Saturday, October 7
Ypsilanti, MI
3:30 p.m.
Ball State University
10
at
24
Eastern Michigan
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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