Eastern Michigan vs. Arizona State – Game Recap – September 17, 2022 – ESPN

TEMPE, Ariz. — — Samson Evans had by no means run for 100 yards in a recreation at Japanese Michigan. He went method past that Saturday night time.

“Two years in the past, in case you had advised me I’d have a recreation like this I don’t know if I’d have believed you,” Evans stated after carrying 35 occasions for 257 yards to raise the Eagles previous Arizona State 30-21.

“The O-line blocked phenomenally, there was a play the place the receivers had been blocking very well, the quarterback, everyone doing their job and I simply capitalized on it.”

Evans had 96 yards by halftime — because the Eagles (2-1) by no means trailed in posting the Mid-American Convention’s first victory over a Pac-12 crew.

“Samson’s the true deal, he runs actually exhausting. We actually consider in him,” Japanese Michigan coach Chris Creighton stated. “We didn’t run the ball notably properly within the first couple weeks and I feel our guys needed to show that we will.”

Japanese Michigan scored on 4 of its 5 first-half possessions, with solely an interception stopping the Japanese offense. Arizona State (1-2), in the meantime, didn’t get a primary down till late within the first quarter, after they had been already behind 10-0.

Xazavian Valladay’s 44-yard landing run with 10:48 to play lower Japanese Michigan’s result in 27-21 early within the fourth quarter. However Evans ran 32 yards on third-and-1 to provide the Eagles a primary down on the ASU 34. Evans carried on seven consecutive performs on the drive, which led to Jesus Gomez’s third discipline purpose, a 20-yarder to make it 30-21 with 4:24 to go. A fumble on ASU’s subsequent drive completed it off.

Taylor Powell began at quarterback for the Eagles and accomplished 10 of 14 earlier than being changed by Austin Smith within the second quarter.

The Eagles scored on their opening drive on Gomez’s 27-yard discipline purpose. Jaylon Jackson’s 4-yard landing run capped an 11-play, 80-yard drive. In the meantime, the Solar Devils went three-and-out of their first two sequence.

The Solar Devils protection stepped in to assist. Kejuan Markham intercepted Powell’s move at midfield and returned it to the Eagles’ 22.

A private foul on the primary play gave ASU its preliminary first down of the sport on the EMU 7 as time ran down within the first quarter. The Solar Devils scored on the primary play of the second interval when Emory Jones related with Andre Johnson for a 3-yard landing.

However the Eagles went on one other lengthy drive, capped by Smith’s 6-yard TD move to Hassan Beydoun. ASU responded with its greatest drive of the half, going 75 yards in 11 play and Jones, discovering nobody open, scrambled 3 yards for the rating to make it 17-14.

Smith stayed in at QB, finishing a third-down move for 42 yards to Tanner Knue. That arrange Evans’ 3-yard TD run.

The Eagles ran for 154 yards and threw for 153 earlier than halftime and had 47 performs to Arizona State’s 23. They transformed 9 occasions in 10 third-down possibilities within the first half — 10 of 15 for the sport — and didn’t punt till early within the fourth quarter.

Solar Devils coach Herm Edwards was as typical direct after the sport.

“It boiled down to 1 factor — we couldn’t cease them from operating the soccer,” Edwards stated. “They bodily acquired after us, on each side of the ball.

“We gotta discover a technique to repair it.”

POWERING UP

Saturday’s win is EMU’s fourth over a Energy 5 convention crew below Creighton. The Eagles beat Rutgers in 2017, Purdue in 2018 and Illinois in 2019.

THE TAKEAWAY

Japanese Michigan: Smith, the backup QB, ran for 60 yards and threw for 60 within the first half, proving to be a stable various for Powell, who was bothered by a shoulder harm and did not return after the second quarter. Creighton stated he did not count on to be out lengthy.

Arizona State: After a sluggish begin, Valladay ran for 127 yards — his third straight recreation over 100. He was held to 16 yards within the first half.

UP NEXT

Japanese Michigan: Hosts Buffalo within the Eagles’ MAC opener on Saturday.

Arizona State: Opens Pac-12 play in opposition to Utah Saturday night time at Solar Satan Stadium.

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