MAC Football Final Scoreboard: Friday, August 31
Syracuse 55, Western Michigan 42
Eastern Michigan 51, Monmouth 17
Game stories courtesy of MAC Athletic Communication Departments
Syracuse 55, Western Michigan 42
Box Score
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Western Michigan football fell to ACC opponent Syracuse 55-42 on Friday night inside Waldo Stadium, despite a 27-point halftime deficit and career performances from juniors D'Wayne Eskridge and Jon Wassink.
Eskridge had eight receptions for a career-high 240 yards and two touchdowns against the Orange, becoming the first Bronco to have over 200 receiving yards since 2016 NFL Draft No. 5 overall pick Corey Davis. Eskridge's 240 receiving yards tied for the 12th most in a single-game in MAC history. Eskridge torched the Syracuse secondary on Friday night, becoming the first receiver to go over 200 yards against the Orange since Ernest Wilford of Virginia Tech did so back in 2001.
Junior quarterback Jon Wassink made his first appearance since suffering a season-ending injury in Week 8 last season against Eastern Michigan. Wassink went 19-of-36 for a career-high 379 yards and three touchdowns against the Orange. He set career-highs in attempts and yards while connecting on an 84-yard touchdown pass, the longest of his career.
Also coming off a season-ending injury in 2017, junior running back LeVante Bellamy returned to form on Friday night, rushing for 120 yards and a career-high two touchdowns on 11 rushing attempts. His longest run of 64 yards went for a TD in the third quarter.
In his first collegiate game, freshman wide receiver Jayden Reed had seven receptions for 121 yards and one touchdown. Reed, an Aurora, Ill., native was targeted nine times and averaged 17.3 yards per reception. The duo of Eskridge and Reed are the first pair of Bronco receivers to eclipse the 100-yard mark since Corey Davis and Michael Henry did so back in 2016 against Buffalo.
As a team Western Michigan outgained Syracuse, 621-560 and had 379 passing yards to Syracuse's, 226. It's the first time the Broncos have had over 600 total yards of offense since having 645 total yards in their seven overtime game against Buffalo.
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Eastern Michigan 51, Monmouth 17
Box Score
YPSILANTI, Mich. -- A sound offensive performance coupled with a stingy defense effort from Eastern Michigan powered the Eagles (1-0) to a season-opening 51-17 victory over Monmouth Friday night, Aug. 31, at "The Factory" inside Rynearson Stadium. The victory marked the third consecutive season the Eagles tasted victory in their season opener, while it marked the squad's fourth-most points in a home debut.
As a team, Eastern ran away with the win behind a balanced offensive attack featuring 302 passing yards, along with 171 rushing yards. In total, the Eagles racked up 473 yards of offense, posting a perfect 7-for-7 mark in the red zone. Sporting "The Deuce" (No. 2) jersey for the first time in 2018, senior Blake Banham, led the team's receiving attack, finishing with 103 yards on eight receptions. Starting quarterback Tyler Wiegers ended his first Eastern start 18-for-21, throwing for 238 yards and two touchdowns, while Mike Glass III threw for 30 yards and scored his own TD on a quarterback keeper. Freshman quarterback Jarius Grissom followed Glass' lead and made his mark on "The Factory" with a 20-yard rushing touchdown.
Eastern Michigan quarterbacks were a combined 22-for-27 to set the school's modern era statistical record for pass completion percentage at 81.5 percent. The mark edged out a 77.4 percent (24-of-31) mark set against UNC Charlotte during the 2016 campaign.
Eastern Michigan's veteran defense was paced by junior transfer Kobie Beltram totaling nine tackles-for-loss of 11 yards. Senior Kyle Rachwal added an interception and a tackle-for-loss to finish the day with four stops. Overall, the Green and White sacked the Hawks three times to go along with six TFLs and five quarterback hurries.
Overall, the Eagles scored on their first four possessions and led 30-3 at halftime after Weigers' 16-yard TD pass, Isaac Holder's 30-yard toss to Bryce Kemp on a flea-flicker, and Glass' TD passes to Dylan Drummond and Line Latu.
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