Eastern Michigan Athletics
Saturday, September 10
Lafayette, La.
6 p.m. CT
Eastern Michigan University
at
Louisiana
Football Heads to the Bayou for a Battle with Louisiana
9/5/2022 1:38:00 PM | Football
Game 2 • Sept. 10, 2022 • 6 p.m. CT (7 p.m. ET) • Lafayette, La. • Cajun Field (41,426)
| Football at Louisiana | |
| Date | Saturday, Sept. 10 | 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT) |
| Venue | Lafayette, La. | Cajun Field |
| Preview Info | EMU Notes | Media Guide | Press Conference Video |
| Live Stats | Fan Stats | Media Stats |
| Watch | NFL Network |
| Listen | WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) | The Varsity Network App | Eastern Insider Podcast |
| @EMUFB | @EMUAthletics | |
LAFAYETTE, Ind. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team will hit the road for the first time this season when it travels to the bayou for a meeting with the University of Louisiana, Saturday, Sept. 10, at Cajun Field. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. CT.
Eastern Michigan (1-0) is coming off a season-opening, 42-34 victory over Eastern Kentucky University, Sept. 2. Meanwhile, Louisiana (1-0) enters the contest after a 24-7 triumph over Southeast Louisiana University just one day later, Sept. 3.
The game will be broadcast nationally on the NFL 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.
HOT IN THE OPENERS: EMU fought to earn a 42-34, week one win over Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. With the win, EMU improves to 79-46-1 all-time in home openers and 45-17-1 when opening the season at home. In 131 years of EMU football, the Eagles have a record of 62-61-8 in season-opening games.
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. A 6-for-11 rate of conversion against EKU, Sept. 2, puts EMU second in the MAC and 26th in the nation in third down conversion percentage after the first week of the season.
CONTINUING TO FLUSH IT: Eastern's motto has been to go 1-0 each week while "flushing" the previous outcome. The short-term memory has proven beneficial for the program, with 42 of the last 71 (59%) contests decided by eight points or less. Eight games have been decided in overtime with 19 coming down to the final play. The trend was no different against EKU in EMU's season-opener, where the Eagles emerged victorious by an eight-point, 42-34, margin.
OH SO CLOSE: The Eagles have played in 42 one-score games since the beginning of the 2016 season and hold a 19-23 record in those contests. The setbacks have been by an average of fewer than six points. Overall, 21 of the 42 games have been decided by three points or less.
According to ESPN, since 2018, only one team has recorded more one-possession heartbreaks – the University of Nebraska. The Huskers have 21 losses of the sort, while EMU has 15.
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, 35 of EMU's last 40 MAC games and 49 of its last 61 games overall have either been a win or a one-possession loss.
SO FAR, SO GOOD: EMU was a perfect 5-for-5 on scoring opportunities in the red zone against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. Last season, the Green and White were just 48-of-57 (84%) in the red zone, with 35 of those conversions going as touchdowns (61%). EMU's five red zone scores against EKU were all touchdowns. The Eagles are one of 63 FBS teams with a perfect red zone clip in 2022.
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.
GOOD START ON OFFENSE: EMU put together 395 yards of total offense in its season-opener against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. That number is the most by the team since it collected 430 against Western Michigan, Nov. 16, 2021.
Eastern Michigan has totaled 395 yards-or-more of total offense in 55 percent of its games (11-of-20) since Chris Creighton took over the play-calling duties at the start of the 2020 campaign. EMU hit that margin in just 47% of games (35-of-75) during the first six seasons of the Creighton era (2014-19), in which he did not call plays.
CREIGHTON CONTINUES: Head Coach Chris Creighton added another win to his resume in season-opening games, taking his record to 7-2 overall as the Eagles bench boss following the team's win over EKU, Sept. 2. The San Francisco, Calif. native now sits at 6-1 in season-debuting home showdowns
MOVING UP THE LADDER: With his team's 42-34 win over Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2, Head Coach Chris Creighton picked up his 38th victory at Eastern Michigan. He now sits just three wins away from tying Jim Harkema (41 wins), for the fourth-best total by any head coach in program history.
