Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, September 21
Ypsilanti, Mich.
2 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
3-1 , 0-0
36
vs
0
Saint Francis (Pa.)
1-3 , 0-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Saint Francis
0
0
0
0
0
Eastern Mich.
10
3
16
7
36
Photo by: Walt Middleton Photography
Football Runs Past St. Francis, 36-0, in Non-Conference Finale
9/21/2024 7:19:00 PM | Football
EMU scored touchdowns on the ground, in the air, on a fumble recovery, and a blocked punt
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team used a diverse set of scores in all phases of the game to move past visiting St. Francis University, 36-0, Saturday, Sept. 21, inside The Factory at Rynearson Stadium. The Eagles (3-1) closed their non-conference slate with their first shutout victory since 2008 as Eastern scored one touchdown each on the ground, through the air, on a defensive fumble return, and on a blocked punt to hand the Red Flash (1-3, 0-1 NEC) the loss.
How It Happened
The Eagles got on the board toward the end of the first quarter as the defense not only stood tall deep in the red zone but came away with points as David Carter Jr. (Ecorse, Mich./River Rouge) scooped up a fumbled snap, kept his knees off the ground while recovering the ball, and sprinted down the SFU sideline, covering 99 yards for the score. The touchdown, the third of his career, stands as the fourth-longest in EMU history behind three 100-yard interception returns and marks the longest fumble return in program history. Before the quarter ended, Jesús Gómez (Puebla, México/Prepa Tec Puebla) added a 40-yard field goal to make it 10-0 after one. Gómez added a 49-yard field goal in the second quarter to make it a 13-0 EMU advantage at the break.
In the third, the offense found some running room with Delbert Mimms III (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis/NC State) punching it from 1-yard out to stake the hosts to a 19-0 lead. Just two minutes later, Eastern added seven points to its total as Joey Mattord (Hartland, Mich./Hartland) got loose and blocked the SFU punt with Kendrick Nowling (Chicago, Ill./Marist) falling on the ball in the end zone for his second career score. The third of three Gómez field goals capped the scoring in the third as he was good from 37 yards.
The final points of the game with 11:20 remaining in the game as Jeremiah Salem (Germantown, Tenn./Houston), who made his collegiate debut, recorded his first collegiate touchdown pass as he hit Zyell Griffin (Vancouver, Wash./Evergreen/UNLV) on a crossing route with the wideout turning up field for an 89-yard score. The touchdown is the first for Griffin and stands as the longest receiving touchdown in program history. It also ties for the longest pass play in EMU history, tying Eric Powell, who pulled in a Walter Church pass for 89 yards at Western Michigan, Oct. 17, 1998.
Game Notes
» David Carter Jr. got the Eagles on the board first as he scooped up an SFU fumble and ran it back 99 yards for a touchdown. The return marked the longest play of the year for the Eagles, the longest fumble return in program history, and the fourth-longest return for a score in program history behind a trio of 100-yard interception returns. Carter Jr. recorded the longest fumble return for a score, bettering the 98-yard return of Cornelius Pearson, who did so at Western Michigan, Sept. 14, 1996.
» Speaking of records, Jeremiah Salem and Zyell Griffin etched their names in the EMU record book as the duo combined for an 89-yard touchdown play in the fourth quarter to post the longest passing touchdown in school history. The previous record was 80 yards when Herman Carroll connected with Kerry Keating for a touchdown against Central Michigan, Nov. 5, 1955. The 89-yard score for Griffin also ties for the longest pass play in program history as Walter Church hit Eric Powell for an 89-yard completion at Western Michigan, Oct. 17, 1998.
» David Carter Jr. scored the third defensive touchdown of his career and the first since he scored two in the 2021 season. The last time he scored a touchdown came on a blocked punt return of 42 yards at Bowling Green, Oct. 22, 2021. His first score came Sept. 11, 2021, at No. 18 Wisconsin when he ran a 98-yard interception back for a score.
