Football Returns Home to Host Central Connecticut on Family Weekend

Football vs. Central Connecticut State
Date	Saturday, Sept. 21 \| 3 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	ESPN3
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 three weeks on the road, the Eastern Michigan University football team kicks off the home portion of the 2019 schedule Saturday, Sept. 21, against Central Connecticut State University. The game is earmarked as Family Weekend with kickoff set for 3 p.m. inside "The Factory" at Rynearson Stadium.
   EMU is 2-1 on the year after its 34-31 last-second defeat of the University of Illinois, Sept. 14, while CCSU is 3-0 following a 42-13 road victory over Valparaiso University, Sept. 14.
   The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Chris Vosters providing the play-by-play and Marcus Ray serving as the analyst. WEMU (89.1 FM) will also air the game with Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick on the call.

ELITE COMPANY: According to college football researcher and statistician Cody Kellner, Ph.D., Eastern Michigan is in some very select company entering week three of the season. EMU, Ohio State, Mississippi State, and Auburn are the only four Football Bowl Subdivision teams with two victories versus squads with winning records.

HEADED HOME, FINALLY!: They say there is no place like home and that will finally hold true for Eastern Michigan as they host Central Connecticut State this weekend.
   EMU is the last team in the Football Bowl Subdivision to host its home opener, as the other 129 members have played at least once in their home stadium prior to week four.
   EMU is 76-45-5 (.623) all-time in its home opener and has a record of 4-1 under Head Coach Chris Creighton.

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 25 of the last 40 contests decided by seven points-or-less.
   Of those contests, six have been decided in overtime with 12 coming down to the final play.

PROTECT THE BALL: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program is win the turnover battle. Eastern has won or tied the turnover battle in 19 of its last 21 victories under Creighton.

HOT IN HOME OPENERS: Eastern has been all but perfect in its five home openers during the Chris Creighton era, claiming victory in four. The Eagles have outscored their opponents, 201-104, in the five games, and have won by more than 30 twice. Most recently, EMU bested Monmouth, 51-17, to begin the 2018 campaign at Rynearson Stadium, Aug. 31.

FLYING HIGH OVER THE FCS: Eastern holds a 70-55-10 (55.5%) record when playing FCS teams in regular season match ups. EMU is a perfect 4-0 against FCS-level competition since the 2013 season with its last loss coming during the 2012 campaign to Illinois State, Sept 8.

YES, YOU READ THAT RIGHT: After beating Illinois, Sept. 14, Eastern now has three road wins versus Big Ten Conference teams since 2017. That is more road wins versus Big Ten opponents than six actual Big Ten teams: Nebraska (2), Indiana (2), Rutgers (1), Maryland (1), Minnesota (1), and Illinois (1).
   Additionally, EMU has the best winning percentage against Big 10 opponents from the five state of Michigan FBS members over the past three seasons.

BIG TEN KILLERS: After compiling a 0-38 record against teams from the Big Ten Conference, Eastern has now taken three in-a-row from teams in the Rosemont, Ill.-based league. After downing Rutgers (16-13) in 2017 and Purdue (20-19) in 2018, the Eagles bested Illinois with a last-second field goal, 34-31, Sept. 14, 2019.

KEEP THAT #MACtion COMING!: With Eastern's three-point win over Illinois, 34-31, the MAC has posted 14 consecutive seasons (2006-19) of defeating a Big Ten Conference member, the longest streak in league history.
   During this 14-year stretch, MAC teams have defeated 12 different Big Ten teams – Illinois (4); Indiana (5); Iowa (3); Maryland (1); Michigan (1); Michigan State (1); Minnesota (2); Nebraska (1); Northwestern (3); Penn State (1), Purdue (6), and Rutgers (2) for a total of 29 wins during this span of time.

ADJUSTMENT CAPITAL OF THE WORLD: The Eastern Michigan defense is well known for its ability to make in-game adjustments, a trend that continued against Illinois, Sept. 14. In Illinois' first four drives of the game, it ran 21 plays for 173 yards and three scores. In its ensuing six drives, the Illini ran just 25 plays for 74 yards, and zero scores.
   Additionally, the EMU defense has held opponents scoreless in the third quarter in nine of its last 16 games.

SACK CITY: The EMU defensive front was electric in its game against Illinois, Sept. 14, racking up six sacks for 51 yards. Additionally, the Eastern defense added eight tackles-for-loss and forced two fumbles. Eastern's seven turnovers gained ranks ninth-nationally and first in the conference Furthermore, EMU's 3.0 sacks per game is good for 25th-nationally and second-best in the MAC.

THE NEAL NEATHERY EFFECT: Prior to EMU Associate Head Coach/Defensive Coordinator Neal Neathery's arrival in 2016, the Eagles recorded four-or-more sacks just eight times in the 10 previous seasons. Under his direction, Eastern has accomplished the feat 12 times, most recently in its 34-31 win over Illinois, Sept. 14.

