Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, September 24
Ypsilanti, Mich.
12 p.m.
Eastern Michigan University
vs
Buffalo
EMU Set to Open the MAC Slate Versus Buffalo Saturday, Sept. 24
9/19/2022 4:44:00 PM | Football
Game 4 • Sept. 24, 2022 • 12 p.m. • Ypsilanti, Mich. • Rynearson Stadium (30,200)
| Football vs. Buffalo | |
| Date | Saturday, Sept. 24 | 12 p.m. ET |
| Venue | Ypsilanti, Mich. | Rynearson Stadium |
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| Watch | CBS Sports Network | Channel Finder for CBSSN |
| Listen | WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) | The Varsity Network App | Eastern Insider Podcast |
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YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – One week after recording its fourth 'Power Five' victory, over Arizona State University, the Eastern Michigan University football team returns home to begin Mid-American Conference play when the Eagles battle the University at Buffalo Saturday, Sept. 24, at Rynearson Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. inside "The Factory."
The Eagles (2-1, 0-0 MAC) return to play after a historic night in Tempe, in which they defeated Pacific-12 Conference foe ASU, 30-21, Sept. 17. They will face a Buffalo (0-3, 0-0 MAC) team that is hungry for its first victory of the season. The Bulls fought tough, but ultimately came up short, 38-26, against Coastal Carolina University in its most recent affair, which took place last Saturday on the "surf turf".
The game on Saturday will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network. WEMU 89.1 FM will also carry the action as Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick will have the call, along with pregame and halftime contributions from Greg Steiner.
FAMILY DAY IN YPSILANTI: Saturday's game against Buffalo will be part of EMU's campus-wide "Family Weekend." The game will feature numerous child-friendly activities (free kids zone, photo opportunities, etc.). The festivities will also include the return of Eastern's annual Beer Fest, where fans can purchase an upgraded ticket package and take home a souvenir pint glass. New this year, Rynearson Stadium will also host a classic car show during the Buffalo game. Fans can enjoy the hot rods, which will be placed throughout the stadium.
RETURN OF THE #MACTION: EMU's game against Buffalo, Sept. 24, will officially kick off the team's 47th season of play in the Mid-American Conference. EMU first took on a MAC schedule during the 1976 campaign, and has competed amongst its conference foes in every subsequent year since. Eastern currently holds a 117-239-6 mark in MAC contests. The Green and White captured its lone conference championship in 1987.
AWARDS A PLENTY: For handing Arizona State its first home non-conference loss since 2017 and becoming the first Mid-American Conference team to beat a Pac-12 Conference team in the regular season, the Eagles earned the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 17, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
This is the first time for Eastern Michigan to earn team of the week honors and the first for a MAC school since Buffalo on Nov. 28, 2020. The Eagles become only the sixth MAC school to win the award since it debuted in 2002. All Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected.
Additionally, three players were honored as Mid-American Conference West Division Players of the Week, the league office announced today, Sept. 19. Senior running back Samson Evans, junior defensive back Kempton Shine, and sophomore place kicker Jesús Gómez earned the distinction of offensive, defensive, and special teams players of the week, respectively.
IN MAC OPENERS: The Eagles will be looking for their 13th overall victory in a conference-opener as they hold a 12-34 record in MAC season openers. Additionally, it marks just the third time the Eagles and Bulls have lifted the lid on the conference slate as the pair split the previous two occurrences in 2004 (EMU, 37-34) and 2018 (UB, 35-28). This is the first conference-opening meeting between the pair at Rynearson Stadium since 2004.
A WIN WOULD: A win would give Eastern Michigan its first win over Buffalo since the 2014 season, when it defeated the Bulls, 37-27, inside Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 10. The two squads have met just twice since, with UB emerging victorious in both 2018 (35-28, Sept. 15), and 2019 (43-14, Nov. 2), respectively.
THE NOT-SO UNDERDOGS: Head Coach Chris Creighton has directed his EMU teams to four "Power Five" wins during his tenure in Ypsilanti (Rutgers – 2017, Purdue – 2018, Illinois – 2019, Arizona State - 2022). The Eagles added their fourth with a dominant 30-21 win over the Arizona State University Sun Devils, on the road in the Valley of the Sun, Sept. 17. Creighton is the only MAC coach to have multiple "Power 5" wins.
FLY THE FLAG: Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher debuted a pirate flag in 2018 for when a conference member posts a non-conference victory. EMU had previously posted road non-conference wins in 2015 (Wyoming), 2016 (Charlotte), 2017 (Rutgers), 2018 (Purdue), 2019 (Illinois), and 2021 (UMass). The streak, which extends thanks to Eastern's victory over Arizona State, Sept. 17, is the longest by EMU since the then-Hurons rolled off non-league road triumphs in 10 consecutive years between 1966 and 1975.
