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Jap (4-2, 1-1 MAC) dominated Western Michigan College, 45-23, inside Waldo Stadium in its final look, Oct. 8. Samson Evans tied a career-high with three dashing touchdowns, whereas Jose Ramirez broke this system document with 4.0 sacks within the victory. The Jap go rush totaled seven sacks within the win, a season-high for the unit, whereas the offense churned out a season-high 45 factors.
The Huskies (1-5, 0-2 MAC) want to get again on monitor and finish their present five-game skid. NIU fell to the College of Toledo, 52-32, in its most up-to-date contest, Oct. 8.
The sport might be broadcast nationally on ESPN+. WEMU (89.1 FM) and the Varsity Community app will carry the motion as Tom Helmer and Rob Rubick may have the decision.
STRIKE UP THE BAND: The Band Day contest at Rynearson Stadium will characteristic 19 native highschool bands in attendance, performing as one throughout a particular halftime live performance. In whole, almost 1,000 highschool pupil musicians and twirling teams might be in attendance.
A WIN WOULD: A victory Saturday would push EMU’s document to 5-2 for the primary time because the 2016 season and simply the third time because the 1995 marketing campaign. Moreover, a win over NIU would give Jap its first win over a defending MAC Champion because it took down Bowling Inexperienced on the highway, 28-25, Oct. 1, 2016.
PURE DOMINATION: With its 22-point, 45-23, win over Western Michigan, Jap earned its largest margin of victory over the Broncos within the sequence’ historical past. The earlier finest was a 19-point, 19-0, win over WMU, which got here Oct. 18, 1930.
THE BATTLE FOR I-94-IN A ROW: Jap Michigan dismantled its in-state rival, Western Michigan, 45-23, to earn its fourth-consecutive victory within the sequence for the primary time in its 58-game historical past, Oct. 8. Moreover, the Eagles have knocked off the Broncos in consecutive contests on the highway for the primary time because it did so in a pair of video games between 1987-89, respectively. Jap has solely bested Western in consecutive highway video games at two factors in program historical past (first assembly got here in 1906).
JOSE MAKES HISTORY: Senior defensive finish Jose Ramirez tallied a career-high 4 sacks in opposition to WMU, Oct. 8. That quantity is probably the most in a single sport in program historical past (statistic stored since 1998). The earlier finest was 3.0, which was held by 5 different former Jap gamers. The 4 sacks are tied for the second most in a contest within the NCAA Soccer Bowl Subdivision this season. Derek Parish from the College of Houston holds the highest spot with 4.5 sacks. His 4.0 tackles for loss are additionally a career-best mark for the Lake Alfred, Fla. native. The efficiency got here only one week after he tied his earlier career-high of three.0 TFLs, in opposition to UMass, Oct. 2.
For his efforts, Ramirez was chosen the Senior Bowl Defensive Participant of the Week in addition to the Breakout Defensive Participant for the East-West Shrine Bowl.
GOOD COMPANY: With Jap’s win over Western Michigan, Head Coach Chris Creighton now has 41 victories because the bench boss at Jap Michigan. That quantity ties Jim Harkema for fourth-most all-time at EMU. It took Harkema 10 seasons to perform the feat. Creighton is in 12 months 9 on the helm of the Inexperienced and White. Moreover, Creighton has now coached 100 video games at Jap Michigan. He’s one among simply 4 coaches in EMU historical past to achieve the 100-games-coached milestone (Elton J. Rynearson – 187, Fred Trosko – 110, Jim Harkema – 103, Chris Creighton – 100).
CREIGHTON BESTS THE BRONCOS: EMU Head Coach Chris Creighton has fared higher in opposition to Western Michigan than both of EMU’s different two foremost rivals, Central Michigan College and Toledo. Creighton has 4 wins over WMU since 2014, yet another than the pair of victories he holds over CMU and UT, respectively. Moreover, Creighton has but to finest CMU or UT in consecutive seasons, however can cross the Rockets off that record with a victory over Toledo, Oct. 29.
