Eastern Michigan Athletics
Thursday, August 30
Muncie, Ind.
7 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
0-1-0 , 0-1
26
at
37
Ball State
1-0-0 , 1-0
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Eastern Michigan
0
13
0
13
26
Ball State
10
3
21
3
37
Photo by: EMU Athletics/Randy Mascharka
Eagles Fall to Ball State in Season Opener, 37-26
8/30/2012 11:00:00 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
Late second half comeback falls short for EMU Thursday night.
Postgame Audio.
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team could not stop the Cardinals' run game on the opening night of the 2012 NCAA college football season, as the Eagles fell 37-26 at Ball State University Thursday night, Aug. 30, in a Mid-American Conference tilt at Scheumann Stadium.
Senior quarterback Alex Gillett had three touchdown passes, and added one rushing, to lead the way for Eastern, as he connected with Donald Scott, Garrett Hoskins and Mitchell Dawkins through the air. Gillett finished the night 15-of-34 passing for 191 yards and added 81 in rushing yards to lead the Eagles on the ground. Javonti Greene contributed on the ground and through the air for the Eagles with 72 yards on nine carries, and added another 51 yards receiving.
Unanswered points were the story of the game Thursday night. With Ball State trailing, 13-10, late in the second half, the Cardinals scored 27 straight points, and outscored the Eagles, 24-13, in the second half.
For Ball State, Jahwan Edwards was the story as he ran 20 times, for a career-high 200 yards and three touchdowns. Horactio Banks added a rushing touchdown of his own for the Cardinals. Keith Wenning was the game's leading passer as he went 26-of-41 for 267 yards. Jamill Smith was the top target for Wenning, pulling in 7 receptions for 119 yards. The Cardinals combined for 596 yards of total offense, 267 passing and 329 rushing.
Ball State opened the scoring on the 2012 season, taking the opening kickoff back to the BSU 20, the Cardinals used 10 plays to go 80 yards in 3:18, capping off the drive with an Edwards touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.
After the Eagles were forced into a turnover on downs in Ball State territory, the Cardinals added a 52-yard field goal before the end of the first quarter to extend the early lead to 10-0.
Eastern began to move the ball in the second quarter when Gillett hooked up with Bronson Hill for 33 yards down the left sideline. An illegal hit on a defenseless receiver added 15 yards to the play. The Eagles converted on their first trip to the red zone in 2012 as Gillett found a slanting Scott in the end zone for an eight yard touchdown pass. The extra point by Kody Fulkerson brought the Eagles within three at 10-7.
Following back-to-back first down runs by Ball State, redshirt freshman Omar McFarlane forced a fumble that was jumped on by Marlon Pollard to give the ball back to the Eagles. Dominique Sherrer kept the drive alive on a fourth-and-two gain of five to move to the 23 yard line of Ball State. On the next play, Gillett found a fading Hoskins, who made a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone to give EMU their first lead of the season at 13-10. A failed PAT would keep the the Eagles lead at three.
Ball State would tie it up just before the half with a 30-yard field goal from Steven Schott.
Ball State's Edwards opened the second half of scoring, as he did the first, this time with a career-long 75-yard run to give the Cardinals back the lead, 20-13, after the PAT.
Ball State then cashed in a third touchdown on the ground as Banks ran the final seven to finish off a nine-play, 97-yard drive and give the Cardinals a 27-13 lead with 7:03 remaining in the third.
With eight seconds left in the third, Edwards rushed over right tackle from three yards out for his third touchdown of the game. The PAT made it a 34-13 Cardinal advantage.
Ball State added a third field goal from Schott to extend the lead to 37-13 over the Eagles.
Eastern snapped the 27-0 Ball State run on a seven-yard completion from Gillett to Dawkins to cut the deficit to 37-19, as the Eagles failed on the two-point conversion. The touchdown was the first of Dawkins' career.
The Eagles continued to cut into the Cardinal lead as Gillett rushed in from 16 yards out and a Fulkerson PAT made it 37-26 and closed out the scoring.
Eastern Michigan returns to actions Saturday, September 8 at 1 p.m., as the Eagles will host Illinois State University for the home opener at Rynearson Stadium. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online at EMUTix.com with the codeword: WINCAR.
Addidtional Notes:
Gillett moved into a tie for fourth with Charlie Batch, for career starts by a quarterback at EMU.
Gillett is also tied for fourth in EMU history with 33 career passing touchdowns (Bob Middlekauff and Andy Schmitt)
Donald Scott recorded his third career touchdown reception, first since 2010
Garrett Hoskins recorded his sixth career touchdown reception.
Jay Karutz's 64 yard punt in the third was a career long, previous was 62.
Kevin Johnson's 16 tackles is a career high, previous high was six.
Mitchell Dawkins recorded his first career touchdown reception with 10:02 left in the 4th.
MUNCIE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team could not stop the Cardinals' run game on the opening night of the 2012 NCAA college football season, as the Eagles fell 37-26 at Ball State University Thursday night, Aug. 30, in a Mid-American Conference tilt at Scheumann Stadium.
Senior quarterback Alex Gillett had three touchdown passes, and added one rushing, to lead the way for Eastern, as he connected with Donald Scott, Garrett Hoskins and Mitchell Dawkins through the air. Gillett finished the night 15-of-34 passing for 191 yards and added 81 in rushing yards to lead the Eagles on the ground. Javonti Greene contributed on the ground and through the air for the Eagles with 72 yards on nine carries, and added another 51 yards receiving.
Unanswered points were the story of the game Thursday night. With Ball State trailing, 13-10, late in the second half, the Cardinals scored 27 straight points, and outscored the Eagles, 24-13, in the second half.
