Football Travels to Penn State for Non-Conference Tilt

TV: Big Ten Network

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (EMUEagles.com) -- The Eastern Michigan University football team leaves the state of Michigan for the first time in 2013 Saturday, Sept. 7, to play its second non-conference contest of the season against Penn State University. Game time is scheduled for noon at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pa.
The contest will be shown on the Big Ten Network with Scott Graham providing the play-by-play and Chuck Long serving as the analyst. WEMU (89.1 FM) will provide audio coverage of the game with Matt Shepard and Rob Rubick calling the action on the field.

EMU VS. PENN STATE: EMU and Penn State will take the field against each other for the third time in history, and the Nittany Lions have had the upper-hand in the previous two contests. The series opener, Sept. 19, 1992, featured a 52-7 Penn State victory in 'Happy Valley.' In that contest, EMU was guilty of three interceptions to go along with four fumbles in the setback to 10th-ranked PSU. Nearly two decades later, the Nittany Lions would once again claim a win on its home turf against Eastern, taking down the Eagles, 34-6, Sept. 24, 2011.

GOING FOR TWO IN-A-ROW: When Eastern hits the field for Saturday's contest against Penn State, it will be looking for its second straight non-conference victory over a Football Bowl Subdivision opponent. Last year, the Eagles defeated Army, 48-38, snapping a winless streak against non-conference FBS teams that dated back to 2005.
A victory at Penn State would give EMU back-to-back victories against non-conference FBS foes for the first time since 1987 when Coach Jim Harkema led the then-Hurons to a 10-2 record that included a Mid-American Conference Championship as well as a win in the California Bowl over San Jose State. Along with San Jose State, Eastern also defeated Northern Illinois earlier in the year. During that time, NIU was not a member of the MAC.

BENZ IN THE END ZONE: Making his 10th career start for the Green and White, quarterback Tyler Benz completed 19-of-26 passes for 210 yards and two touchdowns in the 34-24 victory over Howard, Aug. 31. With the touchdown tosses against the Bison, Benz has now found a receiver in the end zone in nine of his 10 starts. The only game the redshirt junior quarterback did not throw a touchdown pass was the Oct. 27, 2012, matchup at Bowling Green.

RETURN TO THE KEYSTONE STATE: The EMU roster features six players from the state of Pennsylvania. Brandon Bossard is from Eagleville, Pa., Ryan Brumfield is from Chester Springs, Pa., Dustin Creel is from Industry, Pa., Kevin Johnson is from McKeesport, Pa., David Pulliam is from Philadelphia, Pa. and Mike Steals is from North Braddock, Pa.

HILL OVER THE CENTURY: Junior running back Bronson Hill led the EMU rushing attack in the win over Howard, pounding out 101 yards and two touchdowns on 28 carries. The Grand Rapids, Mich. native exceeded the century mark on the ground for the fourth time in eight career starts in the EMU backfield.

CAREER-HIGH FOR KURTZ: Senior linebacker Sean Kurtz did not miss a beat coming into the 2013 campaign. The Anaheim, Calif. native ended last season with a career-high nine tackles against Northern Illinois, Nov. 23, 2012. In the 2013 season opener against Howard, Kurtz carried the EMU defense, recording a personal-best 13 tackles while also grabbing the first interception of his career. The interception came at a crucial moment in the game. With the Eagles trailing, 24-20, Kurtz picked off a Bison pass, returning it 25 yards into the red zone, setting up the EMU offense for the go-ahead touchdown.

NEW FACES STARTING: Head Coach Ron English sent seven Eagles out to make their first career starts in the season-opening win versus Howard. Three new faces headed out on offense, while the defense saw four of its first-string group making their debut starts. Redshirt freshmen Cole Gardner and Andrew Wylie along with junior college transfer Kent Collins hit the field first on offense. Coach English's defense brought out junior college transfer Willie Creear, redshirt sophomore Great Ibe, as well as sophomores Pat O'Connor and Ike Spearman, to begin the game.