ICE IN THE VEINS: Eastern needed a clutch field goal to best Illinois, Sept. 14. A back-and-forth contest, the game was tied with three seconds on the clock when sophomore kicker Chad Ryland drilled a 24-yard, game-winning field goal to down the Illini. Ryland has now used a last-second field goal to beat a Big Ten foe in consecutive seasons, after walking-off Purdue, 20-19, in West Lafayette, a season ago.

RYLAND WRITING RECORDS: In addition to his second-career game-winning field goal, Chad Ryland etched his name into the EMU record books against Illinois, Sept. 14. The Lebanon, Pa. native drained a career-best 52-yard field goal with 4:43 left in the second frame. The kick is tied for the second-longest in school history, and is the furthest made field goal since the 2015 season when Dylan Mulder set the school record with a 55-yard make against Miami, Nov. 7.
   For his efforts, he was selected the MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week.

HANDLED BY HOYING: Senior Brody Hoying was a critical force for the Eagles against Illinois, Sept. 14. The Coldwater, Ohio native tallied his sixth and seventh-career forced-fumbles, respectively, and added a fumble recovery, the sixth of his career, in his effort. Hoying added seven tackles, including one tackle-for-loss, in the game. He leads all EMU players in tackles-for-loss this season, and sits at fourth in total tackles.

BREAKING THROUGH ON THE GROUND: Averaging just 76.0 rushing yards per game through the first two weeks of the 2019 season, the EMU offense broke through against a stingy Illinois defense, Sept. 14. Coming into the game, the Fighting Illini had allowed an average of 37.0 rushing yards per game.
   Eastern used seven players to rush for 164 yards against Illinois, the most rushing yards the Eagles have compiled in a single-game in 2019. Wildcat quarterback Jairus Grissom led the way, carrying three times for 52 yards. Willie Parker provided Eastern's lone rushing touchdown in the contest, scoring his third-career TD on a four-yard carry.

GLASS GOES OFF: Senior quarterback Mike Glass III was highly-efficient in Eastern's win over Illinois, Sept. 14. The St. Louis native was 23-of-36 for 316 yards and three touchdowns to lead EMU. For his efforts, he was selected the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week.
   Glass is averaging 280.33 passing yards per game in 2019, third most by any MAC quarterback. Additionally, Glass' 308.0 yards of total offense per game ranks second in the conference. On the national stage, Glass ranks 10th in completions per game (25.67), good for second in the MAC, and 26th in completion percentage (69.4%), third-highest in the league.

GAME-WINNING GLASS: Up seven, 31-24, the Eagles had Illinois facing its final down before UI quarterback Brandon Peters converted a 32-yard pass to keep Illinois' drive alive. With 1:44 on the clock, the Illini scored, and after making the extra point, tied the game at 31-all. Unphased by the late adversity, Mike Glass III marched the Eagles down the field, putting together an eight-play, 68-yard drive in which he completed 4-of-4 passes. With three seconds on the clock, EMU kicked a game-winning field goal, capping Glass' first-career game-winning drive.

FIXED THE FIRST HALF WOES: Through its first two games of the 2019 campaign, the EMU offense averaged just 125 first half yards, and five first half points. Aaron Keen's unit made clear adjustments against Illinois, Sept. 14, exploding for 276 yards of total offense, and 23 points. The 23 first half points were the most by EMU since they put up 28 against Toledo, Oct. 13, 2018.
   In all, EMU went for a season-best 480 yards of total offense against the Fighting Illini.

ACTION JACKSON (III): Senior receiver Arthur Jackson III erupted for two touchdowns against Illinois, Sept. 14. The Oakland, Calif. native helped cap a five-play, 75-yard drive when he hauled in a 26-yard touchdown pass from Mike Glass III in the first quarter to put EMU ahead, 7-3. The Glass-Jackson connection again showed in the second quarter, as the two connected on a 31-yard dime, giving Jackson his seventh score as an Eagle.

ALL-TIME VS. CCSU: The Saturday, Sept. 21 matchup between EMU and CCSU will be the first in the respective teams' histories. A member of the Northeast Conference, the Blue Devils have claimed nine conference championships in their respective history.
   After a 6-5 2018 campaign, CCSU is off to a 3-0 start in 2019, with wins over Fordham (1-2), Merrimack (1-2), and Valparaiso (0-2).

ON THE HORIZON: After the non-conference finale against the Blue Devils, Eastern will enjoy a bye week before opening Mid-American Conference play at rival Central Michigan, Oct. 5. EMU and CMU will clash on the gridiron for the 97th all-time meeting between the two programs, with the Chippewas holding the series lead, 60-30-6.

Football Returns Home to Host Central Connecticut on Family Weekend

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Players Mentioned

Mike Glass III

Jairus Grissom

Brody Hoying

Arthur Jackson III

Dylan Mulder

Willie Parker

Chad Ryland

Eastern Michigan Athletics