Dramatic Finish for Army in Win Over EMU

Saturday, October 14

West Point

12 PM

Army West Point

5-2

Eastern Michigan

2-4

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Eastern Michigan

Army West Point

Dramatic Finish for Army in Win Over EMU

October 14, 2017 | Football

Box Score Box Score (PDF)Postgame Notes (PDF)Postgame Quotes (PDF)Photo Gallery Video Highlights

WEST POINT, N.Y. – The Army West Point football team extended its home unbeaten streak to five games after an exciting 28-27 victory over Eastern Michigan at Michie Stadium here Saturday afternoon.

With the win, Army improved to 5-2 on the year, while the Eagles fell to 2-4.

The Black Knights totaled 424 yards and four touchdowns on 61 carries. Ahmad Bradshaw led the squad and came six yards shy of his career best in rushing yards with 171 on the day. Kell Walker also found success in the backfield, accumulating his second career 100-yard rushing effort.

James Nachtigal powered the Army defense with a career-high 13 tackles. Jaylon McClinton added his second eight-tackle game this season, while Kenneth Brinson contributed with six.

Eastern Michigan countered Army's ground game with an aerial attack that proved to be effective as quarterback Brogan Roback threw for 229 yards and four scores.

ARMY HIGHLIGHTS AND GAME NOTES

Bradshaw scored his 20th career rushing touchdown and is tied for 14th all-time in rushing scores.
The Black Knights' drive of 94 yards was the second-longest of the season.
Walker tallied his sixth career touchdown and fourth in the last two games.
88 of Walker's 115 yards came in the opening half.
Cole Christiansen recorded his first career interception.
Bradshaw became the 12th player in Army history to compile over 2,000 yards on the ground for his career.
Bradshaw rushed for a team-best 171 yards to go along with a score.
Nachtigal recorded a career-high 13 tackles.
Army had two rushers total over 100 yards for the second-straight game.
Four different Cadets scored a rushing touchdown against the Eagles.

TURNING POINT

With their backs against the wall and 49 seconds remaining in the game, the Black Knights were forced to make a timely defensive stop, twice on a two-point conversion, to secure the 28-27 win over Eastern Michigan. After exchanging timeouts to see each others formations, Eastern Michigan hiked the ball and threw a pass into the end zone. Mike Reynolds batted the ball away at the last second ending the Eagles' hopes of recording the come-from-behind victory. TIMEOUT. Eastern Michigan's Chris Creighton called a timeout at the last second nullifying the previous play. The Black Knights were going to be forced to make a second stop in order to preserve the win. This time the Eagles went with an option play, which resulted in a pitch to Ian Eriksen. He had open space, but Gibson lowered his shoulder pads and flipped the Eagles' rusher into the air, forcing him to land one-yard shy of the end zone. BALL GAME.

HOW IT HAPPENED

The Eagles received the ball to start the game and began their drive from their own 36. Eastern Michigan quarterback Roback completed five passes to push the team down the field and set up for a 15-yard passing score.
With the ball in their hands for the first time of the afternoon, the Black Knights used 14 carries to go 93 yards down the field and capped off the long drive with a 10-yard rushing score by Bradshaw.
Eastern Michigan was quick to counter. Starting at their own eight, the Eagles worked their way into Army territory before completing a 45-yard touchdown pass to retake the lead.
The Cadets grinded out the ensuing drive, rushing 11 times with only one carry going for over 10 yards until Walker broke free for a 17-yard scamper across the goal line after receiving the pitch from Bradshaw, evening the score at 14.
Army began the second half with possession and, following a pair of runs for seven yards, Bradshaw broke loose in the backfield and sprinted 69 yards to put the Black Knights in the red zone. Following a pair of five-yard runs by Darnell Woolfolk, Army turned to Connor Slomka who barreled his way into the end zone to put Army on top for the first time in the game.
The Army lead did not hold for long, though. Eastern Michigan's drive began to build traction after a 12-yard carry by Eriksen. After several small-yardage rushes, the Eagles turned to the air and completed two passes for a combined 26 yards to put Eastern Michigan at the Army 24. Three plays into the final quarter, Roback connected with Mathew Sexton for the game-tying score from 12-yards out.
The Black Knights fourth-quarter drive began with just over 14 minutes remaining in the game. Five different rushers brought Army to the 50-yard line for a 4th-and-1. Andy Davidson received the handoff and pushed through the pile for a four-yard gain and a first down. Army would go on to convert a pair of third downs to keep the drive alive and set up Woolfolk for a 13-yard rushing touchdown to go ahead 28-21.
With 5:06 remaining, EMU started from its own 25-yard line and put together an 11 play, 75-yard drive to come within one with 49 seconds left in the contest. That drive was capped by Roback's eight-yard score to Sergio Bailey. After a flurry of timeouts by both teams, the Eages' two-point conversion attempt was snuffed out by Gibson, who stopped Eriksen a yard shy of the goal line.
An on-side kick attempt on the ensuing kickoff was swallowed up by John Voit to secure the victory for Army.