Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, December 5
Kalamazoo, Mich.
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
53
at
42
.png&width=60&height=60&type=webp)
Western Michigan
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Football Soars in Historic Performance at Western Michigan
12/5/2020 6:55:00 PM | Football
The victory is the first for EMU at WMU since 2012
Photo Gallery | Postgame Highlight Video.
Postgame Press Conference.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It was a historic afternoon for the Eastern Michigan University football team, as it recorded its first win of the 2020 campaign by defeating Mid-American Conference West Division leader and in-state rival, Western Michigan University, 53-42, inside Kalamazoo's Waldo Stadium.
The Eagles failed to score on just two possessions during the game. That included its final possession of the contest, in which it simply kneeled the ball to run out the clock. The Eagles' offensive performance marks the first time the team has scored better than 50 points since it put up 56 against Ball State on Nov. 2, 2017.
The win gives Eastern (1-4, 1-4 MAC) a second-consecutive victory over Western (4-1, 4-1 MAC), its best stretch since defeating the Brown and Gold three straight times between 2011-13. Additionally, the 53 points is the most ever scored by Eastern in the 56-game history of the rivalry that dates back to 1906. The win also marks the first time EMU has defeated WMU in Kalamazoo since 2012.
Offensively, the Eagles were led by a slew of players, but none was better than first-year quarterback Preston Hutchinson (Mason, Ohio-Mason), who completed 19-of-30 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Hutchinson, who made his first-career start in EMU's 34-27 triumph over the Broncos a season ago, added another score on the ground as well. In the backfield, freshman running back Darius Boone (Tulsa, Okla.-Union) had a career day. He rushed for 148 yards on 25 attempts to become the first Eagle running back to go for 100+ yards in a contest since Nov. 19, 2019, when Shaq Vann went for 107 against Northern Illinois. Boone topped off his stat line by scoring his first collegiate touchdown, a feat that fellow first-year Eagle, sophomore transfer Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge (Iowa)) also accomplished in the game. Evans went for 61 yards and notched a career-best 37-yard run on seven attempts for the Green and White.
Out in space, it was junior wide out Hassan Beydoun (Dearborn, Mich.-Dearborn) that paced the Eagles. He caught seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Beydoun has tallied 90+ yards in three games this season. Junior wide out Quian Williams (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Southmoore) was impressive as well, as he went for 76 yards and one TD on four catches.
On the defensive end, EMU was able to recover a season-high three fumbles, two of which were in the second half, on back-to-back drives. Individually, junior Korey Hernandez (Dectur, Ga.-Cedar Grove (Iowa Western C.C.)) paced the team with 10 tackles. The MAC's tackle leader, senior linebacker Terry Myrick (Austell, Ga.-Woodward Academy) was right behind him with nine stops and 0.5 tackles-for-loss. He was joined by fellow linebacker Tariq Speights (Valencia, Calif.-Valencia (College of the Canyons)), who also notched nine tackles.
Eastern found itself facing early adversity. Although it received the ball to begin the game, EMU was able to muster just 15 yards on eight plays and was forced to punt. Quickly after, WMU hit stride, as the Broncos went 83 yards in 13 plays and found the end zone for the game's first score. The extra point made it 7-0 Broncos with 6:09 remaining in the first.
Not to be outmatched, Hutchinson and the offense came roaring back with a scoring drive of its own. Facing a third-and-long, Hutchinson found Beydoun for the longest play of the game to that point, a 66-yard reception, which is Beydoun's career-long. Although Eastern was unable to finish the drive with a touchdown, junior kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest) was able to clean up for a 28-yard field goal and cut the deficit to just four, 7-3.
Back on defense and feeding off the momentum from the Eastern offense, Neal Neathery's "Hard Hat D" went to work. On just the second play of the stanza, freshman defensive back Mark Lee Jr. (Columbus, Ohio-Northland) punched the ball away from a Bronco running back as senior DB Freddie McGee III (Canton, Mich.-Salem) fell on top to secure the fumble recovery, the second of his career. The forced fumble was a career-first for Lee Jr.
Back on the field and facing a fourth down-decision from the WMU 30-yard line, head coach Chris Creighton kept his offense on the gridiron, a decision that paid off as Hutchinson was able to pick up the first down, and just one play later find sophomore wide receiver Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio-Mason) for his second TD of the season. The 28-yard score, which put EMU ahead, 9-7, with just under 90 seconds left in the first quarter, is Knue's second-longest reception of the season.
EMU kept the Broncos off the board for the remainder of the first quarter to hand WMU its first deficit after one quarter this season, 9-7.
