MIAMI 29, NORTHERN ILLINOIS 23
WESTERN MICHIGAN 12, CENTRAL MICHIGAN 10
KENT, Ohio (EMUEagles.com) – Eastern Michigan used a dominant second half to lift itself to a 31-24, Mid-American Conference cross divisional victory over Kent State University Wednesday inside Dix Stadium.
Down 17-7 at half, Eastern (7-4, 4-3 MAC) fashioned a 24-0 second-half spurt to take control of the game and seal the victory.
The Eagles were led by senior quarterback Taylor Powell , who tossed for a career-high 315 yards on 30-of-39 passing and three touchdowns. He was aided by a 94-yard rushing effort from senior Samson Evans. Evans' fourth quarter score tied him for the school's all-time mark with 26 career rushing touchdowns.
Defensively, senior defensive end Jose Ramirez had another impressive day, finishing with a team-high seven tackles, including 3.5 tackles for loss.
How It Happened
Eastern Michigan got on the scoreboard first and opened a 7-0 lead with 5:16 left in the first quarter. Kent State then scored to take a 17-7 lead before EMU put a touchdown on the board to narrow the gap and make it a 17-14 game.
Eastern Michigan followed with another score with 4:14 left in the third quarter to tie it at 17-17.The Eagles then kept the momentum going with an 11-yard touchdown strike from Powell to take a 24-17 lead.
Eastern Michigan continued to build its lead, scoring again with 3:51 remaining in the fourth quarter to go on top 31-17. Eastern Michigan didn't score again and Kent State added seven more points to finish off the game.
By MIKE SMITH
DEKALB, IL -- Freshman Aveon Smith got his seventh start of the season Wednesday, and the Miami RedHawks picked up their fifth win.
With the 29-23 victory over Northern Illinois at Huskie Stadium, the RedHawks kept their bowl eligibility hopes alive. They are now 5-6 with a home game against Ball State left to play. Northern Illinois, the defending MAC champs, fell to 3-8 on the year.
Overall, Miami totaled 356 yards of offense while . . . CONTINUE
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Two fourth quarter scores totaling five points lifted the Western Michigan Broncos to a 12-10 win over Central Michigan on a cold and snowy day at Kelly Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant Wednesday night.
While neither team will be headed to a bowl game, WMU's victory nevertheless gave the Broncos possession of the Victory Cannon, which goes to the winner of the annual battle.
WMU (4-7, 3-4 MAC) was down 10-7 late in the fourth quarter and was forced to punt. Senior Nick Mihalic punted it 44 yards and it was downed at the CMU 4. The Chippewas ran the ball twice, only getting to the six yard-line. On third and nine Central Michigan quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. was sacked in the endzone by Andre Carter. The play was initially ruled a fumble, with WMU's Ryan Selig recovering it in the endzone for a touchdown. After review, the ruling was overturned, giving the Broncos a safety and cutting the lead to 10-9.
Western Michigan also got the ball after and Sean Tyler's return put the Broncos on their 35. Treyson Bourguet was sacked on the opening play. After an incompletion, WMU faced third and 11. Western Michigan earned the key conversion when Bourguet hit Corey Crooms over the middle for 36 yards, moving WMU to the Central Michigan 30-yard line.
Sean Tyler followed with a 20-yard run down to the 10 for a first and goal. WMU ran it three times to force the Chippewas to use all of their time outs and set up the short field goal attempt. True-freshman kicker Palmer Domschke, who missed twice in the first half, nailed a 25-yard field goal with 59 seconds to take a 12-10 lead.
Keni-H Lovely then picked off CMU quarterback Jase Bauer on the ensuing drive to seal the victory.
Tyler had a career-high 177 yards on the ground on 26 carries to lead the way. Bourguet threw for 102 yards and rushed for 57. Crooms had a game-high four receptions for 63 yards. A week after Emanuel Jr. rushed for 293 yards and three touchdowns, the WMU defense held him to just 98 yards on 21 carries.
The Bronco defense held Central Michigan to just 253 yards on offense. Carter had six tackles, three tackles for loss, two sacks and the safety to lead the way. Corvin Moment had five tackles while being tasked with slowing Emanuel Jr. down.
A blizzard hampered both teams at times in the first half, but it was the Broncos that struck first. Tyler capped off a five-play, 98-yard drive with a 53-yard touchdown run to give WMU a 7-0 lead.
Emanuel Jr. busted off a 60-yard touchdown run to tie the game on the very next drive.
The teams went into the half deadlocked at 7-7, with CMU adding a 24-yard field goal late in the third quarter to take their only lead of the game.