Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
7-4 , 4-3
Kent State
4-7 , 3-4
Strong Second Half Pushes Eastern to Fifth-Consecutive Road Victory
11/16/2022 10:20:00 PM | Football
Eastern Michigan picked up its school-record fifth consecutive road win with a 31-24 triumph at Kent State
Photo Gallery | Video Highlights: Postgame Speech | Video Recap.
Postgame Audio: Chris_Creighton. Taylor_Powell.
KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team used a dominant second half to lift itself to a 31-24, Mid-American Conference cross divisional victory over Kent State University tonight, Nov. 16, inside Dix Stadium.
Down 17-7 at half, Eastern (7-4, 4-3 MAC) used a 24-0 second-half spurt to take control of the game and seal the victory.
The Eagles were led by an incredible passing effort from senior quarterback Taylor Powell (Fayetteville, Ark.-Fayetteville-Missouri-Troy), who tossed for a career-high 315 yards on 30-of-39 passing and three touchdowns. He was aided by a 94-yard rushing effort from senior Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge-Iowa). Evans' fourth quarter score tied him for the school's all-time mark with 26 career rushing touchdowns. He is tied with Gary Patton (1984-87) and Anthony Sherrell (2002-05).
Defensively, senior defensive end Jose Ramirez (Lake Alfred, Fla.-Auburndale-Arizona-Riverside City) had another impressive day, finishing with a team-high seven tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss.
Eastern Michigan got on the scoreboard first and opened a 7-0 lead with 5:16 left in the first quarter. Kent State then scored to take a 17-7 lead before the EMU put a touchdown on the board to narrow the gap and make it a 17-14 game.
Eastern Michigan followed with another score with 4:14 left in the third quarter to tie it at 17-17.The EMU then kept the momentum going with an 11-yard touchdown strike from Powell to take a 24-17 lead.
Eastern Michigan continued to build its lead, scoring again with 3:51 remaining in the fourth quarter to go on top 31-17. Eastern Michigan didn't score again and Kent State added seven more points to finish off the game.
» The EMU defense forced a three-and-out to begin the game against Kent State, the fifth time this season EMU has accomplished that feat. The 22nd time in the Chris Creighton Era (2014-Pres.) that the defense has forced a three-and-out to begin the game overall, four times in a season marks the second most in a single season under the current regime.
» The Eastern Michigan offense utilized multiple weapons early in the contest, as its first five completed passes were to five different receivers. The Eagles have completed passes to five or more players in each game this season. Eastern Michigan has now completed passes to at least five different pass catchers in 24 consecutive contests dating back to the first game of the 2021 season. The last game that EMU did not see five-plus pass catchers on the box score was Dec. 12, 2020 versus Northern Illinois University.
» Appearing for the first time since EMU's game against the University of Toledo, Oct. 29, Powell had a hot hand to begin the game. He completed seven of his first 10 passes, finding fellow upperclassmen Hassan Beydoun (Dearborn, Mich.-Dearborn) on a 13-yard TD strike to cap EMU's second offensive possession. Powell's ninth touchdown toss of the season, it was his first since Eastern played Northern Illinois, Oct. 5.
» Powell rushed for an EMU career-best 21 yards in today's contest. It snaps a five-game streak of negative rushing for Powell, and goes down as just his fifth career game with positive yards on the ground.
» Powell was incredibly efficient through the air in tonight's contest, completing a career-best 76.9-percent of his passes (30-of-39). That percentage is the best by any EMU quarterback since Ben Bryant hit at the same clip against Bowling Green State University, Oct. 23, 2022.
» Powell threw for a career-best 315 yards through the air in tonight's contest. His previous best through the air was 293, against Western Michigan, Oct. 8. His three passing touchdowns is also ties a career-best mark for Powell. He has hit that total in three contests this season.
» Beydoun's touchdown grab with 5:16 remaining in the first quarter goes down as his first trip to the pay dirt since EMU's game at Western Michigan University, Oct. 8. His score snapped a four-game skid without a touchdown; Beydoun has only incurred three stretches of four or more games without a score during his time at Eastern Michigan (2018-Pres.). Despite the stretch this season, he is second on the team with four touchdowns, just three behind leader Tanner Knue (Mason, Ohio-Mason).
» Eastern Michigan forced six consecutive Kent State punts between its final two drives of the second quarter and its first four drives of the second half. The six straight stops ties a season-best for the Eastern Michigan defense. The Green and White previously did it against the University of Louisiana, Sept. 10.
» Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery continues to prove that his halftime adjustments are spot-on, as the EMU defense held an opponent scoreless in the third quarter yet again when it blanked Kent State for the entirety of the third frame, Nov. 16.
The third-quarter shutout marks the 17th time in Eastern's last 53 contests (32%) that its opponent has failed to score in the first quarter out of the break. Eastern has emerged victorious in 10 of the 17 games in which it has held opponents scoreless in the third quarter during that stretch, with one loss coming in overtime.
The third-quarter shutout marks consecutive contests with the accomplishment for the first time this season. EMU held the University of Akron without a third-quarter point, Nov. 8.
» Senior defensive lineman Grant Trueman (Chino Hills, Calif.-Chino Hills-Citrus College) made an immediate impact for Eastern's defense to start the third quarter when he took down Kent State's quarterback for a nine-yard sack on the second play out of the locker room. The sack, which gives Trueman 2.5 for his career, is his first since Sept. 18, 2021 in EMU's game at the University of Massachusetts.
» Knue finished the contest with 77 yards receiving on five receptions, his third game with five-plus receptions this season and first since he hauled in the same number against the University of Massachusetts, Oct. 1. Knue's evening included two touchdowns, his first multi-touchdown game since EMU's season debut, against Eastern Kentucky University, Sept. 2. The two touchdowns ties a single-game career high for Knue.
» Senior Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio-Cuyahoga Heights) was outstanding on the outside in tonight's contest as he hauled in seven receptions for 97 yards, both season best. It was Drummond's first game with seven or more receptions since Nov. 9, 2021 against Ohio University. He has not eclipsed 97 receiving yards since Oct. 16, 2021, when he had 105 yards against Ball State University.
» Ramirez had another impressive day against Kent State, finishing with a team-high seven tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss. His TFL total is his second-best of the season, just behind the four he registered at WMU, Oct. 8.
» EMU's 7.0 tackles for loss ties for the second-most for the team this season. EMU had 8.0 plays of the sort against WMU, Oct. 8, and also had 7.0 against UMass, Oct. 1.
Historical Notes
» The Eastern Michigan defense forced a three-and-out to begin both the first and second half of tonight's contest. It is the fifth time under Creighton the defense has forced its opponent to go three-and-out on their first possession of each half. The Eagles last did it in their game at Western Michigan, Oct. 8. Prior to the 2022 campaign, the most recent occurrence was Nov. 3, 2018, at home against Central Michigan University.
» EMU has been outstanding when playing on the road this season. The Green and White will finish the season 5-1 away from Rynearson Stadium, including a five-game win streak in road contests. The feat is a program record. Previously, Eastern had won four-consecutive road wins tie for the 1925, 1927, 1954, 1955, and 2022 seasons, respectively.
Eastern has not played four consecutive road games without a loss since it did so between Oct. 15, 1988-Sept. 30, 1989, when it went 4-0-2 during six road contests within that stretch.
» EMU's win marks seven regular-season wins for just the 15th time in the 131-year history of the program. Of Eastern's 15 seven-plus win seasons since 1891, Creighton has been at the helm for four (27%).
» In securing his seventh victory in 2022, Creighton becomes the only coach in program history to have seven-or-more victories in four seasons at EMU. Former coaches Elton J. Rynearson (1917, 1919-20, 1925-48) and Dan Boisture (1967-73) each had three such campaigns.
» If the Eagles are able to win their remaining regular-season game, versus Central Michigan, Nov. 25, the Green and White would secure its first eight-win regular season since 1987, and just the seventh in program history.
» EMU is 14-11 in the month of November since the beginning of 2016. In the six seasons prior, Eastern combined for a total of 15 wins across all regular-season games. Furthermore, if you exclude 2020's COVID-adjusted season when the schedule began in November, EMU's winning percentage jumps to .667 (14-7).
» Powell's 76.9-percent completion percentage is tied for the ninth-best single-game mark in the program's modern statistical era (1999-Pres.). The program record in that span is Mike Glass III's 90.9-percent effort (20-of-22), against Coastal Carolina, Aug. 31, 2019.
» Evans' fourth quarter score tied him for the school's all-time mark with 26 career rushing touchdowns. He is tied with Gary Patton (1984-87) and Anthony Sherrell (2002-05).
Up Next
EMU will close its 2022 regular season with a chance to claim the Michigan MAC Trophy against Central Michigan, Friday, Nov 25, inside Rynearson Stadium. The game, which could see EMU reach eight wins for the first time since 1987, is set to kick off at noon.
Team Stats
EMU 7, KENT 0
EMU - BEYDOUN, Hassan 13 yd pass from POWELL, Taylor (GOMEZ, Jesus kick) 9 plays, 52 yards, TOP 3:18
EMU 7, KENT 7
KENT - Poke,Ja'Shaun 39 yd pass from Schlee,Collin (Glass,Andrew kick) 7 plays, 75 yards, TOP 2:16
EMU 7, KENT 10
KENT - Glass,Andrew 36 yd field goal 6 plays, 41 yards, TOP 1:16
EMU 7, KENT 17
KENT - Cooper,Marquez 1 yd run (Glass,Andrew kick), 9 plays, 89 yards, TOP 2:25
EMU 14, KENT 17
EMU - KNUE, Tanner 28 yd pass from POWELL, Taylor (GOMEZ, Jesus kick) 7 plays, 58 yards, TOP 3:34
EMU 17, KENT 17
EMU - GOMEZ, Jesus 33 yd field goal 9 plays, 60 yards, TOP 4:08
EMU 24, KENT 17
EMU - KNUE, Tanner 11 yd pass from POWELL, Taylor (GOMEZ, Jesus kick) 11 plays, 77 yards, TOP 5:52
EMU 31, KENT 17
EMU - EVANS, Samson 1 yd run (GOMEZ, Jesus kick), 11 plays, 77 yards, TOP 6:02
EMU 31, KENT 24
KENT - Cooper,Marquez 3 yd run (Glass,Andrew kick), 14 plays, 75 yards, TOP 3:10
