Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, October 13
Rynearson Stadium
12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
3-4 , 1-3
28
vs
26
Toledo
3-3 , 1-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Toledo
3
0
3
20
26
Eastern Michigan
21
7
0
0
28
Defense Turns Away Toledo To Hold on for 28-26 Victory
10/13/2018 5:00:00 PM | Football
The Eagles poked away the Rockets' two-point conversion try with 20 seconds left in regulation
Photo Gallery. | Video Recap.
Post Game Audio: Creighton. Harris. Parker. Rachwal.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Junior Freddie McGee III (Canton, Mich.-Salem) poked away a two-point conversion pass in the back of the end zone, as the Eastern Michigan University football team held off the University of Toledo, 28-26, in Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Oct. 13, at Rynearson Stadium.
Toledo (3-3, 1-1 MAC) trailed 28-3 at halftime, but held EMU (3-4, 1-3 MAC) scoreless in the second half while posting 20 fourth quarter points. EMU had a chance to salt the game away, but was held short on a 4th-and-1 near midfield with less than two minutes to go.
UT marched the ball inside the nine, but EMU's defense stood up to the challenge to force a critical 4th-and-goal with 26 ticks remaining. Toledo's Mitchell Guadagni escaped from a collapsing pocket to score from the 10, making it 28-26 with 20 seconds remaining, but his pass to Bryce Mitchell, crossing in the back of the end zone, was poked away by McGee for EMU's first victory over the Midnight Blue and Gold since 2006.
Big plays defined the first half for the Green and White, as the Eagles took an early 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Toledo's defense entered the contest only allowing 191 yards per game on the ground, but by the end of the first half, EMU had torched them for 201 rushing yards.
Junior quarterback Mike Glass III (St. Louis, Mo.-Hazlewood Central-Southwestern) earned his first career start for the Green and White and made it a historic one. Glass III picked up his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game and is believed to be the first EMU signal caller in program history to rush past the century mark in back-to-back games. EMU's individual game-by-game statistics are only available back to the mid-1950s .
Sophomore Willie Parker (Tampa, Fla.-Carrolwood Day School) got into the fun, with a 50-yard run for a score. The scamper was the longest play on the ground by the Eagles this season, and the second TD of Parker's career. Senior Shaq Vann (South Bend, Ind.-John Adams) also found pay dirt with 51 yards on 11 carries.
Guadagni accounted for 75 percent of Toledo's offense, as he passed for 147 yards rushed for 137 yards more.
Overall, EMU Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery's crew held the Rockets to 20 points and 72 yards below their season average. EMU held Toledo scoreless through 14 minutes of play, and did not surrender a touchdown until the 11 minute mark of the fourth quarter.
Senior Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer, Mich.-Lapeer East) led the Eagles with 11 tackles, adding a sack and a pass breakup to his stat line. Senior Jeremiah Harris (Lambertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior), who grew up in the shadows of Toledo, wrangled his first solo sack of 2018 to go along with a pair of QB hurries. Senior Jaylen Pickett (Zephryhills, Fla.-Zephryhills), junior Maxx Crosby (Colleyville, Texas-Colleyville Heritage), and sophomore Turan Rush (Charleston, W. Va.-Capital) each added a sack. Rounding out the team effort, sophomore Blake Bogan (Grand Blanc, Mich.-Grand Blanc) recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter with the Rockets driving deep in EMU territory.
Not to be overlooked, the Rockets were limited to an average of 15.5 yards per kickoff return. Toledo entered the game ranked fifth nationally in kick returns at 29.58.
The win was EMU's first over the defending MAC Champions since the 2006 season, when Eastern also needed a play late to post a 17-13 victory at Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 21. In that game, the Eagles put on a game-winning march capped off by an 18-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds remaining.
Eastern heads back to the road when they travel to Muncie, Ind., to visit Ball State University Saturday, Oct. 20. Kickoff at Scheumann Stadium is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN+ and WEMU (89.1 FM).
The Eagles and Cardinals have met 59 times in their respective histories, with BSU leading the all-time series, 34-23-2. The two schools first met back in 1936, and have faced off annually since 1973. Last year, EMU cruised to a 56-14 victory over BSU in Ypsilanti, Nov. 6, 2017.
Post Game Audio: Creighton. Harris. Parker. Rachwal.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — Junior Freddie McGee III (Canton, Mich.-Salem) poked away a two-point conversion pass in the back of the end zone, as the Eastern Michigan University football team held off the University of Toledo, 28-26, in Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Oct. 13, at Rynearson Stadium.
Toledo (3-3, 1-1 MAC) trailed 28-3 at halftime, but held EMU (3-4, 1-3 MAC) scoreless in the second half while posting 20 fourth quarter points. EMU had a chance to salt the game away, but was held short on a 4th-and-1 near midfield with less than two minutes to go.
UT marched the ball inside the nine, but EMU's defense stood up to the challenge to force a critical 4th-and-goal with 26 ticks remaining. Toledo's Mitchell Guadagni escaped from a collapsing pocket to score from the 10, making it 28-26 with 20 seconds remaining, but his pass to Bryce Mitchell, crossing in the back of the end zone, was poked away by McGee for EMU's first victory over the Midnight Blue and Gold since 2006.