Another Western touchdown gave the home team a lead once more, 14-9, just one minute into the second quarter. Undeterred, EMU quickly responded with a nine-play, 77-yard touchdown drive of its own. That scoring session was spurred by Boone, who busted a career-long 44-yard rush to get EMU into Bronco territory. Moments later, Hutchinson found the end zone with his feet, converting on a three-yard run with 8:53 on the clock. That score, his seventh on the ground this season, put the Eagles back ahead, 16-13.
With momentum shifting on seemingly every drive, Western struck once more under 60 seconds after Hutchinson's score. The Bronco touchdown came via a 49-yard reception by Jaylen Hall, and put Western back in front, 21-16.
Down yet again, Hutchinson and Co. continued to grind. With the ball back and just over eight minutes remaining in the first half, the Green and White marched down the field. A six-yard reception by junior Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights) got the set rolling before Boone ripped off consecutive runs of eight and nine yards, respectively. After moving the ball to the Western 32-yard line, Hutchinson delivered again. This time, he found Williams with a high-speed, 32-yard touchdown strike in the right corner of the end zone. The score was Williams' second of the season. Ryland hit the extra-point to bump Eastern back ahead by a pair, 23-21.
With a two-point cushion and 2:35 on the clock before halftime, EMU forced the first three-and-out of the game to get the offense one more possession. Continuing his hot play, Hutchinson and the Eagles needed just three plays to take advantage of the extra possession, the highlight of which was a 61-yard touchdown toss to Knue, his second of the game and third of the season. That score put Eastern ahead by nine, 30-21, a lead it took into the break.
Hutchinson finished the first half with 267 passing yards on 15-of-22 passing. That performance is the best by an Eagle in the first half of a game since Andy Schmitt went 38-of-52 for 354 yards and five touchdowns against Central Michigan, Nov. 28, 2008.
The fireworks continued out of the halftime intermission as Western put together an 11-play, 75-yard march to pull its deficit within two, 30-28, with just over five minutes gone by. Still, the Eastern offense remained poised and ready to respond. After moving into WMU territory, Eastern faced perhaps its biggest play of the afternoon, a fourth-and-five from the 35-yard line. Creighton's second fourth down gamble of the game paid off, as Hutchinson found Evans for a nine-yard pickup and the first down. With the play, EMU moved to 10-for-13 on fourth down conversions this season. Three plays later, Williams hauled in a 17-yard pass to get EMU to the WMU eight-yard line, before Boone bruised for four yards on each of the next two plays to get into the end zone. An extra point pushed EMU's lead back to nine, 37-28, with five minutes on the clock.
With momentum fully on the side of Eastern Michigan, the blows kept coming for Western Michigan. A fumble on the ensuing kickoff gave Eastern the ball back immediately after its score, this time on the Western 31-yard line. Ryland added a field goal 51 seconds later to increase the Eagle lead to 12, 40-28, with just over four minutes left to play in the third.
Although Western successfully fielded the next kick off, the Eastern defense needed just two plays to stun the Broncos once again. Getting his hands on the ball for the first time as an Eagle was defensive lineman Aaron Hamilton (Alpharetta, Ga.-Johns Creek), who recorded his first-career fumble recovery on the play. The red zone starting position led to another field goal for the Green and White, who hit the chip shot with 1:25 remaining in the frame to extend its lead to 15, 43-28.
To Western Michigan's credit, the home team never gave up. Down 15 as the fourth quarter began, the Broncos put together another successful scoring drive to get the game back within eight, 43-35 with better than 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
Knowing that a one possession cushion would not be enough to seal the deal in what was a high-scoring affair, the Eastern offense, led by Creighton's play calling, kept the pressure on. A seven-play, 75-yard drive for the Eagles ran better than four minutes off the clock and put them ahead comfortably, 50-35, with just under 10 minutes remaining.
Although Western was able to score with 5:42 left to bring the game back to an eight-point margin, 50-42, it was unable to successfully recover its onside kick attempt. A perfectly executed drive saw EMU eat the clock and convert a dagger field goal, which put the Eagles ahead, 53-42, with under 90 ticks left.
With that kick, Ryland's career-best fourth field-goal make of the game, the game was all but over. EMU got the ball back one last time and was able to kneel it down for its first win of the season, 53-42.
The Eagles will close their 2020 slate with a home game against Northern Illinois University Saturday, Dec. 12. Kickoff from "The Factory," inside Rynearson Stadium is set for 12 p.m. For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU football, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media, at @EMUFB.