HOLY COW, SIDY SOW: Senior offensive lineman Sidy Sow is among the most constant gamers in EMU program historical past. With 48 profession begins, Sow is only one nod away from tying this system’s all-time document, at the moment held by Vince Calhoun, who began 49 video games for the Inexperienced and White between 2016-19. Sow’s 49 profession video games performed sit simply 5 marks behind all-time leaders Terry Myrick (2017-21) and Jake Julien (2017-21), who every took to the turf 54 instances of their respective careers.
BIG TIME OUTPUT: The Jap Michigan offense put up a season-best 45 factors in opposition to Western Michigan. The 45 factors are probably the most for EMU because it put up 52 at Toledo, Nov. 2, 2021. Jap Michigan has scored 45+ factors in 11 contests because the begin of the Chris Creighton period (2014-Pres.). 5 of these video games (45%) have come since 2020, when Creighton took over the offensive play calling duties.
FIRST TIME IN A LONG TIME: Jap’s 35 factors scored within the first half of its sport at WMU is probably the most for the group because the 2017 season, when it dropped the identical quantity en path to a 56-14 win over Ball State, Nov. 2. Jap Michigan has scored 20+ factors within the first half of video games 27 instances underneath Chris Creighton. The Eagles are 21-6 in these video games. Furthermore, 9 of these 21 video games (43%) have come because the begin of the 2020 season, when Creighton started calling the offensive performs for the group. The stat is much more spectacular when contemplating that the 2020 season featured only a six-game slate.
Moreover, the EMU offense totaled a season-best 351 yards within the first half of the sport. EMU’s previous-best single-half effort, by way of whole first-half yardage was 307, which the group put up in opposition to ASU, Sept. 17. Coming into the sport, the Jap Michigan offense had averaged 190.4 yards within the first half of contests this season.
MOVING THE CHAINS: EMU’s offense was among the best within the Mid-American Convention on third down a season in the past. Jap transformed 42.4 p.c (67-of-158) of its third down tries, which ranked forty fifth within the nation within the common season.
The EMU scoring unit is off to a superb begin in 2022. The Eagles are at the moment changing at a 51.4 p.c clip (38-for-74). That quantity sits atop the Mid-American Convention and eleventh nationally.
EFFICIENT OFFENSE: Jap Michigan’s offense has scored 20+ factors in seven consecutive video games relationship again to Dec. 18, 2021, in opposition to Liberty within the LendingTree Bowl. The stretch is the fourth of the kind underneath Creighton. One of the best stretch of consecutive 20+-point video games got here between Oct. 26, 2017-Nov. 3, 2018, when the Eagles achieved the feat in 14 straight video games.
SAMSON. IS. SPECIAL.: One 12 months after main the Mid-American Convention in dashing touchdowns, senior Samson Evans has picked up proper the place he left off. Evans tied a career-high with three dashing touchdowns in opposition to Western Michigan, Oct. 8. He beforehand hit the identical quantity in opposition to Saint Francis College (Pa.), Sept. 3, 2021. The competition is his second multi-touchdown sport of the season (vs. Jap Kentucky, Sept. 2), and the sixth of his profession. His six dashing scores in 2022 are tied for the convention lead (Maquez Cooper – Kent State College; Lew Nichols – Central Michigan College). Moreover, Evans’ three dashing touchdowns in opposition to the Broncos are probably the most for any Jap participant in opposition to a convention opponent because the 2020 season, when former quarterback Preston Hutchinson discovered the tip zone 3 times within the group’s sport in opposition to Ball State, Nov. 11.
FANTASTIC FOUR: Senior wideout Hassan Beydoun has turn out to be a part of an elite group at Jap Michigan: The two,000-yard receiving membership. With 2,082 yards by the air in his profession, Beydoun is only one of 4 gamers to cross into that territory. He at the moment ranks third all-time in program historical past, behind Kevin Walter (2,838 yards from 1999-02) and Eric Deslauriers (3,250 yards from 2003-06).
