The time-consuming drive would stall and Graham would be called upon for the 30-yard field goal attempt. However, his seventh try of the season sailed left to give the ball back to Buffalo would 6:30 left in regulation.
Needing a defensive stop, Eastern Michigan promptly forced Buffalo into a quick three-and-out situation and a punt. Buffalo would respond with a quick stop of its own to again get the ball back with 3:09 to go.
The defensive for the Eagles stood strong forcing another punt, but Eastern could get nothing going on offense as UB still had life with 1:14 showing.
With one last gasp remaining for the Bulls moved the ball up to the EMU 39-yard line. Then with five seconds to play, Davis escaped the EMU pressure and heaved a pass towards the end zone that landed harmlessly at the end line to give Eastern the 21-17 victory.
Eastern closes out the 2010 campaign Friday, Nov. 26, against Northern Illinois University. Game time is set for noon at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Mich.. WEMU (89.1 FM) and WCHB (1200 AM) will carry the game on the radio with Eagle All-Access video streaming the game via EMUEagles.com For tickets, call 734.487.2282.
Team Stats
EMU
UB
Total Yards
353
297
Pass Yards
92
222
Rushing Yards
261
75
Penalty Yards
60
50
1st Downs
16
16
3rd Downs
4
4
4th Downs
3
1
TOP
36:52
23:08
2nd Quarter
EMU 7, UB 0
EMU - PRIEST, Dwayne 1 yd run (GRAHAM, Sean kick), 5 plays, 44 yards, TOP 2:20
EMU 7, UB 7
UB - RIVERS, Marcus 28 yd pass from DAVIS, Jerry (PRINCIPE, A.J. kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:32
EMU 14, UB 7
EMU - PRIEST, Dwayne 1 yd run (GRAHAM, Sean kick), 8 plays, 51 yards, TOP 4:25
EMU 14, UB 10
UB - PRINCIPE, A.J. 30 yd field goal 8 plays, 59 yards, TOP 2:56
3rd Quarter
EMU 21, UB 10
EMU - PRIEST, Dwayne 1 yd run (GRAHAM, Sean kick), 9 plays, 70 yards, TOP 4:53
EMU 21, UB 17
UB - YOUNG, Ed 14 yd pass from DAVIS, Jerry (PRINCIPE, A.J. kick) 9 plays, 73 yards, TOP 4:35
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
6
TD
0
YDS
92
INT
2
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
K
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
TE
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