NON-CON FUN: EMU has recorded a non-conference victory in every eligible campaign (Mid-American Conference only schedule in 2020) since the 2011 campaign. That is the longest streak for the program since the statistic began being tracked in 1976. The previous best was a five-year stretch between 1985-89.
Additionally, Chris Creighton's teams have won 18 of the 49 total non-conference triumphs for the program since 1976, good for 37 percent of that total accumulation.
PLAYED, AND WON: With its 30-21 win over Arizona State, Eastern Michigan has now recorded a non-conference road victory in every eligible campaign since the 2015 season. That is the best stretch for the program since the statistic has been tracked (1976). The program has won 13 non-conference road games since 1976. Head Coach Chris Creighton is responsible for 62 percent (8) of those victories, the most by any EMU bench boss during that span.
HANDLING THE HEAT: Coming into its game against EMU, Arizona State had successfully defended its home turf against non-conference foes in seven consecutive games, dating back to the 2017 campaign. Eastern's 30-21 victory was the first home loss suffered by ASU, against a non-league foe since it fell, 30-20, at the hands of San Diego State University, of the Mountain West Conference, Sept. 9, 2017.
EASTERN MAKES HISTORY IN THE DESERT: Eastern's win over Arizona State was more than exciting - it was historic. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Eastern's win is the first regular season triumph for any Mid-American Conference institution over a member of the PAC-12. Moreover, EMU picked up just the conference's second win against the PAC-12, after Central Michigan University defeated Washington State University in the 2021 Sun Bowl. The MAC is now 2-23 all-time against the PAC-12.
JUST HOW BIG WAS THE UPSET?: Eastern Michigan entered its game against Arizona State as a 20.5-point underdog. According to Action Network Colleges, the Eagle victory is the second-biggest upset over the Sun Devils, by pregame point spread, in the last 20 years. UNLV was a 25-point underdog when it defeated ASU in 2008.
MOVING UP THE LADDER: With his team's 30-21 win over Arizona State, Sept. 17, Head Coach Chris Creighton picked up his 39th victory at Eastern Michigan. He now sits just two wins away from tying Jim Harkema (41 wins), for the fourth-best total by any head coach in program history.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won nearly 50 percent (36-of-73) 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.
BEST YET: Through its first two games, the EMU defense had allowed an average of 475.5 yards per contest to its opponents. The Green and White was much improved against Arizona State, Sept. 17, where it kept the Sun Devils to just 352 total yards of offense. That number is a 36 percent decrease over its season average.
SO FAR, SO GOOD: The Eastern Michigan offense remained red hot in the red zone, against Arizona State, Sept. 17. The Green and White put together five trips inside the Sun Devils' 20-yard line, and came away with points on each. The Eagles are a perfect 13-for-13 in its red zone trips this season, coming away with points in each trip thus far. Tied for first nationally in the category, Eastern is one of just 20 teams who are still perfect inside the 20 this season.
Red zone success is not uncommon at EMU. Offensively, EMU ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 100 percent red zone scoring clip (tied with Washington State University) in 2020. The Eagles produced points in 28-of-28 trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line that season. In total, 21 of EMU's red zone trips resulted in touchdowns. Additionally, the team averaged 4.66 trips to the red zone per game in 2020.
STARTING HOT: The Eastern Michigan offense has been dialed in at the start of its last two respective contests. The Green and White put together a 12-play, 56-yard drive over 3:56 to start its game against the Sun Devils, Sept. 17. The drive ended in a field goal, and secured consecutive game-opening scoring drives for EMU. The last time Eastern had back-to-back contests with opening-drive scores came in November 2021, when it did so in games against Ohio University, Nov. 9, and Western Michigan University, Nov. 16.
FIRST HALF SURGE: Eastern Michigan scored 24 points in the first half of its contest against Arizona State. That total is the highest for the team since Nov. 2, 2021, when EMU dropped 24 in the first half of its game at the University of Toledo. That game ended in victorious fashion for the Eagles, who defeated the Rockets, 52-49.
Eastern Michigan has scored 20+ points in the first half of games 25 times under Chris Creighton. The Eagles are 20-5 in those games. Moreover, eight of those 20 games (40%) have come since the start of the 2020 season, when Creighton began calling the offensive plays for the team. The stat is even more impressive when considering that the 2020 season featured just a six-game slate.
CLICKING FROM THE START: The Eagles finished the first half of its game at Arizona State with 307 total yards of offense, the most for the team in any game this season. Additionally, EMU's 154 rushing yards in the first half were more than any full-game total for the team this season. Eastern's previous high of 124 yards came against Eastern Kentucky University, Sept. 2.
