EMU Football Game Notes for the Quick Lane Bowl

Football vs. Pittsburgh
Date	Thursday, Dec. 26 \| 8 p.m. ET
Venue	Detroit, Mich. \| Ford Field (65,000)
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Press Conference Video \| EMU Record Book.
Live 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

DETROIT, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team will play in consecutive bowl games for the first time in its 128-year history when it participates in the Sixth Annual Quick Lane Bowl Thursday, Dec. 26, in Detroit. Kickoff from Ford Field is set for 8 p.m. and the contest will be broadcast on ESPN and WEMU (89.1 FM).
   The Eagles, who finished the regular season with a 6-6 mark and 3-5 record in Mid-American Conference play are back in the postseason for the third time in four seasons, a program first. EMU made appearances in the 2016 Bahamas Bowl and 2018 Camellia Bowl.
   Eastern will meet the University of Pittsburgh in a matchup of the MAC against the Atlantic Coast Conference. Pitt is making its 35th bowl appearance in program history after finishing the regular season 7-5 and 4-4 in conference play.
   Mike Corey and Rene Ingoglia will be in the booth for ESPN, while Allison Williams reports from the sideline. The game will also be aired on WEMU (89.1 FM) with veteran broadcasters Matt Shepard and Rob Rubick calling the action on the field, and Tom Helmer contributing from field level. WEMU's special 30-minute pregame show from the stadium begins at 7:30 p.m.

LET'S ROLL, LET'S BOWL: The Quick Lane Bowl marks the fourth Division I bowl game in program history, and EMU's third in its last four seasons. EMU is 1-2 in those games, as it defeated San Jose State, 30-27, in the 1987 California Bowl, fell to Old Dominion, 24-20, in the 2016 Bahamas Bowl, and came up short against Georgia Southern, 23-21, in the 2018 Camellia Bowl.
   The trip to Detroit marks the first time EMU student-athletes have the opportunity to play in three postseason bowls during their careers.

WHO ARE WE?: Playing in a postseason bowl in consecutive seasons and the fifth time in school history, the Eagles enter the Quick Lane Bowl in one of the best four-year stretches in school history. Eastern's 25 wins over the past four seasons are the most since winning 25 from 1987-90, while the Eagles 6-6 record gave EMU back-to-back non-losing seasons for the first time since 1988-89.
   The Eastern offense, led by senior quarterback Mike Glass III, was electric during the 2019 season, amassing 4,833 total yards, 45 touchdowns, and 349 total points. Glass was electric with 3,203 yards of total offense (345 rushing, 2,858 passing) and 29 touchdowns. He led the MAC and ranks 17th nationally in total offense with 291.2 yards per contest. He finished the regular season ranked 14th in the FBS in completion percentage (67.8%), 18th in completions per game (21.64), 18th in points responsible for per game (16.0), and 24th in passing yards per game (259.8).
   On the national scale, Eastern is one of the most consistently disciplined squads in the country. The Eagles rank among the nation's best in both fewest penalties and fewest penalty yards per game. EMU's 56 total penalties rank 11th-nationally, while its 40.92 penalty yards per game is 13th-best in the country.
   Defensively, it was another strong campaign for Neal Neathery's unit. Strong up-front, EMU tallied 20 sacks, while its veteran-laden secondary hauled in 11 interceptions, good for third in the MAC. Senior Kobie Beltram paced EMU with 116 tackles. His 9.7 stops per game is good for fifth in the conference and 17th in the NCAA, while he is just the fifth EMU defender to total 100-more tackles in a season since 2010.

SEARCHING FOR SEVEN: The Eagles head into the Quick Lane Bowl in search of its seventh win. If the Eagles emerge victorious, it will mark the third time in the last four seasons that the team accomplished that feat. Additionally, it would mark just the 15th time in the 128-year history of EMU football that the team finished with seven-plus wins.
   Most recently, Eastern notched seven wins in 2018, and 2016. Prior to 2016, 1989 was the last time that an EMU squad reached that mark.

NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT…: In going to a bowl game for the third time in four seasons, 24 student-athletes will have the opportunity to do something that no one in program history has accomplished previously. EMU's roster includes 24 players that were part of the team when it participated in 2016 Bahamas Bowl, and 2018 Camellia Bowl.
   Furthermore, Chris Creighton is the first coach to lead multiple Eastern teams to bowl games.

POSTSEASON CALIBER SCHEDULE: EMU's 2019 regular season included games against eight teams that are eligible for postseason play. Kentucky, Illinois, Central Michigan, Western Michigan, Toledo, Buffalo, and Kent State all eclipsed the six-win standard for Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) postseason eligibility, while Central Connecticut State rode an 11-1 record (its only loss was against EMU) to a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoff appearance.
   Eastern's six losses have come against teams that are a combined 26-22 in conference play and are 39-33 overall (.541). Five of those six teams are bowl eligible.

WHAT'S STILL AT STAKE: Plenty of opportunities to cement the team's legacy still await Eastern Michigan in its postseason bowl contest. EMU can post back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since doing so from 1986-89. It would also mark just the 13th winning campaign for Eastern since 1970. Furthermore, Eastern has never played in a bowl in consecutive seasons, as it looks for its first postseason victory since the 1987 California Bowl.

RIGHT DOWN THE ROAD: Rynearson Stadium, the home of Eastern Michigan Football, and Ford Field are separated by just 34 miles. Of the 78 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) postseason participants, Eastern in playing the closest to its home venue. This is with the exception of only Florida Atlantic and Hawaii, both of which are playing in their home stadiums this postseason (FAU at Boca Raton Bowl; Hawaii at Hawaii Bowl).

DOME, SWEET, DOME: Eastern Michigan has had a long-standing relationship with Ford Field as the Eagles previous hosted games in the venue from 2004 to 2007. The inaugural Collegiate Clash was held, Nov. 6, 2004, when the Eagles recorded a 61-58 four-overtime victory over MAC West Division rival Central Michigan. That first year's game was also part of a doubleheader with Wayne State and Hillsdale squaring off in the opener. Collegiate Clash II went to a single-game format with EMU dropping a 44-36 decision to MAC West Division rival Western Michigan, Nov. 5, 2005. The Eagles hosted Navy in 2006 and the team's last contest in Motown was in 2007 against Northwestern University.
   EMU held an open practice in the venue in the spring of 2016 with hundreds in the stands, which also serves as the site of the league's annual championship game. The MAC has a long association with Detroit and Ford Field as the league has held its Marathon MAC Football Championship game as a neutral site championship event at Ford Field since 2004. Also, the MAC played the first-ever college football game at Ford Field as Toledo faced Boston College in the 2002 Motor City Bowl.

ALL-TIME VS. PITTSBURGH: The Quick Lane Bowl will mark the third meeting between the Eagles and Panthers (7-5, 4-4 ACC). Pitt and Eastern Michigan have played twice before, most recently in 2007, a 27-3 Pitt victory at Heinz Field. The initial meeting was in 1995, when the Panthers defeated the Eagles, 66-30, in Pitt Stadium.

#MACtion vs. THE ACC: Eastern will have a chance to notch its first-ever win over an ACC opponent against Pitt, Dec. 26. The Eagles are 0-9 against the conference all-time, with games played against Louisville (0-1), Miami (0-4), Pittsburgh (0-2), Syracuse (0-1), and Virginia (0-1).
   EMU most recently squared-off against an opponent from the Greensboro, N.C.-based organization in 2010, when it traveled to the Commonwealth of Virginia for a bout against Virginia, Oct. 23. Then-freshman Javonti Greene rushed for 155 yards and two touchdowns as the Eagles dropped a 48-21 decision to the Cavaliers

THE MAC IN THE QUICK LANE BOWL: The Mid-American Conference holds a 0-2 record in the Quick Lane Bowl all-time. In the five previous games, the MAC has been represented by Central Michigan, which fell to Minnesota, 21-14, Dec. 28, 2015, and Northern Illinois, which lost to Duke, 36-14, Dec. 26, 2018.

