Eastern Michigan Eagles Notes
The Eastern Michigan University football team will play in its fourth bowl game in the last six years when it participates in the 23rd Annual LendingTree Bowl Saturday, Dec. 18, in Mobile, Ala. The Eagles finished the regular season with a 7-5 mark and 4-4 record in MidAmerican Conference. EMU made appearances in the 2016 Bahamas Bowl, the 2018 Camellia Bowl, and the 2019 Quick Lane Bowl.
Eastern will meet Liberty University in a matchup of the Mid-American Conference against an FBS Independent, the first in the bowl’s history. Liberty is making its third bowl appearance in just its third full season at the FBS level under head coach Hugh Freeze. The Flames have played in the Cure Bowl each of the last two seasons. Liberty defeated Georgia Southern 23-16 in 2019 and knocked off No. 9 Coastal Carolina 37-34 last year. The Lynchburg, Va.-based institution finished 7-5 during the regular season.
Kickoff from South Alabama’s Hancock Whitney Stadium is set for 4:45 p.m. CT (5:45 p.m. ET) and the contest will be broadcast on ESPN. Chris Cotter and Mark Herzlich will be in the booth, while Jalyn Johnson reports from the sideline. The game will also be aired on WEMU (89.1 FM) with veteran broadcasters Matt Shepard and Rob Rubick calling the action on the field. WEMU’s special 30-minute pregame show from the stadium begins at 4:15 p.m. CT (5:15 p.m. ET.)
EARNING THE EIGHTH: The Eagles head into their fourth bowl game in nearly three decades in search of their eighth win of the season, currently posting a 7-5 overall record. Eastern Michigan has not posted eight wins in a season since 1987, when EMU finished the season 10-2 under Jim Harkema. If the Eagles were to defeat Liberty, it would be just the seventh time in EMU’s 130-year history that the Green and White have posted eight-or-more wins in a season.
FIRST TIME ACCOMPLISHMENT: Eastern Michigan will add another to its lists of “firsts,” under eighth-year Head Coach Chris Creighton in 2021. With its selection to the LendingTree bowl, Eastern will make three consecutive bowl appearances (excluding COVID-shortened 2019 season) for the first time in program history.
WHAT’S STILL AT STAKE: Plenty of opportunities to cement the team’s legacy still await Eastern Michigan in its postseason bowl contest. A win would give EMU just its second in program history and its first since the 1987 California Bowl (EMU defeated San Jose State).
NOT ONE, NOT TWO, BUT…: In going to a bowl game for the third time in four seasons, 30 student-athletes will have the opportunity to do something that only one other group in program history has accomplished previously – play in three bowl games. Those 30 student-athletes participated in the 2018 Camellia Bowl, 2019 Quick Lane Bowl, and will now play in the 2021 LendingTree Bowl. Some 24 student-athletes became the first group to accomplish the feat in 2019 when EMU played in Detroit. That group saw action in the 2016 Bahamas bowl before playing in the Camellia and Quick Lane Bowls, respectively.
POSTSEASON TEAMS: EMU’s 2021 regular season included games against seven teams that will close out their schedules in the postseason. Wisconsin, Northern Illinois, Miami, Ball State, Toledo, Western Michigan, and Central Michigan will all make Bowl appearances in 2021. Eastern’s five losses have come against teams that are a combined 24-17 in conference play (.590) and are 32-29 overall. Four of the five teams are set to play in the postseason. SWEET HOME ALABAMA: EMU has played just one previous game in the State of Alabama – the 2018 Camellia Bowl. That game, played Dec. 15, 2018, saw the Eagles fall, 23-21, when Georgia Southern kicked a game-winning field goal as time expired. Eastern is 1-0 all-time against institutions from the state, after earning a 14-7 victory over Alabama State inside Rynearson Stadium, Sept. 10, 2011.
THE CREIGHTON DIFFERENCE: Head Coach Chris Creighton has won 50 percent (34-of-68) of his games since the start of the 2016 season. In the three seasons prior to his arrival in Ypsilanti, the Eagles were victorious in just 28 percent (10-of-36) of their games.
GET READY FOR EXCITEMENT: One of the most entertaining teams in college football, Eastern Michigan is one of just three FBS squads to have multiple wins by a one-point margin this season (Miami, 13-12; WMU, 22-21). Coincidentally, the other two teams that can make that claim also reside in the MidAmerican Conference (Northern Illinois 3, Buffalo 2).
WIN THE TURNOVER BATTLE: A common goal in Head Coach Chris Creighton’s program, Eastern has won or tied (28 wins, 4 ties) the turnover battle in 32 of its last 34 victories under Creighton.
