Central Michigan University Athletics
Eastern Michigan Claims 48-45 Win Over Chippewas
11/17/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT Pierre Walker scored on a 1-yard run with 3:08 remaining to lift Eastern Michigan to a 48-45 win over Central Michigan University Friday night at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
EMU (4-8 overall, 3-4 Mid-American Conference, 3-2 MAC West) led 14-0 before the Chippewas had run an offensive play. The lead changed hands six times over the final three quarters, however, including three times in a frenetic final 10 minutes.
The Chippewas (6-5 overall, 5-1 MAC, 4-1 MAC West), paced by three rushing touchdowns by quarterback Dan LeFevour, led 38-28 entering the fourth quarter. A 3-yard scoring run by his counterpart, EMU’s Andy Schmitt, pulled the Eagles within a field goal at 38-35 with 10:36 remaining.
Schmitt’s score, his third rushing touchdown of the game, capped a 16-play, 72-yard march that featured a pair of fourth down conversions. EMU was 6-for-6 on fourth down attempts in the game, with all six conversions extending scoring drives.
LeFevour was intercepted by Josh Hunt deep in CMU territory just two plays following the kickoff, and Walker scored on an 11-yard burst to put the Eagles back in front at 42-38.
A short kickoff and a penalty set up the CMU offense at its own 49-yard line. LeFevour was 3-for-3 for 31 yards, including a 12-yard completion to Bryan Anderson on fourth-and-9, to set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Justin Hoskins. The point-after put CMU ahead at 45-42.
Walker’s 1-yard run with 3:08 left shifted the lead back to EMU, but the Eagles were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following the play and Zach Johnson pulled the extra point attempt wide left.
LeFevour completed four straight passes for 36 yards and ran for 17 yards to move the ball to the EMU 14-yard line in the final minute. On second-and-10, however, CMU was penalized for illegal touching on a screen pass, then was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following the play; after the 20 yards were marched off, the Chippewas faced third-and-30 from the 34-yard line. Andrew Aguila’s 52-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds left was wide left, and Eastern Michigan drained the clock.
Schmitt scored on a 1-yard run to cap the game’s opening possession, and Walker scored on a 17-yard run four plays after CMU fumbled away the kickoff. Aguila capped CMU’s first offensive drive with a 21-yard field goal, the defense forced a punt and Justin Hoskins broke off a 76-yard touchdown run to pull CMU within 14-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Eastern Michigan was again forced to punt early in the second quarter, the second and final time it would punt the ball away in the game, and LeFevour scored on a winding 26-yard run on third-and-9 that gave CMU its first lead, 17-14.
The teams traded touchdowns on the next two possessions. Zach Johnson hooked up with Tyrone Burke for 15 yards on a fake punt to set up a 28-yard touchdown throw from Schmitt to DeAnthony White.
LeFevour countered with a 20-yard scoring pass to Kito Poblah that sent the Chippewas into the locker room in front 24-21.
The lead grew to 10 points twice in the third quarter courtesy of a pair of acrobatic touchdown runs by LeFevour, who finished with 88 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
LeFevour also became CMU’s all-time completions leader in the loss, connecting on 26-of-37 aerials for 246 yards and a score. Justin Gardner caught a season-high seven passes for 65 yards, while Antonio Brown caught six passes for 66 yards to set a new single-season school record for receptions. He has caught 77 passes in 2007.
Hoskins finished with 133 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries.
Defensively, Red Keith and Ike Brown tied for game-high honors with 13 tackles apiece in their final appearance at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Schmitt was 25-of-34 passing for 212 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 11 times for 61 yards and three scores. Walker ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries in the win for EMU.
Eastern Michigan held the ball for 38:30, compared to 21:30 for CMU. The Chippewas, however, racked up 477 yards of offense on 62 plays while EMU needed 85 plays to amass 441 yards of offense.
CMU closes the regular season next Friday, visiting Akron at 11 a.m. ESPNU will televise the contest.
