Heading into the University at Buffalo Stadium as 10.5-point underdogs, Eastern Michigan University’s football team found itself on the doorstep of pulling off a stunning upset in what would go down as one of the most captivating Mid-American Conference games this year.
That was, until the final play.
After taking UB to overtime and surrendering a touchdown in the opening frame of the extra period, the Eagles responded quickly with another touchdown run from quarterback Noah Kim to put the green and white within one point of a tie.
While Eastern Michigan Head Coach Chris Creighton could have elected to kick the extra point and advance the game to a second overtime, he chose instead to trust his offense and try for a two-point conversion attempt to secure the game for the Eagles if successful.
Racking up 30 points and over 400 yards of total offense, trusting the offense with the ball seemed like a no-brainer at the time — at least until the ball was snapped.
A slightly errant snap forced Kim to extend his right arm to corral the ball, damaging the timing of the play and resulting in a fumble from the graduate transfer just seconds later.
The loose football was quickly recovered by the Buffalo defense and effectively ended the game, allowing the Bulls to secure a homecoming victory and their second straight conference win, 31-30.
Nevertheless, Eastern Michigan’s final snap gaffe failed to overshadow another potent day for the offense and a much improved defensive effort throughout all five quarters of the game.
Even without the team's best wide receiver, Terry Lockett Jr., the Eagles' offense did not skip a beat. Multiple 90+ yard touchdown drives highlighted the group's offensive efforts in the first half, with a balanced attack remaining prevalent throughout the rest of the afternoon of football.
Noah Kim continued to shine with three total touchdowns, two through the air and one on the ground, while halfbacks Dontae McMillan and Tavierre Dunlap combined for 196 yards rushing.
McMillan, who was spotted noticeably hobbling multiple times throughout the first half, played through pain all day and channeled his grit into providing two pivotal touchdowns for the team, one rushing and one receiving.
Nick Devereaux stepped up once more in Lockett Jr.’s absence, with the deep threat corralling a 45-yard touchdown to cap off a 99-yard initial scoring drive from the offense, his final stat line reading three catches for 62 yards.
Defensively, the Eagles forced a critical fumble from Buffalo quarterback Ta’Quan Roberson midway through the fourth quarter, just their third takeaway this season, while also holding the Bulls to 24 points in regulation — matching their season low for points given up through four quarters.
With the win, Buffalo improves back to .500 on the season with a mark of 3-3, remaining undefeated in conference play and boasting a 2-0 record. Meanwhile, the Eagles drop to 1-5 and currently sit 0-2 in MAC action, having now lost seven straight conference games dating back to last year.
Next week, the Eagles return to Ypsilanti and hope to return to the win column with a date against Northern Illinois University at Rynearson Stadium Saturday, Oct. 11, 2025, at 1 p.m. Viewers can stream all of the action live on ESPN+.
