RADNOR, Pa.— With its season on the line and its running game severely tested by injury, Eastern University Football used depth and defense to claim a 21-0 Middle Atlantic Conference win over the visiting Stevenson University Mustangs. The Eagles (7-2, 6-1) held the Mustangs to nine yards rushing and forced four turnovers to collect their third home shutout of the season.
Jason Bateman celebrated his senior day with a forced-fumble and a fumble recovery.
With
Jeremiah Avrilien limited after an injury at Albright, the Eagles looked to
Brett Nabb and
Eric Smith to led the running game. While both Smith and Nabb wound up spending time in the medical tent today, Nabb broke through for a 19-yard scamper for the only score of the first half. That touchdown, midway through the second quarter, capped a six-play 80-yard drive.
Devon Johnson caught a pair of passes for 48 yards to fuel the drive.
While the wind played a major role in the field position battle early, the Mustangs (6-3, 5-3) took the ensuing drive to the Eastern goal line. Bateman, a preseason All-American who just returned from injury, made his presence felt on a play from the 3-yard line.
Dru Beckford forced the runner inside and Bateman, who led the nation in forced fumbles last fall. popped the ball free. Tajhere Jackson-Alston scooped up the ball and ran 61 yards into Stevenson territory.
The Eastern offense, however, could not take advantage of the field position and the Eagles went to halftime with just a single score lead.
After Nabb got tangled up on a running play at the end of Eastern's second drive of the second half, Coach Crocker went to senior
Aden Davenport. The senior from Miami took his first varsity snap at his own eight yard line with a stiff breeze in his face. The Eagles gained 52 yards and completely flipped the field when
Curtis Johnson delivered a kick to the 7-yard line.
The Mustangs did not make progress and had to punt into the wind in the fourth after a sack by
Patrick Wright Jr.. Davenport then led the Eagles on a six-play 44-yard drive for a score. Davenport found fellow senior
Chris Rivera in the corner of the end zone for a 26-yard touchdown.
A pass interference penalties and several nice completions gave the Mustangs a second trip to the red zone near the middle of the fourth quarter.
Wayne Clark, who finished with 2.5 sacks, forced a fumble deep behind the line of scrimmage and Bateman won the race to the ball but lost his footing at the 31-yard line.
Up two scores, the Eastern offense ground out nearly four minutes before another
Curtis Johnson punt. The Junior delivered a long effort that rode the breeze, and got onto the Stevenson returner quickly, an initial muff turned into a contested ball that
Luke Mulhern and
Tobias Koch fell on at the one yard line. With three minutes left, the Eagles went forward. Avrilien took a handoff from Nabb and rushed for his 12th score of the season. Avrilien finished with only 15 yards on six carries.
Noriano Smith capped his senior day with an interception and 25-yard return to secure the shutout.
The Eagles finished with 240 yards of offense but held the Mustangs to only 158.
Eastern can secure its second MAC Championship in as many years with a win at FDU-Florham next Saturday. Eastern's last trip to Madison was a trip the many inside the program look to as a defining moment. In the final game of 2024, the Eagles trailed 33-14 at halftime to a senior-laden FDU team. Eastern rallied to win 37-33. The Devils, who are winless this year, have won just one game since.
The Eagles need to win Saturday or see Delaware Valley lose in its final game at Widener to secure the top spot and the MAC's automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament.
