Eagles Fall to Golden Flashes in Homecoming Tilt

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — A visiting Kent State University football team spoiled Eastern Michigan University's Homecoming Game here Saturday afternoon, Oct. 6, in Rynearson Stadium, posting a 41-14 win.

The setback leaves EMU with an 0-5 overall record and an 0-2 MAC mark.

Kent State improves to 4-1 overall and 3-0 in MAC action.

The visitors held a 17-7 halftime lead and broke the game open in the early stages of the third quarter on a series of big-play efforts.

Wide receiver and return specialist Dri Archer raced 98 yards for a touchdown on the Eagles' kickoff to start the second half to make it 24-7.

After stopping Eastern on its next offensive possession, the Golden Flashes used a 22-yard run on a fake punt to set up a 2-yard touchdown run by Trayion Durham with 9:46 left in the third quarter. Freddy Cortez' fourth PAT kick of the game gave Kent a 31-7 lead.

Another Archer big play, this time a 64-yard run from scrimmage with 3:07 left in the third, allowed the Golden Flashes to build up a 38-7 advantage.

A 20-yard Cortez field goal made it 41-7 with 9:52 left in the game.

The Eagles would get on the board again with 7:30 left on a 25-yard touchdown pass from Tyler Benz (Park Ridge, Ill.-Maine Township South) to sophomore Demarius Reed (Chicago, Ill.-Simeon Academy) with 7:30 remaining. Dylan Mulder (Saline, Mich.-Saline) added the PAT.

EMU was led by sophomore running back Bronson Hill (Grand Rapids, Mich.-Catholic Central) who gained 70 yards on four carries with one touchdown.

EMU redshirt sophomore quarterback Benz completed just 9-of-17 passes for 93 yards and a score.

Archie and Durham were the main offensive weapons for Kent State. Archer ran eight times for 72 yards and one touchdown, returned a kickoff for 98 yards and a score and also had four receptions for 52 yards and a touchdown.

Durham gained 116 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns.

The visitors opened the scoring on a 42-yard field goal by Cortez at the 5:57 mark of the first quarter.

The Golden Flashes made it 10-0 with 11:41 left in the second quarter on a 5-yard pass from quarterback Spencer Keith to Archer.

Eastern cut that deficit to 10-7 with 6:24 left in the second quarter when Hill bounced off the left side of the Kent State defense and raced 68 yards for a touchdown. Mulder added the PAT.

That run by Hill was the longest offensive play from scrimmage this year for the Eagles and was also the longest since Dominique White went 64 yards for a score against Central Michigan, Oct. 15, 2011.

Kent State would move its lead back to 10, 17-7, at the 3:26 mark of the second quarter when Durham bulled his way four yards for a touchdown with Cortez adding the PAT. That score would hold up into halftime.

The Golden Flashes improved to 24-7 on Archer's 98-yard kickoff return.

That kickoff return by Archer was the longest in Rynearson Stadium history, breaking Miami's Tremayne Banks' mark of 94 yards set Oct. 12, 1996.

Kent upped its lead to 31-7 on Durham's run and made it 38-7 on Archer's 64-yarder. Cortez would bang home a 20-yard field goal with 9:52 left in the contest for the final Kent points.

Reed's 25-yard touchdown reception for the Eagles would make the final Kent State 41, EMU 14.

The Eagles continue a three-game homestand when they welcome the University of Toledo Rockets to Rynearson Stadium Saturday, Oct. 13, for a 1 p.m. kickoff.

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Team Stats

Tyler Benz

Players Mentioned

Tyler Benz

Bronson Hill

Dylan Mulder

Demarius Reed

Dominique White

Players Mentioned

Tyler Benz

Bronson Hill

Dylan Mulder

Demarius Reed

Dominique White

Eastern Michigan Athletics