Massachusetts Minutemen vs. Eastern Michigan Eagles football recap: Eagles without a home win this season, loses 28-17

The Eastern Michigan Eagles (1-10, 0-7 Mid-American Conference) closed out their final home game of the season with a loss. With this 28-17 loss to the Massachusetts Minutemen (2-8, 1-6 MAC), the Eagles now have a winless season at home, which last happened in 2010 when EMU had an 0-5 home record in Ron English's second year as the head coach.

Coming into the game with the second-to-worst rushing attack in the conference, the Minutemen were able to shine against the worst defense that the MAC has to offer. Marquis Young's only 100-yard game this season happened at Notre Dame where he picked up 103, but against the Eagles he had a career-high 168 yards on 32 handles. Young put UMass on the board first with a 2-yard score in the first quarter to put the Minutemen ahead 7-3.

Jamal Wilson had a pair of 1-yard rushing touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters. He did have a 47-yard rush on his first carry of the game in the drive that helped set up Young's score. Wilson had 112 yards on 16 carries; UMass had 330 rush yards as a team.

Early in the second quarter, Blake Frohnapfel was given a lot of time by his offensive line to find Tajae Sharpe in the end zone for a 39-yard pass to complete the 4-play drive. This gave UMass the 14-3 lead. Frohnapfel would take another shot to the end zone on the following drive, but freshman cornerback Devon Russell came down with an interception with the pass intended for Elgin Long. EMU would take advantage of their opportunity stringing together a long drive, including a play where Darius Jackson hurdled a defender, capped off by a touchdown pass to freshman Eddie Daugherty.

Brogan Roback played the entire game at quarterback after being sat last week during the Miami game. Roback had 26 completions (46 attempts) to nine different receivers.

Dustin Creel was Roback's best target of the game, hauling in 10 passes for 97 yards. He and Roback hooked up on one touchdown pass late in the fourth quarter. The Eagles would attempt the onside kick with just under three minutes to go after the score, but was unsuccessful in trying to get the ball back as the Minutemen ran down the clock with their running backs.

Blake Frohnapfel ended up being a non-factor in this game (consequently, so did Tajae Sharpe). Frohnapfel went 10-for-20 for 109 yards. His 10 completions are the fewest he had in a game all season, with the second-least being 17 against Kent State.

Sharpe ended the day with four receptions for 67 yards and the touchdown.

The Eagles have a bye week next week before their season finale against the Central Michigan Chippewas on Friday, November 27 while UMass plays their final home game of the season next week against the Miami RedHawks.