Postgame Press Conference.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – It was a historic afternoon for the Eastern Michigan University football team, as it recorded its first win of the 2020 campaign by defeating Mid-American Conference West Division leader and in-state rival, Western Michigan University, 53-42, inside Kalamazoo's Waldo Stadium.
The Eagles failed to score on just two possessions during the game. That included its final possession of the contest, in which it simply kneeled the ball to run out the clock. The Eagles' offensive performance marks the first time the team has scored better than 50 points since it put up 56 against Ball State on Nov. 2, 2017.
The win gives Eastern (1-4, 1-4 MAC) a second-consecutive victory over Western (4-1, 4-1 MAC), its best stretch since defeating the Brown and Gold three straight times between 2011-13. Additionally, the 53 points is the most ever scored by Eastern in the 56-game history of the rivalry that dates back to 1906. The win also marks the first time EMU has defeated WMU in Kalamazoo since 2012.
Offensively, the Eagles were led by a slew of players, but none was better than first-year quarterback Preston Hutchinson (Mason, Ohio-Mason), who completed 19-of-30 passes for 315 yards and three touchdowns. Hutchinson, who made his first-career start in EMU's 34-27 triumph over the Broncos a season ago, added another score on the ground as well. In the backfield, freshman running back Darius Boone (Tulsa, Okla.-Union) had a career day. He rushed for 148 yards on 25 attempts to become the first Eagle running back to go for 100+ yards in a contest since Nov. 19, 2019, when Shaq Vann went for 107 against Northern Illinois. Boone topped off his stat line by scoring his first collegiate touchdown, a feat that fellow first-year Eagle, sophomore transfer Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge (Iowa)) also accomplished in the game. Evans went for 61 yards and notched a career-best 37-yard run on seven attempts for the Green and White.
Out in space, it was junior wide out Hassan Beydoun (Dearborn, Mich.-Dearborn) that paced the Eagles. He caught seven passes for 96 yards and a touchdown. Beydoun has tallied 90+ yards in three games this season. Junior wide out Quian Williams (Oklahoma City, Okla.-Southmoore) was impressive as well, as he went for 76 yards and one TD on four catches.
On the defensive end, EMU was able to recover a season-high three fumbles, two of which were in the second half, on back-to-back drives. Individually, junior Korey Hernandez (Dectur, Ga.-Cedar Grove (Iowa Western C.C.)) paced the team with 10 tackles. The MAC's tackle leader, senior linebacker Terry Myrick (Austell, Ga.-Woodward Academy) was right behind him with nine stops and 0.5 tackles-for-loss. He was joined by fellow linebacker Tariq Speights (Valencia, Calif.-Valencia (College of the Canyons)), who also notched nine tackles.
Eastern found itself facing early adversity. Although it received the ball to begin the game, EMU was able to muster just 15 yards on eight plays and was forced to punt. Quickly after, WMU hit stride, as the Broncos went 83 yards in 13 plays and found the end zone for the game's first score. The extra point made it 7-0 Broncos with 6:09 remaining in the first.
Not to be outmatched, Hutchinson and the offense came roaring back with a scoring drive of its own. Facing a third-and-long, Hutchinson found Beydoun for the longest play of the game to that point, a 66-yard reception, which is Beydoun's career-long. Although Eastern was unable to finish the drive with a touchdown, junior kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest) was able to clean up for a 28-yard field goal and cut the deficit to just four, 7-3.
Back on defense and feeding off the momentum from the Eastern offense, Neal Neathery's "Hard Hat D" went to work. On just the second play of the stanza, freshman defensive back Mark Lee Jr. (Columbus, Ohio-Northland) punched the ball away from a Bronco running back as senior DB Freddie McGee III (Canton, Mich.-Salem) fell on top to secure the fumble recovery, the second of his career. The forced fumble was a career-first for Lee Jr.
Back on the field and facing a fourth down-decision from the WMU 30-yard line, head coach Chris Creighton kept his offense on the gridiron, a decision that paid off as Hutchinson was able to pick up the first down, and just one play later find sophomore wide receiver Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio-Mason) for his second TD of the season. The 28-yard score, which put EMU ahead, 9-7, with just under 90 seconds left in the first quarter, is Knue's second-longest reception of the season.
EMU kept the Broncos off the board for the remainder of the first quarter to hand WMU its first deficit after one quarter this season, 9-7.
Another Western touchdown gave the home team a lead once more, 14-9, just one minute into the second quarter. Undeterred, EMU quickly responded with a nine-play, 77-yard touchdown drive of its own. That scoring session was spurred by Boone, who busted a career-long 44-yard rush to get EMU into Bronco territory. Moments later, Hutchinson found the end zone with his feet, converting on a three-yard run with 8:53 on the clock. That score, his seventh on the ground this season, put the Eagles back ahead, 16-13.
