Eastern Michigan holds its nerve in a nail-biting finish to make program history against Akron.
Playing in a heightened homecoming atmosphere and a chance to make history weighing on their shoulders the Eastern Michigan Eagles entered InfoCision Stadium in Akron, Ohio hoping to become 3-0 in MAC play for the first time since 1997 after earning their first 2-0 start last week against the UMass Minutemen in Massachusetts.
Unfortunately, for the Eagles they had to get past the Akron Zips who for whatever reason have become something of a trap game for Eastern Michigan’s team. Just two years earlier in the same stadium the 2-6 Akron Zips shocked the 4-4 Eagles 25-21 after a 21 point second half comeback by the Eagles fell just short. To get the victory the Eagles would have to exercise some of the demons and miscues that plagued them two seasons ago.
And exercise those demons they did but they didn’t need a priest, all they needed was kicker Rudy Kessinger who scored 13 of the 25 points Eastern Michigan had during the game. The Eagles would hang on to win 25-23 thanks to Kessinger and his leg.
The Eagles offense started quickly, on their first possession they marched all the way down the field utilizing two pass interference penalties to get them all the way down to the seven yard line before stalling out and being forced to kick the 23 yard field goal. The attempt was no problem for Rudy Kessinger who knocked it through the uprights, giving Eastern Michigan the early 3-0 lead.
Five minutes later the Zips would find their way into the endzone thanks to a 15 yard touchdown pass and catch from quarterback Brayden Roggow to wide receiver Marcell Williams, allowing the Zips to take the lead from Eastern Michigan.
The Eagles would spend the remainder of the first quarter driving down the field before punching it into the endzone three minutes into the second quarter thanks to a one yard Noah Kim touchdown run.
Akron’s offense was just as much in rhythm as Eastern’s and so the Zips marched 75 yards down the field in just five plays ending with a wide open 40 yard touchdown for Williams second touchdown of the game and once again putting the home team in front.
The Eagle’s defense was playing the exact opposite of how they played all season. The Zips kept them on their heels during the first half, forcing the Eagles defense to rely extensively on its offense to continue scoring and keep Eastern Michigan out in front, which was an unfamiliar feeling for them after being heavily leaned upon throughout the early part of the season.
Both the offense and defense for Eastern Michigan need to be thankful that Rudy Kessinger plays for their team as another long offensive drive for the Eagles stalled at the four yard line and Kessinger was once again called upon to put points on the board. The 22 yard field goal felt almost automatic as Eastern Michigan pulled within one with five minutes to go before halftime.
On the following drive the Eagles defense was able to force a punt and get off the field but a tip drill interception on the ensuing Eagle’s offensive possession gave the ball right back to Akron in Eastern’s territory with just over two minutes to go in the second half.
The Eagle’s defense would make a stand once more only allowing the Zips to move one yard forward before being forced to punt it back to the Eastern Michigan offense with less than two minutes left in the half.
Eastern Michigan’s offense was unsuccessful in their attempt for a two minute drill score and so they too had to punt it back to the opposition. Punter Daniel Hull had one of his best punts of the season pinning Akron all the way back at their two yard line with the 56 yard boot. The poor field position forced the Zips to just run out the clock and take the game into halftime with the 14-13 lead.
The Eagles outgained the Zips 237-172 with 20 more plays during the first half but still found themselves trailing by one at the start of second half.
Coming out of halftime Akron took their sweet time with their first possession taking up over four minutes of clock before being forced to kick a field goal thanks in part to a 15 yard chop block penalty that took away all the momentum that they had been building. The Zips knocked down the 40 yard field goal and added another three points to their previous one point lead.
The Eagles first position of the second half was a tale of unforced errors that included a 15 yard chop block penalty, a declined holding penalty, and a Braydon Bennett fumble that was recovered by Akron stopping the oncoming Eastern offense in its tracks.
However much the Eagles defense had struggled during the first half they were very clearly doing something differently in the second. After giving up the field goal to the Zips first possession the defense proceeeded to shut Akron down until late into the fourth quarter.
A blocked punt by Eli Lovett also worked in Eagles favor giving the offense fantastic field position, starting at the Akron 22 yard line.
Unfortunately, it didn’t matter how good the starting field position was Noah Kim and the Eastern Michigan offense were once again kept out of the endzone and had to rely on Kessinger once more. Kessinger knocked in the 33 yard field goal making it 17-16 and bringing the Eagles back within one.
After another successful defensive possession, the Eastern Michigan offense took over and finally decided that instead of forcing the ball downfield through the air they were going to utilize the ground game, in particular, Joey Mattord.
Mattord became the premier workhorse during the second half and his tough up the gut running was directly responsible for Harold Mack’s six yard touchdown that gave the Eagles their first lead of the game since they kicked the field goal on their first possession in the first quarter.
Instead of kicking the PAT, Eastern elected to try a two point conversion and push their lead to seven but the attempt was unsuccessful and their lead remained at five.
With just over six minutes left in the game Akron marched down the field and scored another touchdown regaining the lead but an errant snap prevented the Zips from making it a three point lead in their favor.
The Eagles took over possession and utilizing Mattord once again, marched down the field before a fourth and one at the 21 yard line caused the Eagles to consider either kicking the field goal to take the lead but giving Akron the ball back with just under two minutes left in the game or to go for it and control the game the rest of the way.
The Eagles elected to go for it and a Joey Mattord end around was successful in gaining the needed yard but a holding penalty stopped the play in its tracks and the Eagles were then faced with a fourth and ten and Eastern sent on the field goal unit.
Putting the entire team on his back Kessinger once again calmly knocked through the field goal this time coming in at a distance of 48 yards giving the Eagles the two point lead with two minutes to go.
The ball would be put back into the hands of the Akron offense with all of Eastern Michigan; players, fans, and coaches relying on the Eagles defense to make one more stand and end the game.
The Zips offense would give Eastern Michigan a run for their money making it 47 yards down the field in just under a minute and a half. With 21 seconds left in the game and the Zips facing a fourth and two they ran out the field goal unit for a 47 yard try.
Luckily, for Eastern Michigan Akron’s kicker was no Rudy Kessinger and his field goal attempt was wide right of the goal posts keeping the score at 25-23 and returning the ball back to the Eastern Michigan offense where Noah Kim could line his guys up in victory formation.
25-23 is how the game would conclude and the Eastern Michigan Eagles would return to Ypsilanti with an undefeated 3-0 record in the MAC for the first time since 1995.
Noah Kim would end the game with 277 passing yards to go along with his one rushing and one passing touchdowns he had on the day. Mattord led the Eagles running back room with 73 rushing yards and 24 receiving yards.
