Eagles Clash With the Rockets Saturday, Oct. 26, in Toledo

Football at Toledo
Date	Saturday, Oct. 26 \| 3:30 p.m. ET
Venue	Toledo, Ohio \| Glass Bowl (26,038)
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) – After back-to-back home games, the Eastern Michigan University football team hits the road with a short drive down US-23 to battle the University of Toledo, Oct. 26. The Mid-American Conference affair will be played at the Glass Bowl with kickoff scheduled for 3:30 p.m.
   The Eagles (4-3, 1-2 MAC) posted a 34-27 come-from-behind victory over Western Michigan University inside Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 19. The in-state rivalry began with a surprise start from quarterback Preston Hutchinson and ended with the sophomore gunslinger orchestrating a stunning comeback Saturday at Rynearson Stadium. Meanwhile, the Rockets (4-3, 1-2 MAC) are looking to regroup after back-to-back road losses to Bowling Green State University, 20-7, and Ball State University, 52-14.
   The contest will be televised on ESPN+ with Robert Lee providing play-by-play and Tyoka Jackson 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.

WITH AN EMU WIN…: An EMU win would give the program its first win in the Glass Bowl since the 1999 season. Furthermore, it would give Eastern consecutive wins over Toledo for the first time since the 1998-99 seasons, respectively.

PLAYING DISCIPLINED: Eastern ranks among the nation's best in both fewest total penalty yards and fewest penalty yards per game. EMU's 303 total penalty yards ranks 20th-nationally, while its 43.29 penalty yards per game is 16th-best in the country.

CLOSE CALLS: EMU is one of 23 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams to have played in at least four 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 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 28 of the last 44 contests decided by seven points-or-less.
   Of those contests, six have been decided in overtime with 15 coming down to the final play.

STRONG STARTING DEBUT: Quarterback Preston Hutchinson filled in for the Mid-American Conference's leading passer, a banged-up Mike Glass III, in the Eagles' 34-27 victory over Western Michigan, Oct. 19. Hutchinson completed 31-of-36 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns, including the game-winning 34-yard scoring strike to Mathew Sexton with 36 seconds left. The 357 yards passing are tied for 24th-best in program history. For his efforts, he was selected the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week and a Manning Award Star of the Week, Oct. 21.
   Hutchinson's perfect game-winning drive was part of a fourth quarter that saw him complete 11-of-12 passes for 140 yards and a pair of long touchdown passes. He also made plays with his legs, finishing with 10 carries for 29 sack-adjusted yards, including a six-yard touchdown run early in the third quarter that gave EMU its first lead of the game at 17-14.
   Hutchinson was the ninth EMU quarterback to earn a start in the past decade, and the third signal caller to get his first career start against Western Michigan. Overall, his completions, attempts, passing yards, and touchdowns are all the best of any new quarterback since 2009.

PASSING AND CATCHING: Quarterback Preston Hutchinson's 86.1 completion percentage against Western Michigan is the second-highest by an EMU quarterback since the 1999 campaign, falling short of only Mike Glass' 90.9-percent game against Coastal Carolina, Aug. 31.

GAME-WINNING PUNT = PLAYER OF THE WEEK: Junior punter Jake Julien proved pivotal for EMU in its win over Western, Oct. 19. Julien belted two punts for an average of 50.0 yards per kick, including a 53-yarder, his third-longest punt of the season. Julien's best work came in the final seconds of the game, however, as he successfully took the final 12 seconds off the clock with a near-perfect punt to close out the game.
   For his efforts, he was selected the MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week.

34 IS A MAGIC NUMBER: Three of EMU's four wins have come when the Eagle offense puts up 34 points, exactly (Illinois, Central Connecticut, Western Michigan).

OFFENSIVE EXPLOSION: Eastern rode its best offensive performance of the 2019 campaign en route to defeating Western Michigan, Oct. 19. EMU tied its season-high with 34 points, and set season-bests in passing yards (407) and total offense (547 yards).

SHAQ IS BACK: Back on the field for the first time since Sept. 14, senior running back Shaq Vann had the best game of his 2019 campaign in EMU's win over Western Michigan, Oct. 19. The south Bend, Ind. native rushed for 97 yards on 17 attempts, including a long of 35 yards. Both numbers were season-bests for Vann.

