Regular-Season Finale Set for Saturday, Dec. 12, Against NIU

Football vs. Northern Illinois
Date	Saturday, Dec. 12 \| 12 p.m. ET
Venue	Ypsilanti, Mich. \| Rynearson Stadium
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Media Guide \| Press Conference Video \| Virtual Game Program
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN3
Listen	WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) \| TuneIn Radio \| Podcast
Twitter	@EMUFB \| @EMUAthletics
Attendance Information	No general public attendance will be allowed

YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team will close its 2020 regular-season slate at home, as it welcomes Mid-American Conference West Division foe Northern Illinois University to Rynearson Stadium Saturday, Dec. 12. Kickoff is slated for 12 p.m. inside "The Factory."
   EMU (1-4; 1-4 MAC) looks to close out its season with consecutive wins after besting MAC West Division leader, Western Michigan, 53-42, in its last game, Dec. 5. Meanwhile, Northern Illinois (0-5; 0-5 MAC) is still in search of its first win of the season after falling most recently to Toledo, 41-24, Dec 5.
    The game will be broadcast on ESPN3 with Dan Gutowsky providing the play-by-play and Devin Gardner serving as the analyst. WEMU (89.1 FM) will also air the game with Matt Shepard, Rob Rubick, and Tom Helmer on the call.

LATEST CLOSE: EMU's game against NIU, Dec. 12, will officially become its latest regular-season finale in the 129-year history of the program, and the first December home game in EMU history. Prior to 2020, EMU had twice closed its season on Nov. 30. Those games came in 1897 and 1901, respectively. EMU won its 1901 finale with a 10-5 decision over the Michigan School of the Deaf.

CLOSE ON A HIGH NOTE: An Eastern win over Northern Illinois would bump EMU's record in regular-season finales to 7-13 over its last 20 seasons.
   Although that number is far from eye-popping, a win would push Chris Creighton to 4-3 in such games. EMU's most recent win in a season-ending game came in 2018, when it defeated Kent State, 28-20, on the road, Nov. 23, 2018.

STRAIGHT FROM THE BEAR: The EMU Office of Athletic Media Relations is no stranger to noting EMU's close-game tendencies, but ESPN's Chris Fallica, known as "The Bear" on the network's flagship pregame show, College Gameday, took to Twitter to discuss it as well.
   According to Fallica, 28 of EMU's last 32 MAC games and 41 of its last 47 games overall had either been a win or a one possession loss.

EMU RECORDS SWEEP OF MAC WEEKLY AWARDS: For the first time in Eastern Michigan University football history, all three weekly awards from the Mid-American Conference headed to Ypsilanti, Dec. 7. EMU junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson as named the MAC West Division Offensive Co-Player of the Week with Ball State's Drew Plitt, while sophomore defensive end Jose Ramirez was selected as the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week. Additionally, junior kicker Chad Ryland collected MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week accolades.
   Eastern Michigan played its first MAC season in 1976, but did not earn a league player of the week honor until the 1977 campaign. Overall, Eastern has won two of the three divisional awards on 12 occasions.
   It was the third time Ryland has been honored by the MAC, while Hutchinson earned the honor for the second-consecutive season following a performance against Western Michigan University. Ramirez picked up the distinction for the first time in his EMU career.

WREAKING HAVOC IN THE RED ZONE: EMU has been incredibly effective in the red zone on both sides of the ball this season. Offensively, EMU ranks No. 1 in the nation with a 100 percent red zone scoring clip (eight teams tied). The Eagles have produced points in 23-of-23 trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line this season, a 22.5 percent improvement over last season's efficiency. In total, 16 of EMU's red zone trips have resulted in touchdowns.
   Defensively, the Eagles rank fourth nationally in the red zone. EMU's opponents have left the red zone scoreless eight times in 24 attempts this season, making EMU the best red zone defense in the MAC.

EFFICIENT OFFENSE: Eastern's offense was high-flying in its 53-point performance at Western, Dec. 5. The team set season-highs in scoring, touchdowns (6), field goals (4), total yards (533), plays (75), third-down conversions (9), time of possession (35:13), average rush yards (4.74 yards per carry), average pass yards (10.5 yards per pass), and yards per play (7.62).

