LEXINGTON, Ky. (EMUEagles.com/MRO Staff) – The Eastern Michigan Eagles battled hard, but ultimately fell in a 24-20 defeat to the University of Kentucky Saturday evening, Sept. 30, at Kroger Field.
EMU and UK were deadlocked at 14 going into the half, but the Eagles were unable to . . .
EMU and UK were deadlocked at 14 going into the half, but the Eagles were unable to . . .
. . . overcome second half miscues in the four-point loss. A final possession by Eastern ended when Kentucky’s Mike Edwards intercepted a desperation pass in the final seconds.
Eastern's (2-2, 0-1 MAC) defense carried the day for the fourth consecutive game, limiting UK's (4-1, 1-1 SEC) offense to 228 yards of total offense, including just 53 on the ground. The Eagles actually out-gained the Wildcats by a final tally of 312-228.
It was Eastern's defensive pressure that was the catalyst, as EMU finished with 10 tackles for loss, including five sacks, both of which were season highs. Senior Ike Spearman led EMU with eight tackles, while junior Jeremiah Harris and sophomore combined for two sacks each, both career-highs. Harris also tallied a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss. One of the juniors' sacks was a strip sack on the first play from scrimmage, the fifth forced fumble of his career.
Offensively, the Eagles used the passing game for much of their progress, going for 299 through the air, including 256 from senior Brogan Roback to go along with a passing touchdown.
The other 43 yards came from senior Jaron Johnson on a trick play, who found fellow senior Johnnie Niupalau for a score. It was the first touchdown pass by a non-QB for EMU since 2010 and the longest pass of the season for the Eagles.
Roback completed passes to eight different receivers, marking the fourth consecutive game he has completed a pass to at least eight different targets this season. Senior Sergio Bailey II was once again Roback's favorite target, as he tied his career-high with eight receptions for 80 yards a score. The third EMU touchdown came from the legs of junior Ian Eriksen, his fourth of the season.
The contest could hardly have started better for EMU as Dion Dawson recovered a fumble on Kentucky’s first snap. Roback went to Baily right away, covering 20 yards for a touchdown and 7-0 lead after the PAT.
The Wildcats came back with an eight-play drive of 75 yards, finishing with a 20-yard TD pass of their own – Greg Hart scoring on a toss from Stephen Johnson.
The hosts then went up by seven when Tavin Richmond scored on a seven-yard Johnson pass at 10:53 of the second period.
Eastern wasted little time in evening the score, ripping off three chunk plays to its own touchdown. Roback hit Erikson for 25 yards and Johnson for 14 yards to reach the UK 43. Eastern then employed the trick play, with Johnson passing to Niupalau for the touchdown.
Kentucky edged ahead with the only score of the third quarter, a 39-yard Austin MacGinnis field goal. The Wildcats then added their final points of the game with Benny Snell Jr.’s 12-yard run at 11:56 of the final stanza.
Down by 10 at 24-14, EMKU got six back with a two-yard Ericksen run at 2:34. The PAT failed.
Kentucky recovered an onside kick by Eastern, but could not pick up a first down.
After a punt, the Eagles took over at their own 12. Three straight incompletions brought up fourth down, but Roback found Bailey for 13 yards to keep the drive alive.
Eastern made it to the Kentucky 47 before being forced to throw a deep desperation pass in the closing seconds. That attempt was picked off to end the threat.
Eastern's (2-2, 0-1 MAC) defense carried the day for the fourth consecutive game, limiting UK's (4-1, 1-1 SEC) offense to 228 yards of total offense, including just 53 on the ground. The Eagles actually out-gained the Wildcats by a final tally of 312-228.
It was Eastern's defensive pressure that was the catalyst, as EMU finished with 10 tackles for loss, including five sacks, both of which were season highs. Senior Ike Spearman led EMU with eight tackles, while junior Jeremiah Harris and sophomore combined for two sacks each, both career-highs. Harris also tallied a career-best 3.5 tackles for loss. One of the juniors' sacks was a strip sack on the first play from scrimmage, the fifth forced fumble of his career.
Offensively, the Eagles used the passing game for much of their progress, going for 299 through the air, including 256 from senior Brogan Roback to go along with a passing touchdown.
The other 43 yards came from senior Jaron Johnson on a trick play, who found fellow senior Johnnie Niupalau for a score. It was the first touchdown pass by a non-QB for EMU since 2010 and the longest pass of the season for the Eagles.
Roback completed passes to eight different receivers, marking the fourth consecutive game he has completed a pass to at least eight different targets this season. Senior Sergio Bailey II was once again Roback's favorite target, as he tied his career-high with eight receptions for 80 yards a score. The third EMU touchdown came from the legs of junior Ian Eriksen, his fourth of the season.
The contest could hardly have started better for EMU as Dion Dawson recovered a fumble on Kentucky’s first snap. Roback went to Baily right away, covering 20 yards for a touchdown and 7-0 lead after the PAT.
The Wildcats came back with an eight-play drive of 75 yards, finishing with a 20-yard TD pass of their own – Greg Hart scoring on a toss from Stephen Johnson.
The hosts then went up by seven when Tavin Richmond scored on a seven-yard Johnson pass at 10:53 of the second period.
Eastern wasted little time in evening the score, ripping off three chunk plays to its own touchdown. Roback hit Erikson for 25 yards and Johnson for 14 yards to reach the UK 43. Eastern then employed the trick play, with Johnson passing to Niupalau for the touchdown.
Kentucky edged ahead with the only score of the third quarter, a 39-yard Austin MacGinnis field goal. The Wildcats then added their final points of the game with Benny Snell Jr.’s 12-yard run at 11:56 of the final stanza.
Down by 10 at 24-14, EMKU got six back with a two-yard Ericksen run at 2:34. The PAT failed.
Kentucky recovered an onside kick by Eastern, but could not pick up a first down.
After a punt, the Eagles took over at their own 12. Three straight incompletions brought up fourth down, but Roback found Bailey for 13 yards to keep the drive alive.
Eastern made it to the Kentucky 47 before being forced to throw a deep desperation pass in the closing seconds. That attempt was picked off to end the threat.
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