Football Heads to Army West Point Saturday for Final Non-League Game

Football at Army West Point
Date	Saturday, Oct. 14 \| 12 p.m.
Venue	West Point, N.Y \| Michie Stadium (38,000)
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Press Conference Video. \| Teleconference Audio.
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	CBS Sports Network
Listen	WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) \| TuneIn Radio
Twitter	@EMUFB \| @EMUAthletics

WEST POINT, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team closes out non-conference play Saturday, Oct. 14, with a visit to the United States Military Academy. The game against Army West Point will be played at historic Michie Stadium with kickoff scheduled for 12 p.m.
The Eagles (2-3, 0-2 MAC) close out a three-game road swing after coming up short at the University of Toledo, 20-15, Oct. 7. Meanwhile, the Black Knights (4-2) return home after steam rolling Rice University, 49-12 on the road, Oct. 7.
The contest will be nationally televised by CBS Sports Network with Ben Holden providing play-by-play, Jay Feeley serving as the analyst, and John Schriffen reporting from the sideline. WEMU (89.1 FM) will provide audio coverage of the game with Matt Shepard, Rob Rubick, and Chad Bush calling the action on the field.

LOCKED IN ON D: Through five games, EMU opponents have combined to score a total of just 91 points, for an average of 18.2 points per contest. It marks the fewest points the Eagles have given up through the first five games of a season since 1989 when they surrendered 90 points en route to a 4-0-1 start to the year.

GROUNDING THE ROCKETS' OFFENSE: In the 20-15 loss to Toledo, Oct. 7, EMU's defense held the potent Rocket offense to its fewest point total since Sept. 12, 2015, against the University of Arkansas. Coming into the game, UT was averaging 42 points per game. In addition, Toledo put up 419 total yards after coming into the contest averaging 521.8.

COMING DOWN TO THE WIRE: In EMU's last 18 games, dating back to the start of the 2016 season, 12 of them have come down to final scores of just seven points or less. Of the 12 games, EMU has come away victorious in half of them. In 2017, four of EMU's five games have been of the one-score variety, with EMU winning just one (16-13 at Rutgers). Further complicating it, EMU's last three opponents have a combined .765 winning percentage with 13 wins.

ROBACK RISING: Senior quarterback Brogan Roback has put up standout numbers in his four seasons in the Green and White, placing him near the top of the EMU record books in four major categories. For his career, he ranks second in completions (618), tied for second in passing touchdowns (43), and third in passing yards (7,043) and total offense (7,278). Beyond just EMU, Roback is among the FBS leaders in active total offense and passing yards, ranking 17th among current players in passing yards, and 20th in total offense.

SUFFOCATING DEFENSE: Eastern Michigan's defense has not only been one of the best units in the conference, but also the country in almost every facet of the game. Heading into week seven, the Eagles rank in the top-50 nationally in 10 major defensive categories:

THREE-AND-OUT: The EMU defense has been one of the best nationwide at getting of the field in 2017. Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery's crew is averaging 5.4 three-and-outs per game, which ranks 13th in the FBS.

SPREADING THE LOVE: In the first five games of the season, senior quarterback Brogan Roback has spread the ball around to a multitude of targets, having completed passes to at least eight different in each of the first five games. The veteran found 10 different receivers against Charlotte, eight different receivers against Rutgers, 12 different targets against Ohio, eight against Kentucky, and then nine against Toledo.
As of this week, Eastern Michigan is behind only Washington State in the number of different wide receivers with a catch per game.
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PUNTING ODDITIES: Currently, Eastern Michigan has had four different players record a punt this season, the most of any team in the country. Ivan Oraha has been EMU's most utilized option, totaling 14 punts for 484 yards, while Jake Julien has also recorded double-digit punts (12). The Eagles' top punter is starting QB Brogan Roback, who leads the team with 46.89 yards per boot (9 punts for 422 yards, long of 66 yards), is the only quarterback in the nation to also lead their team in punting. Meanwhile, in EMU's game at Toledo, place kicker Paulie Fricano registered the first punt of his career.

DYNAMIC DUO: The defensive end duo of Jeremiah Harris and Maxx Crosby have been the leaders of the high sack and tackle for loss movement thus far for the Eagles in 2017. On the season, Crosby is EMU's sack leader with 4.0, while also totaling 6.5 tackles for loss, while Harris has a team-high 7.0 TFL's and 3.5 sacks. Harris' numbers are good for fourth in the MAC and 42nd in the nation in sacks, as well as fourth in the MAC and 29th in the country for TFLs. Crosby ranks third in the conference and 27th in the NCAA in sacks, while 44th in tackles-for-loss.

