Image via Eastern Michigan Athletics
FINAL SCORE: CMU 35, EMU 7
It was supposed to be an event.
Ford Field for midweek MACtion. An in-state rivalry for the longest-running series in the MAC. Heck, there was even a new, cool-looking trophy to play for.
But Eastern Michigan’s football team (4-6, 3-3 MAC) saved its worst game of the season (so far) for Central Michigan (4-5, 2-3 MAC). The Chippewas were without their top defender (injury), their starting quarterback (injury), and their best wide receiver (arrested last week), but it didn’t look like that was the case at all.
EMU’s roster clearly isn’t at full strength either, but is that enough of an excuse to be taken advantage of for 60 straight minutes in early November?
Did CMU do anything special or outstanding? Did CMU do anything marvelous or otherworldly on the field to make EMU seem outclassed?
I wouldn’t say so. CMU, under second-year coach Matt Drinkall, wants to run the football. Even though Jadyn Glasser isn’t the runner Angel Flores is, CMU’s entire O-line paved the way for CMU’s rushers all night: 53 carries, 235 yards forward, and no tackles for loss allowed on run plays.
CMU running back Nick Woodford, who entered the game with 135 rushing yards on the year, led the game with 123 yards and a trio of scores.
Bryce Llewellyn registered the defense’s only tackle for loss, and it was a doozy of a sack in the third quarter. Other than that, CMU did everything it wanted to when it touched the football.
EMU’s offense, after it had seven punts last game at Ohio, had five punts Wednesday vs. CMU (Daniel Hull: 246 yards, 49.2 avg.). Until Jace Stuckey came in to replace Brogan McCaughey on the final drive of the game, EMU ran 29 plays for 92 yards on its first seven possessions.
Stuckey, to his credit, got his first career touchdown throw (to Harold Mack), but with 10 seconds left and down by 35 points, it’s just not as noteworthy as the other 59 minutes and 50 seconds.
McCaughey, in his second start with Noah Kim still sidelined to injury, was 12–for-17 throwing, but so many of his throws were close to the line of scrimmage or behind it. He finished with 59 yards through the air, and a long of 11.
Joey Mattord, who caught the team’s one and only first-down play in the first half, led EMU’s receiving efforts with 33 yards (29 after the catch).
The one deep attempt McCaughey tried came on 3rd & 3 from EMU’s own 24. He tried to air out a left sideline throw to Benson Prosper, but was off-mark, and CMU’s top cornerback made a great play for a turnover at midfield. That was early in the second quarter. There wasn’t another deep throw attempt like that the rest of the night from EMU’s offense (44 plays, 177 yards).
Details of the cloud-free-but-still-gloomy night inside Ford Field Wednesday:
SCORING SUMMARIES
7-0, CMU (1Q, 9:17) — CMU TD: 8-yard pass from Glasser to Williams
CMU began the day on offense and drove 75 yards for a game-opening score.
The drive was aided by a 34-yard pass from Glasser to Justin Ruffin Jr.
The second key play was a CMU run play that was ruled not a fumble.
Rayquan Adkins punched the ball out of a CMU running back’s carry when they were in the red area, but officials ruled the play over with forward progress before he lost the football.
Chris Creighton called a timeout and wanted to challenge the play, but the play was unreviewable.
One play later, Glasser fired an 8-yard pass into the end zone for an easy score.
14-0, CMU (2Q, 10:26) — CMU TD: 11-yard rush by Woodford
CMU converted on two fourth downs and scored on an 11-yard touchdown run.
The first conversion, on fourth and inches, Glasser was able to move the chains on a power run play.
The next, in EMU territory, Glasser’s pass to Woodford was complete for 18 yards when they needed four.
Next play, Woodford again, but a middle handoff that he took to the right untouched for six points.
21-0, CMU (2Q, 9:17) — CMU TD: Woodford, again, from 2 yards out
CMU, again, converted on fourth down with a Glasser run to the right.
CMU lost its challenge of the spot of the ball before its second fourth-down try of the drive, but converted on a short run by Glasser to the right again.
Woodford up the middle for a 2-yard score.
28-0, CMU (3Q, 5:13) — CMU TD: Hat trick for Woodford
CMU was initially wiped off the field with a punt, but an EMU penalty gave CMU a new set of downs instead.
CMU benefited from strong runs by Woodford and Brock Townsend, and ran the ball five straight times to finish the drive.
