Eastern Michigan Athletics
Football Falls to Toledo in Home-Opener, 45-28
11/18/2020 11:21:00 PM | Football
Terry Myrick led the Eagles with a career-high 14 tackles; Tanner Knue scored first TD
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team was unable to overcome an early deficit as it opened its 2020 home campaign with a Mid-American Conference setback, 45-28, to its West Division rival, the University of Toledo, at "The Factory," inside Rynearson Stadium, Nov. 18.
Eastern (0-3, 0-3 MAC) outscored Toledo (2-1, 2-1 MAC) in the fourth quarter, but was unable to pull within striking distance before time ran out. Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson (Mason, Ohio-Mason) found senior tight end Bryson Cannon (Columbia, S.C.-Dutch Fork (Independence C.C.)) for an eight-yard touchdown reception with 12 seconds left. The score capped off a drive consisting of 17 plays for 62 yards.
Offensively, Hutchinson paced the Eagles as he completed 25-of-38 pass attempts for 244 yards and four touchdowns. Junior receiver Quian Williams (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Southmoore) recorded a team-high eight receptions for 86 yards with touchdown grab, while classmate Hassan Beydoun (Dearborn, Mich.-Dearborn) tallied eight receptions for 64 yards.
On the defensive side, 10 Eagles posted career-highs in tackles. Senior linebacker Terry Myrick (Austell, Ga.-Woodward Academy) led the way with 14 stops. Junior Tariq Speights (Valencia, Calif.-Valencia (College of the Canyons)) followed with 11, while junior Korey Hernandez (Decatur, Ga.-Cedar Grove (Iowa Western C.C.)) and freshman Mark Lee Jr. (Columbus, Ohio-Northland) each notched seven tackles, respectively.
Senior Jake Julien (Barrie, Ontario-North Collegiate) led the punting game for the Eagles with six boots for 256 yards. He averaged 44.2 yards per punt with a long of 53 yards, which tied his season long. Additionally, he placed two punts inside the 20-yard line.
The EMU defense was strong right out of the locker room, forcing a punt on the first drive of the game for the second time this season. However, the offense couldn't convert as the Green and White went three-and-out on their first drive of the game. On the Rockets' next drive, Myrick came up big with a strip-sack to force a fumble at the EMU 14-yard line to give the Eagles' offense a chance to strike.
After a booming punt from Julien, Toledo answered on its next possession, needing just 1:23 to score seven points of its own and take a 7-0 lead. The score came as UT quarterback Eli Peters connected with Devin Maddox for a 25-yard touchdown completion, while kicker Evan Davis added the extra point to close out the first quarter.
Down, 14-0, early in the second quarter, the Eagles took advantage of a muffed punt, scoring off of the turnover as Hutchinson found teammate sophomore Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio-Mason) in the back of the endzone for a 17-yard completion with 10:43 left in the frame. The touchdown was the first for Knue in his career, and came just one day after receiving a full-ride scholarship. Junior Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest) converted on the extra-point attempt to make it a one-score game, 14-7.
Although EMU's next drive ended with a fumble, the defensive players were able to rally with conviction, as senior defensive lineman Turan Rush (Charleston West Side, W.Va.-Capital-Antelope Valley) picked up a huge sack to force a Toledo field-goal attempt, which ultimately missed. Despite the momentum, Toledo was able to take a 24-7 lead into the break.
Although Eastern Michigan's offense moved the ball well throughout parts of the third quarter, the Rocket defense was able to force two consecutive possessions out of the halftime intermission. Toledo took advantage of those stops, finding the back of the end zone in its first two drives of the third stanza, making the score 38-7, with 5:48 left in the quarter. The Eagles, who showed consistent resiliency, worked their way down the field just moments later for what was ultimately a 12-play, 75-yard scoring drive. Freshman running back DJ Smith (Dallas, Texas-Frisco Lone Star) capped the scoring series with his first-career touchdown, a nine-yard reception. EMU attempted the two-point conversion, but couldn't capitalize, and went to the fourth down, 38-13.
The Eastern offense continued to fight in the fourth quarter, as it rattled off a five-play, 77-yard scoring drive over two minutes as Williams pulled in a 12-yard touchdown pass with 7:13 remaining. Hutchinson found Knue for the two-point conversion to cut Toledo's lead to 45-21. The Eagles' defense forced a Toledo punt on the next possession, and the offense marched back down the field over the next five minutes to score an eight-yard touchdown with 12 ticks remaining. The late score was Cannon's first of the season. Ryland's extra point attempt was good, and brought the score to 45-28, where it would ultimately finish.
Eastern will host MAC West Division rival Central Michigan University over the Thanksgiving holiday next Friday, Nov. 27, inside "The Factory" at Rynearson Stadium. Kick-off is slated for 4 p.m. on CBS Sports Network and WEMU 89.1 FM.
For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU football, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media at @EMUFB.
Team Stats

TOLEDO 7, EMU 0
TOLEDO - MADDOX,Devin 25 yd pass from PETERS,Eli (DAVIS,Evan kick) 11 plays, 82 yards, TOP 4:47

TOLEDO 14, EMU 0
TOLEDO - McKINLEY-LEWIS 68 yd pass from PETERS,Eli (DAVIS,Evan kick) 1 plays, 68 yards, TOP 0:10

TOLEDO 14, EMU 7
EMU - KNUE, Tanner 17 yd pass from HUTCHINSON, P. (RYLAND, Chad kick) 2 plays, 17 yards, TOP 0:13

TOLEDO 21, EMU 7
TOLEDO - KOBACK,Bryant 5 yd run (DAVIS,Evan kick), 10 plays, 71 yards, TOP 5:18

TOLEDO 24, EMU 7
TOLEDO - DAVIS,Evan 39 yd field goal 7 plays, 32 yards, TOP 1:49

TOLEDO 31, EMU 7
TOLEDO - WINSTEAD,Isaiah 24 yd pass from BRADLEY,Carter (DAVIS,Evan kick) 4 plays, 74 yards, TOP 1:19

TOLEDO 38, EMU 7
TOLEDO - BLACKMON,Ronnie 57 yd pass from BRADLEY,Carter (DAVIS,Evan kick) 7 plays, 76 yards, TOP 3:38

TOLEDO 38, EMU 13
EMU - SMITH, DJ 9 yd pass from HUTCHINSON, P. (CANNON, Bryson passfailed) 12 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:55

TOLEDO 45, EMU 13
TOLEDO - HINES,Jamal 20 yd interception (DAVIS,Evan kick)

TOLEDO 45, EMU 21
EMU - WILLIAMS, Quian 12 yd pass from HUTCHINSON, P. (KNUE, Tanner pass) 5 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:32

TOLEDO 45, EMU 28
EMU - CANNON, Bryson 8 yd pass from HUTCHINSON, P. (RYLAND, Chad kick) 17 plays, 63 yards, TOP 5:16