Mike Glass III sat in the locker room with tears streaming down his face when Eastern Michigan coach Chris Creighton walked in.
Just moments earlier, out on the field, Glass stood up from one knee, squared his body to linebacker Cam Bright and punched him in the facemask with his right fist.
The senior quarterback followed up one punch with another at defensive back Paris Ford. On that right-handed swing, the referee attempting to break up the fight was knocked to the ground.
The official’s hat dropped to the turf alongside him.
“Absolutely zero excuse for what happened, and he knows it,” Creighton said. “He made a mistake, and he is truly sorry for it.”
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Eastern Michigan football stunned by Pittsburgh, 34-30, on incredible TD grab
Glass was restrained by his teammate and ejected following a review of the play with 10 seconds left against Pittsburgh in Thursday’s Quick Lane Bowl at Ford Field.
Despite Glass’ three touchdowns, the Eagles (6-7) were unable to step up defensively when it mattered most in a 34-30 loss to the Panthers (8-6), who won their first bowl game since 2013.
“It’s the second year in a row where I felt we were going to win the football game but didn’t at the very end,” Creighton said. “My guys put everything they had and could into it, and we believed we were going to win the game. It’s a hurting group right now.”
Eastern Michigan has lost bowl games in three of the last four years, and the program hasn’t left a postseason contest victorious since 1987.
Before the game, Creighton said a win against Pitt would serve as the second turning point for the program, but the elusive bowl triumph will have to wait another year.
When Creighton entered the locker room after the game to a crying Glass, the quarterback asked to apologize to his teammates.
Creighton allowed him to do so.
Defensive back Kevin McGill, who was ejected in the third quarter for a flagrant unsportsmanlike conduct penalty on special teams, also apologized for spitting on an opposing player.
“There’s absolutely no excuse for any of that,” Creighton said. “They’re embarrassed by it. They apologized to the team. Their emotions both got the best of them.”
Glass finished 28 of 50 through the air for 311 yards and two passing touchdowns against one interception. The 6-foot, 209-pound dual-threat option added 21 carries for 83 yards and one score with his legs.
Winning his first bowl game as a head coach, Pitt’s Pat Narduzzi said there was tension between the two teams in the week leading up to the bowl game. He was forced to have a conversation with his Panther group about keeping their composure against the Eagles well before the game began.
“I talked to our guys several times, even in the pre, pregame, ‘We’re just going to shut our mouths; we’re going to talk with our pads,’” Narduzzi said. “Our kids did a good job.”
Glass scored the first touchdown of the game on a 3-yard carry for a 10-0 lead with 6:46 remaining in the first quarter. Once the Panthers answered, Eastern Michigan’s quarterback struck back at the 10:04 mark in the second on a 50-yard pass to Quian Williams to take a 17-10 lead.
“From the get-go, Mike came in and led the team,” said senior running back Shaq Vann. “Everyone got behind him. He got us to this point, and we’re thankful to have him.”
With his teammates rallying behind him, Glass scored his third touchdown on a 10-yard completed to Arthur Jackson for a 27-20 lead early in the fourth quarter.
Of the 30 points, Glass accounted for all three of the touchdowns while kicker Chad Ryland made three field goals from 35, 45 and 48 yards.
Glass also passed Charlie Batch’s single-season total yards record on his 50-yard pass to Williams in the second quarter. Batch accumulated 3,390 total yards in 1997; Glass finished his 2019 season with 3,583 yards. He’s also scored 31 touchdowns.
“He’s our leader,” said senior linebacker Kobie Beltram, “and he always will be.”
Pitt quarterback Kenny Pickett dueled against Glass, finishing 27 of 39 for 361 yards and three touchdowns. His top receiver, Maurice Ffrench, had 165 yards and one touchdown on 12 receptions.
Pickett tossed the game-winning score on a 25-yard pass to Taysir Mack with 47 seconds remaining.
The 6-foot-2, 225-pound junior quarterback’s key throw came on the drive before Glass let his emotions get the best of him, throwing away any chance the Eagles had of making a comeback.
“I love him 100%,” Creighton said. “That’s not who we want to be.”
As much as Glass stepped up as a leader for Eagles throughout the season, he crumbled in his final seconds.
Two punches, one ejection and a bowl game loss.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMia2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmZyZWVwLmNvbS9zdG9yeS9zcG9ydHMvY29sbGVnZS8yMDE5LzEyLzI3L2Vhc3Rlcm4tbWljaGlnYW4tZm9vdGJhbGwtcXVpY2stbGFuZS1ib3dsLzI3NTUyMDUwMDEv0gEkaHR0cHM6Ly9hbXAuZnJlZXAuY29tL2FtcC8yNzU1MjA1MDAx?oc=5
2019-12-27 11:32:00Z
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