Game-opening onside kick backfires and Eastern Michigan tops Kent State 28-14
YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) Kendric Nowling turned a game-opening onside kick attempt into a 44-yard touchdown and Eastern Michigan went on to defeat Kent State 28-14 on Saturday.
When the Golden Flashes tried to open the Mid-American Conference game with a surprise, the ball and a player from each team collided at the same time and Nowling scooped it up and raced to the end zone.
Eastern Michigan also got two rushing touchdowns from Samson Evans, who gained 47 yards on nine carries to surpass 2,000 for his career.
The win was the 50th for Chris Creighton, tying him for second with Fred Trosko (1952-64) for second all-time at EMU.
Sampson’s 19-yard run in the last minute before halftime capped a 12-play, 85-yard drive that made it 14-0.
Kent State (1-6, 0-3) got 172 of its 343 total yards on two drives. A 19-yard, 85-yard drive ended on the EMU 5 on a failed fourth-down conversion in the first half, but the Golden Flashes ended a seven-play, 87-yard drive with Tanner Knue turning a short pass from Tommy Ulatowski into an 18-yard score that made it 21-7 late in the third.
Samson's second TD made it 28-7 but the Eagles only finished with 218 yards and punted 10 times. Three Kent State turnovers helped.
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Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
T. Ulatowski
14 QB
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T. Ulatowski | 12/28 | 169 | 2 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
M. Alaimo
18 QB
|
M. Alaimo | 2/8 | 11 | 0 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
J. Thomas
23 RB
|
J. Thomas | 23 | 94 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
G. Garcia
21 RB
|
G. Garcia | 8 | 37 | 0 | 16 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Ulatowski
14 QB
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T. Ulatowski | 11 | 21 | 0 | 14 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Alaimo
18 QB
|
M. Alaimo | 1 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
C. McCray
22 WR
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C. McCray | 12 | 6 | 86 | 0 | 40 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
L. Floriea
0 WR
|
L. Floriea | 7 | 3 | 63 | 2 | 43 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Harris
11 WR
|
T. Harris | 5 | 2 | 24 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Gardner Jr.
82 WR
|
J. Gardner Jr. | 7 | 2 | 14 | 0 | 8 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Holmes
85 TE
|
J. Holmes | 3 | 2 | 9 | 0 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
G. Garcia
21 RB
|
G. Garcia | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
D. Nicholson
33 LB
|
D. Nicholson | 5-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
D. Miller Jr.
3 CB
|
D. Miller Jr. | 5-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Sheppert
27 S
|
B. Sheppert | 4-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
O. Billotte
14 DL
|
O. Billotte | 4-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
X. Cokley
21 CB
|
X. Cokley | 3-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. West
5 DL
|
C. West | 3-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Branch
28 S
|
A. Branch | 3-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
N. Giacolone
24 LB
|
N. Giacolone | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
S. Daley
6 DL
|
S. Daley | 2-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Carroll
17 DL
|
M. Carroll | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Saunders
45 LB
|
K. Saunders | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Baylor
10 DL
|
T. Baylor | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Harris
37 LB
|
C. Harris | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Williams
56 DL
|
M. Williams | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
R. Nicholl
44 LB
|
R. Nicholl | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
A. Glass
60 K
|
A. Glass | 0/0 | 0 | 2/2 | 2 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
B. Sheppert
27 S
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B. Sheppert | 3 | 31.0 | 35 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Holmes
85 TE
|
J. Holmes | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
L. Floriea 0 WR
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L. Floriea | 3 | 12.7 | 20 | 0 |
Passing | CP/ATT | YDS | TD | INT |
A. Smith
4 QB
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A. Smith | 9/25 | 118 | 1 | 0 |
Rushing | ATT | YDS | TD | LG |
S. Evans
22 RB
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S. Evans | 13 | 47 | 2 | 19 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jackson
28 RB
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J. Jackson | 13 | 43 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Smith
4 QB
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A. Smith | 7 | 19 | 0 | 15 | ||||||||||||||||||||
H. El-Zayat
1 WR
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H. El-Zayat | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Receiving | TAR | REC | YDS | TD | LG |
T. Knue
2 WR
|
T. Knue | 10 | 5 | 85 | 1 | 34 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
H. El-Zayat
1 WR
|
H. El-Zayat | 5 | 3 | 29 | 0 | 12 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
B. Daniels
88 TE
|
B. Daniels | 2 | 1 | 4 | 0 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jackson
28 RB
|
J. Jackson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
J. Mitchell III
17 WR
|
J. Mitchell III | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||
T. Lockett Jr.
11 WR
|
T. Lockett Jr. | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Defense | T-A | SACK | INT |
J. Sparacio
19 LB
|
J. Sparacio | 10-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Kline
6 LB
|
C. Kline | 10-3 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Merritt
92 DL
|
A. Merritt | 6-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Coleman
11 DL
|
M. Coleman | 3-2 | 1.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
Q. Scandrett
3 DB
|
Q. Scandrett | 3-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
P. Price
94 DL
|
P. Price | 3-4 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Zelinsky
45 DL
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J. Zelinsky | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Shine
29 DB
|
K. Shine | 2-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
E. Williams
12 LB
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E. Williams | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Manning
39 DB
|
B. Manning | 2-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
A. Gonzalez
90 DL
|
A. Gonzalez | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Jefferson
47 LB
|
J. Jefferson | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
C. Smith
16 DB
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C. Smith | 1-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Gaines
49 DL
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J. Gaines | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
L. Cameron
44 LB
|
L. Cameron | 1-0 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
B. Walker
17 DB
|
B. Walker | 1-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
M. Swindle II
99 DL
|
M. Swindle II | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
K. Hernandez
5 DB
|
K. Hernandez | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
J. Janvier
74 DL
|
J. Janvier | 0-1 | 0.0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
T. Grant-Randall
98 DL
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T. Grant-Randall | 0-2 | 0.0 | 0 |
Kicking | FG | LG | XP | PTS |
J. Gomez
35 K
|
J. Gomez | 0/0 | 0 | 4/4 | 4 |
Punting | NO | AVG | IN20 | LG |
M. Tomasek
30 P
|
M. Tomasek | 10 | 43.0 | 4 | 59 |
Kickoff Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
J. Jackson
28 RB
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J. Jackson | 1 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
K. Nowling
32 DB
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K. Nowling | 1 | 44.0 | 44 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
H. El-Zayat
1 WR
|
H. El-Zayat | 1 | 14.0 | 14 | 0 |
Punt Returns | NO | AVG | LG | TD |
H. El-Zayat 1 WR
|
H. El-Zayat | 3 | 16.0 | 26 | 0 |