FRESHMAN FIND THE FIELD: Eight "true" freshmen and six redshirt freshmen found the field to open the 2013 campaign. The true freshmen that saw time on the turf at Rynearson Stadium for the first time in the season lid-lifter were: Nathan Adams, Duwhan Alford, Austin Barnes, Jaleel Canty, Chris O'Risky, Quan Pace, David Pulliam and Mario Swann. Redshirt freshmen making their collegiate debut included: Amos Houston, Jake Hurcombe, Juwan Lewis, Darien Terrell, Matt Thornton and Anthony Zappone.

FOURTH QUARTER COMEBACK: Down 11 points to Howard with 4:20 to play in the third quarter, Eastern Michigan roared back with 21 unanswered to claim a 34-24 non-conference victory, Aug. 31. The EMU win was the first fourth quarter come-from-behind victory for the Green and White since the 2011 campaign. In that contest, EMU rallied from a three-point deficit to knock off Western Michigan at Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 22, 2011. Javonti Greene notched a 50-yard touchdown scamper with 7:46 remaining for the go-ahead score.
Additionally, the EMU win over Howard marked the first time since Nov. 16, 2007, that EMU won a game after trailing entering the fourth quarter. Eastern Michigan overcame a 10-point hole to start the fourth quarter at Central Michigan to escape with a 48-45 triumph.

NEW RULE HITS THE EAGLES: In order to increase safety measures in college football, the NCAA initiated a new rule for the 2013 season. Starting this season, when a player targets a defenseless player above the shoulders, that player will be immediately ejected from the game in addition to the 15-yard penalty that will be assessed. According to the NCAA, "The new rule in football means that discipline for those players flagged for violations will mirror the penalty for fighting. If the foul occurs in the first half of a game, the player is ejected for the remainder of the game. If the foul occurs in the second half or overtime of a game, the player is ejected for the remainder of the game and the first half of the next contest."
The new rule was enforced in the Eagles' 34-24 victory over Howard, Aug. 31. In the second half, EMU safety Donald Coleman was flagged for roughing the passer. Because contact occurred above the shoulders, officials ruled that Coleman targeted a defenseless player and would not be allowed to return to the game. Moreover, Coleman will be suspended for the first half of the team's next game, Sept. 7, against Penn State.

LAST TIME WE MET: The Eagles and Nittany Lions met on the gridiron two years ago, Sept. 24, 2011, with the Green and White suffering a 34-6 setback to Penn State in Beaver Stadium. EMU's six points came off the foot of Kody Fulkerson who booted field goals of 21 and 22 yards.
The EMU offense was led by quarterback Alex Gillett who completed 18-of-31 passes for 202 yards while gaining 22 yards on the ground. Nick Olds hauled in four passes for 49 yards and Garrett Hoskins grabbed four aerials for 44 yards. The Penn State quarterback duo of Rob Bolden and Matt McGloin accounted for 335 yards through the air with McGloin completing 14-of-17 for 220 yards and Bolden going 7-of-13 for 115 yards.

FACING THE BIG TEN: At least one opponent from the Big Ten Conference has appeared on Eastern's schedule every year since 2005. In that span of eight years, the Green and White faced 13 Big Ten foes. The Eagles are still looking for their first victory over a team from the Big Ten Conference. EMU is 0-31 versus current members of the Big Ten (Indiana 0-1, Michigan 0-10, Michigan State 0-9, Northwestern 0-3, Ohio State 0-1, Penn State 0-2, Purdue 0-2, Wisconsin 0-3).

RUTGERS ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will continue the non-conference portion of the schedule Saturday, Sept. 14, at Rutgers University. The meeting will be the first between the two schools. EMU is 2-11 all-time against members of the American Athletic Conference (Cincinnati 0-1; Connecticut 1-1; Houston 0-0; Memphis 0-0; Louisvile 0-1; Rutgers 0-0; South Florida 0-0; SMU 0-0; Temple 0-5 and UCF 1-3).

Eastern Michigan Athletics

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