FINAL SCORE: Eastern Michigan 38, Central Michigan 34
Eastern Michigan was down 18 points with 13 minutes left in the game. Next thing you know, EMU pulls of a comeback for the ages.
Eastern Michigan knocked off Central Michigan with a huge fourth-quarter comeback. Once down 34-16, the Eagles fought back with clutch moments on offense and just enough timely stop on defense to win 38-34 and reach its fifth victory of the season.
The Eagles improve to 5-2 on the year (2-1 MAC play) while the Chippewas fall to 3-4 overall (1-2 MAC).
EMU had three straight punts in the third quarter, but turned things around with three straight touchdowns as its defense heated up for big stops along the way.
Here’s how Saturday’s action unfolded at EMU’s homecoming contest:
SCORING DRIVES
First Quarter
1Q, 11:13; 15-YARD CATCH BY MARKUS ALLEN, FROM COLE SNYDER. EASTERN MICHIGAN 7, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 0.
Snyder may have started the game off on the wrong foot by throwing an interception on third down in the team’s first offensive series, but he made up for it with a quick score on the next drive. He and Markus Allen hooked up for a 31-yard gain to immediately flip the field, then a couple of scrambles followed by a quick throw to Allen was all EMU needed to get on the board.Â
1Q, 2:18; 22-YARD FIELD GOAL BY JESUS GOMEZ. EASTERN MICHIGAN 10, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 0.
EMU capitalized on a long drive aided by a CMU turnover (Jefferson fumble), and got three points after chewing up 5:15 of clock in a 14-play, 86-yard drive. The very first play of a drive was another Snyder-to-Allen connection for 45 yards over the middle.Â
Second Quarter
2Q, 7:57; 41-YARD FIELD GOAL BY JESUS GOMEZ. EASTERN MICHIGAN 13, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 0.
Another 14-play drive, another three points on the board. Most of the yards on the drive were picked up by way of a defensive pass interference on third down (15 yards, automatic first down) and Allen’s fifth reception of the day. At the time, his catch put him at 124 yards receiving in the game, which was the most by an EMU receiver since the 2022 Potato Bowl (Darius Lassiter, 108 yards). After the penalty-aided first down, EMU converted on two more third downs before it was stopped on a 3rd & 14 situation.Â
2Q, 1:41; 22-YARD CATCH BY EVAN BOYD, FROM BERT EMANUEL JR. EASTERN MICHIGAN 13, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 7.
CMU made a in-and-out substitutions at quarterback with Bert Emanuel Jr. sometimes in to help drive his offense for its first set of points on the afternoon. Emanuel had rushes of 15 and 12 yards on the drive, then found Evan Boyd to his left side for a 22-yard throw in the end zone.Â
2Q, 1:00; 67-YARD FUMBLE RETURN BY CMU’S JASON WILLIAMS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 14, EASTERN MICHIGAN 13.
CMU gave EMU a great opportunity to score as it fumbled the ball away in just one play on its final drive of the first half. While EMU had the ball on CMU’s 33 yard-line, the Eagles also fell victim to the 1-play drive bug as a sack against Snyder turned into a fumble, wound up in a CMU defender’s hands, and the D-lineman was able to run it all the way down for a 67-yard scoop and score.Â
2Q, 0:00; 49-YARD FIELD GOAL BY JESUS GOMEZ. EASTERN MICHIGAN 16, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 13.
EMU re-took the lead just before halftime, but just barely. A 31-yard, one-handed grab by Allen was wiped away after an official review saw that he was out of bounds before he had full possession of the ball. Delbert Mimms came through with a 16-yard outlet reception, and put his team in possession for Gomez to make his third field goal of the half.
Third Quarter
3Q, 14:10; 2-YARD RUN BY BERT EMANUEL JR. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 21, EASTERN MICHIGAN 16.
EMU might have opened the afternoon with some energy and enthusiasm, but that certainly waned through the second quarter, and the start of the second half didn’t help much. CMU running back Marion Lukes had a 66-yard run before he was finally pushed out of bounds, but QB Emanuel finished things off easily with a 2-yard run of his own.Â
3Q, 7:29; 56-YARD FIELD GOAL BY TRISTAN MATTSON. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 24, EASTERN MICHIGAN 16.
With more running out from Emanuel and Lukes, CMU got 47 yards on the drive that was capped by a 56-yard field goal from Central’s kicker, who has a career long of 58.
3Q, 2:09; 51-YARD FIELD GOAL BY TRISTAN MATTSON. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 27, EASTERN MICHIGAN 16.
