YPSILANTI, Mich. - Devon Spaulding and Saylor Lavallii combined to run for 259 yards and four touchdowns Saturday as Central Michigan dominated Eastern Michigan, 38-7, in a Mid-American Conference football game at Rynearson Stadium.
The win was CMU's fourth in its last five starts, and it lifted the Chippewas to 6-4, making them bowl eligible for the seventh time in the last nine years. They are 4-2 in the MAC. Eastern Michigan fell to 2-7 overall and 1-4 in MAC play.
Central Michigan took command early, scoring on its first two possession. It finished the day with 501 total yards while holding the Eagles to a season-low 97, including just 21 on the ground.
The win was CMU's fourth in its last five starts, and it lifted the Chippewas to 6-4, making them bowl eligible for the seventh time in the last nine years. They are 4-2 in the MAC. Eastern Michigan fell to 2-7 overall and 1-4 in MAC play.
Central Michigan took command early, scoring on its first two possession. It finished the day with 501 total yards while holding the Eagles to a season-low 97, including just 21 on the ground.
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"I thought the story of the day was our defense," CMU coach Dan Enos said. "I thought our defense played extremely well, bottled up a very explosive offense and quarterback-run game. Our offense did a nice job of running the ball and staying balanced. It was a good team win."
Spalding, a freshman who had logged just 55 yards on 22 carries entering the game, finished with 154 yards on 18 attempts. He scored on runs of 42 and 6 yards, the latter of which came on the second play of the fourth quarter and made it 38-0.
Lavallii, meanwhile, finished with 105 yards on 24 attempts, notching his first 100-yard game since October, 2013. Both of his TDs came in the first quarter -- the first covering 41 yards, the second one yard -- staking the Chippewas to a 14-0 lead.
"Saylor ran hard again, very effective," Enos said. "I've been telling everybody that Devon Spalding is going to be good. We've been waiting for that game from him, and I was really happy for him."
CMU quarterback Cooper Rush turned in another efficient performance, completing 18-of-23 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.
The TD pass covered 15 yards and went to a leaping Titus Davis. It was the 30th TD reception of Davis' outstanding CMU career.
It was another in a line of solid performances by Rush, a sophomore who continues to improve and become more consistent. He threw for 231 yards in last week's 20-14 victory at Buffalo in a game played, like Saturday's at Eastern, in very windy conditions.
"He's very efficient," Enos said. "He's done a nice job, made some big throws, (like) that throw he made to Titus into this 30 mph wind, into traffic. Some of the throws that he's made into the wind have just amazed me the last two weeks. He just continues to get better."
As do the Chippewas, particularly on defense. The MAC's top-ranked defense limited the Eagles to five first downs, forced eight punts and held EMU to an average of twp yards per play.
A 4-yard Rob Bolden-to-Darius Jackson touchdown pass with under 4 minutes to play spoiled CMU's shutout bid. The TD was set up by a blocked punt that gave the Eagles possession on the CMU 6-yard line.
"You know, at the end of the day, we just want to win," said CMU defensive tackle Leterrius Walton, who had one of the Chippewas' three sacks. "Regardless of the situation, we want to win the game. Our defense, we love it. We take pride in wanting to be the best defense in the MAC."
Senior tight end Deon Butler led the CMU receivers with a five catches for 95 yards, both career-bests.
The Chippewas have a bye week then play host to Miami (Ohio) on Saturday, Nov. 15. One week later, they close the regular season at home against rival Western Michigan.
(Courtesy of CMU Athletics)
Spalding, a freshman who had logged just 55 yards on 22 carries entering the game, finished with 154 yards on 18 attempts. He scored on runs of 42 and 6 yards, the latter of which came on the second play of the fourth quarter and made it 38-0.
Lavallii, meanwhile, finished with 105 yards on 24 attempts, notching his first 100-yard game since October, 2013. Both of his TDs came in the first quarter -- the first covering 41 yards, the second one yard -- staking the Chippewas to a 14-0 lead.
"Saylor ran hard again, very effective," Enos said. "I've been telling everybody that Devon Spalding is going to be good. We've been waiting for that game from him, and I was really happy for him."
CMU quarterback Cooper Rush turned in another efficient performance, completing 18-of-23 passes for 223 yards and a touchdown.
The TD pass covered 15 yards and went to a leaping Titus Davis. It was the 30th TD reception of Davis' outstanding CMU career.
It was another in a line of solid performances by Rush, a sophomore who continues to improve and become more consistent. He threw for 231 yards in last week's 20-14 victory at Buffalo in a game played, like Saturday's at Eastern, in very windy conditions.
"He's very efficient," Enos said. "He's done a nice job, made some big throws, (like) that throw he made to Titus into this 30 mph wind, into traffic. Some of the throws that he's made into the wind have just amazed me the last two weeks. He just continues to get better."
As do the Chippewas, particularly on defense. The MAC's top-ranked defense limited the Eagles to five first downs, forced eight punts and held EMU to an average of twp yards per play.
A 4-yard Rob Bolden-to-Darius Jackson touchdown pass with under 4 minutes to play spoiled CMU's shutout bid. The TD was set up by a blocked punt that gave the Eagles possession on the CMU 6-yard line.
"You know, at the end of the day, we just want to win," said CMU defensive tackle Leterrius Walton, who had one of the Chippewas' three sacks. "Regardless of the situation, we want to win the game. Our defense, we love it. We take pride in wanting to be the best defense in the MAC."
Senior tight end Deon Butler led the CMU receivers with a five catches for 95 yards, both career-bests.
The Chippewas have a bye week then play host to Miami (Ohio) on Saturday, Nov. 15. One week later, they close the regular season at home against rival Western Michigan.
(Courtesy of CMU Athletics)
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