MAC Football Scoreboard: Friday, Dec. 23, 2016
2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl
Old Dominion 24, Eastern Michigan 20
Box Score
NASSAU, Bahamas — The Eastern Michigan University football team played a hard fought game, but ultimately fell short in the 2016 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl 24-20, Friday afternoon, Dec. 23 at Thomas A. Robinson Stadium. The Eagles completed the season with their first winning record since 1995, finishing 7-6.
The Eastern passing game carried the day for the Eagles, as redshirt junior Brogan Roback (Maumee, Ohio-Toledo St. Johns Jesuit) had 300 yards passing on 26 completions and two scores. Staying true to the theme of the season, Roback spread the love, completing passes to seven receivers.
Redshirt freshman Dieuly Aristilde (Boynton Beach, Fla.-Boynton Beach) was the leading receiver with 80 yards on seven receptions. Catching the TD passes were juniors Sergio Bailey II (La Mesa, Calif.-Olympian (Grossmont College)) and Johnnie Niupalau (San Mateo, Calif.-San Mateo (College of San Mateo)). Sophomore Eddie Daugherty (Mentor, Ohio-Mentor) finished as the second leading wide out, catching six passes for 72 yards.
As a team, EMU outgained ODU (10-3, 7-1 C-USA) by a 470-394 margin, including 300-188 in the air. Eastern was also extremely efficient in the clutch, making the line to gain 13 times on third down. On the defense, redshirt sophomore Kyle Rachwal (Lapeer, Mich.-Lapeer) finished the game as the leading tackler with eight stops. Freshman Vince Calhoun (Middletown, Ohio-Middletown) also notched his third interception of the season, which was the first INT in bowl history for EMU.
The Eagles began the game kicking off, giving ODU the first chance to put up points. The Monarchs were stymied on a third-and-short near midfield after a pair of first downs, and set up to punt. They faked the play, instead snapping it to a running back that scrambled for a first down, to keep the drive going.
Old Dominion eventually worked its way down to the 17, before being stopped again. A 34-yard field goal capped the 16-play, 58-yard drive, and opened the scoring at 3-0.
On the field for the first time, EMU's offense got started with a pair of rushes from redshirt sophomore Ian Eriksen (Clarkston, Mich.-Clarkston) of six and 11 yards for a first down. A pass of five set the Eagles up near midfield, but the ODU defense held strong after that, stuffing EMU on three straight plays to force a turnover-on-downs.
Following a quick three-and-out, the Eagles got the ball back on their own one following a pin punt. This time, EMU used the passing game to get out of the shadow of the endzone, as Roback found Daugherty for gains of six and nine to advance to the 16. After a short rush, Roback connected with Daugherty for a 20-yard pass to set EMU at the 38.
The offense kept ticking, with an 11-yard completion to Aristilde, getting Eastern to the 49. From there, the ODU defense once again stood up, forcing an EMU punt, which sailed into the endzone for a touchback, and also ended the first quarter with the score sitting at 3-0.
Starting the second quarter, Eastern got its first big break when on a long pass, Calhoun undercut it and made a spectacular interception, and proceeded to return it 27 yards to the EMU 45. With the spark of the turnover, the Eagle offense went back to work.
The drive started with a five-yard rush from Eriksen, but a negative four-yard rush set up third and long near midfield. Once again, Roback found the trusty Daugherty for a long gain of 29 to the ODU 25.
Deep in Monarch territory for the first time, Eastern ran three times for a first down to the 13. On first and 10 in the redzone, Roback was picked off in the endzone, halting the potential scoring drive.
With a turnover of its own, ODU went on to turn its interception into points six plays later, on a 47-yard touchdown strike, making the tally 10-0 with just under eight minutes until the half.
On the next two drives, EMU and ODU chewed up a lot of clock, but both could not get any more points on the board, giving Eastern one last drive starting with just over a minute until the half.
Starting at its own 10, Eastern got to work looking for points before the half. Behind the arm of Roback, the Eagles quickly got down into ODU territory on passes to Aristilde, and Bailey II. On the 40 yard line, and with just a few ticks left on the clock, Roback found redshirt sophomore Blake Banham (St. Paul, Minn.-Cretin-Derham Hall) to get to the 24, but there was too few seconds left, and the Eastern spike did not count, ending the half at 10-0.
