PREVIEW: Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois
Saturday, Oct. 2 -- 2:30 p.m. ET
Huskie Stadium -- DeKalb, IL
ESPN+
Eastern Michigan will try to make it three straight wins Saturday when it opens MAC play at Northern Illinois. The Huskies are coming off a 41-14 win over Maine last week. That stopped a two-game slide and enabled NIU to finish non-conference play at 2-2. Northern Illinois is also coming off a win after it blasted Maine 41-14 in Week Four.
Here's more on the two teams . . .
EASTERN MICHIGAN (3-1, 0-0 MAC)
>> After knocking off UMass 42-28 in Week Three, the Eagles thumped Texas State 59-21 last Saturday. Ben Bryant led the way, rushing for one TD and passing for three others while completing 20-of-33 for 228 yards.
>> The Eagles totaled 257 passing yards (4 TDs) with another 242 (4 TDs) on the ground.
>> Darius Boone Jr. and Jawon Hamilton led the Eagles rushing attack, combining for 23 carries 139 yards.
>> Six Eagles had at least two receptions, with four different players owning one touchdown. Dylan Drummond led the way with five catches for 59 yards and a TD.
>> Eastern Michigan went 11-of-15 on third down conversions and totaled 33 first downs. Texas State had just 18 first downs and went 3-of-11 on third down. The Bobcats totaled 300 yards -- 187 through the air and 113 on the ground.
>> EMU drew just one penalty (5 yards), while the visitors were penalized seven times for 85 yards.
>> Eastern Michigan leads the MAC in scoring (35.8 ppg). It is fifth in scoring defense (24.5 ppg).
>> The Eagles rank fifth in both rushing (165.8 ypg) and passing (211.3 ppg). Samson Evans tops the conference with 36 points.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (2-2)
>> The Huskies started 2021 serving notice that they are a team that is planning on getting its share of wins. They knocked off Georgia Tech, 22-21, in Week One and came up just short against Wyoming (50-43). After a 63-10 defeat at #25 Michigan, the Huskies bounced back with a 41-14 triump over Maine.
>> NIU was tied 14-all with the Bears last week, but Rocky Lombardi led the way as the Huskies scored 27 unanswered points.
>> Lombardi, a 6-3 junior quarterback, scored on runs of 7, 64 and 18 yards. He also completed 17-of-24 passes for 282 yards with one TD and one interception.
>> Cole Tucker caught four balls totaling 114 yards against Maine. Tyrice Richie grabbed seven passes for 76 yards.
>> NIU balanced its passing attack with 292 rushing yards. Harrison Waylee led the way with 23 carries for 130 yards and a score. Lombardi had 10 carries for 119 yards and the three scores.
>> The Northern Illinois defense pitched a shutout at Maine in the second half. Neither team did well on third down, with the Bears converting 2-of-11 and NIU 2-of-9. However, the Huskies rolled up 574 yards to just 290 for UM.
>> NIU ranks fourth among MAC teams in scoring (29.0 ppg) and 11th in scoring defense (29.0 ppg). The Huskies are second in rushing offense (215 ypg) and first in yards per rush (5.4 ypc). However, NIU is 11th in defending the ruin (240.0 ypg).
Huskie Stadium -- DeKalb, IL
ESPN+
Eastern Michigan will try to make it three straight wins Saturday when it opens MAC play at Northern Illinois. The Huskies are coming off a 41-14 win over Maine last week. That stopped a two-game slide and enabled NIU to finish non-conference play at 2-2. Northern Illinois is also coming off a win after it blasted Maine 41-14 in Week Four.
Here's more on the two teams . . .
EASTERN MICHIGAN (3-1, 0-0 MAC)
>> After knocking off UMass 42-28 in Week Three, the Eagles thumped Texas State 59-21 last Saturday. Ben Bryant led the way, rushing for one TD and passing for three others while completing 20-of-33 for 228 yards.
>> The Eagles totaled 257 passing yards (4 TDs) with another 242 (4 TDs) on the ground.
>> Darius Boone Jr. and Jawon Hamilton led the Eagles rushing attack, combining for 23 carries 139 yards.
>> Six Eagles had at least two receptions, with four different players owning one touchdown. Dylan Drummond led the way with five catches for 59 yards and a TD.
>> Eastern Michigan went 11-of-15 on third down conversions and totaled 33 first downs. Texas State had just 18 first downs and went 3-of-11 on third down. The Bobcats totaled 300 yards -- 187 through the air and 113 on the ground.
>> EMU drew just one penalty (5 yards), while the visitors were penalized seven times for 85 yards.
>> Eastern Michigan leads the MAC in scoring (35.8 ppg). It is fifth in scoring defense (24.5 ppg).
>> The Eagles rank fifth in both rushing (165.8 ypg) and passing (211.3 ppg). Samson Evans tops the conference with 36 points.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (2-2)
>> The Huskies started 2021 serving notice that they are a team that is planning on getting its share of wins. They knocked off Georgia Tech, 22-21, in Week One and came up just short against Wyoming (50-43). After a 63-10 defeat at #25 Michigan, the Huskies bounced back with a 41-14 triump over Maine.
>> NIU was tied 14-all with the Bears last week, but Rocky Lombardi led the way as the Huskies scored 27 unanswered points.
>> Lombardi, a 6-3 junior quarterback, scored on runs of 7, 64 and 18 yards. He also completed 17-of-24 passes for 282 yards with one TD and one interception.
>> Cole Tucker caught four balls totaling 114 yards against Maine. Tyrice Richie grabbed seven passes for 76 yards.
>> NIU balanced its passing attack with 292 rushing yards. Harrison Waylee led the way with 23 carries for 130 yards and a score. Lombardi had 10 carries for 119 yards and the three scores.
>> The Northern Illinois defense pitched a shutout at Maine in the second half. Neither team did well on third down, with the Bears converting 2-of-11 and NIU 2-of-9. However, the Huskies rolled up 574 yards to just 290 for UM.
>> NIU ranks fourth among MAC teams in scoring (29.0 ppg) and 11th in scoring defense (29.0 ppg). The Huskies are second in rushing offense (215 ypg) and first in yards per rush (5.4 ypc). However, NIU is 11th in defending the ruin (240.0 ypg).
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