» Special Teams had their day once again as Joey Mattord blocked a punt attempt in the third quarter with Kendrick Nowling falling on the ball in the end zone for EMU's second non-offensive score of the day. The block is the 25th under Chris Creighton (since 2014), the 14th blocked punt, and the sixth blocked punt that has resulted in a touchdown. Additionally, the block was the third blocked kick of the season for EMU after the Eagles blocked a punt and an extra point at Washington, Sept. 7. Overall, the score is the second of Nowling's career after he ran back an attempted on-side kick by Kent State at home last year, Oct. 14, 2023.
» Joey Mattord not only posted a blocked punt, he also recorded the first offensive statistics of his career. After not playing as a freshman in 2023 and seeing limited action at Washington, Sept. 7, Mattord got involved in the offense as he was targeted for passes twice and carried the ball seven times. He finished the day with 23 total yards, including eight yards receiving and 15 yards rushing.
» The Eastern defense pitched its second, first-half shutout of the season as the Red Flash were unable to score in the first two quarters of the game. The first time it happened this season was at UMass in the opener, Aug. 31, before the Eagles turned a 14-0 lead into a 28-14 victory. EMU also posted a shutout of an opponent in the first quarter for the third time in 2024 while having allowed just seven points in the opening stanza all season.
» The Eagles posted their first shutout victory since downing visiting Indiana State, 52-0, in Ypsilanti, Aug. 28, 2008. The blanking of the Red Flash marked the 153rd all-time shutout Eastern has posted in program history and the 10th time it has happened inside Rynearson Stadium.
» On St. Francis' opening drive, Eastern forced its second turnover of the season as JT Killen (Lake Wylie, S.C./Charlotte Christian/Coastal Carolina) both forced and recovered a Red Flash fumble. The force and recovery marked the first time in his career he had done so on the same play and the second time he had recorded both in the same game after doing so at Georgia State, Sept. 22, 2022, for Coastal Carolina as he recovered a fumble early in the fourth quarter before forcing one later in the game.
» The defense tallied 6.0 sacks in the game, tying for the most in a game this season with the 6.0 recorded in the opener at UMass (Aug. 31). Against the Red Flash, Jefferson Adam (Ypsilanti, Mich./Washtenaw International/Hocking/Iowa State) led the charge as he recorded 2.0 sacks on three total tackles while Peyton Price (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson) tallied 1.5. Trey Laing (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby/Southern/Indiana) and Joey Zelinsky (Cressona, Pa./Blue Mountain/Hudson Valley CC) each added 1.0 sacks with Dylan Shelton (Franfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East/UIndy) earning 0.5 sacks. Adam, Zelinsky, and Shelton each posted their first sacks of the season for a defense that tallied 13.0 total through four games.
» Eastern entered the game with one takeaway on the season and recorded three on the day against the Red Flash. Along with the fumble recoveries by David Carter Jr. and JT Killen, the Eagles saw Ali Abdul-Barr (Atlanta, Ga./Woodland-Stockbridge) record the first interception of his career.
» Jesús Gómez continued his outstanding form as the lefty kicker accounted for 12 points with three field goals and three extra points recorded on the day. Gómez, who was good from 49, 40, and 37-yards, has now scored at least eight points in all four games this year after scoring eight at UMass (Aug. 31), nine at Washington (Sept. 7), 13 points against Jacksonville State (Sept. 14), and 12 points against SFU. Overall, Gómez leads the MAC with 42 points scored this year with the next closest player having scored 30.
» On a historical level, Jesús Gómez continues to climb the EMU record books in several categories. For his career, he has converted 71 PATs, which makes him just the seventh kicker to hit for 70 or more in a career. He also has made 11 field goals in the opening four weeks, leaving him one shy of tying for the 12th most in a single season and one shy of equaling his total from the 2023 season.
» Jeremiah Salem and Drew Viotto (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario/Walled Lake Western/Minnesota) made their collegiate debuts under center with Salem playing much of the fourth quarter and Viotto coming for one play to close out the victory. Salem ended the game with a perfect 5-of-5 passing for 102 yards and one score, which was an 89-yard pass play to Zyell Griffin.