Out of the locker rooms, EMU began with possession to start the second half. Picking up where they left off, Roback got Eastern near midfield on a 22-yard strike to Bailey II. After two stalled plays, Roback found senior Sam Browning (Escondido, Calif.-Escondido (Palomar)) for a 24-yard completion on third and nine to give Eastern the first down at the ODU 29.
A Banham rush for six, and a pass interference penalty put the Eagles into the redzone for the second time, and this time they capitalized. On third and goal, Roback found Bailey II in the corner of the endzone for the five-yard touchdown strike, putting Eastern on the board 10-7 with 12 minutes left in the third quarter.
The Old Dominion offense responded with immediacy on its next drive, as the Monarchs moved with ease for a five-play, 72-yard touchdown drive which was capped off by a 31-yard pass. The two-minute drive made it 17-7 with just under 10 minutes remaining in the third.
EMU didn't back down following the quick touchdown strike though, as the Green and White kept the second half shootout going with another long scoring drive. Starting at the 29, Roback continued to sling it, finding Bailey II on third and seven for 16 yards to get to midfield. On the next play, redshirt freshman Breck Turner(Norwalk, Ohio-Norwalk) broke a 30-yard rush to bust Eastern deep into ODU territory.
A pass to Niupalau and another Turner rush put Eastern in the redzone. On second and four from the five, Roback once against dropped a dime into the corner, this time to Niupalau, for his second TD pass of the game, tightening the score back to 17-14 with 7:25 on the clock.
The Eagle defense didn't allow ODU to answer back this time, as the ferocious front line held the Monarchs in check. Redshirt senior Pat O'Connor (Chicago, Ill.-St. Rita) started with a knocked down pass, which was followed by a stopped run for one yard. On third down, O'Connor and redshirt sophomore Jeremiah Harris(Lambertville, Mich.-Bedford Senior), as well as a host of other lineman, finally sacked the ODU QB to force the punt.
Eastern continued the second half momentum on its third drive of the half, putting up points on its third straight possession to tie the game. Starting at the 27, Roback completed a pass of five, and followed it with a rush for 12 to the 44. Facing yet another third down, Roback found Bailey II once again in the clutch for 12 for a first down.
After a pass interference advanced the ball to the 29, Roback found a seam for a 10-yard pickup into the redzone. Despite getting it to the seven, the drive ultimately stalled, but redshirt freshman Paul Fricano(Rochester, N.Y.-Churchville Chili) was true from 24 yards out capping the 14-play drive, and tying the ball game into the fourth quarter, 17-17.
Coming out of the final break, ODU got back on track with a seven-play, 72-yard touchdown drive to put the Monarchs back on top, 24-17, with 12:56 remaining in the game.
Needing to keep pace, Eastern embarked on its first drive of the final frame. A huge 38-yard pass to Aristilde on the second play got EMU into ODU territory, which was followed immediately by a 23-yard rush from Banham to set up EMU at the 14 just three plays into the drive.
Banham continued to grind, getting first down and goal from the four after a pair of rushes. With first and goal though, the ODU defense kept EMU out of the endzone and away from tying the game. Fricano drilled the chip shot, making it 24-20 with 9:08 left to go in the contest.
Eastern's defense turned up clutch on the ensuing possession, forcing just its second three and out of the game to get the ball back with eight minutes to play. ODU's defense was equally stout though, getting a three and out of its own to force a punt. During the punt though, a 15-yard penalty was called against Old Dominion, keeping EMU's drive alive.
Picking back up at the 50-yard line, Eastern once again could not find a rhythm, as another three and out forced the punt anyways, and ODU regained possession with just 5:21 left to go in the game.
The Eagles did not get the ball back, and ODU picked up enough first downs to run out the clock, and seal the 24-20 defeat for EMU.
This concluded the 2016 season for Eastern Michigan, as the Eagles finished with its most wins since 1989.
Story courtesy of Eastern Michigan Athletic Communications