BIG TIME RUSH: Eastern Michigan went for 307 yards on the ground against the Sun Devils, just the second game under Head Coach Chris Creighton the team has hit that number and the most since it put up 337 rushing yards against Buffalo, Oct. 11, 2014. EMU's single-game team high in rushing yardage is 413, which it did in a game against Indiana State University, Aug. 28, 2008.
EVANS EATS...AND EATS...AND EATS: Senior running back Samson Evans put together a career night in EMU's win over ASU. The Crystal Lake, Ill. native carried the ball 36 times for 258 yards on the ground with one touchdown, an average of 7.2 yards per carry on the night. Evans also pulled in one pass for seven yards and returned one kickoff for 21 yards to finish the game with 286 all-purpose yards. The ground game, which finished with 305 yards against the Sun Devils, saw Evans record the third-highest rush total in program history and just the sixth 250-yard-plus game in program history, the first since the 2013 season (Bronson Hill, 257 vs. Ohio University, Oct. 19, 2013).
Evans, who entered the game with a career-best 89 yards rushing against Eastern Kentucky University (Sept. 2) earlier this year, recorded 107 yards rushing in the fourth quarter alone as he averaged 8.9 yards per carry. Additionally, when adding in his 55 yards from the third quarter, Evans' 162 yards in the second half ranks second among full game totals for the year in the MAC behind Lew Nichols' 166 total for Central Michigan against Bucknell (Sept. 17, 2022). His 258-yard effort is the best single-game total by any player in the NCAA this season.
MORE ON SAMSON: In addition to having the single-best rushing performance in the NCAA this season, senior Samson Evans has also been one of the most consistently good backs in the nation. He currently ranks 11th in the nation with 366 rushing yards. He is sixth in the country with a 122.0 rushing yards per game average. Additionally, Evans ranks first in the MAC and 18th nationally in all-purpose yards, where he has averaged 142.33 per game in 2022.
MOVING UP THE RANKS: With his rushing touchdown against ASU, Sept. 17, senior running back Samson Evans etched his name into the EMU record books. He now ranks tied for ninth all-time with 21 career touchdowns, tied with former Eagles Ian Eriksen (2015-18), Darius Jackson (2012-15) and Virgil Windom (1953-55) as three of just 12 players in the 131 program history to find the pay dirt 21+ times in a career.
EXPLOSIVE RUNS: According to Pro Football Focus, EMU's offense ranks second in the MAC in rushing yards before contact at 213. Northern Illinois leads the league with 221 yards acquired. Furthermore, the Green and White have recorded explosive runs on 18.8% (18-of-96) of its opportunities, second only to Toledo's 20.8 percent clip (20-of-96).
HOLDING THEM DOWN: Coming into its game against ASU, the EMU defense had allowed first down conversions on 18-of-29 opponent attempts in 2022, a number that equated to 62 percent and was the worst among Football Bowl Subdivision programs. The Eagles turned the tide against ASU, holding the Sun Devils to just a 3-for-8 clip.
STOPPING THE RETURN: EMU special teams is once again a highlight for the team this season. The Eagles' kickoff team is allowing just 17.11 yards per return this season, which ranks 28th in the nation. That number is nearly four yards less per return than a season ago, when the Eagles finished 80th nationally in the category.
HOW ABOUT JESUS: Sophomore kicker Jesus Gomez split the uprights on a 27-yard field goal attempt at 11:04 in the first quarter. It was the first field goal make of his career. Moreover, it was the first three-point attempt for Eastern Michigan this season. Prior to Saturday's game, EMU had not made a field goal since Dec. 18, 2021, against Liberty University.
Gomez finished the contest a perfect 3-of-3 on field goal attempts, while also hitting each of his three extra-point attempts.
THROUGH THREE: The Eagles have held their opponents scoreless in three consecutive first quarters to begin the 2022 campaign (EKU, Sept. 2; Louisiana, Sept. 10; Arizona State, Sept. 17). The Eastern Michigan defense has not held its opposition off the board in the first quarter in three consecutive games since the 2005-06 campaigns, respectively, when it did so in week 11 and 12 of 2005, and again in week one of 2006.
The three such games in 2022 equals the total recorded in the 2021 season by EMU. Last year, the three teams Eastern shutout in the first quarter were Saint Francis University (14-0), the University of Massachusetts (14-0), and Western Michigan University (0-0).
FIRST QUARTER SUCCESS: Eastern Michigan's defense has been up to the challenge in the first quarter this season, as the Eagles are one of 18 FBS teams to not allow a score in the opening stanza this season. One of just five "Group of Five'' teams on the list, Eastern joins the likes of Georgia, Michigan, Clemson, Minnesota, Washington State, Wisconsin, and Ole Miss.
Last season, EMU surrendered an average of 7.9 points per game in the first quarter.