CONTINUING TO FLUSH IT: Easterns’ motto has been to go 1-0 each week while “flushing” the previous outcome. The short-term memory has proven beneficial for the program, with 41 of the last 69 (59%) contests decided by eight points-or-less. Eight games have been decided in overtime with 19 coming down to the final play.
OH SO CLOSE: The Eagles have played in 41 one-score games since the beginning of the 2016 season, and hold an 18-23 record in those contests. The setbacks have been by an average of less than six points. Overall, 21 of the 41 games have been decided by three points-or-less. According to ESPN, since 2018 only one team has recorded more one-possession heartbreaks – Nebraska. The Huskers have 20 losses of the sort, while EMU has 15.
STRAIGHT FROM THE BEAR: The EMU Office of Athletic Media Relations is no stranger to noting EMU’s close-game tendencies, but ESPN’s Chris Fallica, known as “The Bear” on the network’s flagship pregame show, College Gameday, took to Twitter to discuss it as well. According to Fallica, 35 of EMU’s last 40 MAC games and 48 of its last 59 games overall have either been a win or a one-possession loss.
RECOVERING FUMBLES: Eastern Michigan has been one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to recovering fumbles in 2021. The Eagles have picked up nine loose balls this season, which ranks third in the MAC and 32nd nationally.
PLAYING DISCIPLINED: EMU has been the most disciplined team in the country in 2021. The Eagles rank first in the nation in: fewest penalties (41), fewest penalties per game (3.42), fewest penalty yards (366), and fewest penalty yards per game (30.5).
RUNNING FOR THE RECORD BOOKS: Sophomore running back Samson Evans ran for his team-leading 12th touchdown in the third quarter against CMU, Nov. 26. That number ranks tied for seventh-most in a single season for Eastern Michigan. It is the most in a season for EMU since 2015, when Darius Jackson set the all-time record with 16 scores.
HISTORY OF THE LENDINGTREE BOWL: Originally conceptualized by former editor of the Mobile Register, Stan Tiner, and former Mobile mayor, Mike Dow, in 1998, it took the duo less than one year to earn NCAA certification and approval for the creation of a postseason game in Mobile, Ala. The bowl game was originally known as the Mobile Alabama Bowl (1999). From 2000-10 it was named after title sponsor GMAC Financial Services and became the GMAC Bowl. From 2011 through 2015 GoDaddy became the title sponsor. In 2016, Dollar General became the title sponsor. In 2019, LendingTree became the new title sponsor. The game matches teams from Conference-USA, the Sun Belt Conference and the Mid-American Conference.
THE MAC IN THE LENDINGTREE BOWL: The Mid-American Conference is no stranger to the LendingTree Bowl. Eastern Michigan will make the conference’s 20th appearance in the game when it takes on Liberty, Dec. 18. That number tops any other conference. The MAC has had a representative in all but three games in LendingTree Bowl history (1999, 2000 – the bowl’s initial two seasons; 2020 – the most recent installment of the game). As a conference, the MAC has fared at about a 50 percent clip, holding a 9-10 overall record in the bowl. EMU will try to even the ledger at 10-10. Three Mid-American Conference squads have captured multiple LendingTree Bowl trophies (Marshall – 2, Toledo – 2, Miami – 2), while three others each have one win in the Mobile-rooted contest (Bowling Green, Northern Illinois, Central Michigan).
DID YOU KNOW? LENDINGTREE BOWL EDITION: The 2001 game between the Marshall Thundering Herd (then associated with the MAC) and East Carolina Pirates set the record as the highest-scoring bowl game of all time, and Marshall achieved what was, at that point, the greatest scoring comeback in bowl history. In this contest, Marshall battled back from a 38–8 deficit to win 64–61 in double overtime. Thundering Herd quarterback Byron Leftwich threw for 576 yards in the game. The 2008 game had the largest margin of victory in bowl history, with Tulsa defeating Bowling Green, 63–7.
Liberty Flames Notes
Storylines
1) Liberty (7-5) will aim for its third bowl game victory in its third season of FBS bowl eligibility when it matches up against Eastern Michigan (7-5, 4-4 MAC) in the LendingTree Bowl.
2) Liberty was the Cure Bowl champion in 2019 and 2020. The Flames are looking to join Appalachian State as the only teams to win bowl games in their first three seasons of bowl eligibility after transitioning from FCS to FBS football.
3) Liberty’s only previous matchup with Eastern Michigan (Oct. 14, 1989) was a historic game for the Flames. Eric Green, the program’s only NFL first-round draft pick, caught the winning TD pass with 11 seconds remaining to give the Flames their first-ever win over an FBS opponent, 25-24.
