WMU Comes to Town for Band/Hall of Fame Day Saturday, Oct. 19

Football vs. Western Michigan
Date	Saturday, Oct. 19 \| 7 p.m. ET
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Rynearson Stadium (30,200)
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Press Conference Video \| Teleconference Audio
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN+
Listen	WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) \| TuneIn Radio \| Podcast
Twitter	@EMUFB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.3669

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team will play consecutive home games for the first time this season, when it hosts in-state and Mid-American Conference foe Western Michigan University Saturday, Oct. 19. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. inside "The Factory" at Rynearson Stadium.
   Last weekend, the Eagles (3-3, 0-2 MAC) came up short on Homecoming against Ball State 29-23, Oct. 12. Meanwhile, the Broncos (4-3, 2-1 MAC) enter on the heels of a 38-16 win over MAC East foe Miami University.
   The contest will be nationally televised on ESPN+ with Chris Vosters providing play-by-play and Marcus Ray serving as the analyst. The game will also be aired on WEMU (89.1 FM) with Matt Shepard and Rob Rubick calling the action from the press box, and Tom Helmer providing insights from the sideline.

HALL OF FAME INDUCTION: The E-Club Alumni Chapter, the official varsity athletic letterwinners club, will induct the five newest members into the E-Club Athletic Hall of Fame. The Class of 2019 will be honored in a ceremony Friday, Oct. 18, at McKenny Hall, as well as be recognized during the game. The Class of 2019 includes: Mike Calhoun (Men's Track), Morris Ellis (Men's Track), Ron Fernandes (Football), Stacy Graham (Volleyball), and Kevin Walter (Football).

BAND DAY: The contest against WMU is also Band Day at Rynearson Stadium, with seven local high school bands in attendance, performing as one during a special halftime concert. In total, more than 450 high school student musicians will be in attendance.

CLOSE CALLS: EMU is one of 35 FBS teams to have played in at least three one-score games this season. EMU is tied for the third-most single possession contest, as only Miami (Fla.) and North Carolina have played in more games that have gone down to the wire.

CONTINUING TO FLUSH IT: For the past four seasons, Eastern Michigan's motto has been to go 1-0 each week while "flushing" the previous outcome. The short memory has proven beneficial for the program, with 27 of the last 43 contests decided by seven points-or-less.
   Of those contests, six have been decided in overtime with 14 coming down to the final play.

CLOSE CALLS UNDER CREIGHTON: In its 128-year history, the Eastern Michigan football team has played in 327 one-possession games. In just five-plus years at the helm of the program, Chris Creighton has coached in nearly 10 percent of those games, as his squads have played in 31 one possession affairs. Creighton's groups have been much improved as of late, as the Eagles have won four of its last six one-possession games.

WHO SAID TELEVISION DRAMA IS DEAD?: All three of EMU's wins this season have been decided on the final drive of the game – interception (Coastal Carolina), walk-off field goal (Illinois) and blocked punt (Central Connecticut).

GLASS IN THE TOP-10: Senior QB Mike Glass III ranks 10th-nationally, second in the MAC, with an average of 23.83 completions per game in 2019. Glass added 20 pass completions against Ball State, Oct. 12, to bring his season total to 143.

STANDING TALL: Eastern currently holds the nation's 41st-best red zone defense, allowing opponents to score only 13 times on 16 attempts.
   EMU is ranked 20th nationally in percentage of passing plays per game at 54.5 percent. EMU tossed it around 46.4 percent of the time a season ago after surpassing 52 percent in 2017.

PLAYING DISCIPLINED: Eastern ranks among the nation's best in both fewest total penalty yards and fewest penalty yards per game. EMU's 270 total penalty yards ranks 23rd-nationally, while its 30 total penalties rank 19th-best in the country.

GLASS ON THE GROUND: Senior quarterback Mike Glass III continues to be a renaissance man for the Eagles' offense in 2019. The St. Louis native led the team in the air and on the ground, against Ball State, Oct. 12, rushing for 36 yards and passing for 283 yards (20-for-34). Through six games, Glass leads the team in rushing, with 148 yards, and passing with 1610 yards through the air.

ROLLING IN THE DEEP: Sophomore kicker Chad Ryland matched a career-long kick with his 52-yard field goal make against Ball State, Oct. 12. Ryland first notched a 52-yard make earlier in the 2019 campaign, in the Eagles' win at Illinois, Sept. 14. Ryland has made three 50-plus yard field goals in his EMU career.