FIRST TIME FOR EMU: Eastern secured the program's first win against Eastern Kentucky with its 42-34 victory over the Colonels, Sept. 2. The team's head-to-head record is now 1-3-1 against the Richmond, Ky.-based institution. The 2022 meeting was the first against EKU since the 1971 season, when the two teams deadlocked for a 0-0 tie in Ypsilanti, Oct. 16. This year's matchup was the first in series history with EMU playing as a Division I program.
Additionally, the win marks the first time the Eagles have defeated an Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) team. It also is the first contest against an ASUN opponent in program history.
FORTY-TWO ON THE BOARD: The Eagles racked up 42 points against EKU, Sept. 2, the most ever posted by the program against EKU. Eastern Michigan totaled more points against Eastern Kentucky in 2022 than it has in its previous four matchups with the Colonels combined (16).
The 42 points scored is the third most by a Chris Creighton-led EMU team in a season debut. His best season-opening total came in 2016, when the Eagles put up 61 points in a 61-14 rout over Mississippi Valley State University, Sept. 2. The Green and White also took down Monmouth University, 51-17, Aug. 31, 2018.
WHO KNUE?: Senior Tanner Knue recorded two touchdowns for the Eagles against EKU, Sept. 2. The game was Knue's second multi-touchdown performance of his career, and his first since he helped lead the Eagles to a 53-42 triumph over Western Michigan University, Dec. 5, 2020. The scoring receptions were Knue's first touchdown hauls since he found the pay dirt against the University of Toledo, Nov. 2, 2021.
MORE 42 FUN FACTS: EMU dropped 42 points on EKU in its season-opening game, Sept. 2. While the total is just the third best for an opener under ninth-year Head Coach Chris Creighton, it is also the ninth-best total by the team in any opening-game during its 131-year history.
BEST IN PROGRAM HISTORY: Chris Creighton is now 7-2 in season-opening games as the head coach at Eastern Michigan. Seven season-opening wins are the second-best total in program history (Elton J. Rynearson – 13), but Creighton's .778 winning percentage in lid-lifters is the best mark of any coach with at least five seasons at the helm of the program (9 total).
FLYING HIGH OVER THE FCS: With its win over EKU, Sept. 2, the Green and White improved to 72-55-10 against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams. EMU's triumph over the Colonels marks the program's first win over an FCS opponent since last season's 35-15 season-opening take down of St. Francis University (Pa.), Sept. 3, 2021.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won nearly 50 percent (35-of-71) 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.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (28 wins, 5 ties) the turnover battle in 33 of its last 35 victories under Creighton. The Eagles tied the turnover battle (2-2) against EKU.
SPECIAL TEAMS SPARK: EMU kick returners made an immediate impact on field position for the Green and White in its season-opening game against EKU, Sept. 2. The Eagles returned four kicks for 110 yards. The squad was led by senior Hassan Beydoun, who totaled a team-best 75 yards of total kickoff return yardage. Newcomer Jaylon Jackson got in on the action as well, with a game-best 35-yard return against the Colonels. The team's 27.5 yards per return average currently ranks second in the MAC and 17th in the nation.
Last season, EMU averaged just 17.0 yards per kick return, which ranked 11th in the MAC.
PLAYMAKER POWELL: First-year signal caller Taylor Powell was outstanding for the Green and White in his debut, against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. Powell finished the game 21-of-30 through the air, amassing 271 yards while tossing for three touchdowns. He also ran one in to finish the night with four total scores. His three passing touchdowns are the ninth, 10th and 11th of his collegiate career, respectively (Troy University - 7; University of Missouri - 1). Additionally, it is the first time Powell has thrown for three touchdowns in a single game in his career while his four total touchdowns are also a single-game career high.
BETTER THAN MOST: Senior signal caller Taylor Powell is off to an efficient start in 2022. He completed 70 percent (21-of-30) of his passes against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. That number currently ranks fifth in the MAC and 42nd in the nation. EMU's 70 percent team completion percentage is atop the Mid-American Conference.