HOT OUT OF HALFTIME: Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery continues to prove that his halftime adjustments are spot-on, as the EMU defense held an opponent scoreless in the third quarter yet again when it blanked Arizona State in the third frame, Sept. 17.
The third-quarter shutout marks the 15th time in Eastern's last 45 contests (33%) that its opponent has failed to score in the first quarter out of the break. Eastern has emerged victorious in eight of the 15 games in which it has held opponents scoreless in the third quarter during that stretch, with one loss coming in overtime.
The third-quarter shutout against ASU was the team's first since Sept. 3, 2021, against Saint Francis University.
TALK ABOUT STOUT: In addition to its first-quarter success on defense, Eastern Michigan has also been impressive coming out of the locker room in 2022. The Eagles prevented the Sun Devils from scoring their opening drive of the second half in its most recent game, Sept. 17. No EMU opponent has scored on its first drive of the second half in 2022.
FINE AS 29: The Eastern Michigan defense has gotten great production from a slew of players in 2022. EMU has seen at least 24 defenders record a tackle in each of its games this season, including a season-best 33 different tacklers against the University of Louisiana, Sept. 10. Nearly as good against Arizona State, 29 different defenders found the stat sheet against the Sun Devils in EMU's most recent contest, Sept. 17.
MOVING THE CHAINS: EMU's offense was one of the best in the Mid-American Conference on third down a season ago. As an offense, Eastern converted 42.4 percent (67-of-158) of its third down tries. That number ranked 45th in the nation in the regular season.
The EMU scoring unit is off to a good start in 2022. An 11-for-15 day, good for a 73 percent rate of conversion against Arizona State, puts EMU at 22-for-39 (56.4%) this season. That number ranks first in the MAC and is tied with the University of North Carolina for seventh in the nation.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (28 wins, 6 ties) the turnover battle in 34 of its last 36 victories under Creighton. The Eagles tied the turnover battle (1-1) against Arizona State, Sept. 17.
SHINE(ING) STAR: Kempton Shine was instrumental in the Eagles' 30-21 victory over the Sun Devils, Sept. 17. On perhaps the most important play of the game, Shine forced and collected an ASU fumble with just minutes remaining in the game and with the Sun Devils driving into EMU territory down just nine point. The forced fumble was the second of Shine's career, his first since punching one out against Northern Illinois, Dec. 12, 2020. It was his first fumble recovery since Nov. 27 of the same year, against Central Michigan.
Shine finished the night with six total tackles, which ranked second on the team, with four solo tackles, the most among Eagle defenders.
AWESOME AUSTIN: Sophomore quarterback Austin Smith came off the bench in the first quarter of Eastern's game at ASU, Sept. 17, and made an immediate impact. In just his second-career appearance, the Peach State native helped Eastern complete a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in which he completed 2-of-2 pass attempts, a career-high, as well as ran for 52 yards on four attempts, including a long of 20 yards. All of those statistics were also career bests. Smith ended the night with 60 yards passing with one touchdown while adding 59 yards on the ground.
MY MY MY, CHASE KLINE: First-year Eagle Chase Kline continues to make an impact on the Eastern Michigan defense. Kline led EMU with seven total tackles and one pass break-up against Arizona State, Sept. 17. He has now led the team in total tackles in two of EMU's three games, and leads the team with 21 total stops on the year. That number ranks 15th in the Mid-American Conference.
ALL-TIME VS BUFFALO: Saturday will mark the 10th time that EMU and Buffalo have met on the gridiron. The Eagles lead the all-time head-to-head series against the Bulls 6-3. It will be the third time Eastern has opened the conference slate against UB (2004 and 2018).
In 2018, the Eagles fell to the Bulls, 35-28, in a road affair. However, in 2004, EMU defeated UB 37-34 inside Rynearson Stadium.
LAST TIME VS THE BULLS: The last time the two programs met on the gridiron came in 2019 when Buffalo defeated Eastern, 43-14, Nov. 2. The meeting was also the last time EMU and UB met in Ypsilanti.
The Eagles will look to snap a two-game losing skid to the Bulls, with EMU's last win coming in 2014 when the Green and White defeated Buffalo 37-27, Oct. 11, inside Rynearson Stadium.
WELCOME TO #MACTION: EMU's game against Buffalo, Sept. 24, will officially kick off the team's 47th season of play in the Mid-American Conference. EMU first took on a MAC schedule during the 1976 campaign, and has competed amongst its conference foes in every subsequent year since. Eastern currently holds a 117-239-6 mark in MAC contests. The Green and White captured its lone conference championship in 1987.
CLOSE CONNECTION: Former Eagle Quian Williams is now a member of the Buffalo Bulls. During his time donning the Green and White, Williams hauled in 76 passes for 983 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 23 games played from 2018-20.
ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will conclude their non-conference slate with a meeting with the University of Massachusetts Saturday, Oct. 1. The game will serve as the capper to Eastern's annual Homecoming week, with activities taking place all week long across campus. For more information on Homecoming activities, visit emich.edu.
The Eagles (2-1, 0-0 MAC) return to play after a historic night in Tempe, in which they defeated Pacific-12 Conference foe ASU, 30-21, Sept. 17. They will face a Buffalo (0-3, 0-0 MAC) team that is hungry for its first victory of the season. The Bulls fought tough, but ultimately came up short, 38-26, against Coastal Carolina University in its most recent affair, which took place last Saturday on the "surf turf".
The game on Saturday will be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network. WEMU 89.1 FM will also carry the action as Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick will have the call, along with pregame and halftime contributions from Greg Steiner.
FAMILY DAY IN YPSILANTI: Saturday's game against Buffalo will be part of EMU's campus-wide "Family Weekend." The game will feature numerous child-friendly activities (free kids zone, photo opportunities, etc.). The festivities will also include the return of Eastern's annual Beer Fest, where fans can purchase an upgraded ticket package and take home a souvenir pint glass. New this year, Rynearson Stadium will also host a classic car show during the Buffalo game. Fans can enjoy the hot rods, which will be placed throughout the stadium.
RETURN OF THE #MACTION: EMU's game against Buffalo, Sept. 24, will officially kick off the team's 47th season of play in the Mid-American Conference. EMU first took on a MAC schedule during the 1976 campaign, and has competed amongst its conference foes in every subsequent year since. Eastern currently holds a 117-239-6 mark in MAC contests. The Green and White captured its lone conference championship in 1987.
AWARDS A PLENTY: For handing Arizona State its first home non-conference loss since 2017 and becoming the first Mid-American Conference team to beat a Pac-12 Conference team in the regular season, the Eagles earned the Cheez-It Bowl National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend of Sept. 17, as selected by the Football Writers Association of America.
This is the first time for Eastern Michigan to earn team of the week honors and the first for a MAC school since Buffalo on Nov. 28, 2020. The Eagles become only the sixth MAC school to win the award since it debuted in 2002. All Division I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected.
Additionally, three players were honored as Mid-American Conference West Division Players of the Week, the league office announced today, Sept. 19. Senior running back Samson Evans, junior defensive back Kempton Shine, and sophomore place kicker Jesús Gómez earned the distinction of offensive, defensive, and special teams players of the week, respectively.
IN MAC OPENERS: The Eagles will be looking for their 13th overall victory in a conference-opener as they hold a 12-34 record in MAC season openers. Additionally, it marks just the third time the Eagles and Bulls have lifted the lid on the conference slate as the pair split the previous two occurrences in 2004 (EMU, 37-34) and 2018 (UB, 35-28). This is the first conference-opening meeting between the pair at Rynearson Stadium since 2004.
A WIN WOULD: A win would give Eastern Michigan its first win over Buffalo since the 2014 season, when it defeated the Bulls, 37-27, inside Rynearson Stadium, Oct. 10. The two squads have met just twice since, with UB emerging victorious in both 2018 (35-28, Sept. 15), and 2019 (43-14, Nov. 2), respectively.
THE NOT-SO UNDERDOGS: Head Coach Chris Creighton has directed his EMU teams to four "Power Five" wins during his tenure in Ypsilanti (Rutgers – 2017, Purdue – 2018, Illinois – 2019, Arizona State - 2022). The Eagles added their fourth with a dominant 30-21 win over the Arizona State University Sun Devils, on the road in the Valley of the Sun, Sept. 17. Creighton is the only MAC coach to have multiple "Power 5" wins.
FLY THE FLAG: Mid-American Conference Commissioner Dr. Jon Steinbrecher debuted a pirate flag in 2018 for when a conference member posts a non-conference victory. EMU had previously posted road non-conference wins in 2015 (Wyoming), 2016 (Charlotte), 2017 (Rutgers), 2018 (Purdue), 2019 (Illinois), and 2021 (UMass). The streak, which extends thanks to Eastern's victory over Arizona State, Sept. 17, is the longest by EMU since the then-Hurons rolled off non-league road triumphs in 10 consecutive years between 1966 and 1975.
NON-CON FUN: EMU has recorded a non-conference victory in every eligible campaign (Mid-American Conference only schedule in 2020) since the 2011 campaign. That is the longest streak for the program since the statistic began being tracked in 1976. The previous best was a five-year stretch between 1985-89.
Additionally, Chris Creighton's teams have won 18 of the 49 total non-conference triumphs for the program since 1976, good for 37 percent of that total accumulation.