Two 50+ yard field goals is something that everybody in attendance was probably expecting Gomez to accomplish (again), but it was CMU’s Mattson who had the honors at Eastern’s homecoming game. After a 6-play, 35-yard drive, CMU extended its lead to two possessions with his 51-yard make.
Fourth Quarter
4Q, 13:26; 7-YARD FUMBLE RECOVERY BY CMU TE GAVIN HARRIS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 34, EASTERN MICHIGAN 16.
That was probably the ugliest score made against EMU’s defense. Bert Emanuel tried a short run at the goal line, but he had the ball knocked free by Dramarian McNulty. However, CMU’s Gavin Harris picked up the loose ball, turned around and ran it in untouched. CMU opened up the fourth quarter, and rampaged with a 48-yard pass to get in the red zone.Â
4Q, 10:54; 49-YARD CATCH BY TERRY LOCKETT JR., FROM COLE SNYDER. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 34, EASTERN MICHIGAN 24.
Probably exactly as EMU drew it up, Snyder’s deep throw down the right sideline was tipped right off Allen’s hand and landed into Lockett’s, who just had to turn around and run the 10 extra yards for a score.Â
4Q, 7:19; 30-YARD CATCH BY TERRY LOCKETT JR., FROM COLE SNYDER. CENTRAL MICHIGAN 34, EASTERN MICHIGAN 31.
It’s not over until it’s over. Lockett had an 11-yard rush on the drive, then a 30-yard catch from Snyder to make a quick score. EMU didn’t need a very long drive (45 yards) as it got the ball after a poor punt from CMU.Â
4Q, 1:41; 1-YARD RUN BY COLE SNYDER. EASTERN MICHIGAN 38, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 34
CMU’s offense was limited to two straight punts after its long field goal, and Trey Laing came through with a big sack on third down to force its second punt of the quarter.
EMU has the ball back with four minutes remaining. Delbert Mimms with a clutch 38-yard run to get his offense near the red zone, then a 12-yard passing connection put EMU in the red zone at the 2-minute timeout.Â
Fourth down and goal from the 1-yard line – Snyder went over the top on his QB sneak and made the score to complete the comeback.
KEY PLAYS, MOMENTS
COLE SNYDER STARTS THE GAME OFF WITH AN INTERCEPTION
One drive, one turnover for Eastern Michigan’s offense. The Eagles came out throwing against Central Michigan, and Snyder threw an interception on the team’s first third down it faced. CMU LB Jordan Kwiatkowski came away with the pick, and it took a handful of tackle attempts by the offensive players before he was finally brought down.Â
CMU did nothing with the drive though as it was wiped right off the field in four plays. CMU had a scoring opportunity on second down, but Tyler Jefferson’s throw to TE Gavin Harris was overthrown. He picked up some yards on a 3rd & 10 scramble, but LB James Djonkam brought the quarterback down on a fourth-down sack to force a turnover on downs.
CMU ALSO WITH A FIRST QUARTER TURNOVER
Central found its way into EMU territory on its second drive too. The first resulted in a turnover on downs. The second drive finished with the ball on the ground.Â
Two straight false start penalties against CMU moved the offense back to a 2nd & 20 situation, which Jefferson made the decision to keep the ball and pick up as many yards as he could by running up the middle. The scramble was a good decision as he picked up enough yards to move the chains, but a hit from behind got the ball to pop free and be covered by the Eagles.Â
On the ensuing drive, Snyder connected to Allen on a 45-yard pass, and the Eagles finished it by extending the lead with a 22-yard field goal.
BIG PLAYS WIPED AWAY
In what could’ve been a big turnover for the Eagles in the second quarter turned into a first down for CMU. Jefferson heaved up a deep pass downfield that wound up falling in the hands of Quentavius Scandrett, but Jaheim Jenkins, tracking CMU’s receiver the whole time, was flagged for holding on the play.Â
Offensively, Allen was close to having a very nice-looking 39-yard grab until that was taken away. Allen, going down the left sideline, had a one-handed catch from Snyder’s lob, but officials reviewed the play and saw that he was out of bounds before he had full possession.
BIG DEFENSIVE STOPS
EMU’s defense stood tall in the fourth quarter. CMU scored on all of its third quarter possessions, but was limited to two punts and a turnover on downs through 14 plays ran in the fourth.
NEXT GAME
Eastern Michigan hits the road next week as it travels to Akron (1-6 overall, 0-3 MAC).