MOVING UP THE RANKS: Along with his three dashing touchdowns in opposition to Western Michigan, Oct. 8, senior operating again Samson Evans etched his title into the EMU document books. He now ranks tied for twelfth all-time with 20 profession touchdowns. Gary Patton holds the all-time document, with 31 touchdowns scored between 1984-87.
SERVED BY SAMSON: Senior Samson Evans is off to a terrific begin by six video games in 2022. One of the constantly good backs within the nation, he at the moment ranks twelfth within the nation with 630 dashing yards. He’s first within the MAC and sixteenth within the nation with a 105 dashing yards per sport common. Moreover, Evans ranks fourth within the MAC and thirty eighth nationally in all-purpose yards, the place he has averaged 117.5 per sport in 2022.
AT LONG LASSITER: Junior broad receiver Darius Lassiter recorded a breakout efficiency for the Inexperienced and White in its 45-23 win at Western Michigan, Oct. 8, totaling profession bests in receptions (6) and receiving yards (104). His whole receiving yards paced the Eagles in opposition to the Broncos. The wideout additionally hauled in his second profession landing reception. His first got here one week earlier in opposition to UMass, Oct. 1. Lassister has recorded touchdowns in back-to-back weeks for the primary time in his profession.
WELCOME BACK, TAYLOR POWELL: Senior quarterback Taylor Powell returned to sport motion for the primary time since Sept. 17 when he took the sphere in opposition to Western Michigan, Oct. 8. Dialed in from the beginning, Powell completed the day finishing 20-for-30 (67%) passes, with 293 yards and three passing touchdowns. The three scores tie a career-high for Powell, who threw three touchdowns within the Eagles’ season-opening victory over Jap Kentucky, Sept. 2. He third ranks within the Mid-American Convention with a 66.1-percent completion tally this season.
DOING THE DRUMMOND DANCE: Again from harm for the primary time since EMU’s sport at Louisiana, Sept. 10, senior broad receiver Dylan Drummond made a right away affect within the sport. He notched his first landing reception of the season with 5:52 on the clock within the first quarter to place his group forward, 14-0. The landing, his twelfth as an Eagle, is his first since Nov. 9, 2021, in Jap’s sport in opposition to Ohio. The rating snaps a five-game scoring skid for Drummond, the second-longest of his profession (six video games and not using a TD to shut the 2019 marketing campaign).
BEAT THE DRUM(MOND): Dylan Drummond is among the many nation’s most impactful wideouts. After 4 receptions in opposition to WMU, Oct. 8, the Cleveland, Ohio native now has 160 profession receptions, which ranks thirtieth amongst all energetic FBS gamers (teammate Hassan Beydoun ranks tenth with 183). Moreover, he has recorded a reception in 34 consecutive video games, which is fourth-best amongst energetic FBS gamers.
Final season, Drummond had 64 catches for 704 yards and a team-best six receiving touchdowns – a quantity that ranks tied for tenth all-time in a single season at EMU. Drummond now has 12 profession receiving touchdowns, tied for fifth-most in EMU historical past.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has received almost 50 p.c (38-of-78) of his video games because the begin of the 2016 season. Within the three seasons previous to his arrival in Ypsilanti, the Eagles have been victorious in simply 28 p.c (10-of-36) of their video games.
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A typical objective in Head Coach Chris Creighton‘s program, Jap has received or tied (28 wins, 7 ties) the turnover battle in 35 of its final 38 victories underneath Creighton. The pattern held in EMU’s newest win, a 45-23 overcome Western Michigan, Oct. 8, the place the 2 groups tied within the turnover battle (one misplaced fumble every).
A CHANCE TO WIN THE MICHIGAN MAC: EMU’s win in opposition to Western Michigan means it’s going to play for the “Michigan MAC Trophy,” when it welcomes Central Michigan to Ypsilanti, Nov. 25. Given yearly to one of many Michigan-based, Mid-American Convention establishments (EMU, WMU, CMU), the trophy is awarded to the group which has the very best head-to-head document in opposition to one another. It’s one among simply two regularly-awarded trophies between three groups (the opposite is the Commander-in-Chief’s trophy between Military, Navy, and Air Drive). Originating in 2005, EMU has claimed possession of the award 4 instances (2007, 2008, 2011, 2012).
STRAIGHT FROM THE BEAR: The EMU Workplace of Athletic Media Relations isn’t any stranger to noting EMU’s close-game tendencies, however ESPN’s Chris Fallica, often called “The Bear” on the community’s flagship pregame present, School Gameday, took to Twitter to debate it as nicely. Based on Fallica, 36 of EMU’s final 42 MAC video games and 52 of its final 66 video games total have both been a win or a one-possession loss. The pattern continued with Jap’s 45-23 win over Western Michigan, Oct. 8
HOT START FOR THE OFFENSE: The Jap Michigan offense acquired off to a scorching begin in opposition to the Broncos because it moved the ball 75 yards in simply seven performs over 1:58 to go forward, 7-0. The fourth-fastest landing drive of the season for EMU, the Eagles have now scored on their game-opening drive in 4 video games this season, together with touchdowns in three of the efforts. EMU scored on its opening drive simply 4 instances within the entirety of the 2021 marketing campaign.
KEEP ON KNUE(ING): Extensive receiver Tanner Knue continued his excellent senior season in opposition to UMass, Oct. 1. The Mason, Ohio native racked up a team-best 72 yards on 5 receptions, together with the group’s longest reception of the sport, 39 yards. Knue recorded his fifth landing of the season, which places him in a then-tie for the MAC lead for receiving scores. He’s at the moment twelfth within the league with 363 yards receiving this season.
RED ZONE PERFECT SNAPPED: The Jap Michigan offense entered its sport at Western Michigan an ideal 19-for-19 in its purple zone journeys, one among simply six groups who was nonetheless excellent contained in the 20 this season. Sadly for EMU, that stretch got here to an finish in opposition to the Broncos. The Inexperienced and White have been 6-for-7 in its makes an attempt deep in WMU territory, with a missed discipline objective within the fourth quarter costing the Eagles their perfection. Regardless of the snapped streak, Jap remains to be among the best groups within the nation when inside its opponent’s 20-yard line. EMU is 25-of-26 this season, good for a 96-percent clip. That whole is first within the Mid-American Convention and seventh nationally.
YARD STICK: The Eagles outgained Western Michigan,413-299 in whole yardage, together with a 120-91 benefit on the bottom, Oct. 8. The 45-23 win marks the third time EMU has out-rushed its opponents this season, the earlier video games being at Arizona State, Sept. 17, and versus UMass, Oct. 2. EMU has out-rushed its opponents in consecutive video games, the primary prevalence of the kind this season.
STIFLING START ON DEFENSE: The Jap Michigan protection was stout to start the sport at Western Michigan. The Eagles stopped WMU in three consecutive drives to start the sport, its second-such accomplishment this season. EMU held Louisiana and not using a rating in its first six makes an attempt, Sept. 10.
Moreover, The EMU protection compelled a three-and-out to start the sport in opposition to WMU, the third time this season EMU has achieved that feat. It was the twenty first time within the Creighton Period (2014-Pres.) that the protection has compelled a three-and-out to start the sport. Moreover, it was the fourth time underneath Creighton the protection has compelled its opponent to go three-and-out on their first possession of every half. The final time was Nov. 3, 2018, at dwelling in opposition to Central Michigan. Jap Michigan has compelled an initial-drive three-and-out in 28 p.c of its sport (21-of-76) throughout Neal Neathery‘s tenure as Defensive Coordinator (2016-Pres.).
TAKE FIVE (WE GUESS): Jap’s protection held Western’s offense to simply 5 whole yards within the first quarter of the sport between the 2 rivals, Oct. 8, by far a season-best single-quarter effort for the Inexperienced and White. Previous to final week’s sport, EMU’s finest single-quarter defensive effort was 35 yards allowed to Arizona State within the first quarter of the group’s sport in Tempe, Sept. 17. The Eagles have now held opponents underneath 40 yards in 1 / 4 5 instances this season.
CAN’T STOP CRAWFORD: Senior Jordan Crawford notched a profession first in opposition to WMU when he picked up his first-ever fumble restoration with 4:15 left within the first half. It’s EMU’s third fumble restoration of the season, the primary since defensive again Kempton Shine recovered one in opposition to Arizona State, Sept. 17. Moreover, Crawford added 0.5 sacks within the victory on Saturday. He now has 1.5 sacks on the season, which ranks second on the group
EVERYONE’S CHASE(ING) HIM: Junior Chase Kline notched six tackles in opposition to Western Michigan, Oct. 8, ending second on the group within the single-game class. The Michigan State switch leads all Eagles with 53 stops this season, 19 greater than the following closest set of Eagles, Jose Ramirez and Joe Sparacio, who every have 34 stops. Kline ranks sixth within the MAC with 8.8 stops per sport common this season.
SEVEN SACK ATTACK: The EMU go rush put collectively an amazing effort, totaling seven sacks within the victory over WMU. It marks the seventeenth time since 1998 that Jap has recorded five-or-more sacks in a sport. The final time EMU did so was Nov. 2, 2021, at Toledo (5.0). EMU’s program document for sacks in a sport is eight, a quantity the group hit in its sport in opposition to Alabama State, Sept. 10, 2011.
HOLDING THEM DOWN: Jap has held its opponents under 50 p.c conversions on third down tries in 4 consecutive video games, relationship again to the group’s contest at Arizona State, Sept. 17. Most just lately, the Eagles held Western Michigan to a 7-for-19 (37%) on third down, the unit’s third-best particular person effort of the season. That four-game stretch is the very best for the Inexperienced and White because the 2020 season, when the Eagles held opponents under the 50-percent mark on third down tries in 4 consecutive video games to start the season.
EMU opponents are changing simply 44 p.c (37-of-84) of its third-down tries this season.
NIFTY NEAL: Defensive coordinator Neal Neathery continues to show his schematic expertise over the previous pair of video games for Jap. In each contests, Oct. 2 versus UMass and Oct. 8 at WMU, the EMU protection has held its opponent underneath 300 yards of whole offense (UMass – 255; WMU – 299). It marks the primary time since 2018 that EMU has held back-to-back opponents to lower than 300 yards of whole offense. That season, EMU restricted Central Michigan to 138 yards on 64 performs in a 17-7 triumph, Nov. 3, and adopted it up by permitting simply 90 yards to Akron in a 27-7 victory, Nov. 10
ONE OF A KIND: Junior Jaylon Jackson has been one of the electrical gamers within the Mid-American Convention this season. The present MAC chief with a 35.9 yards per return common, a quantity which ranks 1st nationally, he’s additionally one among simply two gamers throughout the league to have each a kick return for a landing, and a dashing landing this season. He’s joined solely by Western Michigan operating again Sean Tyler in that class.
MR. AUTOMATIC: Sophomore kicker Jesus Gomez was excellent on further factors (6-for-6) and added a career-long 42-yard discipline objective make in Jap’s 45-23 victory over in-state rival WMU, Oct. 8. The six makes are tied for his career-high (6 vs. EKU, Sept. 2). Moreover, Gomez is ideal in point-after makes an attempt this season, knocking by 24 PATs. Gomez is almost flawless on discipline objectives, the place he has drilled 5-of-6 makes an attempt. He’s one among simply 5 Mid-American Convention kickers to achieve success on 80 p.c or extra of their respective discipline objective makes an attempt this season.
RETURNS ACCEPTED HERE: EMU returned one kick for 87 yards in opposition to Western Michigan, Oct. 8, persevering with what has been a masterclass within the class by the unit this season. The Eagle common 41.0 per attempt. That common is probably the most by an EMU squad within the fashionable statistical period that dates again to the 1999 marketing campaign. The earlier normal was 41.0 yards gained per kick return, set only a week in the past in opposition to UMass, Oct. 1. EMU has simply 9 video games within the final 23 years with a mean of 30-or-more yards per kick return. EMU particular groups rank first within the MAC and fifth nationally in kickoff returns at 29.9 yards per attempt. Moreover, Jaylon Jackson is one among simply 17 gamers within the FBS this season to take a kickoff again to the home.
BATTLE OF EQUALS: EMU will face one of the statistically-similar groups within the MAC when it welcomes Northern Illinois to city, Oct. 15. The Eagles at the moment rank fourth in whole offense, only one spot behind Northern Illinois. The Huskies rating at a 31.7 factors per sport clip, barely outperforming Jap’s 31.5 factors per sport this season. Every squad has scored 25 touchdowns, and every has netted 5 discipline objectives. Total, NIU has scored 190 factors this 12 months to EMU’s 189.
Defensively, No. 8 EMU is slated one spot above NIU. Regardless of the shut proximity in rating, a bigger statistical hole has occurred on the defensive aspect of the ball. NIU permits 38.3 factors per sport, nicely above EMU’s 31.7. Jap has allowed six fewer touchdowns (24) than Northern Illinois this season, and lets up about 30 yards much less per contest (392.5-422.2) in 2022.
FAMILY TIES: NIU quarterback Rocky Lombardi got here to NIU as a well-seasoned veteran with 9 begins in 22 video games over three seasons at Michigan State. His father, Tony, spent three years (1998-2000) at Jap Michigan as an assistant coach and was additionally the interim head coach for the ultimate sport of the 1999 season after taking up for Rick Rasnick. Lombardi’s one sport as EMU’s head coach was a 30-24 loss at Northern Illinois, Nov. 20, 1999. Lombardi is the one EMU head soccer coach to serve for only a single sport. Jeff Woodruff then retained Lombardi to teach the operating backs and coordinate the particular groups for the 2000 season.
ALL-TIME VS NIU: The competition on Saturday will mark the 53rd assembly between EMU and NIU on the soccer discipline. The Huskies lead the all-time head-to-head sequence in opposition to the Eagles, 34-16-2. When Jap and Northern Illinois meet on the gridiron it is at all times a battle. Within the final 5 conferences, two contests went into extra time. Moreover, the 2 packages went into extra time in three consecutive seasons (2016-18) together with a bout that went into three extra time durations, Sept. 29, 2018. EMU is 2-3 within the final 5 conferences in opposition to NIU, with the final victory coming in a 41-33 win over the Huskies, Dec. 12, 2020.
LAST TIME VS THE HUSKIES: The final time the 2 packages met NIU defeated EMU, 27-20. The sport featured a 2:45 climate delay, Jap’s first highway stoppage because the 2016 season. Regardless of a second-half comeback through which it outscored NIU 17-14, EMU couldn’t full the comeback. Hassan Beydoun churned out 167 receiving yards on a career-high 14 receptions. Linebacker Tariq Speights had a team-high 12 tackles within the loss.
CLOSE CONNECTION: A pair of members from EMU’s athletic coaching workers have ties to DeKalb, Sick. Assistant Athletic Trainers Danielle Darroch and Alex Wendler each hung out with NIU previous to becoming a member of the Eagles. Darroch started her profession as a graduate assistant for the Huskies and was promoted to performing assistant athletic coach. Wendler additionally hung out in Northern Illinois’ athletic coaching division serving as a graduate assistant as nicely. Each Darroch and Wendler earned their grasp’s levels in sport administration from NIU, respectively.
ON THE HORIZON: The Eagles will proceed their Mid-American Convention slate with a highway journey to Muncie, Ind. to battle Ball State Saturday, Oct. 22. Kickoff is slated for two p.m. inside Scheumann Stadium.
