2008 Week 9

YPSILANTI, Mich. (AP) - If there's bad weather in NCAA '08, EA Sports will make sure you're fully aware of it.

During a rainstorm in Boise, Idaho earlier in the season, Eastern Michigan and Boise State combined for 14 turnovers.

So, when it was 22 degrees and snowing on Nov. 1, 2008 at Rynearson Stadium, EMU coach B-Dawg braced for the inevitable.

Ten turnovers later, Eastern Michigan escaped with its second straight victory, a 24-19 decision over Navy.

Navy quarterback Kaipo-Noa Kaheaku-Enhada proved to be dangerous with his feet - for both teams. While he ran 16 times for 74 yards and two touchdowns, he also fumbled the ball four times. He also threw an interception and a touchdown, giving him a BDawg-like two touchdowns and eight picks this season.

"Looks like K-Shizzle musta been controlling this cat today," B-Dawg said. "Good thing K-Shizzle plays JV mode with sliders tilted in his favor, because I can't imagine the trouble this guy would give him playing varsity or higher.

"From our standpoint, I know I was holding my breath every time we ran the ball. This was one of those days in which it was actually safer to air it out."

Both quarterbacks lost a fumble in a scoreless first quarter.

Navy pulled off a fake punt on fourth-and-six late in the first quarter, as Scott Oswald took the short snap and went 27 yards straight up the middle, seemingly ignored by every EMU player. Navy got itself to first-and-goal at the 9-yard line following the successful fake, but Kaheaku-Enhada's second fumble of the game was recovered by Huron linebacker Cortland Selman with 1:50 left in the first quarter.

The Hurons responded with a seven-play, 84-yard drive to take a 7-0 lead on a 1-yard run by Terrence Blevins with 6:27 remaining in the second quarter.

The Midshipmen (2-6) had an adventurous drive to tie the game. Kaheaku-Enhada lost another fumble at Eastern's 10-yard line, only to have it reversed by replay. A holding penalty moved Navy back to the 21-yard line, but on the next play Kaheaku-Enhada took an option keeper all the way to tie it 7-7.

EMU took the lead for good when Sean Dutcher kicked a 32-yard field goal with three seconds to go in the first half.

The Hurons (4-5) then got one of those plays that has been all too rare in the two-year history of this dynasty, a long touchdown pass. It was actually a short dump-off to tight end John Bonner against a ferocious blitz, but Bonner was able to break a tackle by cornerback Rashawn King and break into the open for a 77-yard touchdown to make it 17-7 with 5:13 left in the third.

"Yes, I got pretty excited over that one," B-Dawg said. "I had to change my pants. When you struggle like we have offensively, you tend to get a little stiff over that kind of plays."

Navy climbed back into it on a 5-yard keeper by Kaheaku-Enhada with 26 seconds left in the third quarter, but a shanked extra point left the score at 17-13.

Jones did something he hasn't accomplished in the first 20 games of this dynasty - threw a second touchdown pass. Jones, who entered the game with seven touchdown passes and 35 interceptions in his career, hit David Fox on an 11-yard slant with 2:13 left in the game, increasing the lead to 24-13. It was Fox's first career touchdown catch.

The Hurons weren't completely in the clear yet, however, as Navy got on the board with 25 seconds left on a 3-yard pass from Kaheaku-Enhada to James Dryden. Allan Cozart stuffed Kaheaku-Enhada on the 2-point run to keep EMU up by five.

Bonner then completed the best game of his career by falling on the onside kick. Bonner caught four passes for 103 yards and a touchdown. It was the first 100-yard receiving performance by a Huron in this dynasty. Wide receiver Travis Lewis had the former record of 96 yards at Vanderbilt on Sept. 29, 2007.

"It's quite a culture shock playing NCAA and not getting 30-yard passes whenever you please," B-Dawg said. "I guess I like that."

Jones had the best game of his career, going 16-for-23 for 230 yards, two touchdowns and no picks.

Middle linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw had 11 tackles, an interception, a sack, a forced fumble and a fumble recovery. Korey Jackson and Stephen Johnson each had a hand in two of EMU's six sacks.