4) The Flames are 2-0 when playing in Alabama this season, in- cluding a 21-13 victory at Troy (Sept. 11) and a 36-12 win at UAB (Oct. 2).
5) In his third season as Liberty’s head coach, Hugh Freeze has posted a 25-11 record, including a 19-6 mark over the last 25 games. He is 2-0 in bowl games and 1-0 versus MAC opponents during his time with the Flames.
6) Liberty QB Malik Willis has accounted for a program-record 35 TDs (24 passing/11 rushing) this season. He rushed for four TDs during last year’s 37-34 (OT) Cure Bowl win over Coastal Carolina. Willis will return to Hancock Whitney Stadium for the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
“4 DOWNS” WITH THE EAGLES
1) Hugh Freeze’s first win at Liberty was a 35-17 victory over MAC opponent Buffalo on Sept. 14, 2019. This marks the Flames’ first MAC matchup since that day. Each of Liberty’s first two wins over FBS opponents came against MAC foes (Eastern Michigan in 1989 and Ball State in 2010). Prior to Saturday, Liberty has only appeared on ESPN once (2020 Cure Bowl vs. Coastal Carolina).
2) The first meeting between Liberty and Eastern Michigan was two years after EMU’s first bowl victory (1987 California Bowl vs. San Jose State). The second meeting between the two teams comes two years after Liberty’s first bowl win (2019 Cure Bowl vs. Georgia South- ern). Only twice has Liberty gone longer between matchups against an opponent (Middle Tennessee – 39 years [1982-2021] and Jacksonville State – 34 years [1982-2016]).
3) Liberty has played three games against teams from Michigan in program history. In addition to their 1989 win over Eastern Michigan, the Flames went 1-1 against Saginaw Valley State in 1982 and 1983. The Flames have closed out each of the last three seasons (2018, 2019 and 2020) with victories and are one of nine FBS teams to do so.
4) Liberty posted a program-record four wins over bowl teams this season (Middle Tennessee, North Texas, Old Dominion and UAB). The Flames are looking to avoid their first four-game losing streak in four years. Liberty’s most recent four-game losing streak spanned Sept. 23-Oct. 21, 2017.
A Liberty Win Would …
• Mark the Flames’ third bowl victory in their third year of full FBS bowl eligibility. They would join Appalachian State (2015-20) as the only teams to win bowl games in each of their first three years after transitioning from FCS to FBS.
• Give the Flames their 13th season in program history with eight or more wins, including their third in a row. They would join Appalachian State (2015-present) and Marshall(1997-2003) as the only FBS programs to win eight or more games in each of their first three seasons as fully bowl eligible FBS members after transitioning from FCS.
• Make the Flames the first FBS independent team to win a bowl game in three straight seasons since Army (2016-18). • Boost Hugh Freeze’s official record coaching in bowl games to 5-1, including 3-0 at Liberty. (Ole Miss’s victory in the 2013 BBVA Compass Bowl was vacated.)
• Mark the Flames’ third win in Alabama this season, making Liberty the first FBS team in 2021 to win three games in a single state outside of its home state.
LAST MEETING WITH EASTERN MICHIGAN
OCT. 14, 1989
LIBERTY 25, EASTERN MICHIGAN 24
YPSILANTI, MICH. (RYNEARSON STADIUM)
• Liberty’s first-ever win over an FBS (then 1-A) opponent came in dramatic fashion. Robbie Justino found Eric Green for the game-winning 12-yard TD pass with just 11 seconds left, capping off a 10-play, 66-yard drive which took 4:50.
• The lead changed hands six times, and neither team led by more than six points the whole night.
• Green caught 10 passes for 123 yards and a TD, with three catches coming on the game-winning drive.
• Liberty improved to 5-0 on its way to a 7-3 season. The Eagles, who fell to 5-1-1, ended up at 7-3-1 and 6-2 in the MAC.
BOWL-HEAVY SCHEDULE
Seven of Liberty’s opponents this season have qualified for bowl games, more bowl-eligible opponents for Liberty than in their first two FBS seasons combined. Liberty’s regular-season opponents who competed in bowl games
2019: (Liberty went 1-3 against these teams)
• Louisiana (won LendingTree Bowl over Miami (OH))
• Buffalo (won Bahamas Bowl over Charlotte)
• BYU (lost to Hawai’i in SoFi Hawai’i Bowl)
• Virginia (lost to Florida in Capital One Orange Bowl)
2020: (Liberty went 0-1 against NC State)
• NC State (lost to Kentucky in TaxSlayer Gator Bowl)
2021: (Liberty went 4-3 against these teams)
• Middle Tennessee (Bahamas Bowl vs. Toledo)
• UAB (Independence Bowl vs. BYU)
• Louisiana (New Orleans Bowl vs. Marshall)
• Old Dominion (Myrtle Beach Bowl vs. Tulsa)
• Army (Armed Forces Bowl vs. Missouri)
• North Texas (Frisco Football Classic vs. Miami (OH))
• Ole Miss (Sugar Bowl vs. Baylor)
DECEMBER TO REMEMBER
Prior to joining the FBS in 2018, Liberty had only played one game in December in program history, a 29-22 loss at Villanova in the second round of the 2014 NCAA FCS Playoffs.