PLAYED, AND WON: With its 30-21 win over Arizona State, Eastern Michigan has now recorded a non-conference road victory in every eligible campaign since the 2015 season. That is the best stretch for the program since the statistic has been tracked (1976). The program has won 13 non-conference road games since 1976. Head Coach Chris Creighton is responsible for 62 percent (8) of those victories, the most by any EMU bench boss during that span.
HANDLING THE HEAT: Coming into its game against EMU, Arizona State had successfully defended its home turf against non-conference foes in seven consecutive games, dating back to the 2017 campaign. Eastern's 30-21 victory was the first home loss suffered by ASU, against a non-league foe since it fell, 30-20, at the hands of San Diego State University, of the Mountain West Conference, Sept. 9, 2017.
EASTERN MAKES HISTORY IN THE DESERT: Eastern's win over Arizona State was more than exciting - it was historic. According to Elias Sports Bureau, Eastern's win is the first regular season triumph for any Mid-American Conference institution over a member of the PAC-12. Moreover, EMU picked up just the conference's second win against the PAC-12, after Central Michigan University defeated Washington State University in the 2021 Sun Bowl. The MAC is now 2-23 all-time against the PAC-12.
JUST HOW BIG WAS THE UPSET?: Eastern Michigan entered its game against Arizona State as a 20.5-point underdog. According to Action Network Colleges, the Eagle victory is the second-biggest upset over the Sun Devils, by pregame point spread, in the last 20 years. UNLV was a 25-point underdog when it defeated ASU in 2008.
MOVING UP THE LADDER: With his team's 30-21 win over Arizona State, Sept. 17, Head Coach Chris Creighton picked up his 39th victory at Eastern Michigan. He now sits just two wins away from tying Jim Harkema (41 wins), for the fourth-best total by any head coach in program history.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won nearly 50 percent (36-of-73) 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.
BEST YET: Through its first two games, the EMU defense had allowed an average of 475.5 yards per contest to its opponents. The Green and White was much improved against Arizona State, Sept. 17, where it kept the Sun Devils to just 352 total yards of offense. That number is a 36 percent decrease over its season average.
SO FAR, SO GOOD: The Eastern Michigan offense remained red hot in the red zone, against Arizona State, Sept. 17. The Green and White put together five trips inside the Sun Devils' 20-yard line, and came away with points on each. The Eagles are a perfect 13-for-13 in its red zone trips this season, coming away with points in each trip thus far. Tied for first nationally in the category, Eastern is one of just 20 teams who are still perfect inside the 20 this season.
Red zone success is not uncommon at EMU. Offensively, EMU ranked No. 1 in the nation with a 100 percent red zone scoring clip (tied with Washington State University) in 2020. The Eagles produced points in 28-of-28 trips inside the opponent's 20-yard line that season. In total, 21 of EMU's red zone trips resulted in touchdowns. Additionally, the team averaged 4.66 trips to the red zone per game in 2020.
STARTING HOT: The Eastern Michigan offense has been dialed in at the start of its last two respective contests. The Green and White put together a 12-play, 56-yard drive over 3:56 to start its game against the Sun Devils, Sept. 17. The drive ended in a field goal, and secured consecutive game-opening scoring drives for EMU. The last time Eastern had back-to-back contests with opening-drive scores came in November 2021, when it did so in games against Ohio University, Nov. 9, and Western Michigan University, Nov. 16.
FIRST HALF SURGE: Eastern Michigan scored 24 points in the first half of its contest against Arizona State. That total is the highest for the team since Nov. 2, 2021, when EMU dropped 24 in the first half of its game at the University of Toledo. That game ended in victorious fashion for the Eagles, who defeated the Rockets, 52-49.
Eastern Michigan has scored 20+ points in the first half of games 25 times under Chris Creighton. The Eagles are 20-5 in those games. Moreover, eight of those 20 games (40%) have come since the start of the 2020 season, when Creighton began calling the offensive plays for the team. The stat is even more impressive when considering that the 2020 season featured just a six-game slate.
CLICKING FROM THE START: The Eagles finished the first half of its game at Arizona State with 307 total yards of offense, the most for the team in any game this season. Additionally, EMU's 154 rushing yards in the first half were more than any full-game total for the team this season. Eastern's previous high of 124 yards came against Eastern Kentucky University, Sept. 2.
BIG TIME RUSH: Eastern Michigan went for 307 yards on the ground against the Sun Devils, just the second game under Head Coach Chris Creighton the team has hit that number and the most since it put up 337 rushing yards against Buffalo, Oct. 11, 2014. EMU's single-game team high in rushing yardage is 413, which it did in a game against Indiana State University, Aug. 28, 2008.