For Ball State, Jahwan Edwards was the story as he ran 20 times, for a career-high 200 yards and three touchdowns. Horactio Banks added a rushing touchdown of his own for the Cardinals. Keith Wenning was the game's leading passer as he went 26-of-41 for 267 yards. Jamill Smith was the top target for Wenning, pulling in 7 receptions for 119 yards. The Cardinals combined for 596 yards of total offense, 267 passing and 329 rushing.
Ball State opened the scoring on the 2012 season, taking the opening kickoff back to the BSU 20, the Cardinals used 10 plays to go 80 yards in 3:18, capping off the drive with an Edwards touchdown to take an early 7-0 lead.
After the Eagles were forced into a turnover on downs in Ball State territory, the Cardinals added a 52-yard field goal before the end of the first quarter to extend the early lead to 10-0.
Eastern began to move the ball in the second quarter when Gillett hooked up with Bronson Hill for 33 yards down the left sideline. An illegal hit on a defenseless receiver added 15 yards to the play. The Eagles converted on their first trip to the red zone in 2012 as Gillett found a slanting Scott in the end zone for an eight yard touchdown pass. The extra point by Kody Fulkerson brought the Eagles within three at 10-7.
Following back-to-back first down runs by Ball State, redshirt freshman Omar McFarlane forced a fumble that was jumped on by Marlon Pollard to give the ball back to the Eagles. Dominique Sherrer kept the drive alive on a fourth-and-two gain of five to move to the 23 yard line of Ball State. On the next play, Gillett found a fading Hoskins, who made a one-handed grab in the back of the end zone to give EMU their first lead of the season at 13-10. A failed PAT would keep the the Eagles lead at three.
Ball State would tie it up just before the half with a 30-yard field goal from Steven Schott.
Ball State's Edwards opened the second half of scoring, as he did the first, this time with a career-long 75-yard run to give the Cardinals back the lead, 20-13, after the PAT.
Ball State then cashed in a third touchdown on the ground as Banks ran the final seven to finish off a nine-play, 97-yard drive and give the Cardinals a 27-13 lead with 7:03 remaining in the third.
With eight seconds left in the third, Edwards rushed over right tackle from three yards out for his third touchdown of the game. The PAT made it a 34-13 Cardinal advantage.
Ball State added a third field goal from Schott to extend the lead to 37-13 over the Eagles.
Eastern snapped the 27-0 Ball State run on a seven-yard completion from Gillett to Dawkins to cut the deficit to 37-19, as the Eagles failed on the two-point conversion. The touchdown was the first of Dawkins' career.
The Eagles continued to cut into the Cardinal lead as Gillett rushed in from 16 yards out and a Fulkerson PAT made it 37-26 and closed out the scoring.
Eastern Michigan returns to actions Saturday, September 8 at 1 p.m., as the Eagles will host Illinois State University for the home opener at Rynearson Stadium. Fans are encouraged to purchase tickets online at EMUTix.com with the codeword: WINCAR.
Addidtional Notes:
Gillett moved into a tie for fourth with Charlie Batch, for career starts by a quarterback at EMU.
Gillett is also tied for fourth in EMU history with 33 career passing touchdowns (Bob Middlekauff and Andy Schmitt)
Donald Scott recorded his third career touchdown reception, first since 2010
Garrett Hoskins recorded his sixth career touchdown reception.
Jay Karutz's 64 yard punt in the third was a career long, previous was 62.
Kevin Johnson's 16 tackles is a career high, previous high was six.
Mitchell Dawkins recorded his first career touchdown reception with 10:02 left in the 4th.
Team Stats
EMU
BSU
Total Yards
366
596
Pass Yards
186
267
Rushing Yards
180
329
Penalty Yards
48
69
1st Downs
20
36
3rd Downs
3
7
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
24:08
35:52
1st Quarter
EMU 0, BSU 7
BSU - EDWARDS, Jahwan 7 yd run (SCHOTT, Steven kick), 10 plays, 80 yards, TOP 3:18
EMU 0, BSU 10
BSU - SCHOTT, Steven 52 yd field goal 9 plays, 16 yards, TOP 4:44
2nd Quarter
EMU 7, BSU 10
EMU - SCOTT, Donald 8 yd pass from GILLETT, Alex (FULKERSON, Kody kick) 6 plays, 71 yards, TOP 2:13
EMU 13, BSU 10
EMU - HOSKINS, G 23 yd pass from GILLETT, Alex (FULKERSON, Kody kickblocked) 5 plays, 37 yards, TOP 1:20
EMU 13, BSU 13
BSU - SCHOTT, Steven 29 yd field goal 10 plays, 65 yards, TOP 1:28
3rd Quarter
EMU 13, BSU 20
BSU - EDWARDS, Jahwan 75 yd run (SCHOTT, Steven kick), 2 plays, 86 yards, TOP 0:27
EMU 13, BSU 27
BSU - BANKS, Horactio 8 yd run (SCHOTT, Steven kick), 9 plays, 97 yards, TOP 3:01
EMU 13, BSU 34
BSU - EDWARDS, Jahwan 3 yd run (SCHOTT, Steven kick), 16 plays, 50 yards, TOP 6:15
4th Quarter
EMU 13, BSU 37
BSU - SCHOTT, Steven 19 yd field goal 8 plays, 73 yards, TOP 2:39
EMU 19, BSU 37
EMU - DAWKINS, M. 7 yd pass from GILLETT, Alex (GILLETT, Alex passfailed) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 1:39
EMU 26, BSU 37
EMU - GILLETT, Alex 16 yd run (FULKERSON, Kody kick), 6 plays, 87 yards, TOP 1:43
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
15
TD
3
YDS
186
INT
0
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
PK
/ FootballQB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
TE
/ Football
DB
/ Football
P
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
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