Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Northwestern
Collegiate Clash Set for Friday
10/15/2007 3:07:00 PM | Football
EMU to host Northwestern Friday, Oct. 19, at 7 p.m.
Complete Game Notes (PDF).
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SECOND MEETING: EMU and Northwestern will be meeting for the second time. Northwestern won the first game, 14-6, Sept. 16, 2006, in Evanston.
FIRST BIG TEN TEAM HOSTED BY EMU: The EMU-Northwestern football game Friday night (Oct. 19) is a home game for the Eagles and marks the first time that EMU has played host to a Big Ten opponent.
COLLEGIATE CLASH IV: The EMU-Northwestern game Friday, Oct. 19, will be the fourth annual Collegiate Clash at Ford Field in Detroit. The inaugural Collegiate Clash was held, Nov. 6, 2004, when the Eagles recorded a 61-58 four-overtime victory over Mid-American West Division rival Central Michigan. That first year's game was also part of a doubleheader with Wayne State and Hillsdale squaring off in the opener. Collegiate Clash II went to a single-game format with EMU dropping a 44-36 decision to MAC West Division rival Western Michigan, Nov. 5, 2005. Last year, Nov. 11, 2006, the Eagles hosted non-conference rival Navy and the Midshipmen recorded a 49-21 victory.
SATURDAY PREVIEW: The EMU football team will go out of Mid-American Conference for the last time this season when the Eagles host the Big Ten's Northwestern University Friday (Oct. 19) in the fourth annual Collegiate Clash at Ford Field in Detroit. Northwestern is coming off back-to-back overtime wins, with a 48-41 victory at Michigan State (Oct. 6) and a 49-48 double-overtime thriller at home last weekend (Oct. 13) against Minnesota. The Wildcats are 4-3 overall and 2-2 in the Big Ten. The Eagles are also coming off a big offensive showing with a 48-42 setback at Ohio last weekend. Eastern is 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the MAC. The game will mark the first time in history that EMU has hosted a Big Ten opponent. Game time is set for 7 p.m. The game will be televised on ESPNU with Gary Williams handling the play-by-play duties while Jay Taylor will serve as the analyst.
MID-SEASON ACCOLADES: Five EMU players have earned mention on Phil Steele's College Football Preview magazine mid-season All-American and All-Mid-American Conference rankings. Senior defensive tackle Jason Jones (Southfield, Mich.-Lathrup) was chosen fourth-team All-American on the mid-season list. In addition, Jones, Khalid Walton (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield) and Daniel Holtzclaw (Enid, Okla.-Enid) were all named mid-season first-team All-MAC while Andy Fretz (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Central) and Darran Matthews (Redford, Mich.-Thurston) were selected to the All-MAC second team.
NATIONALLY RANKED: EMU has several players and several areas on the team ranked near the top of the latest national and Mid-American Conference statistical reports. Senior defensive tackle Jason Jones (Southfield, Mich.-Lathrup) is tied for fifth in the nation and is first in the Mid-American Conference in tackles-for-loss at 2.00 per game. Junior linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw (Enid, Okla.-Enid) is tied for sixth in the NCAA in tackles and first in the MAC with 11.6 tackles per game and redshirt freshman safety Ryan Downard (Lima, Ohio-Shawnee) is tied for 15th in the NCAA and tied for third in the MAC in interceptions at .57 per game. EMU is second in the MAC in punting (39.9) and third in sacks against at 55.
EAGLES DIAL LONG DISTANCE AGAIN: The 2007 Eagles have taken advantage of several long-distance efforts for big plays this season. In the Ohio game last weekend (Oct. 13) sophomore defensive back Derrick Hunter (Southfield, Mich.-Southfield) was the latest player to turn in a long-distance touchdown when he raced 80 yards with a fumble return for a score against the Bobcats. That fumble-return was the first for an EMU player since defensive back Jerry Gaines returned one 82 yards against Buffalo (Sept. 2, 2004). Redshirt sophomore kick returner Dontayo Gage (Pontiac, Mich.-Northern) has recorded two long kickoff returns already this year, with a 90 yarder for a score against Ball State (Sept. 8) and an 86-yard return at Michigan (Oct. 6) which eventually led to an EMU touchdown. Redshirt freshman safety Ryan Downard (Lima, Ohio-Shawnee) raced 97 yards with a blocked PAT kick for a two-point defensive conversion score at Michigan and sophomore wide receiver DeAnthony White (Kennesaw, Ga.-Kell) recorded a 68-yard run for a touchdown at Northern Illinois (Sept. 14).
TWO FOR TWO: Wide receiver Jacory Stone (Cleveland, Ohio-Glenville) and quarterback turned wide receiver Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) both turned in two-touchdown reception outings last weekend at Ohio (Oct. 13). Stone hauled in touchdown grabs of 17 and eight yards while Jones recorded scoring grabs of seven and five yards against the Bobcats.
TWO FOR FOUR: EMU redshirt sophomore quarterback Andy Schmitt (St. John's, Mich.-St. John's) recorded the second four-passing touchdown game in his short career when he had four against Ohio last weekend (Oct. 13). Schmitt had his first four-touchdown day against Howard (Sept. 22) Those four-touchdown pass performances tied for second-best in school history, a feat that has been accomplished 13 times. Kainoa Akina holds the EMU single-game record with six touchdown tosses, Nov. 24, 2001, at Akron.
ROOKIE GETS SECOND: True freshman quarterback Kyle McMahon (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) has made the most of two relief peformances in place of starter Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns). He recorded the second touchdown pass of his career when he found Tyler Jones (Belleville, Mich.-Belleville) for a five-yard score at Ohio last weekend (Oct. 13). He made the most of his relief role at Michigan (Oct. 6), throwing an 18-yard scoring toss to redshirt freshman Tyrone Burke (Syracuse, NY-Corcoran) with just 00:47 left in the game. McMahon then rushed for the two-point conversion.
THIRD FOR TWO: EMU turned in its third defensive PAT score in school history when Ryan Downard (Lima, Ohio-Shawnee) scooped up a blocked Michigan PAT by teammate Jason Jones (Southfield, Mich.-Lathrup) and raced 97 yards with the ball for two points against the Wolverines last weekend (Oct. 6). That effort was the first defensive two points ever recorded in against Michigan. The Eagles' second-ever PAT defensive score came against Toledo last season (Oct. 21, 2006) when Darran Matthews (Redford, Mich.-Thurston) ran 87 yards with a Rocket fumble on a two-point conversion try. The first-ever defensive PAT score was turned in by EMU linebacker Scott Russell who returned a blocked PAT attempt 86 yards for two points at home against Northern Illinois (Nov. 11, 2000). The Eagles have had only one PAT ever returned for two points against them. Central Michigan's Ronnie Jackson ran a blocked PAT kick attempt back for two points, Nov. 6, 2004, at Ford Field in Detroit.
MASTER THIEF: Redshirt freshman safety Ryan Downard (Lima, Ohio-Shawnee) has made the most of his chance to start, recording four interceptions in four games as a starter. Downard was called on to fill in for the injured Chris May (Jupiter, Fla.-Dwyer) after the Ball State game (Sept. 8) and he turned in his first interception in his second game as a starter, against Howard University (Sept. 22). He then came up with two picks at Vanderbilt (Sept. 29) and recorded an interception in the end zone to stop a potential Michigan touchdown in Ann Arbor (Oct. 6). Downard is currently tied for 15th in the NCAA rankings at .57 per game.
