MUNCIE, Ind. —In its first win since Nov. 28, 2008, the Eastern Michigan University football team defeated Ball State, 41-38, in overtime at Scheumann Stadium.
Saturday’s game at Ball State (2-5, 1-1 MAC) started out the same way most of the last 18 Eastern Michigan (1-5, 1-3 MAC) games had. The Eagles were down 21 points well into the second quarter before clawing their way back into the game, making the score 28-14 at half time. They answered with a 92-yard kickoff return by Eric Willams with just under three minutes to play in the half by completing a 73-yard touchdown pass to Garret Hoskins.
The Eagles outscored Ball State 21-7 in the second half, and regulation ended with the two teams tied at 35.
College overtime is not like sudden death. Both teams start from the 25-yard line and have a chance to move the ball and collect first downs, a touchdown, or settle for a field goal. If the teams are still tied at the end of both team’s possessions, the game continues in the same format.
The Eagles deferred to the Cardinals in overtime, choosing to defend first.
Ball State started out with a two-yard run for a loss by MiQuale Lewis. From the Eagles’ 27-yard line, the EMU defense kept quarterback Keith Wenning and receiver Jack Tomlinson from hooking up twice, on second and third downs, to force a 44-yard field goal attempt. Ian McGarvey made the field goal and put the Cardinals up 38-35.
The Eagles got their chance from the 25-yard line, and Alex Gillett showed he could bear the weight of the offense.
Gillett extended the Eagles’ possession on a third-and-14 with a 15-yard scamper, giving them their first down. He finished off the Cardinals, connecting with tight end Ben Thayer in the end zone. Thayer finished with three catches, 65 yards, and two touchdowns. Kinsman Thomas also helped move the chains by making six catches for 87 yards.
In previous games, EMU coach Ron English has put Devontae Payne into the game for brief spells. We didn’t see that on Saturday because English went with his more experienced quarterback.
The move paid off, since Gillett had 410 of the Eagles’ 490 yards. He rushed 35 times for 189 yards, a new school record for attempts and rushes, as well as two touchdowns. The sophomore also threw for 225 yards, three touchdowns and one interception.
Corey Welch scored the only touchdown Gillett was not involved in. He punched it in from a yard out with 9:30 remaining in the third quarter.
This drew the Eagles within a touchdown by a score of 28-21 in Ball State’s favor. After a lengthy 93-yard, 19-play, 10-minute drive for EMU, it looked like the Eagles were going to win in regulation, being up 35-28 with less than five minutes to go in the game.
Ball State had other plans and Wenning took the Cardinals on an impressive drive of their own. Marching the Cardinals from their own 32-yard line, down to the Eagles’ 9-yard line, Wenning found Briggs Orbson for the touchdown. With 28 seconds left, the Eagles ran just one play and then went into overtime.
Wenning completed 16 of 30 pass attempts for just 145 yards, and passed for three touchdowns. Their leading rusher, Eric Williams, rushed eight times for 62 yards.Despite giving up 35 points, the Eagles’ defense posted some decent numbers and held up when the team needed it in overtime.
The Eagles held Ball State to just 243 yards, and gave up a season-low 98 rushing yards. EMU forced the Cardinals to punt six times and also forced one fumble. The Eagles sill had problems with defense in the red zone and were unable to stop the Cardinals as they went 4-4 inside the 20.
EMU heads to Virginia (2-4) next week to take on the struggling Cavaliers. The Eagles haven’t won back-to-back games since 2007 when they beat Northern Illinois on Sep. 15, followed by Howard on Sep. 22.
