For the first time in the Eastern Michigan University football program’s history, this Saturday, Aug. 30, 2025, the team will be playing a regular season game in the state of Texas at 8 p.m. EST, with a trip to San Marcos on the docket to play the Texas State University Bobcats.
Now in their 50th season of Mid-American Conference play, the Eagles enter 2025 aiming to firmly leave the disappointing end to last year in the rearview.
A new quarterback, new "Deuce," new freshmen, and plenty of new transfers making up the roster highlight the major changes on Head Coach Chris Creighton’s squad, with the veteran coach emphasizing how productive an offseason he feels like his group had.
“Finding our identity, creating our identity, coming together as a team, it’s been really good,” Creighton said regarding the Eagles’ offseason.
When asked about exactly who his starting quarterback would be, Creighton was mum to publicly announce who the starter on Saturday night would be, but he did confirm a decision had been made.
“We have, but we’re not announcing that quite yet,” Creighton said.
All signs point to Michigan State University transfer Noah Kim taking the opening snap against Texas State, as the graduate student was the proverbial favorite throughout spring and summer camp.
Kim was recently named one of six team captains for 2025 and switched his number from No. 13 to No. 1, both signs that his impact has been felt since stepping on campus in January.
Matchup
Fresh off the heels of an 8-5 campaign including a First Responders Bowl game win, Texas State serves as a formidable opponent for the Eagles to open the new year, and the sportsbooks agree.
Reporting from SportsBooks Wire has Texas State as a 13.5 point favorite against the spread, largely in part to their high-octane offense that averaged 36.5 points per game last year, the seventh most in the country.
Texas State will be debuting a new starting quarterback on Saturday evening – redshirt freshman Brad Jackson.
Hailing from San Antonio, Texas, Jackson will serve as a dual threat under center for the Eagles to try to contain, racking up 282 yards of total offense in just three games played last year.
Junior halfback Lincoln Pare will also be a formidable threat alongside Jackson in the backfield, being named to the Doak Walker Award Watch List after leading the Bobcats with eight rushing touchdowns last year.
On defense, redshirt senior Kalil Alexander will likely be the most formidable threat off the edge that Texas State boasts.
Leading the team in sacks a year ago, the former junior college transfer enters the campaign on numerous preseason all-conference watch lists, aiming to make good on his East-West Shrine Bowl invitation and further boost his NFL draft stock in his final year.
In the secondary, redshirt senior Trez Moore will likely draw the assignment of Eastern Michigan’s new "Deuce," Terry Lockett Jr., arguably the most exciting individual matchup of the game.
Ourlads reported that Moore was named to the preseason Athlon Sports Second Team Defense and co-headlines an upperclassmen led defense.
Viewers can catch all the action between Eastern Michigan and Texas State in San Marcos live on ESPN+ starting at 7 p.m.