Since then, Liberty is 3-0 in December games, defeating Norfolk State 52-17 on Dec. 1, 2018 before winning the 2019 FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl over Georgia Southern on Dec. 21 and downing Coastal Carolina in the 2020 FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl on Dec. 26.
MAC-TION
Liberty is 3-9 all-time against MAC opponents. Liberty’s first two wins over FBS programs were against MAC schools (Oct. 14, 1989 – W, 25-24 at Eastern Michigan; Sept. 11, 2010 – W, 27-23 at Ball State). Head Coach Hugh Freeze picked up his first win as Liberty’s head coach against MAC program Buffalo, 35-17 on Sept. 14, 2019 at Williams Stadium. That was Liberty’s most recent MAC opponent to date.
GET COMFORTABLE
Liberty quarterback Malik Willis will get a sneak peek at the venue for the 2022 Reese’s Senior Bowl, which will also take place at the Hancock Whitney Stadium.
Willis is the sixth player in Liberty history to receive an invitation to the Senior Bowl, joining Wayne Haddix (1987), Eric Green (1990), Rashad Jennings (2009),
Walt Aikens (2014) and Antonio Gandy-Golden (2019).
IN COMMON
Liberty and Eastern Michigan have one common opponent this season, as EMU won 42-28 at UMass on Sept. 18 and Liberty earned a 62-17 home win over UMass on
Oct. 30. Liberty and Eastern Michigan are both 4-2 at home and 3-3 on the road this season.
BOWL BLITZ
Liberty has not trailed at any point during its two bowl games. The Flames jumped to a 7-0 lead against Georgia Southern in the 2019 Cure Bowl and then led from 13-7 on the way to a 23-16 win. In last year’s Cure Bowl, Liberty built a 14-0 lead, and Coastal Carolina tied the Flames 34-34 late in the fourth quarter before Liberty won 37-34 in overtime. In bowl games, Liberty has led 95:58, been tied for 24:02 and hasn’t trailed.
SIMILAR SHOWDOWN
In Liberty’s last meeting with Eastern Michigan, Eric Green caught 10 passes for 123 yards, including the game-winning touchdown with 11 seconds left. Green was drafted 21st overall by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the 1990 NFL Draft. Most draft projections have current Liberty quarterback Malik Willis projected as a first-rounder. He could become Liberty’s second first-round NFL Draft pick and first since Green.
Trends/Streaks
• LU had its program-record 15-game home win streak snapped on Nov. 20 with a 42-14 loss to No. 21/22 Louisiana.
• During the Flames’ 15-game home winning streak, Liberty outscored opponents by an average of 27.0 points per game (Liberty 45.4 ppg; Opponent 18.4 ppg).
• Following a 31-16 loss to Army on Nov. 27, Liberty has lost back-to-back home games for the first time since 2017.
• LU has gone 19-6 in its last 25 games, a stretch that began with a 49-28 win over New Mexico State on Nov. 20, 2019.
• Liberty’s win over UMass on Oct. 30 gave the program seven or more wins for the 19th time in program history and for the third season in a row.
• With its win over North Texas on Oct. 23, Liberty picked up its sixth win to secure the program’s 16th consecutive season with a .500 or better overall record (started in 2006).
• LU is currently in the middle of a three-game losing streak, its first-ever three-game skid under third-year head coach Hugh Freeze (last three-game losing streak was in 2018).
Offense
• After scoring a season-high 62 points against UMass on Oct. 30, the Flames have been held below 20 points each of their last three games – all losses (L/ 14-27 at Ole Miss; L/ 14-42 vs. Louisiana; L/ 16-31 vs. Army).
• After spending most of the season ranked inside the top 25 in the country in scoring, Liberty enters the bowl game ranked No. 42 in scoring offense (31.8 points per game).
• The Flames outgained Army in their last game, 384 total offensive yards to 322, and have finished with 300 or more total offensive yards in 11-of-12 games in 2021.
• Liberty enters the bowl game ranked No. 46 in the country in total offense (428.5 yards per game).
