On Friday, Eastern Michigan (8-4) fought in a fierce rivalry matchup against Central Michigan (4-8), in a game with high stakes for both teams and a big reward — the historic Michigan MAC Trophy.
Following a bowl game-clinching win over Akron and a dominating victory over Kent State, the Eagles looked to keep their winning ways going and bring home some hardware. Central, on the other hand, looked to end its up-and-down season with a rivalry win, retaining the trophy. Before the game started, from comments and the energy brought, one could tell Eastern wanted this one more. In the score, that showed as well with Eastern winning 38-19.
It's a 𝗕𝗜𝗚 𝗗𝗘𝗔𝗟.
BEAT CENTRAL MICHIGAN 😤🛠️#EMUEagles | #ETOUGH | #StackEm pic.twitter.com/GgnJFPEc9U
— Eastern Michigan Football (@EMUFB) November 25, 2022
Senior Day Stars:
The Eagles’ offense has been led all season by their star seniors Taylor Powell, Hassan Beydoun, and Dylan Drummond. Today was no different. Throwing for 266 yards and 3 touchdowns, Powell led the Eagles’ offense to a strong start. He was six for six on the first drive, capping it off with a perfectly placed touchdown pass to Tanner Knue. Knue has been a go-to for Powell all year, and again he looked for him on that touchdown pass. Powell, showed poise all day under pressure and was able to lead his receivers perfectly on end-zone fades. He is, without a doubt, one of the most impressive MAC quarterbacks in years.
His decision-making and versatility, his biggest strengths, were on full display today as he made plays multiple times with his legs, including an 11-yard rushing touchdown. Beydoun, on the other hand, got off to a slow start. He was locked down by the Central secondary, not even receiving a target in the first half. Drummond had the same issue, but both players were more involved in the second half, helping Eastern stretch the ball downfield. The two receivers combined for 90 yards on seven catches and one touchdown. Truly special performances from some special seniors.
Samson Evans Steamrolls the Chips:
All season, Eastern Michigan running back Samson Evans has been unstoppable for MAC defenses. Leading the Eagles with 949 rushing yards (3rd most in the MAC), Evans was yet again dominant. Coming off a game in which he ran for 94 yards on 33 carries, Early he went down with an injury, but bounced back later in the first quarter to score on a 15 yard touchdown run. He continued to punish defenders by lowering his shoulder with each carry he took.
His combination of speed and size is what makes him such an issue for defensive fronts. Evans took his game to the next level with 135 yards on 23 carries and one touchdown. He now has over 1,000 yards this season and holds the all-time rushing touchdowns record at Eastern Michigan with 27.
Can Anyone Catch Bert Emanuel?:
Bert Emanuel Jr, one of the three quarterbacks Central Michigan has put in action this year, has been impressing football fans across the nation. His blazing speed and shifty cutting have taken the MAC by storm this season. Jase Bauer made have started at QB for the Chips, but Emanuel came in for multiple drives during the game. His elite speed was lethal for the Eastern defense the moment he stepped onto the field.
Toward the end of the first half, they were able to shut him down with a couple of gap blitzes from linebackers Jose Ramirez and Chase Kline. That wasn’t for long though as Emanuel came back strong in the second half, rushing for 75 yards on 16 carries. He also had three touchdowns. Unfortunately for him, he didn’t receive much assistance from the rest of his offense, which limited the Chippewas ability to hang in the game. Nonetheless, Emanuel is a player to keep your eye on.
A Tale of Two Halves:
Anyone who watches MACtion football knows that most games are an offensive battle. Eastern Michigan is used to that is an understatement. Eastern has played six one-possession games this year, and 59% of all MAC games this year have been decided by one score. Right away it was apparent that this game would follow that trend with both teams easily working down the field for early touchdowns.
Simple, but efficient play-calling from Eastern Michigan’s co-offensive coordinators Brandon Blaney and Sean Coughlin proved difficult for the weak Central defense. Unfortunately for Eastern, dynamic quarterback Bert Emanuel made multiple appearances under center for the Chips, showing off his blazing speed and running for two early touchdowns. After a missed Chippewa extra point attempt and a blocked Eagles field goal, Eastern held the lead into halftime, fourteen to thirteen.
The second half was a completely different story though. Eastern seemed to have every answer for the one-dimensional Central offense. Setting a disciplined QB contain halted any movement for the Chips and even caused a second interception from Jase Bauer. Eastern consistently capitalized on offense, wearing out the Chippewas and scoring on numerous long drives.
The Eagles never took their foot off the gas. Creative scheming on both quick cuts and crossers helped get the ball into the hands of Eastern’s star receivers Beydoun and Drummond. In turn, this elevated the already strong Eastern defense. From there, the Eagles had no trouble going down the field and closing out the game.
Ypsilanti Comes to Life:
Not known for sellout crowds, Rynearson Stadium clearly came to life today as Eastern fans from all over came to support the Eagles. One of the largest and loudest crowds here all season, the flock made a clear impact on the Central offense. With some false starts and miscommunications halting the Chips, the passionate Eastern fanbase deserves some credit for this win. As previously mentioned, it really felt like it just meant more to everyone in Ypsilanti to return the Michigan MAC Trophy to Eastern Michigan. They earned it today.
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1 Comment
Wow, very well analyzed and scripted. Enjoyed every detail of the results and the aftermath!