Eastern Michigan Athletics
EMU Drops Homecoming Matchup to Ball State, 29-23
10/12/2019 6:24:00 PM | Football
Last-minute drive comes up short as Eagles fall to Cardinals
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team was unable to preserve a two-possession lead in its 92nd Homecoming contest, falling 29-23, to Ball State University Saturday, Oct. 21 at "The Factory" inside Rynearson Stadium.
The setback snapped the Eagles' (3-3, 0-2 MAC) three-game winning streak against Ball State (3-3, 2-0 MAC), who scored 15 unanswered points in the second half to clinch its first win at EMU since a 28-17 decision, Sept. 19, 2015.
Senior quarterback Mike Glass III (St. Louis, Mo.-Hazelwood Central (Southwestern College)) was responsible for all three Eastern touchdowns, as he finished 20-for-34 with 283 yards and one touchdown pass along with a team-high 13 carries for 47 yards and two rushing scores. Sophomore Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights) led the Green and White with six receptions for 72 yards, while senior Arthur Jackson III (Oakland, Calif.-Wood (American River College)) and sophomore Hassan Beydoun (Dearborn, Mich.-Dearborn) each tallied three catches for 48 and 41 yards, respectively.
Sophomore kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest) matched the career-high he set in the Eagles' win at Illinois, Sept. 14, with a 52-yard field goal that gave EMU a 17-7 lead with 5:27 remaining in the second quarter. On the defensive end, senior Kobie Beltram (Antioch, Calif.-Antioch (City College of San Francisco)) shined with 12 tackles, one TFL, and one fumble recovery, while senior Vince Calhoun (Middletown, Ohio-Middletown) and Terry Myrick (Austell, Ga.-Woodward Academy) were both responsible for seven tackles.
The Eagles won the coin toss and received the ball to begin the contest, but were unable to grab the lead on their opening drive. Glass' first pass from scrimmage intended for senior wide receiver Mathew Sexton (Clinton, Mich.-Clinton) was incomplete, but the pair connected one play later on a 41-yard heave to put the Green and White at the BSU 34-yard line. Glass later extended the drive with a run on fourth-and-one from the 25, but his throw on Third-and-5 at the 7 was intercepted in the end zone by junior safety Bryce Cosby to conclude an 11-play, 68-yard drive, lasting 5:10.
After the team's traded possessions, Ball State had the ball back, before Beltram recovered a backwards-pass fumble and returned to the Ball State two-yard line. Moments later, Glass found sophomore wideout Jairus Grissom (Detroit, Mich.-River Rouge) in the end zone to give the Eagles a 7-0 edge with 3:10 left in the opening frame.
Ball State evened the score on the first play of the second quarter, but the Eagles jumped back in front with a touchdown on their next drive. EMU started the series with back-to-back first-down completions, as Glass found Drummond for a 23-yard gain, while a 15-yard pass to Grissom pushed the Eagles across midfield to the BSU 45-yard line. Two plays later, Glass and Drummond collaborated on a 16-yard reception as the hosts set up shop inside the 30-yard-line.
Faced with Third-and-11 at the 29-yard line, Glass kept the ball and scampered 18 yards for a first down that put the Eagles in the red zone. Despite a false start pushing EMU back to the six later in the drive, junior Willie Parker (Tampa, Fla.-Carrollwood Day School) recovered all five yards on the ground, before Glass punched in a QB sneak to put EMU ahead, 14-7, with 9:12 left in the second quarter.
After forcing a fast three-and-out, the Eagles took over and looked to make it a two-possession game. Glass began the drive with a 13-yard strike to Beydoun, and a defensive pass interference penalty advanced the ball to the BSU 39. EMU decided to try a field goal on fourth-and-six at the 35-yard line, where Ryland tied a personal-best with a 52-yard field goal to give the hosts a 17-7 advantage with 5:27 left in the second period. Ryland previously nailed a 52-yarder in EMU's victory at Illinois, Sept. 14, along with a 51-yard kick against San Diego State, Sept. 22, 2018.
Ball State responded within the final two minutes of the first half with a touchdown to close the gap,17-14, which proved to be the score heading into the break.
The Eagles got a defensive stop to begin the second half, and built a nine-point advantage on the ensuing drive. The passing game continued to shine, as Glass reached Jackson for a 24-yard reception, before consecutive passes to senior Bryce Kemp (Baxter, Iowa-Baxter Community School) totaled 33 yards. Although a touchdown pass was negated by an illegal formation penalty, Beydoun made a 28-yard catch to get EMU down inside the BSU five-yard line, before Glass added a pair of one-yard runs to extend the margin to 23-14 with 7:32 left in the third.
Ball State answered with a 46-yard touchdown pass to cut the Green and White's lead to 23-21 with 4:49 to go in the third quarter, though the Eagles remained in front to begin the final frame. The Cardinals converted on fourth-and-one at the EMU 39, before Plitt added a one-yard run to put the visitors ahead, 27-23, with 11:13 left in regulation. On the ensuing two-point conversion, Plitt found redshirt senior Riley Miller to extend the lead to six.
Still trailing 29-23, the Eagles refused to go away quietly as they burned all three timeouts and earned a crucial defensive stop with 1:19 remaining in the fourth. Glass started the drive 5-for-5 for 59 yards as the Eagles marched to the Ball State 30 with fewer than 30 seconds to play. After spiking the ball to stop the clock with 19 seconds left, the Eagles' best chance for a miraculous win Glass aimed for Jackson at the left edge of the end zone, but the receiver was confirmed to have made the catch out of bounds following a video review. Two plays later, the Cardinals recovered a fumble on fourth down to ice the game.
Eastern will remain at home to host intrastate rival Western Michigan University Saturday, Oct. 19 for a 7 p.m. kickoff. The game is earmarked as the annual Band Day as well as Hall of Fame Day inside Rynearson Stadium.
Team Stats

BALL 0, EMU 7
EMU - GRISSOM, Jairus 2 yd pass from GLASS, Mike (RYLAND, Chad kick) 2 plays, 2 yards, TOP 0:43

BALL 7, EMU 7
BALL - PLITT, Drew 1 yd run (RIMMLER, Ryan kick), 9 plays, 84 yards, TOP 3:07

BALL 7, EMU 14
EMU - GLASS, Mike 1 yd run (RYLAND, Chad kick), 12 plays, 78 yards, TOP 5:38

BALL 7, EMU 17
EMU - RYLAND, Chad 52 yd field goal 6 plays, 32 yards, TOP 2:25

BALL 14, EMU 17
BALL - TYLER, Yo'Heinz 29 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 11 plays, 90 yards, TOP 3:41

BALL 14, EMU 23
EMU - GLASS, Mike 1 yd run (RYLAND, Chad kickfailed), 8 plays, 80 yards, TOP 4:24

BALL 21, EMU 23
BALL - HALL, Justin 46 yd pass from PLITT, Drew (RIMMLER, Ryan kick) 6 plays, 69 yards, TOP 2:37

BALL 29, EMU 23
BALL - PLITT, Drew 1 yd run (MILLER, Riley pass), 11 plays, 61 yards, TOP 3:53






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