FIRST TIME UNDER CREIGHTON: In addition to its impressive all around offensive performance at Western Michigan, Dec. 5, the EMU scoring unit also accomplished a feat it has never done under Head Coach Chris Creighton, as it came away with points on all but one drive. Overall, the team notched 10 scoring drives in 11 attempts and finished the game with four field goals and six touchdowns, both season highs.

DEFENSE FORCING TURNOVERS: The EMU defense has been successful at forcing turnovers throughout the team's first five games this season. Eastern has recovered eight fumbles and has three interceptions thus far, which ranks second and fifth in the conference, respectively.
   EMU's most recent outing, against Western Michigan, Dec. 5, saw the team recover three fumbles, including two on back-to-back possessions for the first time this year. EMU's three fumble recoveries against WMU are the most in a single game for the Green and White since it recorded the same number against Ball State on Nov. 8, 2016. Additionally, each of the lost balls were first-career forced fumbles for the EMU defender that jarred the ball loose (Mark Lee Jr., Carter Stanger, and Jose Ramirez).

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (22-3) the turnover battle in 25 of its last 27 victories under Creighton.

WHEN WE GET 100 ON THE GROUND: EMU saw its second individual 100+ yard rushing performance of the season when Darius Boone Jr. exploded for 148 at Western Michigan, Dec. 5. Previously, Preston Hutchinson went for 114 at Ball State, Nov. 11.
   The performance marks the 29th game under seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton in which at least one individual has ran for more than 100 yards (two games with two 100+ yard runners). EMU is 17-12 in those contests.
   When quarterbacks are taken out of the equation, EMU has had 24 games with a 100+ yard performance by a tailback (one game with two). In those games, the Eagles are 15-9.

HERE COMES THE BOONE: Freshman running back Darius Boone Jr. had a breakout game on the ground against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Tulsa, Okla. native rushed for a career-best 148 yards on 25 attempts, and scored his first collegiate touchdown along the way. The performance marks the first 100+ yard effort by an EMU back since Nov. 19, 2019, when Shaq Vann went for 107 yards against Northern Illinois. Additionally, his 148 yards is the third-best ground performance by any EMU player in the Chris Creighton Era (seven seasons).
   In his two games this season, Boone has averaged a whopping 108 yards on the ground.

COMPARING THE OFFENSE: Chris Creighton may have taken six years off from calling plays, but there is no doubt that he still has it when it comes to running an offense. This season, Creighton's first as an offensive play caller for the Eagles, has brought new energy to that side of the ball. Creighton's 2020 offensive is improved in numerous categories when compared to the 2019 squad.
   Some of those numbers include: points per game (31.6/29.15), rushing yards per game (129.0/122.3), pass yards per game (284.0/283.15), total offense (413.0/405.5), time of possession (29:38/28:33), third down conversions (44.29%/39.88%), fourth down conversions (76.92% 10-for-13/48.0% - 12-for-25), and red zone scoring (100% - 23-of-23/ 77.5% - 38-of-49).

HUTCHINSON GOES FOR 300: Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson threw for over 300 yards for the second time this season when he completed 19-of-30 pass attempts against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The effort saw Hutchinson rack up 315 yards through the air. That performance comes on the heels of a 23-of-37 mark against Central Michigan, Nov. 27. The Mason, Ohio native finished the CMU game with 365 total yards through the air, which is good for a new career-best. The performance also tied former EMU QB Matt Bohnet for No. 23 on the all-time single-game passing yards list at EMU. Bohnet put up his 365-yard performance against Bowling Green on Oct. 20, 2004.

HECK OF A HALF: Quarterback Preston Hutchinson made first-half history against WMU, Dec. 5. He finished the 30-minute stretch with 267 passing yards on 15-of-22 passing. That performance is the best by an Eagle in the first half of a game since Andy Schmitt went 38-of-52 for 354 yards and five touchdowns in a 56-52 victory over Central Michigan, Nov. 28, 2008.