With momentum shifting on seemingly every drive, Western struck once more under 60 seconds after Hutchinson's score. The Bronco touchdown came via a 49-yard reception by Jaylen Hall, and put Western back in front, 21-16.
Down yet again, Hutchinson and Co. continued to grind. With the ball back and just over eight minutes remaining in the first half, the Green and White marched down the field. A six-yard reception by junior Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights) got the set rolling before Boone ripped off consecutive runs of eight and nine yards, respectively. After moving the ball to the Western 32-yard line, Hutchinson delivered again. This time, he found Williams with a high-speed, 32-yard touchdown strike in the right corner of the end zone. The score was Williams' second of the season. Ryland hit the extra-point to bump Eastern back ahead by a pair, 23-21.
With a two-point cushion and 2:35 on the clock before halftime, EMU forced the first three-and-out of the game to get the offense one more possession. Continuing his hot play, Hutchinson and the Eagles needed just three plays to take advantage of the extra possession, the highlight of which was a 61-yard touchdown toss to Knue, his second of the game and third of the season. That score put Eastern ahead by nine, 30-21, a lead it took into the break.
Hutchinson finished the first half with 267 passing yards on 15-of-22 passing. That performance is the best by an Eagle in the first half of a game since Andy Schmitt went 38-of-52 for 354 yards and five touchdowns against Central Michigan, Nov. 28, 2008.
The fireworks continued out of the halftime intermission as Western put together an 11-play, 75-yard march to pull its deficit within two, 30-28, with just over five minutes gone by. Still, the Eastern offense remained poised and ready to respond. After moving into WMU territory, Eastern faced perhaps its biggest play of the afternoon, a fourth-and-five from the 35-yard line. Creighton's second fourth down gamble of the game paid off, as Hutchinson found Evans for a nine-yard pickup and the first down. With the play, EMU moved to 10-for-13 on fourth down conversions this season. Three plays later, Williams hauled in a 17-yard pass to get EMU to the WMU eight-yard line, before Boone bruised for four yards on each of the next two plays to get into the end zone. An extra point pushed EMU's lead back to nine, 37-28, with five minutes on the clock.
With momentum fully on the side of Eastern Michigan, the blows kept coming for Western Michigan. A fumble on the ensuing kickoff gave Eastern the ball back immediately after its score, this time on the Western 31-yard line. Ryland added a field goal 51 seconds later to increase the Eagle lead to 12, 40-28, with just over four minutes left to play in the third.
Although Western successfully fielded the next kick off, the Eastern defense needed just two plays to stun the Broncos once again. Getting his hands on the ball for the first time as an Eagle was defensive lineman Aaron Hamilton (Alpharetta, Ga.-Johns Creek), who recorded his first-career fumble recovery on the play. The red zone starting position led to another field goal for the Green and White, who hit the chip shot with 1:25 remaining in the frame to extend its lead to 15, 43-28.
To Western Michigan's credit, the home team never gave up. Down 15 as the fourth quarter began, the Broncos put together another successful scoring drive to get the game back within eight, 43-35 with better than 12 minutes remaining in the contest.
Knowing that a one possession cushion would not be enough to seal the deal in what was a high-scoring affair, the Eastern offense, led by Creighton's play calling, kept the pressure on. A seven-play, 75-yard drive for the Eagles ran better than four minutes off the clock and put them ahead comfortably, 50-35, with just under 10 minutes remaining.
Although Western was able to score with 5:42 left to bring the game back to an eight-point margin, 50-42, it was unable to successfully recover its onside kick attempt. A perfectly executed drive saw EMU eat the clock and convert a dagger field goal, which put the Eagles ahead, 53-42, with under 90 ticks left.
With that kick, Ryland's career-best fourth field-goal make of the game, the game was all but over. EMU got the ball back one last time and was able to kneel it down for its first win of the season, 53-42.
The Eagles will close their 2020 slate with a home game against Northern Illinois University Saturday, Dec. 12. Kickoff from "The Factory," inside Rynearson Stadium is set for 12 p.m. For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU football, visit EMUEagles.com and follow the team on social media, at @EMUFB.
Players Mentioned
WR
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
K
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football2025 Football Week 7 Hype vs. NIU
Friday, October 10
EMU Football Pregame Press Conference: Week 7 vs. NIU
Monday, October 06
Football Falls in Overtime at Buffalo
Saturday, October 04
2025 Football Week 6 Hype vs. Buffalo
Friday, October 03