• LU’s offense has shown versatility during first two years under head coach Hugh Freeze. LU set a school record for passing yards in 2019 (3,756) and rushing yards in 2020 (2,776).
• The Flames have passed for 3,000 yards (3,020) and rushed for 2,000 yards (2,123) this season. This is the first time since 2014 that Liberty passed for over 3,000 yards and rushed for over 2,000 yards in the same season.
• Liberty finished the Army game with 305 passing yards, marking the fifth time in 2021 the Flames have thrown for 300 or more yards in a game.
• Liberty is currently averaging 252.1 passing yards per game, which ranks No. 48 in the country.
• The Flames finished the Army game averaging 12.7 yards per completion (305 passing yards on 24 receptions). Liberty currently ranks No. 11 in the country in passing yards per completion (14.27).
• Army intercepted a pair of Liberty passing attempts on Nov. 27, marking the third game in a row and the fifth time this season the Flames have thrown multiple interceptions in a game.
• Liberty currently ranks No. 114 (out of 130 teams) in the country in passes had intercepted (14 in 12 games).
• LU finished the Army game with 118 rushing yards, its third-lowest rushing total of 2021. Liberty is averaging 176.4 rushing yards per game this season (ranked No. 53).
• LU currently rank No. 37 in the country in third-down conversion percentage (66-of-151/44.5 percent) despite finishing the Army game converting on 5-of-14 third-down plays.
• Liberty finished the Army game 2-of-7 on fourth-down conversion attempts. The Flames have gone for its on fourth down three or more times in five of their last six games and 28 times total in 2021 (12-of-28/42.9 percent).
• Liberty continues to struggle protecting its quarterbacks, allowing five sacks against Army and 21 sacks in its last three games (9 vs. Ole Miss; 7 vs. Louisiana; 5 vs. Army. Entering the bowl game, the Flames rank No. 129 in the country out of 130 teams in team sacks allowed (4.17 per game).
• QB Malik Wills continues to be Liberty’s top offensive threat, accounting for 67.0 percent of the Flames’ total offensive yards in 2021 (Team Yards: 5,143/Willis: 3,446 – Rush 820, Pass 2,626).
Defense
• LU has allowed its last two opponents to score a combined 73 points (42 vs. Louisiana and 31 vs. Army). Enter entered the Louisiana game allowed just 18.7 points per game in 2021.
• The Flames currently rank No. 30 in the country in scoring defense (21.7 points allowed per game).
• Despite allowing 73 points in its last two games, the Flames have only surrendered 618 total offensive yards in its last two games (296 to Louisiana; 322 to Army).
• The Flames currently rank No. 11 in the country in total defense (315.3 yards allowed per game).
• Liberty limited Army No. 2 ranked rushing offense to 220 yards on Nov. 27 (Army came into the game averaging 309.3 rushing yards per game).
• The Flames have allowed three of their last five opponents to rush for 200 or more yards (242 vs. North Texas; 210 vs. UMass; 220 vs. Army).
• Liberty has allowed a combined 944 rushing yards the last four games (North Texas 242 yards; UMass 210 yards; Ole Miss 142; Louisiana 130; Army 220) after allowing an average of 107.1 rushing yards during the first seven games of 2021.
• LU has recorded 31 tackles for a loss in its last four games (13 vs. UMass; 7 vs. Ole Miss; 7 vs. Louisiana; 4 vs. Army) and ranks No. 15 in the country in tackles for a loss (7.2 per game).
• Liberty enters the bowl game ranked No. 5 in the country in fewest passing yards allowed per game (174.2).
• Liberty is one of the top teams in the country in the red zone, ranking No. 20 in red zone defense (75.0 percent/27-of-36; 13 rushing TDs, 8 passing TDs and 6 FGs).
• The Flames continue to be tough on third-down plays, ranking No. 23 in the country in third-down conversion defense (56-for-167/33.5 percent). Last year, Liberty ranked No. 14 in the country in the same category (31.9 percent).
Special Teams
• Demario Douglas, a 2021 FWAA Freshman All-American, returned a punt 72 yards for a touchdown against North Texas, his second career punt return for a score.
• The Flames capped their magical run in 2020 when Elijah James blocked a potential 42-yard game-tying field goal in overtime against No. 9 Coastal Carolina in the FBC Mortgage Cure Bowl, giving Liberty its 10th win in 2020 and its second Cure Bowl victory in a row.
• Liberty blocked its second kick off the year against ULM and nearly returned the blocked field goal for a touchdown (73-yard return by Skyler Thomas to the 2-yard line). Liberty currently ranks No. 29 in the country in blocked kicks.