CALHOUN 300: With his nine tackle performance against WMU, Oct. 19, senior Vince Calhoun moved past 300 in his career. The Middleton, Ohio product stands at 303 stops, which is ranked 17th all-time at EMU. With 18 more tackles, Calhoun will move past Kevin Harrision (2001-04) for 15th. Given his current pace, Calhoun would surpass 113 tackles on the year and would have a chance to become just the eighth Eagle to record 350 career takedowns.

TAKING ADVANTAGE ON THIRD DOWN: After going 3-of-13 on third down conversions against Ball State, Oct. 12, bringing Eastern's season total in the category to 23-of-76 (30%), the Eagles rebounded against Western Michigan, Oct. 19. In all, the EMU offense converted 9-of-16 third down attempts (56%), bringing the season total up to 32-of-92 (35%).

BEYDOUN IT ALL: Freshman wide out Hassan Beydoun was electric against Western Michigan, Oct. 19. The Dearborn, Mich. native hauled in four receptions for 70 yards, including a 34-yard reception. Beydoun's reception yards and 34-yard grab are both career highs. He was also active on special teams, where he registered his first-career tackle.

EXTENDING DRIVES: The best way to slow a strong offense is to keep it off the field. The EMU offense certainly did its part against Western Michigan, Oct. 19. EMU put together its longest drive of the season, 17 plays (6:31) in the first quarter, before adding three more drives of 10-plays-or-better. Additionally, EMU was successful in controlling the clock, besting the Broncos by exactly eight minutes in time of possession, 34:02-25:58.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, the Eagles were able to win the turnover battle against Western Michigan, Oct. 19. Eastern's defense grabbed a late interception, critical in sealing the win.
   Eastern has won or tied (18-3) the turnover battle in 20 of its last 23 victories under Creighton.

CLOSE CALLS UNDER CREIGHTON: In its 128-year history, the Eastern Michigan football team has played in 328 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 32 one possession affairs. Creighton's groups have been much improved as of late, as the Eagles have won five of its last seven one-possession games.

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

HUBBARD SEALS THE DEAL: Senior DB Jeff Hubbard was a key contributor for the Eastern Michigan defense in the squad's win over WMU, Oct. 19. Hubbard all but sealed the game when he stole a Jon Wassink pass with 28 seconds remaining and the Eagles up seven. It was his first interception of the season and second of his career.

ALL-TIME VS. 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.

RECAPPING LAST YEAR'S MEETING: Freddie McGee III poked away a two-point conversion pass, as Eastern Michigan 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 and piled up 20 points in the fourth quarter, cutting the Eagles lead to two points. Mitchell Guadagni escaped from a collapsing pocket to score from the 10, making it 28-26 with 20 seconds remaining, but his pass to Bryce Mitchell, crossing in the back of the end zone, was poked away by McGee. Guadagni passed for 147 yards and a TD and rushed for 137 yards.
   Mike Glass III earned his first career start for the Green and White and made it a historic one, becoming the first EMU signal caller in program history to rush past the century mark in back-to-back games. Willie Parker's 50-yard run touchdown run, the longest of his career.

EMU LOOKING TO END THE STREAK IN THE GLASS CITY: The Green and White's last victory at the Glass Bowl came Oct. 23, 1999, when Walter Church guided EMU to a 20-13 upset of UT. In that contest, Church threw for 210 yards on 20-of-29 passing, while Lincoln Dupree recorded a 58-yard interception return for a touchdown just before halftime that proved to be the difference in the seven-point decision.

GLASS IN THE TOP-10: Senior QB Mike Glass III ranks seventh-nationally, first 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 10th-best punt return game, EMU is averaging 16.25 yards per try buoyed by Mathew Sexton's 30-yard scoop-and-score versus CCSU.
   EMU is ranked 19th nationally in percentage of passing plays per game at 55.1 percent. EMU tossed it around 46.4 percent of the time a season ago after surpassing 52 percent in 2017.

ON THE HORIZON: Following its clash with the Rockets, EMU will return home, playing host to defending MAC East Division champion, the University at Buffalo, Saturday, Oct. 12. The game is earmarked as the second of two "Beerfest," games at Rynearson Stadium. Fans will be able to purchase commemorative TJ Lang cups. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit EMUEagles.com, or call the ticket office at 734.487.3669.

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Players Mentioned

Hassan Beydoun

Vince Calhoun

Mike Glass III

Jeff Hubbard

Preston Hutchinson

Jake Julien

Freddie McGee III

Willie Parker

Mathew Sexton

Shaq Vann

Eastern Michigan Athletics