Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, September 21
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
1:00 PM
Central Michigan University
37
vs
34
Ball State
Central Michigan players celebrate after the dramatic 37-34 win over Ball State on Saturday.
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Chippewas Pull Off Dramatic 37-34 Win With Touchdown in Waning Seconds
9/21/2024 6:49:00 PM | Football
Box ScoreFull Game Book (PDF)Post-Game Notes (PDF)Highlight: Game-Winning Touchdown: Joe Labas to Chris Parker, 20 yard TD passHighlight: B.J. Harris 25-yard run in 4th quarterHighlight: Caleb Spann/Dakota Cochran SackHighlight: Bert Emanuel, Jr. 16-yard TD runHighlight: Joe Labas to Evan Boyd PassHIghlight: Dakota Cochran SackHighlight: Bryce Rowe on punt return coverageHighlight: Marion Lukes 27-yard runHighlight: Bert Emanuel, Jr. 20-yard TD runHighlight: B.J. Harris 71-yard runHighlight: Marion Lukes 2-yard TD runHighlight: Bert Emanuel Jr. 7-ard TD pass to Chris ParkerHighlight: Nahree Biggins 76-yard runHighlight: Joe Labas 36-yard pass to Chris ParkerHighlight: Joe Labas 27-yard pass to Evan BoydHighlight: B.J. Harris 41-yard runHighlight: Jordan Kwiatkowski Tackle for LossPhoto GalleryPhoto Gallery 2Photo Gallery 3Photo Gallery 4
CMU goes 75 yards in the final minute to win MAC opener on a Labas-to-Parker touchdown pass; Chippewas total 527 yards of total offense, rush for 335 yards and three touchdowns in victory.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – A testament to never packing it in and playing until the final gun.
Joe Labas connected with Chris Parker for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds remaining on Saturday to give Central Michigan an oh-so-dramatic 37-34 come-from-behind victory over Ball State before 18,011 on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
"Wow, what a game," CMU coach Jim McElwain said after his Chippewas snapped a two-game losing streak and won their Mid-American Conference opener. "It was critical. Conference game, at home and being able to hold serve, that's what you've got to do, and we found a way to do it.
"It wasn't pretty, but it was a lot of fun and I'm just so happy for the players. I know what they put into it and for them to get a win, that's what it's all about."
The Chippewas emerged victorious in a wild back-and-forth nail-biter that included nearly 1,000 yards in total offense.
The Cardinals (1-2, 0-1 MAC) drove 97 yards in just five plays to score a touchdown with just 53 seconds remaining to seize a 34-30 lead.
The Chippewas started at their own 25-yard line and scored in just five plays. Running back B.J. Harris, who carried eight times for a career-high 151 yards, started the drive with a 25-yard burst to put the Chippewas at midfield.
Two plays later, on third-and-14, Labas connected with Evan Boyd for 34 yards to the Ball State 20. Labas then hit Parker for the game-winning score.
It was sweet relief for a Chippewa team that had turned in subpar performances in each of its past two games, road losses at Florida International and Illinois.
"It tells me," McElwain said about his players, "that they believe, and they believe as much as I believe in them.
"Guys stepped up and made some plays when they had to. What it says about them? You know what, at the end of the day, they're winners; that's what it says about them."
The Chippewas trailed, 10-0, early and then scored on three consecutive drives to seize a 20-10 lead. Ball State answered with a touchdown just before halftime to cut it to 20-17.
After Tristan Mattson upped CMU's lead to 23-17 with a 33-yard field goal, the Cardinals took a 24-23 lead with a touchdown midway through the third quarter.
That set the stage for the dramatic final 15 minutes.
Ball State tacked on a field goal with 8:39 left to make it 27-23, and then Bert Emanuel Jr., who spelled Labas at quarterback throughout the game for CMU, bolted 16 yards for a score with 5:02 remaining to put the Chippewas back in front, 30-27.
