Thursday, September 8, 2011

Eastern Michigan Eagles hosts Alabama State Hornets

YPSILANTI, Mich. -- With a season-opening 41-9 victory over Howard University under its belt, the Eastern Michigan University football team turns its attention to Alabama State University. Saturday's, Sept. 10, kickoff is scheduled for 1:06 p.m. at Rynearson Stadium.

The Eagles and the Hornets are meeting for the first time on the gridiron. In fact, Eastern Michigan has never played a team from the state of Alabama in its 120-year history. Meanwhile, Alabama State, the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division champions, will be playing its first Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) opponent.

STRIVING FOR A 2-0 START: Eastern Michigan will look for its first 2-0 start to a campaign since the 1989 season, when the then-Hurons downed Kent State University, Sept. 2, and Youngstown State University, Sept. 9. That season the Eagles posted a 5-0-1 record through its first six games en route to a 7-3-1 finish.

COACH ENGLISH: EMU Head Coach Ron English got to sing the fight song and celebrate a victory at home following the 32-point decision over Howard, Sept. 4. It also marked the first time under the Eagles' third-year mentor that the Green and White held a team under 250 yards of total offense, limiting the Bison to just 201 yards (96 rush; 105 pass). Conversely, Eastern Michigan rolled up 441 total yards of offense, including 326 yards rushing, and advanced into Howard territory on 10 of its 14 drives.

WINNING STREAK: The Eagles have posted a 7-3 record against Football Championship Subdivision opponents since the 2001 campaign. However, EMU is currently riding a three-game winning streak that includes a 38-15 decision over Howard, Sept. 22, 2007, a 52-0 victory over Indiana State, Aug. 28, 2008, and a 41-9 win against Howard, Sept. 4, 2011.

During the 10-game span, the Green and White have averaged 31.2 points and 416.1 total yards of offense per game, while giving up an average of 22.0 points and 356.8 yards per contest.

WINNING STREAK: The Eagles have posted a 7-3 record against Football Championship Subdivision opponents since the 2001 campaign. However, EMU is currently riding a three-game winning streak that includes a 38-15 decision over Howard, Sept. 22, 2007, a 52-0 victory over Indiana State, Aug. 28, 2008, and a 41-9 win against Howard, Sept. 4, 2011.

During the 10-game span, the Green and White have averaged 31.2 points and 416.1 total yards
of offense per game, while giving up an average of 22.0 points and 356.8 yards per contest.

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ASU Hornets hyped in taking on MAC team

Montgomery, AL - It's not the type of big-name opponent you would circle on the schedule. But Alabama State's trip this weekend to face Eastern Michigan represents the first time the Hornets have ever ventured out of the state to face a Football Bowl Subdivision (Division I-A) opponent.

It gives the reigning Southwestern Athletic Conference East Division champions a chance to gauge their brand of football with a team from other regions of the country.

"It's a good opportunity, not only for the program, but as individuals you want to compare yourself to those type of guys that are playing at a bigger level," said Hornets receiver Nick Andrews. "You want to see how well you match up with those guys. It means a lot more. In the SWAC, we're basically at a lower level, so they're looking down on us since we're a historically black college. We just have to go out there and play football," Andrews said.

The two teams have never met in any sport, but ...

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