Saturday, October 7
Ypsilanti, MI
3:30 p.m.
Ball State University
1-5 , 0-2
10
at
24
Eastern Michigan
3-3 , 1-1
1st
2nd
3rd
4th
F
Ball St.
3
7
0
0
10
Eastern Mich.
3
14
7
0
24
Defense Has a Field Day in EMU Backfield, But Cardinals Fall 24-10 at Eastern Michigan
October 07, 2023 | Football
YPSILANTI, Mich. – Eastern Michigan led 17-10 at intermission and held on in the second half to upend Ball State 24-10 in Mid-American Conference action Saturday at Rynearson Stadium.
The first half featured 27 combined points and 324 yards in total offense, but the second half, played mostly in drizzling rain, included only 235 total yards. Fifty of those second-half yards came on Eastern Michigan's touchdown pass from Austin Smith to Hamze El-Zayat just four-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter. It was the only score of the second half and just enough to keep Ball State playing from behind.
Ball State's defense did all it could to snap the Cardinals' two-game skid, recording five sacks on the day and limiting EMU to -5 yards total offense in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Cole Pearce was responsible for 10 tackles, two sacks among three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Pearce led Ball State defenders' field day in the EMU backfield, totaling season highs with 10 tackles for loss, along with sacks by Pearce, Keionte Newson, Sidney Houston Jr., Mikhari Sibblis (1/2-sack) and Tavion Woodard (1/2-sack).
Offensively, quarterback Layne Hatcher finished 20-of-33 passing for 132 yards and a touchdown. Reserve QB Kiael Kelly completed a pass for 26 yards and led the Cardinals with 94 yards on the ground.
The Eagles and Cardinals traded early field goals in the first quarter before EMU seized control with consecutive touchdowns in the second period, to take its seven-point lead into intermission.
A Ball State fumble on the end of a 15-yard catch by Qian Magwood led to the Eagles' first TD and a 10-3 lead. After EMU took a 17-3 advantage with its second TD, Hatcher connected with tight end Tanner Koziol for the Cardinals' first touchdown with 6:32 left before halftime. Koziol finished with six catches for 48 yards.
Running back Marquez Cooper led Ball State receivers with career highs of seven catches for 62 yards, to go with 46 yards on the ground.
After spending the past two weeks on the road, Ball State returns to Scheumann Stadium next Saturday to host Toledo at 2 p.m.
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The first half featured 27 combined points and 324 yards in total offense, but the second half, played mostly in drizzling rain, included only 235 total yards. Fifty of those second-half yards came on Eastern Michigan's touchdown pass from Austin Smith to Hamze El-Zayat just four-and-a-half minutes into the third quarter. It was the only score of the second half and just enough to keep Ball State playing from behind.
Ball State's defense did all it could to snap the Cardinals' two-game skid, recording five sacks on the day and limiting EMU to -5 yards total offense in the fourth quarter. Linebacker Cole Pearce was responsible for 10 tackles, two sacks among three tackles for loss, and a forced fumble.
Pearce led Ball State defenders' field day in the EMU backfield, totaling season highs with 10 tackles for loss, along with sacks by Pearce, Keionte Newson, Sidney Houston Jr., Mikhari Sibblis (1/2-sack) and Tavion Woodard (1/2-sack).
Offensively, quarterback Layne Hatcher finished 20-of-33 passing for 132 yards and a touchdown. Reserve QB Kiael Kelly completed a pass for 26 yards and led the Cardinals with 94 yards on the ground.
The Eagles and Cardinals traded early field goals in the first quarter before EMU seized control with consecutive touchdowns in the second period, to take its seven-point lead into intermission.
A Ball State fumble on the end of a 15-yard catch by Qian Magwood led to the Eagles' first TD and a 10-3 lead. After EMU took a 17-3 advantage with its second TD, Hatcher connected with tight end Tanner Koziol for the Cardinals' first touchdown with 6:32 left before halftime. Koziol finished with six catches for 48 yards.
Running back Marquez Cooper led Ball State receivers with career highs of seven catches for 62 yards, to go with 46 yards on the ground.
After spending the past two weeks on the road, Ball State returns to Scheumann Stadium next Saturday to host Toledo at 2 p.m.
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Team Stats
BSU
EMU
Total Yards
305
253
Pass Yards
157
192
Rushing Yards
148
61
Penalty Yards
66
40
1st Downs
17
22
3rd Downs
2
5
4th Downs
1
2
TOP
26:56
33:04
1st Quarter
BSU 0, EMU 3
EMU - Gomez,Jesus 53 yd field goal 9 plays, 26 yards, TOP 05:37
BSU 3, EMU 3
BSU - Courville,Jackson 37 yd field goal 6 plays, 49 yards, TOP 02:41
2nd Quarter
BSU 3, EMU 10
EMU - Evans,Samson 2 yd run (Gomez,Jesus kick), 11 plays, 65 yards, TOP 05:09
BSU 3, EMU 17
EMU - Mitchell,JB 3 yd pass from Smith,Austin (Gomez,Jesus kick) 9 plays, 62 yards, TOP 04:39
BSU 10, EMU 17
BSU - Koziol,Tanner 13 yd pass from Hatcher,Layne (Courville,Jackson kick) 8 plays, 71 yards, TOP 04:00
3rd Quarter
BSU 10, EMU 24
EMU - El-Zayat,Hamze 50 yd pass from Smith,Austin (Gomez,Jesus kick) 8 plays, 75 yards, TOP 04:23
Game Leaders
Passing Leaders
CMP
19
TD
1
YDS
131
INT
1
CMP
1
TD
0
YDS
26
INT
0
Players Mentioned
RB
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DE/LB
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TE
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WR
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LB
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DL
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