Saturday’s state college football: Army topples Eastern
Ypsilanti — Jordan Asberry caught a touchdown pass and ran for another as Army topped Eastern Michigan 37-22 on Saturday, as the fourth straight Army win secured bowl eligibility for the third straight season.
Army (6-2) took a 16-0 lead at halftime on three field goals by John Abercrombie and Asberry’s first score, a 3-yard touchdown run with 18 seconds left in the half. The Black Knights held possession for 23 minutes, 8 seconds of the first half.
Eastern Michigan (4-5) closed the deficit to 16-14 on touchdown passes from Tyler Wiegers to Mathew Sexton and Blake Banham in the third quarter. Wiegers finished 19-of-29 passing for 201 yards.
Asberry’s 26-yard touchdown reception from Kelvin Hopkins Jr., and a Kell Walker 2-yard touchdown catch from Hopkins put Army up 30-14.
Hopkins was 7-of-8 passing for 126 yards and two touchdowns, and rushed 23 times for 105 yards. He returned after missing last week’s double-overtime win against Miami (Ohio) with a hip injury.
Banham added a 1-yard touchdown for Eastern Michigan, which was outgained 415-235 in total offense.
Army’s Darnell Woolfolk had a 9-yard touchdown run in the game’s final minute. He had 89 yards on 24 carries.
The Black Knights are bowl eligible for the third straight season for the first time in program history. Coach Jeff Monken’s team is build for bad weather, outgaining Eastern Michigan 289-34 on the ground.
Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton should have his team’s attention as three winnable Mid-American Conference games remain. Two wins would make the Eagles eligible for a bowl game. The Eagles have played in two bowls since joining Division I in 1976.
Eastern Michigan hosts Central Michigan next Saturday in the second of a three-game home stand. Central Michigan has won seven of the last nine rivalry matchups.
Army hosts Air Force next Saturday in the first of a three-game home stand. Army has a 10-game home win streak and will defend the Commander In Chief’s trophy.
More MAC
(At) Akron 17, Central Michigan 10: Van Edwards rushed 20 times for 112 yards and a touchdown and Akron survived four lost fumbles to beat Central Michigan.
Edwards took a handoff off a zone read and raced down the left side to score and give the Zips (4-3, 2-2 Mid-American) a 17-0 halftime lead.
Kato Nelson found Newman Williams alone in the middle of the end zone for a 7-0 first-quarter lead to complete an 88-yard drive. Nick Glaser’s 43-yard field total made it 10-0.
Central Michigan rallied with a Ryan Tice field goal and a 1-yard run by Tony Poljan to get within seven in the third quarter. They reached the Akron 6 after driving 72 yards but John Lako, who had 23 tackles, stopped Kumehnnu Gwilly on fourth-and-1 with 3:27 left in the game.
Poljan was 19-of-38 passing for 169 yards for Central Michigan (1-8, 0-5), who lost their fifth straight and had a six-game win streak over the Zips end.
GLIAC
Ashland 31, (at) Davenport 6: Luke Ogi ran for 106 yards, including a 15-yard score to lead Ashland (5-3, 5-1 GLIAC), which outgained Davenport 191-55 on the ground. Haiden Majewski scored on a 30-yard run for Davenport (6-3, 3-3).
No. 9 Grand Valley State 31, Saginaw Valley 28: Nick Dodson returned a punt 83 yards for a TD and Cole Kotopka scored on runs from 2 and 1 yards, but Jack Provencher's touchdown dash from 16 yards with 5:04 left proved to be the difference for ninth-ranked Grand Valley (8-1, 5-1). Nate McCrary ran for 94 yards and two TDs for Saginaw Valley (6-3, 3-3).
Michigan Tech 35, (at) Northern Michigan 33: Jared Smith rushed for 175 yards, including a 4-yard score, and Ben Hartley had a 13-yard TD catch for Michigan Tech (4-5, 2-5), which survived a late rally by Northern. Isiah Wright rushed for 105 yards while scoring on runs from 29, 31, and 22 yards for Northern (2-7, 0-6).
(At) No. 2 Ferris State 38, Wayne State 28: Jayru Campbell scored on a 15-yard run and then connected with Miles Jones on an 8-yard TD strike in the fourth quarter to pull out the victory for Ferris State (9-0, 7-0). James Hill scored on 3-yard run, his second TD of the game, to put Wayne State ahead 28-24 with 12:32 left in the third quarter, before Campbell scored three minutes later. Campbell, who threw for 224 yards and three scores, also ran 57 yards for a touchdown. Wayne State falls to 2-7, 1-5.
MIAA
Olivet 21, Kalamazoo 17: Jamual Martin scored on runs of 22 and 2 yards to lead Olivet (5-3, 3-2 MIAA). Anthony Giovanni had eight catches for 68 yards, including two TDs for Kalamazoo (7-1, 4-1).
(At) Trine 59, Albion 42: Brandon Winters passed for 300 yards and three TDs while Lamar Carswell ran for 149 yards, including two scores, for Trine (8-0, 5-0). Doug Freeman had TD runs of 2, 8 and 1 yards for Albion (5-3, 2-3).
(At) Adrian 49, Finlandia 6: Jerron McGaw had two TD catches, including one for 78 yards, and Emmanuel Stewart added a pair of scoring runs (12 and 9 yards) to lead Adrian (4-4, 2-3). Joshua Eve scored on a 10-yard run for Finlandia (0-8, 0-5).
Hope 52, (at) Alma 23: Mason Opple had scoring runs from 2, 9 and 1 yards and passed for two TDs to lead Hope (6-2, 4-1). Austin Spratlin had a 47-yard TD run for Alma (1-7, 4-1).