MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. (AP) _ Pete Shepherd passed for 217 yards and two touchdowns and caught a TD pass from Ira Gooch as Central Michigan held off Eastern Michigan 29-26 Saturday.

The Chippewas (3-7, 2-5 Mid-American Conference) sent head coach Dick Flynn out on a winning note. Flynn announced Tuesday that he was resigning, effective Nov. 22.

Walt Church was 27-of-49 for 309 yards and a touchdown for the Eagles (4-6, 4-3) but was sacked four times and intercepted twice. Eastern managed just 109 yards rushing, 68 coming on one carry by Eric Powell.

The Chippewas built a 20-9 halftime lead on Shepherd's 15-yard scoring pass to Mark Swetz, Gooch's 34-yard flea-flicker to his quarterback and two field goals by Paul Savich. Three field goals by Toller Starnes comprised the Eagles' first-half scoring.

Church's 5-yard pass to Matt Kelley pulled Eastern within 20-15 with 12:38 left in the third quarter. But Central struck back with an 80-yard TD pass from Shepherd to Jammarl O'Neal with 13:51 left in the game.

After Starnes and Savich traded field goals, Powell ran 1 yard for a TD to make it 29-26 with 2:16 left.

Gooch led Central Michigan with 71 yards rushing on 11 carries. O'Neal finished with three catches for 135 yards.

Powell had a game-high 99 yards on 13 carries for Eastern. He and teammate Brandon Campbell each had a game-high five receptions, Powell managing just 9 yards and Campbell 60.

Flynn led Central to the MAC championship in 1994 with a 9-3 record and was named coach of the year, but the Chippewas had four losing seasons over the next five years, including this one.