Eastern Michigan Athletics
Eastern Michigan University
Army
Football Opens 2009 Campaign Saturday
8/31/2009 4:48:10 PM | Football, E-Gridiron Group
The Eagles and the Black Knights open the 2009 campaign in Ypsilanti
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Click Here to Watch the Game via Eagle All-Access.
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EAGLES BEGIN FIRST YEAR UNDER ENGLISH: Head Coach Ron English's first season is set to begin and EMU fans are expecting the Eagles to build on a number of positives that occurred last season. Eastern Michigan returns 45 lettermen, including eight starters to an offense that scored 309 points in 2008. It was the fifth most points scored in a season and the most since 2004 when the Green and White totalled 328 points. EMU returns just as much experience on the defensive side of the ball as eight starters are back on defense.
EMU VS. ARMY: Army and Eastern Michigan are meeting for the third time in the series which started in 1992. The Black Knights hold a 2-0 lead in the matchup, including a 17-13 win, Oct. 11, 2008, in the last meeting at Michie Stadium in West Point, N.Y. This will be the first time Army has played in Ypsilanti, but it will not be the last as the Black Knights are scheduled to return to Rynearson Stadium during the 2010 and 2012 seasons.
EMU HISTORICALLY IN THE HOME OPENER: EMU has historically fared exceptionally well in home-opening contests. The Eagles are 71-41-4 (.629) all-time in openers. The Green and White are 6-3 in home openers this decade.
2009 SEASON: The 2009 season will be the 118th for the Eastern Michigan University football team. The first year of intercollegiate football in Ypsilanti was 1891 when the team posted an 0-2 record. EMU has fielded a team every year since 1891 with one exception, when the 1944 season was canceled because of World War II.
34th FOR MAC: The 2009 season will mark the 34th year that the Eagles have been a part of the Mid-American Conference football championship race. EMU was admitted into the league in 1971, but a complete league schedule was not available until the 1976 season.
