The Eastern Michigan University football team is leaving a Big Ten Conference stadium with a win for the third consecutive season after beating the University of Illinois, 34-31. Illinois paid $1 million to Eastern Michigan for its football team to visit Memorial Stadium in Champaign on Saturday.
A back-and-forth contest, the game was tied with three seconds on the clock when sophomore kicker Chad Ryland (Lebanon, Pa.-Cedar Crest) drilled a 24-yard, game-winning field goal to down the Illini. Ryland has now used a last-second field goal to beat a Big Ten foe in consecutive season after walking-off Purdue, 20-19, in West Lafayette, a season ago.
The Eagles improve to 2-1 on the year with the victory, while the Fighting Illini drop to 2-1. Furthermore, it extended the Mid-American Conference’s winning streak to 14 consecutive seasons of defeating a Big 10 member, the longest streak in league history. During this 14-year stretch, MAC teams have defeated 12 different Big Ten teams – Illinois (4); Indiana (5); Iowa (3); Maryland (1); Michigan (1); Michigan State (1); Minnesota (2); Nebraska (1); Northwestern (3); Penn State (1), Purdue (6), and Rutgers (2) for a total of 29 wins during this span of time.
Senior quarterback Mike Glass III (St. Louis, Mo.-Hazelwood Central-Southwestern College) was 23-of-36 for 316 yards and three touchdowns to lead EMU. Jairus Grissom (Detroit, Mich.-River Rouge) rushed three times for 52 yards, while Willie Parker had 23 yards on 11 carries and a touchdown.
After winning the coin toss and electing to receive to start the game, the Eagles failed to score in their opening drive, eventually falling behind, 3-0, when Illinois quickly hit a 57-yard field goal to open the game’s scoring.
Eastern took flight in its second drive of the afternoon, however, marching 75 yards in just five plays to take its first lead of the game, 7-3. In as a wildcat quarterback, Grissom exploded on a career-best 47-yard run, setting up Glass, who capped-off the drive with a 26-yard touchdown pass to senior receiver Arthur Jackson III (Oakland, Calif.-Wood (American River College)). The score was Jackson’s first this season, and the sixth of his EMU career.
After relinquishing the lead in the next drive, 10-7, the Eagles and Illini traded three-and-outs before Glass and the Eagles struck again. This time, the St. Louis native fired a 54-yard dart to Mathew Sexton (Clinton, Mich.-Clinton), who scored his first TD since Oct. 27, 2018, against Army. The play was the longest for the Eagle offense this season. Ryland added the extra point to give EMU a 14-10 advantage.
A first-half filled with counter-punches, Eastern found itself down again, 17-14, at the end of the first quarter. Working quickly, the EMU offense put together a five-play, 70-yard drive, scoring its third touchdown of the game when Glass found Jackson in the endzone for the second time during the afternoon. This time, it was a 31-yard dime to the senior wide out. Although the extra point was missed, the Eagles regained the lead, 20-17.
Holding the Illini scoreless for the remainder of the of the first half, EMU was able to extend its lead to six, 23-17, when Ryland drained a career-best 52-yard field goal with 4:43 left in the second frame. The kick is tied for the second-best in school history, and is the longest made EMU field goal since the 2015 season, when Dylan Mulder set the school record with a 55-yard make against Miami (Ohio), Nov. 7.
The 23 first half points were the most by EMU since they put up 28 against Toledo, Oct. 13, 2018.
Stingy in the middle quarters of the game, the EMU defense was able to hold the Illini scoreless in both the second and third frames. The feat marks the ninth time in EMU’s last 16 games that Neal Neathery’s unit has held its opponent scoreless in the third quarter. Additionally, in Illinois first four drives of the game, it ran 21 plays for 173 yards. In its ensuing six drives, the Illini ran just 25 plays for 74 yards.
Reining MAC Defensive Player of the Week Brody Hoying (Coldwater, Ohio-Coldwater) was again critical for the Eagles, especially in the third quarter, where he earned his sixth-career forced-fumble, recovering it to give the Eagles offense the ball back. Hoying forced another fumble in the fourth quarter, however the Illini were able to recover.
Elsewhere in the secondary, Korey Hernandez (Decatur, Ga.-Cedar Grove (Arkansas-Iowa Western C.C.)) committed robbery on the Illinois receiving corps in the third quarter to tally his first-career interception. In addition to the high-level play of the secondary, the Eagles defense finished the game with six sacks, the most in a single-game this season.
Although it was unable to score in the third quarter, the Eagles offense rallied in the fourth quarter. Up 23-17, Glass led an eight-play, 49-yard drive that was capped by a four-yard Willie Parker (Tampa, Fla.-Carrollwood Day School) touchdown run. The score was the third of Parker’s career. After a successful two-point conversion, the Eagles led 31-17 with 11:20 to play in the game.
Up seven, 31-24, the Eagles had Illinois down to its final down before UI quarterback Brandon Peters converted on a 32-yard pass to keep Illinois’ drive alive. With 1:44 on the clock, the Illini scored, and after making the extra point, tied the game at 31-all.
Uninterrupted by the late adversity, Glass marched the Eagles down the field, putting together an eight-play, 68-yard drive in which he completed 4-of-4 passes. The senior quarterback finished his day having completed 23-of-36 passes, for 316 yards, and three touchdowns. After two Illinois timeouts to try and “ice,” the kicker, Ryland stepped in and hit the game-winning field goal.
The Eagles, now 2-1, are back in action Saturday, Sept. 21, where they will open their five-game 2019 home schedule against Central Connecticut State University. The game is scheduled to kickoff at 3 p.m. inside “The Factory,” at Rynearson Stadium. For the most up-to-date information on all things EMU football, follow @EMUFB on social media, and visit EMUEagles.com.
This article is comprised of information from an Eastern Michigan University press release. For more pro, college and high school sports stories, like our page on Facebook.
