Playing for a reason and the drive that results from that can carry a football team a long way. 

For two quarters, the Ashland University football team played uncharacteristically and was not living up to its goal for the game.

That all changed in the third quarter, when the Eagles ripped off 23 points to pull ahead of Wayne State for good, leading them to a 36-25 Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference victory at Jack Miller Stadium/Martinelli Field on Saturday.

Trailing 12-6 at halftime, AU coach Lee Owens made it clear to his players what was at stake.

“We talked to the guys about how we are dedicating this game to a guy going into the Hall of Fame,” said Owens. “We aren’t going to have this shot again. We can’t mess this up. The legacy that Bill Royce and the players that have come before us that played with Bill and the teams that have played in the past . . . we wouldn’t be here today if not for those guys. And Bill represents that. So we dedicated the game to Bill, and that’s why we wanted to play. So basically I said ‘we aren’t getting it done. This isn’t how we want this game to go. We got a game ball that we are going to give to Bill Royce, and it’s going to be a victory game ball’.”

Cornerback Dale Irby took the halftime speech to heart and made two huge plays defensively in the second half for the Eagles.

“We just came out ready to go in the second half,” said Irby. “We had a motivational speaker come in and talk to us. Get us motivated. Pumped up. We had to change our tone and come out in the second half ready to play.”

After the Warriors scored to cut the Eagles lead to 20-18, they decided to go for a two-point conversion. But Irby intercepted the pass and raced over 100 yards to score a defensive PAT, putting the Eagles up 22-18. 

“I knew what was in front of me, so I had to make my moves and go right for the goal line,” said Irby. “I (knew) I could return it. I just had to go full speed and make one guy miss.”

Irby added an interception late in the fourth quarter, which helped secure the Ashland win.

Also contributing on the defensive side were Zach Olszewski (12 tackles), Terrell Hudson (11 tackles) and Daivon Barrow (seven total tackles, three for loss). 

On the offensive side, the Eagles used the two-headed rushing attack of Keishaun Sims and Andrew Vaughn to move the ball throughout the night. Sims ran for 102 yards and two touchdowns on 10 carries, while Vaughn carried 19 times for 100 yards.

The Eagles churned out 249 yards on the ground as a team. 

Starting running back Vance Settlemire suffered a shoulder injury in the first quarter, prompting Sims and Vaughn to shoulder more of a load than they are used to.

“It sucks when your number one running back goes down,” Sims said. “You have to be ready mentally and physically, but I felt like I was ready for it. I got used to the plays . . . so I was pretty good.” 

Things slowed down for Sims from his first game last week to Saturday. 

“From game one, my first run out there, it was mind blowing,” Sims said. “Everything was racing in my head. It was going quick. And then this game, I got used to it. I knew the tempo. I knew what I needed to do. I got the feel for it. “

Also contributing on offense were Travis Tarnowski (20 for 32, 305 yards, two touchdowns), Matthew Wilcox (3 catches, 108 yards, touchdown) and Adam Shaheen (4 catches, 96 yards, touchdown).

The Eagles will take on the Findlay Oilers in a rivalry game Sept. 17 at 7p.m.