Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Ohio
Football Heads to Ohio Saturday
10/8/2007 1:29:00 PM | Football
Game time set for noon on ESPN+ television
Complete Game Notes (PDF).
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SATURDAY PREVIEW: After three consecutive non-conference games the Eagles finally get back into Mid-American Conference play Saturday, Oct. 13, when they travel to Athens, Ohio for a MAC cross-divisional matchup with the Ohio University Bobcats. The Eagles are 2-4 overall and 1-1 in the league while the Bobcats are 2-4 overall and 0-2 in MAC action. Last weekend, Oct. 6, EMU dropped a 33-22 decision to Washtenaw County neighbor Michigan. Ohio, meanwhile, lost a 31-10 MAC East Division battle at Buffalo.
27th MEETING: EMU and Ohio will be meeting for the 27th time when the two teams tangle Saturday, Oct. 13, at noon in Athens, Ohio. Ohio leads the series, 14-11-1. The Bobcats traveled to Ypsilanti last year and left with a 16-10 victory. The Eagles are 4-7-1 at Peden Stadium. The Bobcats have won the last three games in Athens with the last Eastern win a 24-13 decision, Nov. 12, 1994.
NATIONALLY RANKED: EMU has several players and several areas on the team ranked near the top of the latest national statistical reports. Senior defensive tackle Jason Jones (Southfield, Mich.-Lathrup) is ranked third in the nation and first in the Mid-American Conference in tackles-for-loss at 2.08 per game. Junior linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw (Enid, Okla.-Enid) is 8th in the NCAA in tackles and first in the MAC in tackles with 11.30 per game and redshirt freshman safety Ryan Downard (Lima, Ohio-Shawnee) is tied for 10th in the NCAA and second in the MAC in interceptions at .67 per game. EMU is first in the MAC in TFL's (7.33) and tied for first in sacks allowed (1.17).
THIRD FOR TWO: EMU turned in its third defensive 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 turned in against Michigan. The Eagles' second-ever 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 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.
DIALING LONG DISTANCE: EMU redshirt sophomore Dontayo Gage (Pontiac, Mich.-Northern) has turned into a long-distance threat on kickoff returns. Gage currently ranks 29th in the NCAA and sixth in the Mid-American Conference in kickoff returns at an average of 27.35 per game. The 5-foot-10 Gage has also recorded two long kickoff returns this season, with a 90 yarder for a touchdown against Ball State (Sept. 8) and an 86-yard return last weekend at Michigan (Oct. 6).
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 last weekend's 33-22 loss in Ann Arbor (Oct. 6). Downard is currently tied for 10th in the NCAA rankings at .67 per game.
BACK NEAR THE TOP: EMU defensive tackle Jason Jones (Southfield, Mich.-Lathrup) finished the 2006 season ranked fifth in tackles-for-loss and he has quickly climbed the national rankings this season, entering this weekend's Ohio game (Oct. 13) ranked third with 2.08 per game. He enjoyed a big game at Michigan last weekend (Oct. 6) when he recorded 3.5 for 13 yards, including one sack for a minus eight yards.
MOST EVER: EMU and Michigan have met eight times in football history and the 22 points the Eagles scored last weekend (Oct. 6) is the best scoring output for EMU in the series.
ROOKIE FIRST: True freshman quarterback Kyle McMahon (Rochester Hills, Mich.-Pontiac Notre Dame Prep) made the most of his relief role last weekend 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. For Burke, the touchdown catch was his second this year. He caught a 35-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns) against Howard (Sept. 22).
LONG DISTANCE FIELD GOAL: Redshirt sophomore Zach Johnson (Springboro, Ohio-Springboro) recorded two field goals against Michigan last weekend (Oct. 6), booting three pointers of 25 and 41 yards. The 41 yarder is a career long for Johnson. He took over the place-kicking duties full time this season in the Howard game (Sept. 22) and has now made all three attempts. In addition to his two field goals at Michigan he added a 22-yard field goal against Howard.
GROUND SCHMITT: EMU redshirt sophomore quarterback Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns) turned in the fifth rushing touchdown of his career when he ran a bootleg for a 10-yard score at Michigan last weekend (Oct. 6). He has eight career passing scores.
DOUBLE DIGITS FOR HOLTZCLAW: EMU junior middle linebacker Daniel Holtzclaw (Enid, Okla.-Enid) turned in the 13th double-digit tackle game of his career at Vanderbilt (Sept. 29) when he recorded 13 stops. He had four double-figure tackle games as a freshman, five in 2006 and has had four this season.
FOURTH SCORE: EMU senior wide receiver Travis Lewis (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Loy Norrix) caught the fourth touchdown pass of his career with a 14-yard scoring grab at Vanderbilt (Sept. 29). Lewis has two touchdown receptions his season and one each in 2005 and 2006.
FOUR FOR SCORES: EMU redshirt sophomore quarterback Andy Schmitt (St. Johns, Mich.-St. Johns) turned in a complete game against Howard (Sept. 22). He completed 14-of-21 passes for 214 yards and threw for four touchdown passes. That four-touchdown pass performance tied for second-best in school history, a feat that has been accomplished 12 times. Kainoa Akina holds the EMU single-game record with six touchdown tosses (Nov. 24, 2001) at Akron.
SPREADING THE WEALTH: When EMU redshirt sophomore quarterback Andy Schmitt (St. John's, Mich.-St. John's) threw for four touchdown passes, Sept. 22, against Howard, he called upon four different receivers for scores. Schmitt hooked up with freshman tailback Dwayne Priest (Roanoke, Va.-William Fleming-Fork Union Academy) on a 24-yard touchdown strike followed by a four-yard touchdown pass to senior Ken Bohnet (Grand Ledge, Mich.-Grand Ledge), a 35-yard TD strike to redshirt freshman Tyrone Burke (Syracuse, NY-Corcoran) and a 10-yard scoring strike to senior Travis Lewis (Kalamazoo, Mich.-Loy Norrix).