HUTCHINSON HUMS IN ANNIVERSARY GAME: Junior quarterback Preston Hutchinson shined in his first-ever start for the Eagles on Oct. 19, 2019. In that game, which happened to be against Western Michigan, Hutchinson tossed for 357 yards and three TD's on 31-of-36 pass attempts. He added one rushing score in that game as well.
   The anniversary magic was real in Hutchinson's second meeting with the Broncos, Dec. 5, 2020, as he improved to 2-0 against EMU's in-state foe. In his second contest against WMU, his numbers were equally as good. This time, he went for 315 yards in the air, and once again tossed for three touchdowns. In matching fashion to his 2019 performance, he also added a score with his legs.

BEYDOUN BIG AGAIN: Junior wide receiver Hassan Beydoun led the Eagles' pass catching efforts for the second straight contest, against WMU, Dec. 5. He caught a game-high seven passes for 96 yards, including a career-long 66-yard haul. His Week Five statistics add to an already impressive 2020 resume that includes two 100+-yard games, and four consecutive games with at least seven receptions.

KEEP ON KNUEING: Sophomore wide receiver Tanner Knue continued to build on his already impressive 2020 season with a two-reception, 89-yard game against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. Although he caught only two passes, both were touchdowns, and set a new single-game scoring high for the Mason, Ohio native. His second TD grab of the game, a 61-yard haul in the second quarter, is the second-longest reception of his career.

PAY DIRT PREMIERE: Sophomore running back Samson Evans was impressive against Western Michigan, Dec. 5, as EMU's second back. The first-year Eagle rushed for a tough 61 yards on just seven carries. His overall yards were third best of any back in the contest. Most importantly for Evans, however, is that he was able to score his first-career touchdown. That moment came with 9:46 left in the contest via a four-yard punch in. The score put EMU ahead, 49-35.

HERNANDEZ LEADS THE WAY: Senior defensive back Korey Hernandez has been a steady presence in the EMU secondary this season, a trait that continued against WMU, Dec. 5. His 10-tackle performance led the team, and was his first-career performance in which he did so.
   Hernandez is currently first on the team with 24 solo tackles this season, and ranks third in the EMU locker room with 40 total stops in 2020.

HOW ABOUT JOSE: Sophomore defensive lineman Jose Ramirez had a breakout game against Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Lake Alfred, Fla. native set new personal bests in tackles (7), tackles-for-loss (2.0), sacks (2.0), and forced fumbles (1.0). Each number in the previous categories, with the exception of his total tackles, led or tied for the team lead against Western.

PERFECT PLACE KICKING: Junior kicker Chad Ryland has been perfect for Eastern Michigan in its last two games game against in-state foes Central Michigan, Nov. 27, and Western Michigan, Dec. 5. The Lebanon, Pa. native scored 11 of Eastern's 23 points against CMU, as he went 3-for-3 on field goals and 2-for-2 in extra point attempts.
   He followed that performance with a career-high four field goal makes on four attempts against WMU, Dec. 5. Ryland added a perfect 5-for-5 mark on extra-point attempts and finished the game with a career-best 17 points for EMU.

BEST STRETCH AGAINST THE BRONCOS: EMU's win over Western Michigan, Dec. 5, was its second in-a-row over the Kalamazoo, Mich.-based institution. That stretch is EMU's best since 2011-13, when it defeated WMU in three consecutive games.
   Additionally, for EMU it was the team's first win at Waldo Stadium since 2012.

CONTAINING THE BEST: Western Michigan's D'Wayne Eskridge entered the EMU game, Dec. 5, as the nation's leader in all purpose yards with a 255 yards per game average. Despite his impressive numbers, the Eagle defense was more than ready for the challenge, as they held him to just 99 yards, his lowest of the season. The game was Eskridge's first in 2020 without at least 230 all purpose yards. Moreover, his kick return yards (30) and receiving yards (53) against EMU were season lows.

ANOTHER MAC ROAD WIN: EMU's road win over Western, Dec. 5, was another feather in the cap for seventh-year Head Coach Chris Creighton. With the win, Creighton has now defeated all but three conference opponents in their respective home venues. Creighton is still searching for wins at Buffalo, Central Michigan, and Toledo.