Big plays defined the first half for the Green and White, as the Eagles took an early 21-0 lead in the first quarter. Toledo's defense entered the contest only allowing 191 yards per game on the ground, but by the end of the first half, EMU had torched them for 201 rushing yards.
Junior quarterback Mike Glass III (St. Louis, Mo.-Hazlewood Central-Southwestern) earned his first career start for the Green and White and made it a historic one. Glass III picked up his second consecutive 100-yard rushing game and is believed to be the first EMU signal caller in program history to rush past the century mark in back-to-back games. EMU's individual game-by-game statistics are only available back to the mid-1950s .
Sophomore Willie Parker (Tampa, Fla.-Carrolwood Day School) got into the fun, with a 50-yard run for a score. The scamper was the longest play on the ground by the Eagles this season, and the second TD of Parker's career. Senior Shaq Vann (South Bend, Ind.-John Adams) also found pay dirt with 51 yards on 11 carries.
Guadagni accounted for 75 percent of Toledo's offense, as he passed for 147 yards rushed for 137 yards more.
Overall, EMU Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery's crew held the Rockets to 20 points and 72 yards below their season average. EMU held Toledo scoreless through 14 minutes of play, and did not surrender a touchdown until the 11 minute mark of the fourth quarter.
Senior Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer, Mich.-Lapeer East) led the Eagles with 11 tackles, adding a sack and a pass breakup to his stat line. Senior Jeremiah Harris (Lambertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior), who grew up in the shadows of Toledo, wrangled his first solo sack of 2018 to go along with a pair of QB hurries. Senior Jaylen Pickett (Zephryhills, Fla.-Zephryhills), junior Maxx Crosby (Colleyville, Texas-Colleyville Heritage), and sophomore Turan Rush (Charleston, W. Va.-Capital) each added a sack. Rounding out the team effort, sophomore Blake Bogan (Grand Blanc, Mich.-Grand Blanc) recorded his first career interception in the fourth quarter with the Rockets driving deep in EMU territory.
Not to be overlooked, the Rockets were limited to an average of 15.5 yards per kickoff return. Toledo entered the game ranked fifth nationally in kick returns at 29.58.
The win was EMU's first over the defending MAC Champions since the 2006 season, when Eastern also needed a play late to post a 17-13 victory at Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 21. In that game, the Eagles put on a game-winning march capped off by an 18-yard touchdown run with 36 seconds remaining.
Eastern heads back to the road when they travel to Muncie, Ind., to visit Ball State University Saturday, Oct. 20. Kickoff at Scheumann Stadium is set for 3 p.m. on ESPN+ and WEMU (89.1 FM).
The Eagles and Cardinals have met 59 times in their respective histories, with BSU leading the all-time series, 34-23-2. The two schools first met back in 1936, and have faced off annually since 1973. Last year, EMU cruised to a 56-14 victory over BSU in Ypsilanti, Nov. 6, 2017.
Team Stats
TOLEDO
EMU
Total Yards
376
412
Pass Yards
147
183
Rushing Yards
229
229
Penalty Yards
130
138
1st Downs
25
18
3rd Downs
6
1
4th Downs
1
1
TOP
30:25
29:35
1st Quarter
TOLEDO 0, EMU 7
EMU - GLASS, Mike 3 yd run (RYLAND, Chad kick), 4 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:05
TOLEDO 0, EMU 14
EMU - GLASS, Mike 22 yd run (RYLAND, Chad kick), 7 plays, 56 yards, TOP 3:46
TOLEDO 0, EMU 21
EMU - PARKER, Willie 50 yd run (RYLAND, Chad kick), 1 plays, 50 yards, TOP 0:08
TOLEDO 3, EMU 21
TOLEDO - VEST, Jameson 35 yd field goal 12 plays, 72 yards, TOP 4:40
2nd Quarter
TOLEDO 3, EMU 28
EMU - VANN, Shaq 1 yd run (RYLAND, Chad kick), 10 plays, 84 yards, TOP 4:09
3rd Quarter
TOLEDO 6, EMU 28
TOLEDO - VEST, Jameson 32 yd field goal 4 plays, -1 yards, TOP 1:17
4th Quarter
TOLEDO 13, EMU 28
TOLEDO - THOMPSON, Cody 18 yd pass from GUADAGNI, M. (VEST, Jameson kick) 5 plays, 27 yards, TOP 1:42
TOLEDO 20, EMU 28
TOLEDO - SEYMOUR, Shakif 1 yd run (VEST, Jameson kick), 9 plays, 80 yards, TOP 2:45
TOLEDO 26, EMU 28
TOLEDO - GUADAGNI, M. 10 yd run (GUADAGNI, M. passfailed), 6 plays, 42 yards, TOP 1:25
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
6
TD
0
YDS
100
INT
0
CMP
11
TD
0
YDS
83
INT
0
Players Mentioned
DB
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DL
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DL
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DB
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RB
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LB
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LB
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DL
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