It was the first game of the season for the electrifying Emanuel, who missed the first three games with an injury.
The Chippewas were far from perfect. They had a punt blocked and an extra point blocked and struggled receiving kickoffs under the bright afternoon sun.
But they made up for it with 527 yards in total offense – 335 of it on the ground – and delivered when they had to, digging deep to put together the game-winning drive.
"The players, they never blinked," McElwain said. "They're going to be disappointed as heck when they watch film on Monday there's no doubt about it.
"And yet they can be disappointed with a smile on their face knowing that they figured out how to win a game and I don't want that to ever get lost.
"Wins are hard to come by and the way our guys hung in there, battled back, I'm just proud of them. I'm proud of them. Now did we play correct? No. If nothing else they maybe kept the popcorn stand open and we sold some extra popcorn."
Joe Labas connected with Chris Parker for a 20-yard touchdown pass with 16 seconds remaining on Saturday to give Central Michigan an oh-so-dramatic 37-34 come-from-behind victory over Ball State before 18,011 on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
"Wow, what a game," CMU coach Jim McElwain said after his Chippewas snapped a two-game losing streak and won their Mid-American Conference opener. "It was critical. Conference game, at home and being able to hold serve, that's what you've got to do, and we found a way to do it.
"It wasn't pretty, but it was a lot of fun and I'm just so happy for the players. I know what they put into it and for them to get a win, that's what it's all about."
The Chippewas emerged victorious in a wild back-and-forth nail-biter that included nearly 1,000 yards in total offense.
The Cardinals (1-2, 0-1 MAC) drove 97 yards in just five plays to score a touchdown with just 53 seconds remaining to seize a 34-30 lead.
The Chippewas started at their own 25-yard line and scored in just five plays. Running back B.J. Harris, who carried eight times for a career-high 151 yards, started the drive with a 25-yard burst to put the Chippewas at midfield.
Two plays later, on third-and-14, Labas connected with Evan Boyd for 34 yards to the Ball State 20. Labas then hit Parker for the game-winning score.
It was sweet relief for a Chippewa team that had turned in subpar performances in each of its past two games, road losses at Florida International and Illinois.
"It tells me," McElwain said about his players, "that they believe, and they believe as much as I believe in them.
"Guys stepped up and made some plays when they had to. What it says about them? You know what, at the end of the day, they're winners; that's what it says about them."
The Chippewas trailed, 10-0, early and then scored on three consecutive drives to seize a 20-10 lead. Ball State answered with a touchdown just before halftime to cut it to 20-17.
After Tristan Mattson upped CMU's lead to 23-17 with a 33-yard field goal, the Cardinals took a 24-23 lead with a touchdown midway through the third quarter.
That set the stage for the dramatic final 15 minutes.
Ball State tacked on a field goal with 8:39 left to make it 27-23, and then Bert Emanuel Jr., who spelled Labas at quarterback throughout the game for CMU, bolted 16 yards for a score with 5:02 remaining to put the Chippewas back in front, 30-27.
It was the first game of the season for the electrifying Emanuel, who missed the first three games with an injury.
The Chippewas were far from perfect. They had a punt blocked and an extra point blocked and struggled receiving kickoffs under the bright afternoon sun.
But they made up for it with 527 yards in total offense – 335 of it on the ground – and delivered when they had to, digging deep to put together the game-winning drive.
"The players, they never blinked," McElwain said. "They're going to be disappointed as heck when they watch film on Monday there's no doubt about it.
"And yet they can be disappointed with a smile on their face knowing that they figured out how to win a game and I don't want that to ever get lost.
"Wins are hard to come by and the way our guys hung in there, battled back, I'm just proud of them. I'm proud of them. Now did we play correct? No. If nothing else they maybe kept the popcorn stand open and we sold some extra popcorn."
Players Mentioned
RB
/ Football
PK
/ Football
WR
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