BEHIND ENEMY LINES: The Green and White have made a living feasting on the opposition behind the line of scrimmage this season. Through five games, the Eagles have registered 35 tackles for loss and 16 sacks. In 2016, the Eagles totaled 60.0 tackles for loss and 21.0 sacks in 13 games. On its current pace of more than seven tackles for loss per game, EMU is set to rack up the third-most TFL all-time and most since 1999. Additionally, if Eastern is able to maintain its average of three sacks per contest it could break the program record of 31 set back in 1998.

CLUB CALHOUN: Sophomore defensive back Vince Calhoun, complete with a clubbed hand, recorded a career-high 16 tackles against Toledo, Oct. 7, including 10 solo stops. This was the most amount of tackles in a single-game since Great Ibe totaled 21 against UMass, Nov. 14, 2015.

TURNOVER STREAK COMES TO AN END: Despite a stout defensive showing against Toledo, Oct. 7, Eastern Michigan did not record a takeaway, snapping a 12-game streak in which EMU forced at least one turnover. The streak, which began Oct. 8, 2016, against Toledo, comprised of 12 interceptions and nine fumbles.

ALL-TIME VERSUS ARMY: Eastern Michigan holds a 1-6 mark against Army West Point. They last met in 2015, with Army coming away victorious with a 58-36 win at "The Factory", Sept. 26. EMU's lone win came during the 2012 campaign, when the Eagles notched a 48-38 victory at Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 20.

TROUBLES NEAR THE HUDSON: Saturday's game marks the Eagles fourth trip to Michie Stadium, with the squad still looking to taste victory in West Point. As the visiting team, EMU has been out-scored by an average of 23 points (EMU 18.3, ARMY 41.3). The series with the Black Knights continues next year back in Ypsilanti (Oct. 20), before the seven-game series concludes on Army's campus in 2020 (Oct. 17).

HE CAN DO IT ALL, FOLKS: Delving further in Roback's punting statistics, the veteran has nine "pooch" style punts for an average of 46.89 yards this season, including a team-long of 66 yards, four of 50+ yards, and three that were downed inside the 20.

REACHING INTO THE BAG OF TRICKS: EMU's offense has used some "trickeration" this season, as they have completed a wide receiver pass in three consecutive games. Two of the passes have come from Isaac Holder, while the third was from Jaron Johnson. Johnson's which came against Kentucky, Sept. 30, went for a 43-yard touchdown to Johnnie Niupalau. Not only was Johnson the first non-QB to throw a TD pass since Josh LeDuc in 2010, the 43-yard strike is still the longest pass play for the Eagles on the season.

PAULIE RACKING UP THE POINTS: In just his second season as the primary place kicker for EMU, Paulie Fricano has racked up 128 career points, which is good for 13th on the all-time EMU scoring list. Former Eagle kicker Andrew Wellock is the program leader with 299 career points. Most recently, Fricano tied a career-long with a 46-yard field goal against Toledo, Oct. 7, to add to his career point total.

HUNNID TIMES 10: With his 1,215 career yards, senior wideout Sergio Bailey II (@JustHunnids) sits tied for 13th on the all-time receiving yardage list in just his second season in the program.

BECK ON THE STOP: Senior Jason Beck, who transitioned from safety to linebacker this season, has racked up 295 tackles so far for his career, placing him t-16th all-time at EMU. In terms of the national scale, Beck's 295 stops is ninth amongst active FBS players.

FORCED FUMBLE FIEND: With a strip sack in the game against Kentucky, Sept. 30, Jeremiah Harris totaled the fifth forced fumble of his career. The five forced fumbles is currently good for a tie for 21st among active FBS players.

ON THE HORIZON: EMU returns home and to conference play when it hosts in-state rival Western Michigan University for the 97th Homecoming, Saturday, Oct. 21. Kickoff from "The Factory" inside Rynearson Stadium is set for 2 p.m.

Football Heads to Army West Point Saturday for Final Non-League Game

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Players Mentioned

Sergio Bailey II

Jason Beck

Vince Calhoun

Maxx Crosby

Paulie Fricano

Jeremiah Harris

Isaac Holder

Jaron Johnson

Jake Julien

Johnnie Niupalau

Ivan Oraha

Brogan Roback

Eastern Michigan Athletics