» Oran Singleton (Clewiston, Fla./Clewiston/Akron/Hutchinson CC) had another productive day for the offense as he pulled in seven catches for 81 yards, marking his third game in 2024 with 81+ yards receiving for the Eagles. 'Man Man', as he is known, was targeted a team-high 11 times and pulled in a long of 21 yards while recording more than half his yardage after the catch (43).
Historical Notes
» With the victory, the Eagles improved to 2-0 in the series with the Red Flash with both games being played in Ypsilanti. Eastern, who won the previous meeting, 35-15, Sept. 3, 2021, is now 3-0 all-time against members of the Northeast Conference (NEC).
» Eastern improved to 82-49-10 all-time against teams currently playing in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and moved to 8-0-0 against the FCS with Chris Creighton leading the way. Additionally, the Eagles have now won 14 consecutive games against FCS competition with the last loss coming Sept. 25, 2004, in a 31-28 home loss to Eastern Illinois.
» Since the start of 1976 season, the Eagles have now won 55 non-conference games with 24 of those wins (43.6 percent) coming under Chris Creighton. Of those 24 wins, 15 have come at home with the Eagles claiming wins in nine consecutive games. The last time EMU fell in a home non-conference game was Oct. 27, 2018, in a 37-22 setback to Army.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan is set to open Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Sept. 28, when the Eagles travel to Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio, to face the Golden Flashes of Kent State University. The game is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPN+. Additionally, fans can listen to the game live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and The Varsity app with Tom Helmer, Rob Rubick, and Greg Steiner on the call.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team used a diverse set of scores in all phases of the game to move past visiting St. Francis University, 36-0, Saturday, Sept. 21, inside The Factory at Rynearson Stadium. The Eagles (3-1) closed their non-conference slate with their first shutout victory since 2008 as Eastern scored one touchdown each on the ground, through the air, on a defensive fumble return, and on a blocked punt to hand the Red Flash (1-3, 0-1 NEC) the loss.
How It Happened
The Eagles got on the board toward the end of the first quarter as the defense not only stood tall deep in the red zone but came away with points as David Carter Jr. (Ecorse, Mich./River Rouge) scooped up a fumbled snap, kept his knees off the ground while recovering the ball, and sprinted down the SFU sideline, covering 99 yards for the score. The touchdown, the third of his career, stands as the fourth-longest in EMU history behind three 100-yard interception returns and marks the longest fumble return in program history. Before the quarter ended, Jesús Gómez (Puebla, México/Prepa Tec Puebla) added a 40-yard field goal to make it 10-0 after one. Gómez added a 49-yard field goal in the second quarter to make it a 13-0 EMU advantage at the break.
In the third, the offense found some running room with Delbert Mimms III (Indianapolis, Ind./Ben Davis/NC State) punching it from 1-yard out to stake the hosts to a 19-0 lead. Just two minutes later, Eastern added seven points to its total as Joey Mattord (Hartland, Mich./Hartland) got loose and blocked the SFU punt with Kendrick Nowling (Chicago, Ill./Marist) falling on the ball in the end zone for his second career score. The third of three Gómez field goals capped the scoring in the third as he was good from 37 yards.
The final points of the game with 11:20 remaining in the game as Jeremiah Salem (Germantown, Tenn./Houston), who made his collegiate debut, recorded his first collegiate touchdown pass as he hit Zyell Griffin (Vancouver, Wash./Evergreen/UNLV) on a crossing route with the wideout turning up field for an 89-yard score. The touchdown is the first for Griffin and stands as the longest receiving touchdown in program history. It also ties for the longest pass play in EMU history, tying Eric Powell, who pulled in a Walter Church pass for 89 yards at Western Michigan, Oct. 17, 1998.
Game Notes
» David Carter Jr. got the Eagles on the board first as he scooped up an SFU fumble and ran it back 99 yards for a touchdown. The return marked the longest play of the year for the Eagles, the longest fumble return in program history, and the fourth-longest return for a score in program history behind a trio of 100-yard interception returns. Carter Jr. recorded the longest fumble return for a score, bettering the 98-yard return of Cornelius Pearson, who did so at Western Michigan, Sept. 14, 1996.
