John Baron II walked off the field after missing a 36-yard field goal, one which could’ve given San Diego State football a second half lead against Eastern Michigan University.
The senior kicker got a chance to redeem himself not once, but twice, kicking a 51-yard field goal with 1:16 left to tie the game in regulation before kicking a game-winning 38 yarder in overtime.
The kick ended a tug-of-war game and gave SDSU a 23-20 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday night at SDCCU Stadium.
Baron said missing kicks are a part of football, but was glad to get a chance to make up for his mistake.
“You’ve got to forget about it. That’s part of the job. You’ve just got to move on,” he said. “You feel like you hurt the team, but it always feels good when you get another chance and get to go out there and redeem yourself.”
The Aztecs (3-1) overcame 17 unanswered points by the Eagles, and were shut out for the entire second half before tying the game at 20 following Baron’s field goal with 1:16 left in the fourth quarter.
SDSU won the overtime coin toss and deferred the ball to EMU, and two plays later redshirt freshman Darren Hall recorded his first career interception, against EMU quarterback Mike Glass.
“It means a lot,” Hall said about his interception. “I was just going out there trying to make a play and just win the game for us.”
EMU (2-2) trailed 17-3 until late in the first half, but were able to capitalize following an interception by redshirt junior quarterback Ryan Agnew, driving 34 yards in four plays to cut the Aztecs lead to 17-10 with 26 seconds left in the half.
Agnew finished the game with 176 yards and two touchdown passes, both in the first half, but said the interception was a mistake that shifted momentum going into the break.
“I think honestly why they played so well in the second half was because I threw that interception, gave them all the momentum,” he said. “(It) could have been a whole different ballgame the second half, and (Baron) wouldn’t have had to save the day.”
The Eagles tied the game at 17 on their first drive of the second half, scoring on a 37-yard touchdown pass from Glass to junior wide receiver Arthur Jackson III.
The game would remain tied until the final three minutes of the fourth quarter.
EMU took the lead behind the leg of freshman kicker Chad Ryland, who knocked a 24 yarder in with 3:18 left to play.
Then, with 1:26 left in the game, Agnew rolled out to his right from the EMU 32-yard line, looked downfield and connected with junior tight end Kahale Warring near the 10-yard line, but an early whistle blew the play dead because the referee believed Agnew had stepped out of bounds.
Replay showed Agnew was clearly in bounds, but head coach Rocky Long said the team did not let it affect them.
“We pride ourselves in not worrying about the officials,” Long said. “I mean, they made a terrible call. Might have cost us the game. But it’s one of those thing.”
The Aztecs had to overcome the loss of junior running back Juwan Washington, who exited the game early in the third quarter with an apparent arm injury and ended the game standing on the sideline with his arm in a sling.
Long said the injury was an upper chest strain, but early reports are that it is not that serious of an injury.
“The doctors seem really positive that he’s going to be okay,” Long said.
Sophomore running back Chase Jasmin filled in as the main running back after Washington’s exit, finishing with 101 yards on 16 carries.
The Eagles took advantage of the SDSU secondary for 236 passing yards, including two receptions of 50-plus yards.
EMU appeared to come to life in the passing game after switching from senior quarterback Tyler Wiegers to Glass, who finished with 153 yards through the air with one touchdown and one interception.
SDSU now enters a bye week before heading to Idaho to start off conference play against Boise State University on Oct. 6.