EVANS EATS...AND EATS...AND EATS: Senior running back Samson Evans put together a career night in EMU's win over ASU. The Crystal Lake, Ill. native carried the ball 36 times for 258 yards on the ground with one touchdown, an average of 7.2 yards per carry on the night. Evans also pulled in one pass for seven yards and returned one kickoff for 21 yards to finish the game with 286 all-purpose yards. The ground game, which finished with 305 yards against the Sun Devils, saw Evans record the third-highest rush total in program history and just the sixth 250-yard-plus game in program history, the first since the 2013 season (Bronson Hill, 257 vs. Ohio University, Oct. 19, 2013).
Evans, who entered the game with a career-best 89 yards rushing against Eastern Kentucky University (Sept. 2) earlier this year, recorded 107 yards rushing in the fourth quarter alone as he averaged 8.9 yards per carry. Additionally, when adding in his 55 yards from the third quarter, Evans' 162 yards in the second half ranks second among full game totals for the year in the MAC behind Lew Nichols' 166 total for Central Michigan against Bucknell (Sept. 17, 2022). His 258-yard effort is the best single-game total by any player in the NCAA this season.
MORE ON SAMSON: In addition to having the single-best rushing performance in the NCAA this season, senior Samson Evans has also been one of the most consistently good backs in the nation. He currently ranks 11th in the nation with 366 rushing yards. He is sixth in the country with a 122.0 rushing yards per game average. Additionally, Evans ranks first in the MAC and 18th nationally in all-purpose yards, where he has averaged 142.33 per game in 2022.
MOVING UP THE RANKS: With his rushing touchdown against ASU, Sept. 17, senior running back Samson Evans etched his name into the EMU record books. He now ranks tied for ninth all-time with 21 career touchdowns, tied with former Eagles Ian Eriksen (2015-18), Darius Jackson (2012-15) and Virgil Windom (1953-55) as three of just 12 players in the 131 program history to find the pay dirt 21+ times in a career.
EXPLOSIVE RUNS: According to Pro Football Focus, EMU's offense ranks second in the MAC in rushing yards before contact at 213. Northern Illinois leads the league with 221 yards acquired. Furthermore, the Green and White have recorded explosive runs on 18.8% (18-of-96) of its opportunities, second only to Toledo's 20.8 percent clip (20-of-96).
HOLDING THEM DOWN: Coming into its game against ASU, the EMU defense had allowed first down conversions on 18-of-29 opponent attempts in 2022, a number that equated to 62 percent and was the worst among Football Bowl Subdivision programs. The Eagles turned the tide against ASU, holding the Sun Devils to just a 3-for-8 clip.
STOPPING THE RETURN: EMU special teams is once again a highlight for the team this season. The Eagles' kickoff team is allowing just 17.11 yards per return this season, which ranks 28th in the nation. That number is nearly four yards less per return than a season ago, when the Eagles finished 80th nationally in the category.
HOW ABOUT JESUS: Sophomore kicker Jesus Gomez split the uprights on a 27-yard field goal attempt at 11:04 in the first quarter. It was the first field goal make of his career. Moreover, it was the first three-point attempt for Eastern Michigan this season. Prior to Saturday's game, EMU had not made a field goal since Dec. 18, 2021, against Liberty University.
Gomez finished the contest a perfect 3-of-3 on field goal attempts, while also hitting each of his three extra-point attempts.
THROUGH THREE: The Eagles have held their opponents scoreless in three consecutive first quarters to begin the 2022 campaign (EKU, Sept. 2; Louisiana, Sept. 10; Arizona State, Sept. 17). The Eastern Michigan defense has not held its opposition off the board in the first quarter in three consecutive games since the 2005-06 campaigns, respectively, when it did so in week 11 and 12 of 2005, and again in week one of 2006.
The three such games in 2022 equals the total recorded in the 2021 season by EMU. Last year, the three teams Eastern shutout in the first quarter were Saint Francis University (14-0), the University of Massachusetts (14-0), and Western Michigan University (0-0).
FIRST QUARTER SUCCESS: Eastern Michigan's defense has been up to the challenge in the first quarter this season, as the Eagles are one of 18 FBS teams to not allow a score in the opening stanza this season. One of just five "Group of Five'' teams on the list, Eastern joins the likes of Georgia, Michigan, Clemson, Minnesota, Washington State, Wisconsin, and Ole Miss.
Last season, EMU surrendered an average of 7.9 points per game in the first quarter.
HOT OUT OF HALFTIME: Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery continues to prove that his halftime adjustments are spot-on, as the EMU defense held an opponent scoreless in the third quarter yet again when it blanked Arizona State in the third frame, Sept. 17.
The third-quarter shutout marks the 15th time in Eastern's last 45 contests (33%) that its opponent has failed to score in the first quarter out of the break. Eastern has emerged victorious in eight of the 15 games in which it has held opponents scoreless in the third quarter during that stretch, with one loss coming in overtime.