EMU (4-8 overall, 3-4 Mid-American Conference, 3-2 MAC West) led 14-0 before the Chippewas had run an offensive play. The lead changed hands six times over the final three quarters, however, including three times in a frenetic final 10 minutes.
The Chippewas (6-5 overall, 5-1 MAC, 4-1 MAC West), paced by three rushing touchdowns by quarterback Dan LeFevour, led 38-28 entering the fourth quarter. A 3-yard scoring run by his counterpart, EMU’s Andy Schmitt, pulled the Eagles within a field goal at 38-35 with 10:36 remaining.
Schmitt’s score, his third rushing touchdown of the game, capped a 16-play, 72-yard march that featured a pair of fourth down conversions. EMU was 6-for-6 on fourth down attempts in the game, with all six conversions extending scoring drives.
LeFevour was intercepted by Josh Hunt deep in CMU territory just two plays following the kickoff, and Walker scored on an 11-yard burst to put the Eagles back in front at 42-38.
A short kickoff and a penalty set up the CMU offense at its own 49-yard line. LeFevour was 3-for-3 for 31 yards, including a 12-yard completion to Bryan Anderson on fourth-and-9, to set up a 12-yard touchdown run by Justin Hoskins. The point-after put CMU ahead at 45-42.
Walker’s 1-yard run with 3:08 left shifted the lead back to EMU, but the Eagles were flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following the play and Zach Johnson pulled the extra point attempt wide left.
LeFevour completed four straight passes for 36 yards and ran for 17 yards to move the ball to the EMU 14-yard line in the final minute. On second-and-10, however, CMU was penalized for illegal touching on a screen pass, then was flagged for unsportsmanlike conduct following the play; after the 20 yards were marched off, the Chippewas faced third-and-30 from the 34-yard line. Andrew Aguila’s 52-yard field goal attempt with 22 seconds left was wide left, and Eastern Michigan drained the clock.
Schmitt scored on a 1-yard run to cap the game’s opening possession, and Walker scored on a 17-yard run four plays after CMU fumbled away the kickoff. Aguila capped CMU’s first offensive drive with a 21-yard field goal, the defense forced a punt and Justin Hoskins broke off a 76-yard touchdown run to pull CMU within 14-10 at the end of the first quarter.
Eastern Michigan was again forced to punt early in the second quarter, the second and final time it would punt the ball away in the game, and LeFevour scored on a winding 26-yard run on third-and-9 that gave CMU its first lead, 17-14.
The teams traded touchdowns on the next two possessions. Zach Johnson hooked up with Tyrone Burke for 15 yards on a fake punt to set up a 28-yard touchdown throw from Schmitt to DeAnthony White.
LeFevour countered with a 20-yard scoring pass to Kito Poblah that sent the Chippewas into the locker room in front 24-21.
The lead grew to 10 points twice in the third quarter courtesy of a pair of acrobatic touchdown runs by LeFevour, who finished with 88 yards and three touchdowns on the ground.
LeFevour also became CMU’s all-time completions leader in the loss, connecting on 26-of-37 aerials for 246 yards and a score. Justin Gardner caught a season-high seven passes for 65 yards, while Antonio Brown caught six passes for 66 yards to set a new single-season school record for receptions. He has caught 77 passes in 2007.
Hoskins finished with 133 yards and two touchdowns on just 11 carries.
Defensively, Red Keith and Ike Brown tied for game-high honors with 13 tackles apiece in their final appearance at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Schmitt was 25-of-34 passing for 212 yards and a touchdown. He also rushed 11 times for 61 yards and three scores. Walker ran for 149 yards and three touchdowns on 31 carries in the win for EMU.
Eastern Michigan held the ball for 38:30, compared to 21:30 for CMU. The Chippewas, however, racked up 477 yards of offense on 62 plays while EMU needed 85 plays to amass 441 yards of offense.
CMU closes the regular season next Friday, visiting Akron at 11 a.m. ESPNU will televise the contest.
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