WITH A WIN: If Eastern can beat Northern Illinois, it will mark consecutive victories for the Green and White over NIU for the first time since it won two in-a-row over the Huskies in 1987 and 1997, respectively. The two teams did not play for nearly a decade between that span due to NIU's brief departure from the league.

CLOSING AGAINST THE HUSKIES: The EMU-NIU matchup on Dec. 12 will mark the 12th time in the 129-year history of the EMU program that the Green and White has closed its regular season against Northern Illinois.
   The first regular-season finale between the two schools came in 1955, when Eastern traveled to DeKalb, Ill. and earned a 13-6 victory, Nov. 12, 1955. EMU closed out its season with a win again over NIU in 1956, but has since lost nine straight regular season closers to Northern Illinois, most recently falling in 2012 to the No. 24/23 Huskies, 49-7, in Ypsilanti, Nov. 25, 2012.

CLOSE CONNECTIONS: Second-year offensive line coach James Patton will have the challenge of coaching against family when EMU faces Northern Illinois, Dec. 12. Patton's son, Brayden, is a redshirt senior offensive lineman for the Huskies.

ALL-TIME AGAINST THE HUSKIES: The Eagles and Huskies have met 50 times in their respective histories in a series that dates back to 1927. NIU holds a strong lead in the all-time tally, going 33-15-2, including winning 11 of the last 12 contests. Three of EMU's last four meetings with NIU have been decided in overtime by a combined 13 points. Last season, EMU defeated NIU, 45-17, in DeKalb.

LAST TIME WE MET: It was a historic showing for the Eastern as it defeated NIU, 45-17,inside Huskie Stadium, Nov. 19, 2019. The win gave Eastern bowl eligibility in consecutive years for the first time, and for just the fifth time in program history.
   The victory was EMU's first over NIU since the 2007 season, while it was the Eagles' most points scored against the Huskies on their home field since 1997. Additionally, the game was only the ninth since 2000 in which Eastern has hung 45-plus points on a conference opponent.
   Eastern overpowered the Huskies in every aspect of the game. Offensively, senior quarterback Mike Glass III was electric, completing 20-of-24 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns. In total, five different players scored a touchdown, while senior receiver Arthur Jackson III hauled in five passes for 78 yards, scoring two touchdowns in his effort.
   Defensively, EMU provided one of its best performances of the year, forcing three interceptions while holding NIU under 350 total yards. Senior defensive back Brody Hoying collected two interceptions, making him the first Eagle to record two INTs in a game since DaQuan Pace did so at Ball State, Nov. 8, 2016.

EMU ON THE NATIONAL LEADERBOARDS: EMU has notched itself onto the national and conference leaderboards in a slew of individual and team-based categories. Senior linebacker Terry Myrick continues to be one of the nation's best tacklers, ranking first in the MAC and fourth in the NCAA in tackles per game (12.8), while as a team, EMU is the best-of-the-best in red zone offense (23-for-23), and red zone defense (No. 4 nationally).

THAT'S BRILLIANT, NO IT'S GENIUS: During the 2020 football season, EMU's Media Relations Office has been selected to participate in the NCAA's LiveStats for Football Controlled Release Program. Recognized by the NCAA Media Coordination and Statistics staff, EMU is one of 14 FBS members to test the new football statistical tracking program. Created by Genius Sports, NCAA LiveStats will replace Stat Crew which has been the national standard for in-game statistics since the late-1990s. The program will utilize a smaller, dedicated group of schools for extensive training and individual attention to prepare for a full release to all NCAA institutions in 2021.
Other schools in the program include Arizona State, BYU, Florida State, Illinois, Liberty, Maryland, Minnesota, Notre Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma State, Rutgers, Texas A&M, and TCU.

Regular-Season Finale Set for Saturday, Dec. 12, Against NIU

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Players Mentioned

Hassan Beydoun

Darius Boone Jr.

Samson Evans

Mike Glass III

Korey Hernandez

Brody Hoying

Preston Hutchinson

Arthur Jackson III

Tanner Knue

Mark Lee Jr.

Terry Myrick

DaQuan Pace

Jose Ramirez

Chad Ryland

Shaq Vann

Eastern Michigan Athletics