The third-quarter shutout against ASU was the team's first since Sept. 3, 2021, against Saint Francis University.
TALK ABOUT STOUT: In addition to its first-quarter success on defense, Eastern Michigan has also been impressive coming out of the locker room in 2022. The Eagles prevented the Sun Devils from scoring their opening drive of the second half in its most recent game, Sept. 17. No EMU opponent has scored on its first drive of the second half in 2022.
FINE AS 29: The Eastern Michigan defense has gotten great production from a slew of players in 2022. EMU has seen at least 24 defenders record a tackle in each of its games this season, including a season-best 33 different tacklers against the University of Louisiana, Sept. 10. Nearly as good against Arizona State, 29 different defenders found the stat sheet against the Sun Devils in EMU's most recent contest, Sept. 17.
MOVING THE CHAINS: EMU's offense was one of the best in the Mid-American Conference on third down a season ago. As an offense, Eastern converted 42.4 percent (67-of-158) of its third down tries. That number ranked 45th in the nation in the regular season.
The EMU scoring unit is off to a good start in 2022. An 11-for-15 day, good for a 73 percent rate of conversion against Arizona State, puts EMU at 22-for-39 (56.4%) this season. That number ranks first in the MAC and is tied with the University of North Carolina for seventh in the nation.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (28 wins, 6 ties) the turnover battle in 34 of its last 36 victories under Creighton. The Eagles tied the turnover battle (1-1) against Arizona State, Sept. 17.
SHINE(ING) STAR: Kempton Shine was instrumental in the Eagles' 30-21 victory over the Sun Devils, Sept. 17. On perhaps the most important play of the game, Shine forced and collected an ASU fumble with just minutes remaining in the game and with the Sun Devils driving into EMU territory down just nine point. The forced fumble was the second of Shine's career, his first since punching one out against Northern Illinois, Dec. 12, 2020. It was his first fumble recovery since Nov. 27 of the same year, against Central Michigan.
Shine finished the night with six total tackles, which ranked second on the team, with four solo tackles, the most among Eagle defenders.
AWESOME AUSTIN: Sophomore quarterback Austin Smith came off the bench in the first quarter of Eastern's game at ASU, Sept. 17, and made an immediate impact. In just his second-career appearance, the Peach State native helped Eastern complete a 13-play, 75-yard touchdown drive in which he completed 2-of-2 pass attempts, a career-high, as well as ran for 52 yards on four attempts, including a long of 20 yards. All of those statistics were also career bests. Smith ended the night with 60 yards passing with one touchdown while adding 59 yards on the ground.
MY MY MY, CHASE KLINE: First-year Eagle Chase Kline continues to make an impact on the Eastern Michigan defense. Kline led EMU with seven total tackles and one pass break-up against Arizona State, Sept. 17. He has now led the team in total tackles in two of EMU's three games, and leads the team with 21 total stops on the year. That number ranks 15th in the Mid-American Conference.
ALL-TIME VS BUFFALO: Saturday will mark the 10th time that EMU and Buffalo have met on the gridiron. The Eagles lead the all-time head-to-head series against the Bulls 6-3. It will be the third time Eastern has opened the conference slate against UB (2004 and 2018).
In 2018, the Eagles fell to the Bulls, 35-28, in a road affair. However, in 2004, EMU defeated UB 37-34 inside Rynearson Stadium.
LAST TIME VS THE BULLS: The last time the two programs met on the gridiron came in 2019 when Buffalo defeated Eastern, 43-14, Nov. 2. The meeting was also the last time EMU and UB met in Ypsilanti.
The Eagles will look to snap a two-game losing skid to the Bulls, with EMU's last win coming in 2014 when the Green and White defeated Buffalo 37-27, Oct. 11, inside Rynearson Stadium.
WELCOME TO #MACTION: EMU's game against Buffalo, Sept. 24, will officially kick off the team's 47th season of play in the Mid-American Conference. EMU first took on a MAC schedule during the 1976 campaign, and has competed amongst its conference foes in every subsequent year since. Eastern currently holds a 117-239-6 mark in MAC contests. The Green and White captured its lone conference championship in 1987.
CLOSE CONNECTION: Former Eagle Quian Williams is now a member of the Buffalo Bulls. During his time donning the Green and White, Williams hauled in 76 passes for 983 receiving yards and eight touchdowns in 23 games played from 2018-20.
ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will conclude their non-conference slate with a meeting with the University of Massachusetts Saturday, Oct. 1. The game will serve as the capper to Eastern's annual Homecoming week, with activities taking place all week long across campus. For more information on Homecoming activities, visit emich.edu.
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