Last Week’s Matchup
Off the heels of a 28-23 loss to Long Island University, Eastern Michigan University now sits at 0-2.
The Eagles were big betting favorites coming into this match, as LIU had lost to the Florida Gators by a score of 55-0 during the opening week.
“That was a major, major bummer – super disappointed, ” Eagles Head Coach Chris Creighton said in last Saturday’s post-game press conference about the loss.
Although the team’s performance was not on par with expectations, there were glimpses of hope, particularly from veteran running back Dontae McMillan.
McMillan averaged 7.3 yards per carry and was able to rake in both a rushing touchdown and a receiving touchdown. Across the first couple weeks, McMillan has an average yards per carry of 8.0, which leads the Mid-American Conference for rushers with over three rushing attempts.
Eastern Michigan quarterback Noah Kim has also had a good start to the season. Kim is second in the MAC for passing yards, sitting at 437 yards through the air. He has also been extremely efficient, having thrown for three touchdowns with no interceptions.
Despite the rough start to the campaign, Creighton knows that improvement is the only option.
“You really have no other choice or way to go other than to stay together and keep getting better,” he said.
This Week’s Matchup
This week, Eastern Michigan is headed to Kroger Field in Lexington, Kentucky, to take on the Southeastern Conference’s Kentucky Wildcats. The Wildcats are 1-1 to start the season, and are coming off of a loss to No. 20 ranked Ole Miss, with the final score being 30-23.
Kentucky is one of the tougher opponents that Eastern Michigan will play this year. While they do not have any passing touchdowns after two weeks of play, they do have five rushing touchdowns, split between three rushers.
Through the air, Kentucky has been lackluster. Their starting quarterback, senior Zach Calzada, is throwing at a completion rate of 47.2%, which places him among the bottom of SEC quarterbacks.
While the passing game has been subpar for Kentucky, they do have a deep running back room, with two running backs that are able to make big plays.
Senior running back Seth McGowan was the first to score in their matchup against Ole Miss and then went on to score again later in the game. Dante Dowdell, a junior running back with the second most carries on the team, has also scored a touchdown this season, which came from a 79-yard run against Toledo.
Kentucky also has a formidable defense, with the team securing three interceptions and two forced fumbles through the opening two weeks of play.
When asked what his team could improve heading into this week, Creighton emphasized a focus on the run game.
“Our passing game has been consistent in the first two weeks, but we really feel as though we can run the ball a little bit more like we did in week one than we did in week two,” said Creighton.
Eastern Michigan will have their hands full with the Wildcats this week. To stay competitive with the Wildcats, they will likely need another strong outing from Dontae McMillan plus an improved run defense to combat Kentucky’s backfield.
Heading into this matchup, the Wildcats are 24.5-point favorites, according to ESPN.
Where to Watch
Viewers can tune into ESPNU at 7:30 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, 2025, to watch the Eastern Michigan Eagles take on the Kentucky Wildcats.