SAMSON SETS THE STANDARD: After leading all Mid-American Conference players with 13 rushing touchdowns in 2021, it did not take senior running back Samson Evans long to get going in 2022. The Prairie Ridge, Ill. native led the team with 89 yards rushing on 15 attempts, and found the endzone twice against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. Evans has scored a rushing touchdown in three consecutive contests dating back to 2021. Additionally, his effort against EKU marked his fifth multi-score game as an Eagle. The 15 attempts on the ground is a career-high for Evans, who previously rushed a personal-best 14 times against Ball State University, Nov. 11, 2020 – his career debut at EMU. He has attempted 10+ runs six times during his EMU career.
RECOVERY RUSS: Senior defensive back Russell Vaden IV registered a fumble recovery in the second quarter of EMU's game against EKU, Sept. 2. The recovery was the second of his career, with the other coming in a game against Western Michigan, Nov. 16, 2021.
MARVELOUS MELVIN: Sophomore Melvin Swindle II recorded his first career forced fumble after punching the pigskin out of the hands of an EKU running back in the second quarter of Eastern's 42-34 win over the Colonels, Sept. 2. Eastern's defense has tallied a forced fumble in four consecutive contests dating back to the 2021 campaign.
BIG TIME BLAKE: Senior Blake Bogan grabbed his third career interception in the first quarter of EMU's game against EKU, Sept. 2. The pick was Bogan's first interception since the 2019 season, when the Eagles went on the road to collect a season-opening win over Coastal Carolina University, Aug. 31, 2019.
KLINE SHINES: Junior linebacker Chase Kline was as good as advertised in his debut game with the Green and White, Sept. 2. The first-year Eagle collected nine tackles to both lead the team and set a career-high. He previously recorded eight tackles in a game against Northwestern University, as a member of the Michigan State University football team, Nov. 28, 2020.
CRAW(FORD) DAD: Graduate student Jordan Crawford notched EMU's lone sack against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. The sack was the first of his career.
NEW CAREER-BEST MARKS: Just one stop behind the pace of team leader, Chase Kline, junior T.J. Peavy and senior linebacker Joe Sparacio both recorded eight tackles against EKU, Sept. 2. That number is a career-best for both individuals, respectfully.
HOW ABOUT JESUS?: Sophomore kicker Jesus Gomez, in his first collegiate game as a placekicker, went a perfect 6-for-6 in extra-point attempts, against EKU, Sept. 2, . Gomez's six extra points tie for the third-best total in single-game program history. The mark has been hit 18 times in the 131 years of EMU football. EMU's best single-game PAT total is eight, which has been hit five times.
IT'S TOMASEK TIME: Sophomore punter Mitchell Tomasek made his collegiate debut with EMU against EKU, Sept. 2. He booted a total of three times in the game, for 126 yards, an average of 42 yards per kick. He added one pin inside the opposition's 20-yard line, and logged a personal-best punt of 51 yards during a contest.
Tomasek kept EKU from returning a single punt for positive yards in his debut against the Colonels. EMU is one of just _ teams in the conference and _ teams nationally with that tally after one contest.
MOVING UP THE RANKS: With his pair of rushing touchdowns against EKU, Sept. 2, senior running back Samson Evans etched his name into the EMU record books. He now ranks tied for 24th all-time with 16 career touchdowns, tied with former Eagles Andy Schmitt (2005-09) and Sergio Bailey II (2016-17) as three of just 25 players in the 131 program history to find the pay dirst 16+ times in a career.
BEAT THE DRUM(MOND): Dylan Drummond is among the nation's most impactful wideouts. After a team-best four receptions against EKU, Sept. 2, the Cleveland, Ohio native now has 154 career receptions, which ranks 13th among all active FBS players (teammate Hassan Beydoun ranks seventh with 170). Additionally, he has recorded a reception in 32 consecutive games, which ranks third among active FBS players.
Last season, Drummond had 64 catches for 704 yards and a team-best six receiving touchdowns - a number that ranks tied for 10th all-time in a single season at EMU. Drummond now has 12 career receiving touchdowns, tied for fifth-most in EMU history.
