 MUNCIE, IND – Eastern Michigan University’s football team proved two things Saturday at Scheumann Stadium: The Eagles have grit, and the Eagles can win. Down 28-7 on the road and carrying the weight of an 18-game losing streak, EMU battled back for a 41-38 overtime win over Ball State.
Eastern Michigan bounced back from its second quarter deficit with 28 unanswered points and held a 35-28 lead after quarterback Alex Guillett’s two-yard run with 4:43 left in the contest.
Ball State, which scored 16 straight points to win the matchup, 29-27, last year, responded with its own touchdown. Keith Wenning’s third touchdown pass of the contest – this one a nine-yarder to Briggs Orsbon – capped an eight-play, 68-yard drive that was fueled by two major penalties against EMU. Ian McGarvey added the extra point with 34 seconds remaining and the two teams soon headed into overtime.
Ball State lost the overtime coin flip and then two yards on the first play from scrimmage. After two incomplete passes, McGarvey came on the field to boot a 44-yard field goal.
Eastern Michigan also retreated - four yards over its first two plays - but Gillett then came through with a 15-yard scamper to gain a first down. Three plays later, he hit senior Ben Thayer with a 12-yard TD pass for the win.
Thayer had three receptions on the day. Two of them went for touchdowns. In addition to his game winner, the 6-4, 240-pound senior caught a 33-yard TD game-tying strike in the third stanza.Garrett Hoskins’ 73-yard touchdown reception accounted for the third Gillett passing touchdown.
Gillett, a 6-1, 205-pound sophomore, was a dual threat that Ball State struggled with all afternoon. In addition to completing 10-of-18 passes for 225 yards, three TDs and one interception, Gillett ran for 189 yards (on 35 carries) and scored two touchdowns. His combined passing and rushing yardage accounted for 434 of the Eagles 490 yards of total offense.
Eastern Michigan (1-6, 1-3 MAC) led Ball State (2-5, 1-2 MAC) in several key offensive categories, including total offense (490-243), first downs (26-16), passing yardage (225-145) and rushing (265-98).
The hosting Cardinals did most of their damage early. Wenning’s 24-yard pass to Daniel Ifft opened scoring with 5:25 left in the first quarter. The 6-4, 220-pound freshman from Coldwater, OH completed 12-of-21 for 114 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Wenning added a one-yard TD run and MiQuale Lewis scored from eight-yards out as BSU built up a 21-0 lead midway through the second quarter.
Gillett finally put the Eagles on the board with a six-yard run at 3:07, but Eric Williams returned the following kickoff 92 yards for a score.
The home crowd had barely sat down after that play when Gillett and the Eagles manufactured a long TD of their own. Hoskins’ 73-yard reception on the second play from scrimmage served notice that the Eagles remained undaunted.
While BSU would not score again until the game’s final minute, Eastern Michigan continued its run of four touchdowns in four possession with two third quarter scores. Corey Welch took it in from the one-yard line at 9:30 and Thayer tallied with his 33-yard reception at 5:23.
Ball State finally forced a three-and-out on EMU’s next drive, but the Cardinals were soon forced to punt themselves.
Given the ball again, with a chance to take the lead, Eastern Michigan churned out a 19-play drive that consumed 9:59. Ball State appeared to have dodged a bullet when it forced a field goal attempt, and Graham missed a 21-yard boot wide left. The Cardinals, however, were flagged for roughing the kicker, and Gillett completed the 93-yard drive with a two-yard run on the next play.
Eastern Michigan makes a final trip outside conference play next week as it travels to Virginia. Ball State is also on the road but stays in MAC West play with a game at Toledo.
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