The Eagles need a win after falling to 0-2 in MAC play with Saturday’s home loss to Ball State. EMU never trailed and led . . .
at
Eastern Michigan (3-3, 0-2 MAC)
Saturday, Oct. 19 -- 7 p.m. ET
Rynearson Stadium -- Ypsilanti, MI
ESPN+
Series: Western Michigan leads 34-17-2
ABOUT WESTERN MICHIGAN
-- The Broncos have won the last five meetings with EMU, but it hasn’t come easy lately. Two years ago, Western edged the Eagles in overtime, 20-17. Last year, Eastern Michigan scored a late touchdown to pull within 27-24, but they could not recover an onside kick.
-- A win Saturday would give WMU back-to-back wins for the first time in 2019. The Broncos have alternated wins and losses since opening with a 48-13 win over Monmouth.
-- Western Michigan’s offense got off to a slow start last week against Miami, but the defense limited damage early by holding MU to a pair of pair of first quarter field goals and turned the game around with Drake Spear’s 74-yard interception return for a touchdown.
-- Two Jon Wassink to Keith Mixon pass plays put the Broncos up 21-9 at halftime. After Miami scored 10 second half points to pull within 21-16, Levante Bellamy scored two Western Michigan touchdowns and Thiago Kapps hit a 24-yard field goal to put the game away.
-- Bellamy has scored at least a touchdown in five consecutive games. Saturday (135 yards) was his fourth 100-yard rushing game of 2019. At 3,012 yards, he is the eighth Bronco to surpass 3,000 yards rushing.
-- Western Michigan has the MAC’s top scoring offense (35.4 ppg). The Broncos are second in scoring defense (26.9 ppg).
-- LB Treshaun Hayward has a team-high 75 tackles (5.0 tfl, 3.0 sacks).
ABOUT EASTERN MICHIGAN
-- After winning three of four non-conference games, the Eagles dropped their last two games -- both in MAC play.
-- Two issues for EMU in its loss to Ball State Saturday were turnovers and third-down conversions:
-- The Eagles had four turnovers to just one by BSU.
-- Eastern was 3 of 13 on third down conversions, while the Cardinals went 7 of 14.
-- Senior QB MikeGlass III ranks 10th nationally and second in the MAC with an average of 23.83 completions per game this year. He connected on 20 against Ball State, bringing his season total to 143.
-- EMU is ranked 20th nationally in percentage of passing plays per game (54.5%)
-- Eastern 270 total penalty yards is 23rd nationally, while its 30 total penalties is 19th.
-- Sophomore kicker Chad Ryland matched a career long with a 52-yard boot against Ball State. He has three successful kicks of 50-plus yards in his yet-young career.
-- Another sophomore, wideout Dyland Drummond, owns a team-high 28 receptions on the year. He made six catches for 72 yards against Ball State and also turned one of his punt returns into a 29-yard play.
- Eastern Michigan ranks sixth among MAC teams in scoring (25.7 ppg) andis ninth in scoring defense (32.0 ppg)