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Last-second field goal lifts EMU over Illinois 34-31
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton clearly enjoyed the postgame media gathering following his team's impressive last-second 34-31 road win over Illinois on Saturday.
''I love this team,'' he said, smiling. ''I mean, wow. What a great bunch of guys.''
Creighton had good reason to be joyous. Chad Ryland booted a 24-yard field goal as time expired to give the Eagles their third win over a Big Ten team, following victories against Rutgers in 2017 and Purdue in 2018.
Mike Glass was 23 of 36 for 316 yards and three touchdowns to lead EMU (2-1). Jarius Grissom rushed three times for 52 yards, while Willie Parker had 23 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.
''Awesome, awesome day for our program,'' Creighton said. ''Our defense played well. We knew we weren't going to shut them out, because they are really good, but we did what we needed to. Our guys just executed.''
Brandon Peterson was 22 of 37 for 297 yards passing, two touchdowns and an interception for Illinois (2-1). Reggie Corbin, who sat out the last game with a hip pointer, carried the ball 18 times for 144 yards for the Illini.
''A lot of people need to do a better job, including me,'' said Illinois coach Lovie Smith. ''We didn't play our best today, but we have a lot to build on. We're a 2-1 football team, so we've done some good things.
Next week (against conference foe Nebraska) will be a better indicator of where we are.''
GOOD START
In a first-half shoot-out, both teams showed plenty of offense and periods of ineffective defense. The Eagles rushed for 93 yards and Glass was 11 of 20 for 183 yards and three touchdowns, while Illinois rushed for 76 yards and Peters went 13 of 17 for 164 yards and one TD.
''One positive? We were down by 14 points at one point and still managed to get ourselves into a position to win the game,'' Smith said. ''We have to maintain a sense of consistency, in both halves, whether it's running, passing or on defense.''
TOUGH END
Illinois was still in the hunt with less than three minutes left after tying the game at 31 on a 36-yard touchdown pass from Peters to Josh Imatorbhebhe.
But Glass, who looked calm and collected all day, methodically put his team in a position to win with a 23-yard pass to Dylan Drummond followed by a 13-yard run by Breck Turner. Ryland then trotted onto the field with one second left for the game winner.
THE BATTLE UP FRONT
''They beat us up front,'' Smith said of his Illini. ''It's a one-on-one battle out there, and the losing team doesn't win that battle. That was us today.''
Creighton credited hard work and preparation for his team's win. ''We definitely had a better week of practice this week,'' he said. ''We prepared hard. Our team believes, and that's deep and very powerful when it comes to a game like this.''
THE TAKEAWAY
EMU: Good win for Creighton's team, which came in as the underdog and which has a habit of upsetting Power Five teams (Rutgers and Purdue in the past two seasons).
Illinois: Ugly loss for the Illini. The offense played essentially half a game, and the defense was suspect all afternoon. Smith took over as defensive coordinator after Hardy Nickerson left last October, and has said it would be his number-one priority. But there remains considerable work to be done before conference play begins next week in a prime-time game against Nebraska.
UP NEXT
EMU: Hosts Central Connecticut State next Saturday.
Illinois: Hosts Nebraska next Saturday to begin Big Ten play.
Copyright 2019 by STATS LLC and Associated Press. Any commercial use or distribution without the express written consent of STATS LLC and Associated Press is strictly prohibited.
