As November kicked off, the Eagles faced off against the Toledo Rockets in a tough showdown. The Eastern Michigan University football team suffered a narrow defeat, losing 29-28 on Saturday, Nov. 2, at Rynearson Stadium. The Eagles (5-4, 2-3 Mid-American Conference) put up strong numbers and outgained the Rockets (6-3, 3-2 MAC) in total yards, passing yards, and rushing yards. Still, a failed two-point conversion following a last-second touchdown left them just short of victory.
The game began aggressively, but Eastern’s quarterback, Cole Snyder (Lakewood, New York/Southwestern/Rutgers/Buffalo), struggled to complete passes early on. Nevertheless, a series of penalties allowed the Eagles to progress down the field. With just two minutes left in the first quarter, Markus Allen (Dayton, Ohio/Northmont/Wisconsin/Butler CC) scored a six-yard touchdown, putting Eastern up 7-0 as the quarter closed. Toledo quickly responded in the second quarter with a touchdown followed by a field goal, tying the game at 7-7. Eastern managed to regain the lead with a 3-point field goal from Jesús Gómez (Puebla, México/Prepa Tec Puebla), making it 10-7.
An injury to Toledo's Jeremiah Peters led to a 27-minute delay in the game, pausing the second quarter with just over seven minutes remaining.
Eastern coach Chris Creighton expressed concern for Peters, saying, "We hope the young man from Toledo is going to be okay... It's super scary, but I hope he's okay."
After the delay, Gómez extended the Eagles’ lead to 13-7 before halftime with another field goal. The Eagles continued to build momentum, with Joey Mattord (Hartland, Michigan/Hartland) scoring his first collegiate touchdown, bringing the score to 19-7 heading into the fourth quarter. However, the Rockets rallied, scoring two quick touchdowns to take a 22-19 lead.
Facing a late-game deficit, Gómez tied the score again with his third field goal of the game. Toledo responded with a touchdown, pulling ahead 29-22 with just under two minutes left. Snyder managed to drive the team down the field, launching a Hail Mary pass to Terry Lockett Jr. (St. Paul, Minnesota/Minnehaha Academy/Michigan State) as time expired, bringing the Eagles within one.
Creighton made the decision to go for the win with a two-point conversion attempt, explaining, "We have two-point plays ready — had had one earlier in the game, and we made that decision ... and talked to both coordinators, you know, about going for two. It's a play that we've, you know, practiced a ton and believe in. And, yeah, gonna go for the win."
However, the attempt failed, sealing the game for Toledo.
Snyder completed 24 of 45 passes for 265 yards, marking his season total at 2,087 yards, which ranks among the top in Eastern Michigan's history. He also led the team in rushing with a career-high 65 yards on 12 carries. Oran Singleton (Clewiston, Florida/Clewiston/Akron/Hutchinson CC) recorded eight catches for 103 yards, while Lockett Jr. contributed four receptions and a touchdown. Defensively, James Djonkam (Springfield, Virginia/West Springfield/Independence CC/Arizona State) and Luke Murphy (Massillon, Ohio/Massillon/Kent State) each recorded 11 tackles, showcasing a solid effort that included two forced turnovers.
Djonkam shared his thoughts after the game, expressing disappointment but also pride in the team's effort.
"In the locker room, everyone's disappointed we fought the entire game... We have 24 hours to feel this loss, then afterwards, we got to get back to work," he said.
He emphasized the team's unity and determination to finish the season strong, aiming for a 3-0 record.
This close loss marks Eastern's third consecutive defeat to Toledo, with the last win in the series dating back to Nov. 2, 2021. The Eagles now prepare for a break before returning to action on Nov. 13 against Ohio University, aiming to regroup and finish the season on a high note. Catch the game on ESPN+ or WEMU, 89.1, and follow the Eastern Echo for more sports updates.
