Video Recap | Photo Gallery.
Postgame Press Conference.
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University football team fell to Ball State University, 38-31, at home Saturday afternoon, Oct. 16, inside Rynearson Stadium.
The result drops the Eagles' overall record to 4-3 and 1-2 in Mid-American Conference matchups.
Senior Ben Bryant (La Grange, Ill.-Lyons Township (Cincinnati)) finished 35-48 for 331 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions for a total QBR of 129.4. Junior wideout Dylan Drummond (Cleveland, Ohio.-Cuyahoga Heights) finished with 105 receiving yards and a touchdown.
Jawon Hamilton (Miami, Fla.-South Dade (James Madison)) led all Eagle rushers with 40 yards in the contest, picking up five yards per carry. Samson Evans (Crystal Lake, Ill.-Prairie Ridge (Iowa)) also added 22 yards and one touchdown on the ground, as well as 30 receiving yards.
Drummond's 105-yard, one-touchdown performance led the Eastern Michigan receiving corps. Hassan Beydoun (Dearborn, Mich.-Dearborn) also hauled in 12 passes for 78 yards.
Junior Tariq Speights (Valencia, Calif.-Valencia (College of the Canyons)) led EMU's defense with 13 total tackles on defense.
The Eastern Michigan offense did a good job extending drives, converting on 53.8 percent of third-down attempts. The Eagles also went 2-for-2 on fourth down.
How It Happened
After Ball State jumped out to a 14-0 lead, Eastern Michigan put points on the scoreboard with 12:56 left in the second quarter to narrow the margin to 14-7. After Ball State scored to expand its lead to 17-7, the Eagles got on the scoreboard again to narrow the gap and make it a 17-14 game.
Once the Cardinals regained their 24-14 lead, Eastern Michigan got on the scoreboard again with 2:26 left in the third quarter to cut the lead to one score and make it a 24-17 game. Ball State scored to increase its lead to 31-17 before the Eagles got on the scoreboard again to cut into the lead and make it a 31-24 game.
Ball State extended its lead to 38-24 until Eastern Michigan scored again to close the gap with 2:39 left in the fourth quarter and make it a 38-31 game but could not find the endzone in its final drive and fell to the Cardinals.
Game Notes
» Eastern Michigan had its highest scoring quarter in the fourth period, when it put up 14 points.
» Eastern Michigan converted 7-of-13 third downs while Ball State was successful on 9-of-13.
» SeniorÂ
Jake Julien (Barrie, Ontario-North Collegiate)Â punted two times for the Eagles with an average of 45.5 yards per punt.
» Eastern Michigan went 2-for-2 on fourth down, converting on 100 percent of attempts.
» Bryant completed 72.9% of his passes on the day, going 35-for-48 while averaging 6.9 yards per attempt.
» Drew Plitt led the Cardinals passing attack, completing 27-of-35 attempts for 207 yards and one touchdown.
» Carson Steele led the Ball State rushing attack with 138 yards and one touchdown.
» Eastern's offense finished with a season-best 339 passing yards against Ball State, one yard better than the previous high against Northern Illinois, Oct. 2 (338).
» Bryant finished 35-of-48 for 331 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions with a QBR of 129.4.
» The 35 completions is a new career-high for Bryant.
»  The La Grange, Ill. native finished just seven passing yards shy from his career high of 338 yards through the air at NIU, Oct. 2.
» The first quarter of Saturday's game marked the third time this season Bryant has finished a quarter perfect through the air.
» Freshman
Darius Boone Jr. (Tulsa, Okla-Union) secured his fourth and fifth touchdowns of the season on a two-yard rush in the first quarter and a one-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, tallying the first two scores of the game for the Green and White.Â
» The scores were Boone's sixth and seventh career touchdown rushes.
» The multi-touchdown game was the second of Boone's career. The other such occurrence came in a 42-28 victory over Massachusetts, on Sept. 18.
» Beydoun hauled in 12 receptions for 78 receiving yards for the Green and White.
» The 12 receptions are the most catches the
wideout has notched since his career-high, 14, at Northern Illinois, Oct. 2.
» Speights led EMU with 13 total tackles on defense.
» The 13 total stops is a career-high for the Valencia, Calif. Native.
» It is the fifth time in Speights' career he has tabbed 10-plus tackles in a single game.
» Drummond's 41-yard touchdown reception was the
wideout's longest reception of his career.
» The score was also Drummond's eighth career touchdown reception.
» Drummond's 105 receiving yards against the Cardinals not only led the squad but was also a career-high for the junior.
» The 100-yard receiving game was Drummond's first of his career.
» Evans tacked on a two-yard touchdown run late in the fourth quarter for his seventh touchdown of the season.
» The score was Evan's eighth in his collegiate career donning the Green and White.
» Junior kicker
Chad Ryland (Lebanon, PA,-Cedar Crest) finished with fourÂ
PATs and a 32-yard field goal conversion for the Eagles.
» EMU scored 31 points on Saturday, the most in a conference game by the Eagles this season, beating the previous mark of 20 points against NIU, Oct. 2.
Historical Notes
» With his fourth PAT make of the day, Ryland again cemented himself in the EMU record books. Already the all-time leader in PAT makes (121), the junior now leads in point-after attempts (125). Prior to the contest, he sat at the No. 2 spot (121), just behind Justin Ventura (124), who also previously held the PAT record that Ryland surpassed earlier this season.
» In addition to his record-breaking PAT attempt, Ryland moved up in another record book category against Ball State. With his one field goal, the Lebanon, Pa. native took over sole possession of second all-time in field goal makes (43). He now sits 26 conversions behind the all-time leader, Andrew Wellock (69).
» The game on Saturday afternoon was the 63rd meeting between the two football programs.
Up Next
» Eastern Michigan travels south of the border to take on the Falcons of Bowling Green State University Saturday, Oct. 23. Kickoff is set for Noon ET. The game will be streamed via ESPN+.
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