WHAT'S AT JAKE: Junior punter Jake Julien was impressive against Ball State, Oct. 12. The Barrie, Ontario native punted four times for an average of 47.0 yards per punt. Most notably, Julien avoided Cardinal pressure to blast a 62-yard punt, pinning Ball State at its own 18-yard line with 9:49 left in the fourth quarter, and keeping EMU within striking distance, 29-23. The 62-yard boot is Julien's best of the 2019 campaign, and the fourth-best of his EMU career.

SOPHOMORE STEPPING UP: Sophomore wide out Dylan Drummond registered another impressive game as he led the team's receiving efforts against Ball State, Oct. 12. The Cleveland native recorded six receptions, for 72-yards, both team-bests. Drummond's return talents were also on display against the Cardinals, as he returned one punt for an impressive 29 yards in the game.
   Drummond leads all Eagles with 28 receptions on the season.

KEEPING UP WITH KEMP: After a two-game stretch without hauling in a pass, senior tight end Bryce Kemp collected two grabs against Ball State, Oct. 12. The Baxter, Iowa native went for 33 yards in the game, and has a 15.33 yards per catch average in 2019, the highest of any EMU tight end, and second-highest on the team.

THIRD DOWN TROUBLES: After going 3-of-13 on third down conversions against Ball State, Oct. 12, Eastern's season total in the category now stands at 23-of-76 (30%). EMU has converted on 6-of-19 opportunities of four-or-less yards and is 17-for-58 when needing to gain five-or-more.
   EMU's best offensive down has been first down with 43 of its attempts converting into another opportunity for the chains to move.

ALL-TIME VS. WESTERN MICHIGAN: The Eagles and Broncos have met 54 times in their respective histories, with WMU leading the all-time series, 34-18-2. WMU has bested EMU in the last five meetings between the squads, with Eastern's last win coming in 2013, a 35-32 overtime win at Rynearson Stadium.

RECAPPING LAST YEAR'S MEETING: A touchdown catch by Blake Banham with 20 seconds to go brought Eastern within three, 27-24, but the Eagles could not recover the ensuing onside kick, and dropped the contest by the same score.
   Quarterback Mike Glass III came on in relief to rush for 101 yards and pass for 155 yards and a touchdown, finishing 15-of-24 the day. Five Eagles hauled in passes, with Arthur Jackson III leading all EMU receivers with 62 yards on six receptions, while Dylan Drummond tallied 59 yards on five catches. Tight end Gunnar Oakes and Banham caught EMU's two TD passes, with Oakes' being the first of his career.
   Vince Calhoun led EMU's defensive efforts, tallying six solo tackles. In total, EMU forced three fumbles, and racked up three TFLs.

THE LAST TIME WMU CAME TO YPSILANTI: Emotions ran high as a crowd of better-than 17,500 were privy to overtime football between the Eagles and Broncos. With Western in front, 17-10, EMU quarterback Brogan Roback engineered a seven-play, 92-yard touchdown drive capped by a Breck Turner three-yard score.
   Tied at the end of regulation, WMU began the overtime period with a six-play, 21-yard field goal drive to go ahead, 20-17. Back on offense, Roback positioned the Eagles for a 24-yard, game-tying field goal attempt. Eastern missed, and the game finished with a final score of 20-17.
   The Eagle offense amassed 461 yards of total offense in the contest, which included a 106-yard rushing performance by Ian Eriksen, and a 10-reception, 93-yard receiving haul by Antoine Porter. Defensively, Brody Hoying and Jason Beck combined for 25 tackles.

ON THE HORIZON: Following the WMU game, Eastern Michigan will make the short trek down US-23 to square off with MAC West rival, the University of Toledo. Separated by just 50 miles, the Eagles and Rockets will be meeting for the 47th time in the all-time history between the two squads. UT holds a 34-12 edge in the series, which began in 1923 when the Rockets claimed a 13-0 victory.
   Last year, Freddie McGee III poked away a two-point conversion pass in the back of the end zone, as EMU held off Toledo, 28-26, at Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 13, 2018. Toledo trailed 28-3 at halftime, but held EMU scoreless in the second half while posting 20 fourth quarter points.

WMU Comes to Town for Band/Hall of Fame Day Saturday, Oct. 19

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Blake Banham

Jason Beck

Vince Calhoun

Dylan Drummond

Ian Eriksen

Mike Glass III

Brody Hoying

Arthur Jackson III

Jake Julien

Bryce Kemp

Freddie McGee III

Gunnar Oakes

Brogan Roback

Chad Ryland

Breck Turner

Eastern Michigan Athletics