ALL-TIME VS LOUISIANA: Saturday will mark the third time that Eastern Michigan and Louisiana have met on the gridiron. A rubber match of sorts, each team enters the contest with one victory in the series, with each squad defending its home turf successfully in 2005 (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and 2006 (Lafayette, La.), respectively.
LAST TIME VS. THE RAGIN' CAJUNS: EMU and UL have not met on the field for 16 years. The last time Eastern met with the Ragin' Cajuns came Sept. 30, 2006, when Louisiana defeated the Eagles 33-14 at Cajun Field in Lafayette. Redshirt freshman quarterback Andy Schmitt led the Eagles offensively, going 23-for-35 for 171 yards in the air while rushing for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Senior Eric Deslauriers racked up nine catches for 100 yards receiving.
ALL-TIME VS SUN BELT: EMU currently stands at 7-12-1 against current Sun Belt Conference programs. The Green and White have recorded victories against Arkansas State University, Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, the University of Louisiana-Monroe, Marshall University, and Texas State University. Eastern Michigan holds its best Sun Belt record with two wins against Louisiana-Monroe (2-2-1).
LAST TIME VS SUN BELT: Last season, the Eagles defeated Texas State by a score of 59-21 at Rynearson Stadium in week three of the regular season, ,Sept. 25, 2021. The Green and White put up 59 points on nine different scoring plays. The Eagles got on the board first, taking the lead for good at 7-0 when Samson Evans pushed it for a four-yard touchdown run to end a 10-play, 66-yard drive. Eastern Michigan then rode that lead to victory, increasing their advantage by 31 points along the way.
THE LONE LOUISIANAN: Offensive lineman Richard Bates Jr. is the only Eagle on the 2022 roster who hails from the Bayou State. The Kenner, La. native has appeared in 17 career games for the Eagles with seven starts over two years. Bates attended Scotlandville Magnet School in Baton Rouge, La. and was named all-district his junior and senior year, as well as all-state in his junior and senior years.
ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will continue their non-conference road trip with a meeting at Arizona State, Sept. 17. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. MST (11 p.m. ET) inside Sun Devil Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the PAC-12 Network, as well as WEMU 89.1 FM in local markets.
Eastern Michigan (1-0) is coming off a season-opening, 42-34 victory over Eastern Kentucky University, Sept. 2. Meanwhile, Louisiana (1-0) enters the contest after a 24-7 triumph over Southeast Louisiana University just one day later, Sept. 3.
The game will be broadcast nationally on the NFL 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.
HOT IN THE OPENERS: EMU fought to earn a 42-34, week one win over Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. With the win, EMU improves to 79-46-1 all-time in home openers and 45-17-1 when opening the season at home. In 131 years of EMU football, the Eagles have a record of 62-61-8 in season-opening games.
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. A 6-for-11 rate of conversion against EKU, Sept. 2, puts EMU second in the MAC and 26th in the nation in third down conversion percentage after the first week of the season.
CONTINUING TO FLUSH IT: Eastern's motto has been to go 1-0 each week while "flushing" the previous outcome. The short-term memory has proven beneficial for the program, with 42 of the last 71 (59%) contests decided by eight points or less. Eight games have been decided in overtime with 19 coming down to the final play. The trend was no different against EKU in EMU's season-opener, where the Eagles emerged victorious by an eight-point, 42-34, margin.
OH SO CLOSE: The Eagles have played in 42 one-score games since the beginning of the 2016 season and hold a 19-23 record in those contests. The setbacks have been by an average of fewer than six points. Overall, 21 of the 42 games have been decided by three points or less.
According to ESPN, since 2018, only one team has recorded more one-possession heartbreaks – the University of Nebraska. The Huskers have 21 losses of the sort, while EMU has 15.
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, 35 of EMU's last 40 MAC games and 49 of its last 61 games overall have either been a win or a one-possession loss.
SO FAR, SO GOOD: EMU was a perfect 5-for-5 on scoring opportunities in the red zone against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. Last season, the Green and White were just 48-of-57 (84%) in the red zone, with 35 of those conversions going as touchdowns (61%). EMU's five red zone scores against EKU were all touchdowns. The Eagles are one of 63 FBS teams with a perfect red zone clip in 2022.
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.
GOOD START ON OFFENSE: EMU put together 395 yards of total offense in its season-opener against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. That number is the most by the team since it collected 430 against Western Michigan, Nov. 16, 2021.
Eastern Michigan has totaled 395 yards-or-more of total offense in 55 percent of its games (11-of-20) since Chris Creighton took over the play-calling duties at the start of the 2020 campaign. EMU hit that margin in just 47% of games (35-of-75) during the first six seasons of the Creighton era (2014-19), in which he did not call plays.
CREIGHTON CONTINUES: Head Coach Chris Creighton added another win to his resume in season-opening games, taking his record to 7-2 overall as the Eagles bench boss following the team's win over EKU, Sept. 2. The San Francisco, Calif. native now sits at 6-1 in season-debuting home showdowns
MOVING UP THE LADDER: With his team's 42-34 win over Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2, Head Coach Chris Creighton picked up his 38th victory at Eastern Michigan. He now sits just three wins away from tying Jim Harkema (41 wins), for the fourth-best total by any head coach in program history.
FIRST TIME FOR EMU: Eastern secured the program's first win against Eastern Kentucky with its 42-34 victory over the Colonels, Sept. 2. The team's head-to-head record is now 1-3-1 against the Richmond, Ky.-based institution. The 2022 meeting was the first against EKU since the 1971 season, when the two teams deadlocked for a 0-0 tie in Ypsilanti, Oct. 16. This year's matchup was the first in series history with EMU playing as a Division I program.
Additionally, the win marks the first time the Eagles have defeated an Atlantic Sun Conference (ASUN) team. It also is the first contest against an ASUN opponent in program history.
FORTY-TWO ON THE BOARD: The Eagles racked up 42 points against EKU, Sept. 2, the most ever posted by the program against EKU. Eastern Michigan totaled more points against Eastern Kentucky in 2022 than it has in its previous four matchups with the Colonels combined (16).
The 42 points scored is the third most by a Chris Creighton-led EMU team in a season debut. His best season-opening total came in 2016, when the Eagles put up 61 points in a 61-14 rout over Mississippi Valley State University, Sept. 2. The Green and White also took down Monmouth University, 51-17, Aug. 31, 2018.
WHO KNUE?: Senior Tanner Knue recorded two touchdowns for the Eagles against EKU, Sept. 2. The game was Knue's second multi-touchdown performance of his career, and his first since he helped lead the Eagles to a 53-42 triumph over Western Michigan University, Dec. 5, 2020. The scoring receptions were Knue's first touchdown hauls since he found the pay dirt against the University of Toledo, Nov. 2, 2021.
MORE 42 FUN FACTS: EMU dropped 42 points on EKU in its season-opening game, Sept. 2. While the total is just the third best for an opener under ninth-year Head Coach Chris Creighton, it is also the ninth-best total by the team in any opening-game during its 131-year history.
BEST IN PROGRAM HISTORY: Chris Creighton is now 7-2 in season-opening games as the head coach at Eastern Michigan. Seven season-opening wins are the second-best total in program history (Elton J. Rynearson – 13), but Creighton's .778 winning percentage in lid-lifters is the best mark of any coach with at least five seasons at the helm of the program (9 total).
FLYING HIGH OVER THE FCS: With its win over EKU, Sept. 2, the Green and White improved to 72-55-10 against Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) teams. EMU's triumph over the Colonels marks the program's first win over an FCS opponent since last season's 35-15 season-opening take down of St. Francis University (Pa.), Sept. 3, 2021.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won nearly 50 percent (35-of-71) 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.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton's program, Eastern has won or tied (28 wins, 5 ties) the turnover battle in 33 of its last 35 victories under Creighton. The Eagles tied the turnover battle (2-2) against EKU.
SPECIAL TEAMS SPARK: EMU kick returners made an immediate impact on field position for the Green and White in its season-opening game against EKU, Sept. 2. The Eagles returned four kicks for 110 yards. The squad was led by senior Hassan Beydoun, who totaled a team-best 75 yards of total kickoff return yardage. Newcomer Jaylon Jackson got in on the action as well, with a game-best 35-yard return against the Colonels. The team's 27.5 yards per return average currently ranks second in the MAC and 17th in the nation.
Last season, EMU averaged just 17.0 yards per kick return, which ranked 11th in the MAC.
PLAYMAKER POWELL: First-year signal caller Taylor Powell was outstanding for the Green and White in his debut, against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. Powell finished the game 21-of-30 through the air, amassing 271 yards while tossing for three touchdowns. He also ran one in to finish the night with four total scores. His three passing touchdowns are the ninth, 10th and 11th of his collegiate career, respectively (Troy University - 7; University of Missouri - 1). Additionally, it is the first time Powell has thrown for three touchdowns in a single game in his career while his four total touchdowns are also a single-game career high.
BETTER THAN MOST: Senior signal caller Taylor Powell is off to an efficient start in 2022. He completed 70 percent (21-of-30) of his passes against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. That number currently ranks fifth in the MAC and 42nd in the nation. EMU's 70 percent team completion percentage is atop the Mid-American Conference.
SAMSON SETS THE STANDARD: After leading all Mid-American Conference players with 13 rushing touchdowns in 2021, it did not take senior running back Samson Evans long to get going in 2022. The Prairie Ridge, Ill. native led the team with 89 yards rushing on 15 attempts, and found the endzone twice against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. Evans has scored a rushing touchdown in three consecutive contests dating back to 2021. Additionally, his effort against EKU marked his fifth multi-score game as an Eagle. The 15 attempts on the ground is a career-high for Evans, who previously rushed a personal-best 14 times against Ball State University, Nov. 11, 2020 – his career debut at EMU. He has attempted 10+ runs six times during his EMU career.
RECOVERY RUSS: Senior defensive back Russell Vaden IV registered a fumble recovery in the second quarter of EMU's game against EKU, Sept. 2. The recovery was the second of his career, with the other coming in a game against Western Michigan, Nov. 16, 2021.
MARVELOUS MELVIN: Sophomore Melvin Swindle II recorded his first career forced fumble after punching the pigskin out of the hands of an EKU running back in the second quarter of Eastern's 42-34 win over the Colonels, Sept. 2. Eastern's defense has tallied a forced fumble in four consecutive contests dating back to the 2021 campaign.
BIG TIME BLAKE: Senior Blake Bogan grabbed his third career interception in the first quarter of EMU's game against EKU, Sept. 2. The pick was Bogan's first interception since the 2019 season, when the Eagles went on the road to collect a season-opening win over Coastal Carolina University, Aug. 31, 2019.
KLINE SHINES: Junior linebacker Chase Kline was as good as advertised in his debut game with the Green and White, Sept. 2. The first-year Eagle collected nine tackles to both lead the team and set a career-high. He previously recorded eight tackles in a game against Northwestern University, as a member of the Michigan State University football team, Nov. 28, 2020.
CRAW(FORD) DAD: Graduate student Jordan Crawford notched EMU's lone sack against Eastern Kentucky, Sept. 2. The sack was the first of his career.
NEW CAREER-BEST MARKS: Just one stop behind the pace of team leader, Chase Kline, junior T.J. Peavy and senior linebacker Joe Sparacio both recorded eight tackles against EKU, Sept. 2. That number is a career-best for both individuals, respectfully.
HOW ABOUT JESUS?: Sophomore kicker Jesus Gomez, in his first collegiate game as a placekicker, went a perfect 6-for-6 in extra-point attempts, against EKU, Sept. 2, . Gomez's six extra points tie for the third-best total in single-game program history. The mark has been hit 18 times in the 131 years of EMU football. EMU's best single-game PAT total is eight, which has been hit five times.
IT'S TOMASEK TIME: Sophomore punter Mitchell Tomasek made his collegiate debut with EMU against EKU, Sept. 2. He booted a total of three times in the game, for 126 yards, an average of 42 yards per kick. He added one pin inside the opposition's 20-yard line, and logged a personal-best punt of 51 yards during a contest.
Tomasek kept EKU from returning a single punt for positive yards in his debut against the Colonels. EMU is one of just _ teams in the conference and _ teams nationally with that tally after one contest.
MOVING UP THE RANKS: With his pair of rushing touchdowns against EKU, Sept. 2, senior running back Samson Evans etched his name into the EMU record books. He now ranks tied for 24th all-time with 16 career touchdowns, tied with former Eagles Andy Schmitt (2005-09) and Sergio Bailey II (2016-17) as three of just 25 players in the 131 program history to find the pay dirst 16+ times in a career.
BEAT THE DRUM(MOND): Dylan Drummond is among the nation's most impactful wideouts. After a team-best four receptions against EKU, Sept. 2, the Cleveland, Ohio native now has 154 career receptions, which ranks 13th among all active FBS players (teammate Hassan Beydoun ranks seventh with 170). Additionally, he has recorded a reception in 32 consecutive games, which ranks third among active FBS players.
Last season, Drummond had 64 catches for 704 yards and a team-best six receiving touchdowns - a number that ranks tied for 10th all-time in a single season at EMU. Drummond now has 12 career receiving touchdowns, tied for fifth-most in EMU history.
ALL-TIME VS LOUISIANA: Saturday will mark the third time that Eastern Michigan and Louisiana have met on the gridiron. A rubber match of sorts, each team enters the contest with one victory in the series, with each squad defending its home turf successfully in 2005 (Ypsilanti, Mich.) and 2006 (Lafayette, La.), respectively.
LAST TIME VS. THE RAGIN' CAJUNS: EMU and UL have not met on the field for 16 years. The last time Eastern met with the Ragin' Cajuns came Sept. 30, 2006, when Louisiana defeated the Eagles 33-14 at Cajun Field in Lafayette. Redshirt freshman quarterback Andy Schmitt led the Eagles offensively, going 23-for-35 for 171 yards in the air while rushing for 62 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Senior Eric Deslauriers racked up nine catches for 100 yards receiving.
ALL-TIME VS SUN BELT: EMU currently stands at 7-12-1 against current Sun Belt Conference programs. The Green and White have recorded victories against Arkansas State University, Coastal Carolina, Louisiana, the University of Louisiana-Monroe, Marshall University, and Texas State University. Eastern Michigan holds its best Sun Belt record with two wins against Louisiana-Monroe (2-2-1).
LAST TIME VS SUN BELT: Last season, the Eagles defeated Texas State by a score of 59-21 at Rynearson Stadium in week three of the regular season, ,Sept. 25, 2021. The Green and White put up 59 points on nine different scoring plays. The Eagles got on the board first, taking the lead for good at 7-0 when Samson Evans pushed it for a four-yard touchdown run to end a 10-play, 66-yard drive. Eastern Michigan then rode that lead to victory, increasing their advantage by 31 points along the way.
THE LONE LOUISIANAN: Offensive lineman Richard Bates Jr. is the only Eagle on the 2022 roster who hails from the Bayou State. The Kenner, La. native has appeared in 17 career games for the Eagles with seven starts over two years. Bates attended Scotlandville Magnet School in Baton Rouge, La. and was named all-district his junior and senior year, as well as all-state in his junior and senior years.
ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will continue their non-conference road trip with a meeting at Arizona State, Sept. 17. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m. MST (11 p.m. ET) inside Sun Devil Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the PAC-12 Network, as well as WEMU 89.1 FM in local markets.
Players Mentioned
OL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
P
/ Football
DB
/ FootballEMU Football Pregame Press Conference: Week 7 vs. NIU
Monday, October 06
Football Falls in Overtime at Buffalo
Saturday, October 04
2025 Football Week 6 Hype vs. Buffalo
Friday, October 03
EMU Football Pregame Press Conference: Week 6 vs. Buffalo
Monday, September 29