CLOSE CONNECTIONS: Although the Eagles and Panthers have not met on the gridiron since 2007, the two schools have plenty of close connections.
   Current Pittsburgh Athletic Director Heather Lyke held the same role at Eastern Michigan directly before moving to the Steel City. A native of Canton, Ohio, she held the top role at EMU from 2013-17. Perhaps her most notable accomplishment at Eastern is the hiring of none other than Chris Creighton.
   With Lyke at Pittsburgh are both Christian Spears and Chris Hoppe. Spears, who was Lyke's Deputy AD at Eastern, holds the same role for the Panthers. Hoppe, the former Senior Associate AD for Administration at EMU, now serves as Pitt's Executive Associate Athletic Director for Sport Administration, and Student-Athlete Support Services. Additionally, Jennifer Brown spent three years as the head athletic trainer for the EMU football team before making the move to the Steel City.
   The EMU-Pitt connection runs deeper than administration, as Derek Moos, the Director of Equipment Services for the Panthers, spent various years at EMU. A two-time graduate of Eastern Michigan, Moos completed his undergraduate degree while serving as the Director of Operations for the EMU baseball program. Following graduation, he shifted to the equipment room, where he served a two-year stint as a graduate assistant, earning his master's degree along the way. While in equipment, Moos worked for Benjamin Herman, Eastern's Associate AD for Equipment, and alongside Dominic Velotta (both were graduate assistants), who now serves as an Assistant Equipment Manager under Herman.
   Rounding out the list of ties, Ed Whited was EMU's Director for Athletic Equipment from 1993-2001, while Tight Ends Coach Tim Salem was the offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and kicking coach at Eastern Michigan during the 2003 season.

ONE OF A KIND: Eastern Michigan is the only Mid-American Conference team to boast a victory over a Power 5 Conference opponent in 2019. EMU walked off Illinois of the Big Ten conference with a 24-yard field goal as time expired, Sept. 14, 2019. It was the third consecutive season that Eastern knocked off a Big Ten opponents (2017-Rutgers, 2018-Purdue).

SEVEN EARN ALL-MAC ACCOLADES: For the fourth consecutive year, the Eastern Michigan University football team saw at least seven of its student-athletes named to All-Mid-American Conference Teams. Senior defensive back Vince Calhoun collected first team honors and became just the seventh student-athlete. Senior QB Mike Glass III, senior wide receiver Arthur Jackson, and senior defensive back Brody Hoying were each named to the second team. In addition, sophomore wide receiver Dylan Drummond, senior linebacker Kobie Beltram, and senior defensive back Kevin McGill all garnered All-MAC third team honors.

PAIGE TABBED FOR AFCA 35 UNDER 35 INSTITUTE: EMU Wide Receivers Coach Darren Paige was selected to participate in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) 2020 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute, presented by the AFCA and NCAA Leadership Development. The AFCA 2020 35 Under 35 Coaches Leadership Institute will take place on Sunday, Jan. 12, at the AFCA Convention in Nashville, Tenn.
   This year's class of 35 coaches was chosen from a field of hundreds of under-35-year-old coaching applicants from all levels of high school and college. Applicants were required to submit a resume, five references, and a 1,600-word article or five-minute live instructional video on an Offensive, Defensive, Special Teams, or position-specific topic of the applicant's choosing.

NOVEMBER BOOM: EMU is 10-4 in the month of November the last four years. In the four seasons prior, Eastern combined for a total of seven wins during the entire 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015 campaigns.

KEEPING IT CLOSE: EMU is one of just 10 Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) team to have played in at least seven one-score games this season. EMU is in a seven-way tie for the fourth-most single possession contests, as only North Carolina (9), Miami (Fla.) (8), and Pittsburgh (8) 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 29 of the last 50 contests decided by seven points-or-less. Of those contests, seven have been decided in overtime with 17 coming down to the final play.