» Speaking of records, Jeremiah Salem and Zyell Griffin etched their names in the EMU record book as the duo combined for an 89-yard touchdown play in the fourth quarter to post the longest passing touchdown in school history. The previous record was 80 yards when Herman Carroll connected with Kerry Keating for a touchdown against Central Michigan, Nov. 5, 1955. The 89-yard score for Griffin also ties for the longest pass play in program history as Walter Church hit Eric Powell for an 89-yard completion at Western Michigan, Oct. 17, 1998.
» David Carter Jr. scored the third defensive touchdown of his career and the first since he scored two in the 2021 season. The last time he scored a touchdown came on a blocked punt return of 42 yards at Bowling Green, Oct. 22, 2021. His first score came Sept. 11, 2021, at No. 18 Wisconsin when he ran a 98-yard interception back for a score.
» Special Teams had their day once again as Joey Mattord blocked a punt attempt in the third quarter with Kendrick Nowling falling on the ball in the end zone for EMU's second non-offensive score of the day. The block is the 25th under Chris Creighton (since 2014), the 14th blocked punt, and the sixth blocked punt that has resulted in a touchdown. Additionally, the block was the third blocked kick of the season for EMU after the Eagles blocked a punt and an extra point at Washington, Sept. 7. Overall, the score is the second of Nowling's career after he ran back an attempted on-side kick by Kent State at home last year, Oct. 14, 2023.
» Joey Mattord not only posted a blocked punt, he also recorded the first offensive statistics of his career. After not playing as a freshman in 2023 and seeing limited action at Washington, Sept. 7, Mattord got involved in the offense as he was targeted for passes twice and carried the ball seven times. He finished the day with 23 total yards, including eight yards receiving and 15 yards rushing.
» The Eastern defense pitched its second, first-half shutout of the season as the Red Flash were unable to score in the first two quarters of the game. The first time it happened this season was at UMass in the opener, Aug. 31, before the Eagles turned a 14-0 lead into a 28-14 victory. EMU also posted a shutout of an opponent in the first quarter for the third time in 2024 while having allowed just seven points in the opening stanza all season.
» The Eagles posted their first shutout victory since downing visiting Indiana State, 52-0, in Ypsilanti, Aug. 28, 2008. The blanking of the Red Flash marked the 153rd all-time shutout Eastern has posted in program history and the 10th time it has happened inside Rynearson Stadium.
» On St. Francis' opening drive, Eastern forced its second turnover of the season as JT Killen (Lake Wylie, S.C./Charlotte Christian/Coastal Carolina) both forced and recovered a Red Flash fumble. The force and recovery marked the first time in his career he had done so on the same play and the second time he had recorded both in the same game after doing so at Georgia State, Sept. 22, 2022, for Coastal Carolina as he recovered a fumble early in the fourth quarter before forcing one later in the game.
» The defense tallied 6.0 sacks in the game, tying for the most in a game this season with the 6.0 recorded in the opener at UMass (Aug. 31). Against the Red Flash, Jefferson Adam (Ypsilanti, Mich./Washtenaw International/Hocking/Iowa State) led the charge as he recorded 2.0 sacks on three total tackles while Peyton Price (Lafayette, Ind./Jefferson) tallied 1.5. Trey Laing (Tallahassee, Fla./Godby/Southern/Indiana) and Joey Zelinsky (Cressona, Pa./Blue Mountain/Hudson Valley CC) each added 1.0 sacks with Dylan Shelton (Franfort, Ill./Lincoln Way East/UIndy) earning 0.5 sacks. Adam, Zelinsky, and Shelton each posted their first sacks of the season for a defense that tallied 13.0 total through four games.
» Eastern entered the game with one takeaway on the season and recorded three on the day against the Red Flash. Along with the fumble recoveries by David Carter Jr. and JT Killen, the Eagles saw Ali Abdul-Barr (Atlanta, Ga./Woodland-Stockbridge) record the first interception of his career.
» Jesús Gómez continued his outstanding form as the lefty kicker accounted for 12 points with three field goals and three extra points recorded on the day. Gómez, who was good from 49, 40, and 37-yards, has now scored at least eight points in all four games this year after scoring eight at UMass (Aug. 31), nine at Washington (Sept. 7), 13 points against Jacksonville State (Sept. 14), and 12 points against SFU. Overall, Gómez leads the MAC with 42 points scored this year with the next closest player having scored 30.
» On a historical level, Jesús Gómez continues to climb the EMU record books in several categories. For his career, he has converted 71 PATs, which makes him just the seventh kicker to hit for 70 or more in a career. He also has made 11 field goals in the opening four weeks, leaving him one shy of tying for the 12th most in a single season and one shy of equaling his total from the 2023 season.
» Jeremiah Salem and Drew Viotto (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario/Walled Lake Western/Minnesota) made their collegiate debuts under center with Salem playing much of the fourth quarter and Viotto coming for one play to close out the victory. Salem ended the game with a perfect 5-of-5 passing for 102 yards and one score, which was an 89-yard pass play to Zyell Griffin.
» Oran Singleton (Clewiston, Fla./Clewiston/Akron/Hutchinson CC) had another productive day for the offense as he pulled in seven catches for 81 yards, marking his third game in 2024 with 81+ yards receiving for the Eagles. 'Man Man', as he is known, was targeted a team-high 11 times and pulled in a long of 21 yards while recording more than half his yardage after the catch (43).
Historical Notes
» With the victory, the Eagles improved to 2-0 in the series with the Red Flash with both games being played in Ypsilanti. Eastern, who won the previous meeting, 35-15, Sept. 3, 2021, is now 3-0 all-time against members of the Northeast Conference (NEC).
» Eastern improved to 82-49-10 all-time against teams currently playing in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and moved to 8-0-0 against the FCS with Chris Creighton leading the way. Additionally, the Eagles have now won 14 consecutive games against FCS competition with the last loss coming Sept. 25, 2004, in a 31-28 home loss to Eastern Illinois.
» Since the start of 1976 season, the Eagles have now won 55 non-conference games with 24 of those wins (43.6 percent) coming under Chris Creighton. Of those 24 wins, 15 have come at home with the Eagles claiming wins in nine consecutive games. The last time EMU fell in a home non-conference game was Oct. 27, 2018, in a 37-22 setback to Army.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan is set to open Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Sept. 28, when the Eagles travel to Dix Stadium in Kent, Ohio, to face the Golden Flashes of Kent State University. The game is set to kick off at 3:30 p.m. and will be aired live on ESPN+. Additionally, fans can listen to the game live on WEMU (89.1 FM) and The Varsity app with Tom Helmer, Rob Rubick, and Greg Steiner on the call.
Team Stats
SFU
EMU
Total Yards
154
327
Pass Yards
111
203
Rushing Yards
43
124
Penalty Yards
76
86
1st Downs
14
19
3rd Downs
3
5
4th Downs
1
2
TOP
30:22
29:38
1st Quarter
SFU 0, EMU 7
EMU - Carter,David 99 yd fumble recovery (Gomez,Jesus kick)
SFU 0, EMU 10
EMU - Gomez,Jesus 40 yd field goal 7 plays, 31 yards, TOP 02:08
2nd Quarter
SFU 0, EMU 13
EMU - Gomez,Jesus 49 yd field goal 12 plays, 38 yards, TOP 05:50
3rd Quarter
SFU 0, EMU 19
EMU - Mimms, III,Delbert 1 yd run (), 6 plays, 44 yards, TOP 02:23
SFU 0, EMU 26
EMU - Nowling,Kendric 0 yd punt return (Gomez,Jesus kick)
SFU 0, EMU 29
EMU - Gomez,Jesus 37 yd field goal 4 plays, yards, TOP 00:45
4th Quarter
SFU 0, EMU 36
EMU - Griffin,Zyell 89 yd pass from Salem,Jeremiah (Gomez,Jesus kick) 6 plays, 94 yards, TOP 03:28
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
5
TD
1
YDS
102
INT
0
CMP
9
TD
0
YDS
101
INT
0
Players Mentioned
LB
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DL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DL
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
DL
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DL
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WR
/ Football
QB
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DL
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