EASTERN MICHIGAN at BUFFALO
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Tuesday, Nov. 21 -- 7 p.m. ET
Waldo Stadium -- Kalamazoo, MI
ESPNU
After winning four straight, BGSU stumbled down the stretch in a 32-31 loss to rival Toledo last week. The Falcons already have bowl eligibility nailed down, but another victory would give them six sins in their final eight outings.
Western Michigan also went down last week, with that setback ending a modest two game win streak. A win would still leave the Broncos one win short of bowl eligibility, but it would give WMU three wins over its last four games.
This is the 57th meeting between the two programs. with the Falcons holding a 33-20-3 edge. Although WMU has won 6 of the last 10, Bowling Green won last year 13-9.
BOWLING GREEN (6-5, 4-3 MAC)
-- The Falcons appeared on their way to breaking Toledo's nine-game win streak last week. BGSU was up 28-10 at intermission and 31-25 late in the fourth quarter. However, UT's Jacquez Stuart broke off a 59-yard TD run with 1:45 remaining and a PAT kick gave Toledo a 32-21 victory.
-- Connor Bazelak completed 23 of 35 passes, good for 286 yards and one TD, while Camden Orth connected on 3 of 11 for 23 yards with one score.
-- Harold Fanning Jr (5 catches, 89 yards 2 TDs) and Odieu Hiliare (6 catches, 74 yards) led Falcon receivers. Four players had at least four receptions.
-- The Falcons were limited to 95 yards rushing. Ta'ron Keith led the way with 15 carries totaling 64 yards with a score.
-- Jordan Oladokun picked off a Toledo pass.
-- Punter Jackson Kleather averaged 47 yards on five boots.
WESTERN MICHIGAN (4-7, 3-4 MAC)
-- After winning two straight, the Broncos fizzled at Northern Illinois last week.
Not only was WMU shut out, it was limited to 206 yards of total offense. All but 24 of those yards came through the air as Hayden Wolff completed 18 of 31 attempts totaling 182 yards.
-- Leroy Thomas led receivers with six catches for 87 yards.
-- Nate Norris led all defenders with 11 tackles.
-- WMU gave up four sacks and seven TFL.
-- Bronco redshirt freshman running back Jalen Buckley enters the final game of the season just 82 yards shy of
reaching 1,000 rushing yards. WMU wide receiver Kenneth Womack enters the final game of the regular season leading the MAC in total receptions (68) and receptions per game (6.2).
EASTERN MICHIGAN at BUFFALO
The Eagles are just one win away from bowl eligibility, but they need a road win at Buffalo. The Bulls look to close 2023 on a positive not after losing three straight and four if their last five.
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. UB prevailed in four of the last five meetings, including the last three in a row. Most recently, the two teams met on Sept. 24, 2022 in Ypsilanti, with the Bulls claiming a 50-31 win.
EASTERN MICHIGAN (5-6, 3-4 MAC)
-- The Eagles are coming off a 30-27 double overtime win over Akron that kept EMU's bowl hopes alive. The two teams were tied after each quarter: 7-7 after one, 14-14 after two, 14-14 after three and 17-17 after four. A 32-yard Jesus Gomez field goal with 10 second remaining in regulation forced overtime. After touchdowns by both teams in the first overtime, Akron led off the second extra stanza with a 36-yard field goal Eastern Michigan came back with a 3-yard touchdown pass from Austin Smith to Jere Getzinger to win the contest.
-- Smith completed 20 of 32 attempts totaling 214 yards with one TD.
-- Hamze El-Zayat and Tanner Knue combined for 14 catches and 171 yards.
-- The Eagles registered 101 yards rushing. Evans led the way with 15 carries for 71 yards and three touchdowns.
-- Three different EMU players recorded double-digit hits: Chase Kline (19, 3 solo), Joe Sparacio (15, 6 solo) and Londyn Craft (10, 5 solo).
-- Mitchell Tomasek averaged 46.3 yards per boot on four kicks.
-- 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.
-- 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 ChrisCreighton-led teams.
-- Eastern has won or tied (36 wins, 8 ties) the turnover battle in 44 of its last 47 victories under Chris Creighton.
BUFFALO (3-8, 3-4 MAC)
-- The Bulls have lost three of their last four outings -- a tough stretch that included a three-week gauntlet of Toledo, Ohio and Miami.
- In each of those losses, they scored 14 or fewer points. Buffalo scored just 10 points in each of the last two weeks -- losses to Ohio and Miami.
-- The Bulls, who have been strong in forcing turnovers, committed two while failing to force a turnover against MU.
-- Buffalo trailed Miami 10-3 through three quarters.
-- The Bulls have alternated quarterbacks during recent weeks. Cole Snyder completed 6 of 14 passes for 120 yards against Miami. C.J. Obgonna went 0-2 passing but carried 16 times for 50 yards and a TD.
-- Tadd Barr completed a pass for 27 yards on a fake punt.
-- Only one Buffalo player caught more than one pass. Mike Washington had two for a total of 12 yards.
-- Marlyn Johnson had one catch, which went for 80 yards. The ball was punched loose just before the goal line. Although UB recovered, that player was partially out of bounds, creating a touchback situation. Miami took over with just over two minutes left, ending the late threat.
-- The Bulls are looking to finish .500 or better in the MAC for the sixth time in the last seven seasons.
-- Thirteen different players have scored touchdowns for the Bulls this season.
-- With four forced fumbles on the season, not only does Max Michel lead the Mid-American Conference, he is two shy of the single-season program record of six set by Anthony Scott in 1996.
-- In MAC games, UB opponents are a combined 23-of-88 (.261) on third down.
-- In conference only games, Buffalo ranks second in the MAC in total defense, allowing 284.1 yards per game.