Preston Hutchinson's heroic performance in his first career start gave the Eagles their first win over Western Michigan in six seasons on Saturday, Oct. 19 by a score of 34-27. Hutchinson stepped in for an injured Mike Glass III and threw for 357 yards while completing 84% of his passes and accounting for four touchdowns.
Eastern Michigan football continues to support one another as their season comes to the halfway point. A big part of the Eagles’ team has been the defense and Kobie Beltram has stepped up during his senior season. Beltram has had a diligent season so far.
Breck Turner committed to the Eagles prior to the 2016 season, and now he’s a senior running back looking to end his career with a successful season. Before the season began, Turner was named to the Doak Walker award watch list for the top running back in the country, which included 71 players.
Although Eastern Michigan head coach Chris Creighton and the Eagles have dropped the first two games of the Mid-American Conference schedule, the team still sits at 3-3 on the season and are very much alive in the race for the top spot in the MAC West ahead of their matchup against rival Western Michigan.
Line Latu is playing in his second season with the Eastern Michigan Eagles after coming from San Mateo Community College in California, where former lineman Jimmy Leatiota and former receiver Johnnie Niupalau also attended before transferring to EMU.
On a cold Saturday afternoon that started off with so much promise for the Eagles, they would go on to lose to Ball State in a game that went all the way down to the wire and fall to 0-2 in the MAC and 3-3 overall for the 2019 season.
The halfway point in the 2019 college football season just passed and the competition has never been tighter in the Mid-American Conference. The Toledo Rockets (4-1, 1-0) lead the MAC West while Ball State (2-3, 0-1) trails them for second place. Ohio (2-3, 1-0), Miami (2-3, 1-0) and Kent State (2-3, 1-0) are all tied at the top of the MAC East after winning their first conference game.
"I knew that ever since I was out of high school that I could play D-1 football. I just never had any looks, I was under recruited, nothing from D-2 or D-3," Hassan Beydoun said. "I did have a moment where I just gave up, like I was just coming to Eastern academically. Then I saw a tweet about trying out, and I was like 'why not? I know I'm capable of doing it.’”
Eastern Michigan dropped their first conference game of the season at Central Michigan by a score of 42-16. In the loss, Mike Glass III threw for 193 yards, one touchdown and one interception. The Eagles leading rusher was Willie Parker, who finished the game with just 43 yards on eight carries. Central Michigan's leading rusher, Jonathan Ward, totaled 132 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries. Despite the loss, the Eagles remain positive.
Desmond Kelly is a senior defensive tackle for the Eastern Michigan football team, who stands at 6’1” and 311 pounds. He has been a player to watch for the Eagles during his senior year. On Sept. 21 2019, Kelly proposed to his girlfriend after an Eastern Michigan win over Central Connecticut 34-29. Kelly brought his girlfriend to the middle of the field, and with the team jumping and shouting around him, proposed to her. She said “yes.”
Terry Myrick, junior linebacker, has been a force for the Eagles defense in 2019. He has a total of 18 solo tackles and 31 total tackles, both third best on Eastern Michigan. He also had a forced fumble in the Week 2 game against Kentucky. Myrick is playing 2019 as a regular starter for the first time. He started his first career game last year against Monmouth.
Eastern Michigan fell to Central Michigan by a final score of 42-16 in their first conference game of the season, falling to a record of 3-2. Central Michigan ran away with the win behind a strong performance from star running back Jonathan Ward. The Eagles struggled to contain Ward all game long. He ended up with 132 yards rushing for two touchdowns as well as 73 yards receiving and another score.
With the bye week behind them, head coach Chris Creighton and the Eagles now set their sights on the Chippewas of Central Michigan. Eastern Michigan is looking to win its second straight game over the Chippewas after a 17-7 victory last season.
Mickey Rewolinski announced his commitment to the Eastern Michigan football team on Sunday, Sept. 22. Rewolinski is a 3-star offensive lineman and defensive end for Union Grove High School in Wisconsin. He is 6’6”, 260 pounds and is going to be an offensive lineman for the Eagles. Rewolinski announced his commitment via Twitter.
The Eagles have had a player named Athlete of the Week for the first four weeks of the regular season in the MAC West. Senior quarterback Mike Glass III was named Offensive Player of the Week twice following the victories over Coastal Carolina and Illinois. Brody Hoying earned Defensive Player of the Week after the loss versus Kentucky, and Mathew Sexton won Special Teams Player of the Week following the most recent win over Central Connecticut State. Chad Ryland also won Special Teams Player of the Week after his game-winning kick against Illinois.
The Eastern Michigan Eagles hold the best record in the Mid-American Conference at 3-1 after one month of play. This is just the second time in head coach Chris Creighton's tenure in Ypsilanti that the Eagles have gotten off to such a start. The Eagles have wins over Coastal Carolina, Illinois and Central Connecticut State. The loss was on the road against Kentucky.
The action has been tighter than ever with one month now behind us in the 2019 college football season. Teams combined for just a 3-6 record in a tough week overall for the Mid-American Conference. Eastern Michigan is the first team with three wins after their victory over Central Connecticut State, thanks to late game heroics from Matthew Sexton. The Eagles will take on rival Central Michigan on Oct. 5 following their bye week.
Just four games into his sophomore season, wide receiver Dylan Drummond leads all Eastern Michigan receivers with 19 receptions as the team finished their non-conference schedule with a 3-1 record. Drummond has become an essential part of the Eagles' offense, forming great chemistry with senior quarterback Mike Glass III but the wide receiver still isn't satisfied.
Eastern Michigan held a 28-15 lead over the Central Connecticut State Blue Devils with just over 11 minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. However, after allowing a one-yard touchdown run by Keonte Lucas and a 68-yard strike from Aaron Winchester to Tyshaun James, the Eagles found themselves staring at a one point deficit with just 20 seconds remaining. That is until Matthew Sexton made the game-winning play.
Heading into the final week of the non-conference portion of the schedule for the Eastern Michigan football team and the rest of the MAC, both divisions of the conference are tight from top to bottom. None of the 14 teams are undefeated but three programs lead the way with a 2-1 record. Those teams are Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. The Eagles are fresh off an upset victory over then-undefeated Illinois.