BEST FOUR-YEAR STRETCH: EMU is currently amid one of the best four-year stretches in program history. EMU is 25-24 since 2016, its most wins in a four-season span since 1987-90 when the Eagles went 10-2, 6-3-1, 7-3-1, and 2-9.

THE BEST SHOW IN TOWN: 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). Furthermore, three of EMU's setbacks have been decided on the final drive with EMU possessing the ball in the opponent's redzone.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (21-3) the turnover battle in 23 of its last 26 victories under Creighton.

THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won 50 percent (25-of-50) of his games since the start of the 2016 season. In the three seasons prior to his arrival in Ypsilanti, the Eagles were victorious in just 28 percent (10-of-36) of their games.

EAGLES ON MAC LEADERBOARDS: After 12 regular season games, a slew of Eagles have established themselves on one-or-more of the MAC leaderboards. Offensively, Mike Glass III's 259.8 passing yards per game ranks first in the league. Wide out Arthur Jackson III's 56.6 yards per game in the air ranks seventh in the league, just ahead of 14th-ranked Quian Williams' 49.4 yards per contest. Defensively, senior Kobie Beltram finished fifth in the league with 9.7 tackles per game, while fellow upperclassman Vince Calhoun is ninth with 8.1 per game. Turan Rush is 12th in the MAC with 0.42 sacks per game on the season.

CALHOUN MARKING MILESTONES: With his nine tackle performance against WMU, Oct. 19, senior Vince Calhoun moved past 300 in his career. The Middleton, Ohio product stands at 336 stops, which ranks 12th all-time at EMU. With four more tackles, Calhoun will move past Ron Johnson (1974-77) for 11th. Furthermore, Calhoun's 188 solo tackles are tied for fifth and needs five more to pass Donald McCall for fourth all-time. Meanwhile, his 48 career games started is an EMU record.

RECORD SETTING YEAR: EMU tallied a total of 95 game, season, or career entries into the EMU record books in 2019. Senior defensive back Vince Calhoun became the all-time leader in starts at Eastern when he took the field against Kent State, Nov. 19. Quarterback Mike Glass III is now second all-time in single-season completions, and running back Shaq Vann is now seventh all-time in career rushing yards (2,529). These are just some examples of the record book entries that EMU student-athletes have accomplished in 2019.

GET A GLASS OF THIS: Senior quarterback Mike Glass III has been electric on offense, totaling 3,203 yards of total offense (345 rushing, 2,858 passing) and 29 touchdowns. He leads the MAC and ranks 17th nationally in total offense with 291.2 yards per contest. Glass in 14th in the FBS in completion percentage (67.8%) 18th in completions per game (21.64), 18th in the FBS in points responsible per game (16.0), and 24th in passing yards per game (259.8).
   Glass ranks fourth in total offense in a season in EMU's 128-year history and needs just 188 yards to pass Charlie Batch's mark of 3,390 that has stood since 1997. Also, Glass is 422 yards away from passing Batch for the most in a single-season, while he needs two touchdown passes to surpass the two-time Super Bowl Champion's mark of 23 set in 1997. He is also just 23 passes short of tying Andy Schmitt for the most passes complete in a single year with 261.

PASSING THE BAR: Eastern's passing offense ranks second in school-history with 3,370 yards passing and has tied the program-record with 25 touchdown passes. Overall, the offense has rolled up 4, 883 total yards (fifth all-time at EMU) and 349 points (fourth all-time at EMU).

MORE THAN A GAME: The EMU football program once again set a new standard for team GPA following the 2019 winter semester. EMU's football program posted a 3.023 semester GPA while improving its cumulative GPA to a 3.036. Both are all-time records since the department began tracking data. Furthermore, it marked the 19th occurrence in the past 23 semesters that it saw the overall cume GPA rise.

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Players Mentioned

Kobie Beltram

Vince Calhoun

Dylan Drummond

Mike Glass III

Brody Hoying

Arthur Jackson III

Kevin McGill

Turan Rush

Shaq Vann

Quian Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics