EMU Looks for Bowl Eligibility in Final Regular Season Contest

Football at Buffalo
Date	Tuesday, Nov. 21 \| 7:30 p.m.
Venue	UB Stadium (30,270) \| Buffalo, N.Y.
Preview Info	EMU Notes (PDF) \| Media Guide (PDF) \| Press Conference Video
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	ESPN2
Listen	WEMU (89.1 WEMU-FM) \| The Varsity Network App \| Eastern Insider Podcast
Twitter	@EMUFB \| @EMUAthletics

BUFFALO, N.Y. (EMUEagles.com) – The Eastern Michigan University football team, coming off a thrilling, double-overtime home victory, will look to extend its season when the Eagles take on the University at Buffalo Bulls inside UB Stadium Tuesday, Nov. 21, in the regular season finale for both teams in a 7:30 p.m. kick. The Eagles will have a lot to play for, a win on the road would give the team six victories and make them bowl-eligible for the 2023 season.
   EMU (5-6, 3-4 Mid-American Conference) took down a scrappy University of Akron team Tuesday, Nov. 14, 30-27, in double overtime in Ypsilanti to keep its postseason hopes alive while Buffalo (3-8, 3-4 MAC) will honor its senior class pregame following a 23-10 setback at MAC East Division Champion Miami University, Nov. 15.
   The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2. As always, fans can hear the game for free on WEMU (89.1 FM) or the Varsity Network app with veteran broadcasters Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick calling the action from the press box.

QUICK HITTERS
» Brian Dooley made his 58th career start while playing in his 60th game at EMU to surpass Sidy Sow (2018-22) for the program record in both categories. Dooley's 58 starts also rank as the most among all active FBS players.
» The Eagles are 12-6 in mid-week #MACtion games under Chris Creighton and had won three in a row before falling at Toledo. The win over Akron gives EMU back-to-back seasons with a #MACtion win over the Zips.
» Samson Evans was named the MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week, Nov. 15, garnering the academic honor for the second time this season. Along with Chase Kline (Nov. 1), Eastern has been honored three times in 2023.
» Samson Evans tied a career-high with three rushing touchdowns in the win over Akron, Nov. 14, to bring his season total to 11 and become the first player in EMU history to rush for 10+ scores in three different seasons.
» Chase Kline recorded an FBS-leading 23 tackles against Akron, Nov. 14, marking the most in a game in 2023 and the most since A.J. Hauley (New Mexico) recorded 24 last year. Along with his 21 tackles against Western Michigan and Joe Spacario's 22 against the Broncos, EMU has recorded three of the top four tackle totals this year.
» Chase Kline (132) and Joe Sparacio (126) have collected 258 tackles in 11 games, which is 28.7 percent of the team's total. Combined, the 258 tackles are the most by an Eastern duo since 1999 when Donald McCall (154) and Scott Russell (115) combined for 269.
» With a victory at Buffalo, EMU will punch its ticket for bowl eligibility for the sixth time in the previous seven full seasons and just the seventh time in program history. A win also would give EMU bowl eligibility in five consecutive seasons for the first time in program history (excluding COVID-shortened 2020 season).

IT'S ACADEMIC
The MAC announced its weekly scholar-athlete of the week honorees Wednesday, Nov. 15, with Samson Evans earning the honor for the second time this season after first being named the MAC Male Scholar-Athlete of the Week Oct. 11. Along with Chase Kline earning the distinction Nov. 1, EMU is now one of three schools this year to earn three academic accolades while Evans is one of two student-athletes to earn the honor twice in 2023.

MAXX-IMUM IMPACT
Eastern Michigan football/current Las Vegas Raiders standout Maxx Crosby, along with his wife/former EMU soccer student-athlete, Rachel Crosby, have committed $1 million to the EMU Athletics Department, Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee announced Oct. 30. As recognition of the Crosbys' generosity, the football playing surface inside Rynearson Stadium will be named after him.

MIDWEEK MAGIC
Since taking over at Eastern Michigan and excluding the 2020 COVID season when all games were played mid-week, Chris Creighton's Eagles have played 18 #MACtion games and sport a 12-6 record in those contests. The loss at Toledo, Nov. 8, snapped a three-game winning streak in such games. EMU started a new streak by adding another win over Akron, Nov. 14, marking back-to-back #MACtion wins over the Zips. Eastern captured a 34-28 victory in Akron, Nov. 8, 2022, to secure bowl eligibility for the Eagles.

LET'S ROCK AND BOWL
With a victory at Buffalo, EMU will punch its ticket for bowl eligibility for the sixth time in the previous seven full seasons and just the seventh time in program history. A win also would give EMU bowl eligibility in five consecutive seasons for the first time in program history (excluding COVID-shortened 2020 season).
Of note, EMU's 1971 appearance in the Pioneer Bowl does not figure into the bowl count since it was an NCAA Division II regional final contest and not part of the bowl system.

MAC Bowl Appearances Since 2016
Total • Institution
5 • Eastern Michigan, Toledo, Ohio
4 • Central Michigan, Western Michigan
3 • Buffalo, Miami
2 • Ball State, Kent State
1 • Akron

FINISH STRONG
Since Chris Creighton took over the program in 2014, the Eagles have posted a 5-4 record in their final game of the regular season, including a 38-19 home win over Central Michigan, Nov. 25, 2022. A win at Buffalo would mark back-to-back season finale victories for Eastern since it won its final regular season game three years in a row to close out the 2017-19 seasons. Additionally, EMU is 6-3 under Creighton in the final road game of the regular season and 4-2 when the finale comes against a team from the MAC East Division.

WORKING OVERTIME
When Eastern scored its 30-27, double-overtime victory over visiting Akron, Nov. 14, it not only snapped a three-game losing skid, it also halted a streak of seven consecutive losses in overtime games and the first overtime win for Chris Creighton at EMU. The Eagles, who are now 6-12 all-time in overtime contests, last won an overtime game Nov. 9, 2013, with a 35-32 defeat of visiting Western Michigan. Since then, EMU had lost four overtime games in a row at home, including a 26-23 decision in three overtimes to visiting Northern Illinois, Sept. 29, 2018. Additionally, the win over Akron leveled EMU's record to 1-1 in overtime games with the Zips after UA won, 65-62 in four overtimes at Akron, Nov. 24, 2001.

CLOSE CALLS
With the double overtime win, the Eagles are now 176-172 all-time in one score games and snapped a two-game losing skid in such contests. Additionally, when playing in a game decided by three or fewer points, Eastern is 68-69 all-time. Under Chris Creighton, EMU is 26-28 and 14-11, respectively, in those contests.

IRON MAN
With his start at home against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, Brian Dooley broke school records for both games started and games played with his then-56th and 58th games, respectively. Dooley surpassed the previous marks of 55 starts and 57 games played set by Sidy Sow (2018-22). Following the game against Akron, Nov. 14, Dooley now has 58 starts from 60 games played.

LEADING THE WAY
Not only does Brian Dooley lead the program for starts in a career, he also leads the nation among active players in 2023. Dooley is currently one start ahead of Bo Nix of Oregon, who has started 58 times in his career.

58   Brian Dooley   Eastern Michigan   OL
57   Bo Nix   Oregon   QB
57   Dell Pettus   Troy   S
56   Jaylon Hutchings   Texas Tech   DL
56   Josh Newton   TCU   CB
55   Sam Hartman   Notre Dame   QB
55   Jalon Calhoun   Duke   WR
55   Jacob Monk   Duke   OL

ACTIVELY SCORING
Samson Evans added three rushing touchdowns against Akron, Nov. 14, to bring his career total to 40. Through games played Nov. 14, Evans ranks second among active players in rushing touchdowns while Blake Corum of Michigan leads the way with 49. Additionally, Evans' 40 scores rank sixth on the total touchdowns scored list with Corum in the lead at 49.

60 IMPORTANT YARDS
Samson Evans collected 71 yards and three touchdowns at home against Akron, Nov. 14, to help Eastern win in double overtime. Evans rushing for 60+ typically bodes well for the Eagles in his career; after the contest against the Zips, EMU holds an 11-5 record when Evans goes for 60 or more on the ground.

LEAGUE OF HIS OWN
With his three scores against the Zips, Nov. 14, Samson Evans brought his season total to 11 touchdowns to mark the third season in a row in which he has scored 10+ rushing touchdowns for the Eagles. Evans, who scored 13 in 2021 before adding 15 last year, is the only player in EMU's 132-year history to rush for 10+ touchdowns in three different seasons. He previously was one of three to accomplish the feat in two different seasons, joining Gary Patton, who ran for 10 in 1986 and 13 in 1987, and Anthony Sherrell, who tallied 13 in 2003 and 12 in 2004.
   Overall, Evans has now scored multiple touchdowns in the same game 12 different times in his career, including three times this year. His three scores against Akron also tied a career high for single-game scoring he established three times prior with the most recent coming at home against Toledo, Oct. 29, 2022.

UNCOMMON CONNECTIONS
Along with his 11 rushing scores, Samson Evans has added one passing score, which came at Toledo, Nov. 8. He is now the only active running back in the FBS to have run for at least one score and thrown for one in 2023. With five career passing touchdowns, Evans ranks second among active running back in the FBS with Frank Gore Jr. of Southern Miss leading the way with seven.

DYNAMIC DUO
Chase Kline and Joe Sparacio continue to be one of the best tackling tandems in the nation as the duo rank among the top five nationally in the FBS rankings, averaging 12.8 and 11.5 tackles per game, respectively. The top two tacklers in the MAC, the duo makes EMU the only school with two players in the top 5 and one of two in the top 15 with Old Dominion. Additionally, they are the only teammates who have recorded 100+ tackles this season.

DOUBLE TROUBLE
For the first time since the 2019 campaign, EMU boasts a pair of tacklers that have exceeded the century mark. Chase Kline leads the way with 132 while Joe Sparacio is just behind him with 126. In the modern statistical era (since 1999), the feat has been accomplished just 12 times. Collectively, the duo has accounted for 28.7 percent of the team's tackles in 2023 (258-of-898).

2023   Chase Kline (132); Joe Sparacio (126)
2019   Kobie Beltram (128); Vince Calhoun (108)
2016   Kyle Rachwal (109); Jason Beck (104)
2009   Andre Hatchett (113); Martavius Cardwell (105)
2007   Daniel Holtzclaw (125); Darran Matthews (107)
2006   Daniel Holtzclaw (114); Michael Richardson (108); Darran Matthews (100)
2005   Rontrell Woodruff (110); Michael Richardson (102)
2004   Kevin Harrison (146); Jerry Gains (112)
2003   David Lusky (143); Beyvon Barbee (109)
2001   Kenny Philpot (116); Scott Russell (115)
2000   Kenny Philpot (118); Scott Russell (104)
1999   Donald McCall (154); Scott Russell (115)

HAPPY TO ASSIST
Chase Kline has tallied 90 assisted tackles through 11 games for the Eagles, a total that ranks sixth in school history. The first EMU player to record 90+ assisted tackles in a season since Jim Durham tallied 99 in 1984, Kline needs 10 more assisted tackles to become only the third player in program history to record 100+ in a single season and 13 more to tie Alvin Sanders (1974) for the single-season record.

HAIR ON FIRE
Chase Kline recorded a career-high and FBS-leading 23 tackles against Akron, Nov. 14, moving him past Jason Henderson (Old Dominion), who recorded 22 against Coastal Carolina, Nov. 4, for the single-game lead. With those tackles, Kline is the first player to recorded 23+ tackles in a single game since A.J. Hauley (New Mexico) recorded 24 last year (Oct. 22) against Fresno State.
   By recording 21 against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, which ranks as the fourth-most in a single game this year, Kline is in rare company as one of only five players to record 20+ tackles in multiple games in the same season and the first since Henderson did so twice last year.

GROUP PROJECT
Chase Kline's 23-tackle effort against Kent State, Nov. 14, is not an anomaly for Eastern Michigan. Dating back to the start of the 2013 season, five different schools in the FBS have seen a player record 20+ tackles in a single game three or more times, including EMU, Massachusetts, New Mexico State, Tennessee, and Utah State. Of those schools, only the Eagles and NMSU have recorded five such games. Kline (twice) is joined by Joe Sparacio, who had 22 against Western Michigan earlier this year, and Great Ibe, who tallied 21 in back-to-back seasons against UMass (Oct. 18, 2014, and Nov. 14, 2015).

LONDYN CALLING
Although Chase Kline (23) and Joe Sparacio (15) led the defense in tackles in the team's 30-27, double-overtime win against Akron, Nov. 14, another senior got into the major tackling totals as Londyn Craft finished his Senior Night game with nine tackles, including four solo stops. The total tackles are the most he has recorded during his lone season with the Eagles.

PITTANCE OF POINTS
Eastern has allowed 277 points this year, which, through 11 games, is an average of 25.2 points per contest. That point total ranks as the fourth-fewest allowed since the NCAA moved to a 12-game regular season in 2006 and is third-fewest among Chris Creighton-led teams. His 2018 team allowed 244 points through 11 games while the 2017 squad surrendered just 249. The 2011 team is third on the list with 274 points allowed.

DON'T GO FOR IT
So far this year, opposing offenses have gone for it on fourth down 27 times against the Eagles, but have found success just 11 times for a 40.7-percent conversion rate, the 30th-best stop rate in the nation and fourth in the MAC. One of just 20 teams nationally that have faced 25+ fourth-down conversion attempts, EMU ranks tied for eighth in the nation with 27 attempts faced.

STOP RIGHT THERE
The Eastern defense has allowed 387.0 yards per game, which ranks 75th in the FBS and ninth in the MAC. Despite the yardage, opponents have not been able to turn those yards into points as the Eagles rank 52nd nationally in points allowed (25.4) and 50th in red zone defense (80.9 percent), values that rank the team sixth and fourth, respectively, in the MAC.

SMALL BUT MIGHTY
The Eagles' offense is averaging 263.5 yards of total offense per game. One of seven teams nationally -- and one of four in the MAC -- that is averaging under 300 yards per contest, Eastern is one of four teams in the group with five or more wins, joining Iowa (8), BYU (5), and Northwestern (5). Additionally, of those teams, EMU is the only team that has not recorded 400+ yards of total offense in a single game this season.

WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE
Eastern has won or tied (36 wins, 8 ties) the turnover battle in 44 of its last 47 victories under Chris Creighton. The trend held in EMU's latest win, a 30-27 double overtime decision against Akron, Nov. 14, as neither EMU or Akron turned the ball over.

WHO'S BALL?
A question Chris Creighton and his staff regularly ask the team is simply, "Who's Ball?" A call to the players and the team's desire to win the turnover battle, the Eagles currently rank 63rd nationally in turnover margin and fifth in the MAC at 0.09, having taken the ball away 15 times while giving it away 14 times. Eastern is 48th in the FBS and fifth in the MAC with those 15 turnovers gained, eight of which are fumbles recovered.

TEAM EFFORT
EMU has recovered eight fumbles, which ranks second in the MAC and 14th nationally. Eastern has seen seven different players record at least one fumble, which rank as the third-most in the MAC. Bowling Green leads the way with nine different players having recovered at least one fumble followed by Western Michigan with eight.

SPECIAL DELIVERY
Senior defensive back Josh McCarty continues to make a noticeable impact on the Eagles' special teams efforts. A finalist for the 2022 National Special Teams Player of the Year Award, McCarty has played the second-most special teams snaps in the country at 238 with eight tackles according to Pro Football Focus. Overall, he has a PFF grade of 80.9.

FUMBLE!
While Justin Jefferson continues to lead the way with two fumble recoveries in 2023, which is tied for eighth nationally, six other Eagles have gotten in on the act with Chase Kline adding his name to the ledger with a recovery at Toledo, Nov. 8. Along with recoveries by David Carter Jr., Adrian Gonzalez, Peyton Price, Daiquan White, and Elijah Williams, the EMU defense's eight recoveries ranks 10th nationally and second in the MAC behind 11 recoveries by Bowling Green.

BREAKOUT SEASON
While ranking tied for eighth in the nation with two fumble recoveries in the 2023 campaign, Eagles' linebacker Justin Jefferson has added another layer to his game. The senior notched the second pass break up of his season and career against Northern Illinois, Oct. 21. Prior to this season, Jefferson had not recorded a PBU, forced fumble, or recovered fumble. Following the game with Western Michigan, Oct. 28, he added his first full sack recorded after being credited with 0.5 sacks at CMU, Sept. 30.

AIR DEFENSE
Eastern Michigan ranks 39th nationally and eighth in the MAC for passing yards allowed as the Eagles are limiting teams to 208 yards per game through the air. A big help to those numbers are the number of pass breakups (PBUs) the defense has recorded. Against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, EMU tallied eight PBUs, tying for the most it has posted in one game this year with the eight breakups recorded against both Massachusetts (Sept. 16) and Kent State (Oct. 14). Six different players recorded PBUs against the Broncos, including three by Daiquan White, with 16 total players having recorded at least one this season.

SHINING STAR
Kempton Shine continues his march towards becoming the EMU all-time leader for passes defended in a career. He added one more against Western Michigan, Oct. 28, and sits just behind Daiquan White's 11 to lead the team lead. With 27 career breakups, Shine is one shy of tying DaQuan Pace (2013-16) for the most in program history. Shine, who is averaging 1.0 PBU per game in 2023, has recorded six in the past four games.

JACKSON OF ALL TRADES
EMU all-purpose back Jaylon Jackson has proved himself versatile on the gridiron week-in and week-out for the Eagles as he has reached 100+ all-purpose yards in 11-of-23 (47.8%) games played donning the Block E, including the 105 yards he accumulated at Toledo, Nov. 8. Against the Rockets, he rushed for 74 yard and added 31 yards on kick returns. Prior to arriving in Ypsilanti, Jackson notched just one contest where he reached 100+ all-purpose yards in his time with Lamar. This occurrence coincidentally came against Jacksonville State, who Eastern played this year on the road, where Jackson totaled 127 yards in the tilt against the Gamecocks, Nov. 13, 2021.

TARGETING TANNER
Tanner Knue led the team with eight receptions against Akron, Nov. 14, for 79 yards to help run his streak to 35 games in a row with at least one reception. Knue is one of 15 active players nationally with a streak of at least 30 games in a row with at least one catch and tied for the ninth-longest active streak.

RISING IN THE RANKINGS
With 48 receptions and 472 yards in 2023, Tanner Knue has brought his career totals to 152 grabs and 1,859 yards. His 152 catches ranks as the sixth-most in program history and is 28 grabs away from tying former Eagle Jacory Stone (2006-09). On the yardage side of things, he currently ranks eighth all-time at 1,859 yards and is 141 yards shy of becoming the sixth EMU player to reach 2,000 career receiving yards.

KNUE SCORING IN THE AIR
Midway through the third quarter versus Kent State, Oct. 14, and with the Eagles leading, 14-0, Eastern drove down the field, covering 62 yards on 10 plays, culminating in Austin Smith hitting Tanner Knue in the back corner of the end zone for the touchdown. The score was Knue's third of the season and brought his career total to 17, which granted him the third most in program history. Knue needs three more scoring grabs to join Kevin Walter (1999-02) for second on the ledger behind Eric Deslauriers (2003-06), who leads the way with 27.

TOMASEK TAKING OFF
Mitchell Tomasek continues to help the Eagles flip the field as the punter has boomed a pair of 70+ yard kicks in 2023 while averaging 45.5 yards per kick, the 16th-best average nationally and the best in the MAC. Through the Akron game, Nov. 14, Tomasek remains the only punter in the FBS to record multiple punts of 70-yards or more, including his 72-yarder at Jacksonville State, Sept. 23, and 70-yarder against Ball State, Oct. 7, kicks that rank tied for 7th and tied for 16th, respectively, by distance nationally in 2023. A two-time MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week this year, Tomasek's 45.5 average is a mark that would rank second for a single season behind Jake Julien's 45.9 average in 2021. Tomasek currently has amassed 4,437 total yards on 105 career punts for an average of 42.2 per boot and is currently ranked 13th all-time for career punting yardage in program history. Tomasek became the 15th EMU player to record 4,000+ punting yards in a career when he totaled 186 punting yards against NIU, Oct. 21. Overall, his career average ranks first, just ahead of Julien, who averaged 44.0 per punt (2017-21).

GREAT RETURNS
EMU kick returners continue to rank highly this year as the Eagles rank first in kick returns and second in punt returns in the MAC while ranking 30th and 25th nationally, respectively. Through 11 games, EMU averages 22.3 yards per kick return while averaging 12.91 yards per punt return. Individually, Hamze El-Zayat is averaging 12 yards per punt return, which ranks second in the MAC and ranks 10th nationally.

RETURN TO SENDER
Along with the yards in the return game, the Eagles also have taken three kick offs back to the house, making Eastern Michigan the only team in the nation with three or more kick return touchdowns in 2023. Individually, the trio of Hamze El-Zayat, Jaylon Jackson, and Kendric Nowling each have one return for a score, which leads the MAC and is tied for second in the nation. Additionally, of the 23 kick returns for TDs in 2023, only two have been brought back by non-offensive players with Nowling (DB) and Sam Martin of Temple (safety) making the list.

BACK-TO-BACK FIRSTS
The receiving touchdown scored by Jere Getzinger in the back of the end zone in double overtime against Akron, Nov. 18, was not only the winning score, it also was the first touchdown of his career. The score made it back-to-back weeks in which an Eastern player recorded his first career touchdown after Elijah Jackson-Anderson scored his first at Toledo, Nov. 8. In that game, Jackson-Anderson pulled down a 28-yard pass from Samson Evans in the fourth quarter.

IN THE SERIES: BUFFALO
Eastern holds a 6-4 lead in the all-time series with Buffalo that was first played Oct. 27, 2001, a 24-20 home win for the Eagles. The series, which is tied at 2-2 when played inside UB Stadium, saw the Eagles jump out to a 5-0 record before the Bulls won, 42-14, Oct. 5, 2013, in Buffalo. Since then, the Bulls have won four the last five meetings, including the last three in a row, which began with a 35-28 decision in Buffalo, Sept. 15, 2018, which also was the last time EMU played at UB. The last time the two teams met was Sept. 24, 2022, in Ypsilanti with the Bulls claiming a 50-31 win.

ODDITIES
A good amount of time can pass between meetings in MAC football when it comes to West vs. East matchups. The last time Eastern and Buffalo met inside UB Stadium came in the early going of the 2018 season (Sept. 15) with Brian Dooley lining up at tight end. Since then, a lot has happened, including:
» A global pandemic.
» Dooley starting 56 games on the offensive line.
» Eastern playing in four consecutive bowl games (excludes the 2020 COVID-shortened season).
» EMU securing the second bowl victory in program history at the 2022 Famous Idaho Potato Bowl.

PRE-TURKEY DAY FINALE
For the first time since the 2017 campaign, Eastern Michigan will wrap up its regular season before the Thanksgiving holiday. A staple before the expansion of the college football season, EMU defeated Bowling Green, 34-31, at home Tuesday, Nov. 21, to finish the season with a 5-7 record. Running backs Shaq Vann and Ian Eriksen finished the day with 117 and 104 rushing yards, respectively, as EMU out-rushed BGSU, 266-209.

LAST TIME AGAINST BUFFALO
EMU fell in its MAC opener, 50-31, to Buffalo inside "The Factory" at Rynearson Stadium, Sept. 24, 2022.
   Austin Smith paced EMU's rushing attack, accumulating 74 yards and one touchdown, averaging 6.2 yards per carry. Samson Evans also added 52 yards on the ground for the Eagles.
   Smith's most prolific target in the ballgame was Tanner Knue, who caught three passes for 106 yards and one score. Hassan Beydoun got in on the action in the passing game as well, hauling in four passes for 50 yards.
T.J. Peavy led the EMU defensive effort, totaling five tackles, 1.5 TFL, and one sack. Chase Kline added a then career-high 14 tackles for the EMU defense.

LAST TIME ON THE ROAD AT BUFFALO
Eastern Michigan came up short in its MAC opener Saturday, Sept. 15, 2018 at Buffalo inside UB Stadium. Eastern limited Buffalo to just 165 yards in the second half, but were never able to overcome an early deficit in the 35-28 setback.
   Mike Glass III led the Eagles' offensive play with two touchdowns on 284 yards passing with a career-high 17 completions. He also led the Eagles' rushing attack with 69 yards and a score. Taking over for Tyler Wiegers (8-of-12, 64 yards) in the second quarter, Glass stepped into the game and gave the Eagles back-to-back scores with 75 and 76-yard long balls down the field, to end the first half with 201 yards passing.
     Glass' favorite target was Blake Banham, who notched his second 100+ yard receiving effort this season with a career-high 159 yards on nine receptions. Shaq Vann also had an strong performance, rushing for 30 yards and scoring his first touchdown of the season in the second quarter to keep it at a one-score game.
   The EMU defense held the Bulls scoreless in the third quarter and were led throughout the matchup by Vince Calhoun, who notched a season-high 12 tackles (five solo, six assisted). Ikie Calderon also racked up double digit tackles, finishing with a season-high 11, and doubling his total for the year.

CLOSING IT OUT IN BUFFALO
Tuesday's contest marks just the second time that EMU and UB have wrapped up the regular season against each other. The only other occurrence came in the 2005 season Eastern cruised to a 38-14 victory at UB Stadium, Nov. 19. In that game, wide receiver Eric Deslauriers caught two touchdown passes from quarterback Matt Bohnet. Deslauriers broke the EMU career record for touchdown receptions with 22, surpassing Kevin Walter who had 20 touchdown catches from 1999-2002. In UB Head Coach Jim Hofher's last game, Buffalo had 441 yards of total offense but gave up five turnovers.

CLOSE CONNECTIONS
EMU Assistant Coach Issac Reed spent three seasons on the staff at Buffalo. He also worked two seasons (2018-19) as an offensive graduate assistant before earning a promotion to running backs coach in 2020. Reed made an immediate impact in the running back room as he coached two of the best backs in school history. Led by All-American running back Jaret Patterson, UB averaged a program-best 287.4 yards per game rushing and rushed for 32 touchdowns, four shy of the school record for a single season in only seven games. Patterson led the nation in rushing, averaging 178.7 yards per game. As a result of UB's successful 2020 campaign, Reed was named a finalist for the FootballScoop Coach of the Year Award.

ON THE HORIZON
The game at Buffalo marks the end of the 2023 regular season. Bowl season gets underway Dec. 16. Should the Eagles earn a bowl berth, the game, match-up, location, time, and all other pertinent information will be announced on EMUEagles.com and all social platforms as soon as it becomes available.

EMU Looks for Bowl Eligibility in Final Regular Season Contest

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Players Mentioned

Hassan Beydoun

David Carter Jr.

Londyn Craft

Brian Dooley

Hamze El-Zayat

Samson Evans

Jere Getzinger

Adrian Gonzalez

Jaylon Jackson

Elijah Jackson-Anderson

Justin Jefferson

Chase Kline

Tanner Knue

Josh McCarty

Kendric Nowling

T.J. Peavy

Peyton Price

Kempton Shine

Austin Smith

Sidy Sow

Joe Sparacio

Mitchell Tomasek

Daiquan White

Elijah Williams

Eastern Michigan Athletics