Woodford was originally ruled with a 12-yard touchdown run, but an official review re-spotted the ball at the half-yard mark.
No worries, Woodford scored on the very next play.
35-0, CMU (4Q, 11:07) — CMU TD: Vaughn Blue scores this time
Llewellyn came through with a 14-yard sack on the first play of the drive, then EMU’s defense fell apart.
On 3rd & 19, CMU’s Townsend picked up a first down with a long run of his own (30 yards).
Seven plays later, Vaughn Blue got into the end zone for CMU’s fifth time of the night.
35-7, CMU (4Q, 0:10) — EMU TD: Stuckey’s first TD pass to Mack
Stuckey, to replace McCaughey, drove EMU downfield for his first career touchdown.
Stuckey went 5-for-6 on the drive for 44 yards passing, and capped it with a 6-yard strike to Mack in the end zone.
Stuckey had a 20-yard floater to Nick Devereaux in the end zone two plays earlier that was initially ruled a touchdown, but CMU challenged the catch and won to overturn the call.
KEY PLAYS, MOMENTS, TURNOVERS
CMU MISSES 52-YARD KICK
CMU’s second drive of the night finished with a missed 52-yard field goal. EMU gave up a 33-yard pass on the drive and nearly made up for it when Tylan Boykin dropped what otherwise would’ve been an interception.
MCCAUGHEY’S FIRST DEEP PASS INTERCEPTED
From third down deep in its own territory, EMU saw its first deep pass of the night be picked off at midfield to CMU’s top defensive back. McCaughey tried to get his pass to Benson Prosper, but junior cornerback Jaion Jackson made an acrobatic catch for a turnover at midfield.
ONE FIRST DOWN ALL FIRST HALF
After CMU converted on all four of its fourth-down plays to put 21 points on the board before halftime and 28 minutes into the game, EMU enjoyed its first first down of the night.
Mattord took a handoff five yards on first down, then caught an 11-yard pass over the middle to move the chains for EMU’s offense.
But as soon as EMU had something — anything, really — to cheer about on offense, a false start penalty on Dennis Strey put the Eagles back five yards. Mattord caught two more passes for 3 total yards, then a third-down incompletion put EMU’s punt team on the field for its third time.
In the first 30 minutes of action, EMU ran 14 plays of offense for 38 yards while CMU ran 42 plays for 262 yards.
CMU PUNTS FOR FIRST TIME, GETS FIRST DOWN INSTEAD
EMU held CMU to a punt after its first possession of the third quarter, but a special teams penalty gave CMU a new set of downs instead. EMU was penalized for having a player lined up over CMU’s long snapper, and the illegal formation kept CMU’s offense on the field.
CMU went on to score on the drive, and took a 4-touchdown lead.
CMU DOMINATES FOURTH DOWNS, POSSESSION CLOCK
EMU didn’t exactly help itself whenever it did touch the football offensively, but CMU’s strong run game also had everything to do with EMU only having eight possessions all night. CMU ground its way into five fourth down attempts and converted on all of them.
For all the success CMU saw with its rushing attack, it was able to hold the ball for 40:56.
SERIOUSLY, COOL NEW TROPHY
New trophy for the EMU-CMU rivalry, which has been played 104 times now (CMU leads 66-32-6). The thing is pretty big.
Also, there’s a wrestling belt situation going on here too, but this goes to the winning fanbase? Not for winning on the scoreboard, but for winning at life (canned food drive, crowd noise competition thing, multiple corgi races).
EMU’s fans won the belt with a score of 80-20. I have no clue how they kept score or who got to put the belt over their shoulder first.
INJURIES
Ruled out, of note: QB Noah Kim, LB Barry Manning, DB Jaivian Norman, DB TE Armaad Sharp, DB Caleb Coley, OL Joshua Anderson, OL Samuel Adjin, OL Cole Powell, WR Dalin Wilkins
Questionable, played: LB Zach Mowchan, DL Ronn Hardin
Questionable, did not play: OL Tyler Brumfield, OL Cole Dellinger
NEXT GAME
Eastern has these next 12 days off before its next game; the final two games of the regular season will be played on Tuesday.
EMU travels to Kalamazoo to face Western Michigan (6-3, 4-1 MAC) on the 17th, then finishes the season at home against Kent State (3-6, 2-3 MAC).