Team Stats | ||
---|---|---|
1st Downs | 23 | 24 |
Rushing | 10 | 11 |
Passing | 12 | 12 |
Penalty | 1 | 1 |
3rd Down Conv | 3-13 | 7-17 |
4th Down Conv | 1-1 | 1-1 |
Total Net Yards | 474 | 418 |
Total Plays | 76 | 77 |
Avg Gain | 6.2 | 5.4 |
Net Yards Rushing | 164 | 167 |
Rush Attempts | 40 | 40 |
Avg Rush Yards | 4.1 | 4.2 |
Yards Passing | 316 | 297 |
Comp. - Att. | 23-36 | 22-37 |
Yards Per Pass | 8.6 | 6.8 |
Penalties - Yards | 2-20 | 9-80 |
Touchdowns | 4 | 4 |
Rushing TDs | 1 | 2 |
Passing TDs | 3 | 2 |
Other | 0 | 0 |
Turnovers | 1 | 2 |
Fumbles - Lost | 1-1 | 2-1 |
Int. Thrown | 0 | 1 |
Punts - Avg | 8-36.9 | 7-48.3 |
Return Yards | 32 | 6 |
Punts - Returns | 4-32 | 1-6 |
Kickoffs - Returns | 0-0 | 0-0 |
Int. - Returns | 1-0 | 0-0 |
Safeties | 0 | 0 |
|
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
M. Glass III
9 QB
|
M. Glass III | 23/36 | 316 | 3 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Grissom
6 QB
|
J. Grissom | 3 | 52 | 0 | 47 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Glass III
9 QB
|
M. Glass III | 10 | 37 | 0 | 18 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Turner
33 RB
|
B. Turner | 10 | 26 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
W. Parker
26 RB
|
W. Parker | 11 | 23 | 1 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Vann
5 RB
|
S. Vann | 3 | 18 | 0 | 10 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Daugherty IV
40 WR
|
E. Daugherty IV | 1 | 6 | 0 | 6 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Sexton
2 WR
|
M. Sexton | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
A. Jackson III
89 WR
|
A. Jackson III | 0 | 3 | 80 | 2 | 31 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Cannon
86 TE
|
B. Cannon | 0 | 4 | 60 | 0 | 26 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Sexton
2 WR
|
M. Sexton | 0 | 1 | 54 | 1 | 54 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Drummond
80 WR
|
D. Drummond | 0 | 5 | 43 | 0 | 23 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Latu
8 WR
|
L. Latu | 0 | 3 | 38 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Turner
33 RB
|
B. Turner | 0 | 5 | 27 | 0 | 9 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Kemp
88 TE
|
B. Kemp | 0 | 1 | 13 | 0 | 13 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
S. Vann
5 RB
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S. Vann | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Odukoya
85 TE
|
T. Odukoya | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
G. Oakes
82 TE
|
G. Oakes | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
W. Parker
26 RB
|
W. Parker | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
V. Calhoun
3 DB
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V. Calhoun | 9-6 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Beltram
10 LB
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K. Beltram | 5-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Bogan
23 DB
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B. Bogan | 5-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Simeon
95 DL
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S. Simeon | 4-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
H. Andrews
94 DL
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H. Andrews | 3-1 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Hubbard
12 DB
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J. Hubbard | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
F. McGee III
7 DB
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F. McGee III | 3-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Hoying
24 DB
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B. Hoying | 3-3 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Rush
99 DL
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T. Rush | 3-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Myrick
32 LB
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T. Myrick | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. LaFleur
19 DB
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N. LaFleur | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Abram
59 DL
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T. Abram | 2-0 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Burks
42 LB
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B. Burks | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Haney
93 DL
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M. Haney | 1-1 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Vines
15 DB
|
J. Vines | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Hernandez
5 DB
|
K. Hernandez | 1-0 | 0.0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Kelly
52 DL
|
D. Kelly | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Holford
91 DL
|
C. Holford | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Shine
35 DB
|
K. Shine | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Hunt
97 DL
|
C. Hunt | 0-1 | 0.5 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
W. Scott
98 DL
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W. Scott | 0-2 | 1.5 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
C. Ryland
38 K
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C. Ryland | 2/2 | 52 | 2/3 | 8 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
J. Julien
31 P
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J. Julien | 8 | 36.9 | 2 | 44 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
D. Drummond 80 WR
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D. Drummond | 4 | 8.0 | 14 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
B. Peters
18 QB
|
B. Peters | 22/37 | 297 | 2 | 1 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
R. Corbin
2 RB
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R. Corbin | 18 | 144 | 1 | 35 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Brown
25 RB
|
D. Brown | 7 | 46 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Norwood
3 RB
|
J. Norwood | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Bonner
21 RB
|
R. Bonner | 4 | 3 | 1 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Peters
18 QB
|
B. Peters | 9 | -34 | 0 | 16 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Imatorbhebhe
9 WR
|
J. Imatorbhebhe | 0 | 4 | 91 | 1 | 36 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Barker
87 TE
|
D. Barker | 0 | 4 | 90 | 0 | 52 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
R. Smalling
4 WR
|
R. Smalling | 0 | 5 | 49 | 1 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
D. Stampley
6 WR
|
D. Stampley | 0 | 2 | 36 | 0 | 27 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Sidney
5 WR
|
T. Sidney | 0 | 3 | 22 | 0 | 11 |