Outclassing UMass, Eastern Michigan showed complete self: ‘Just had a different feel to it’

That, for Eastern Michigan football, is what it’s supposed to look like.

“My thoughts are that we played Eastern Michigan football today,” head coach Chris Creighton said postgame. “And really I think for the first time this year. Was not perfect, but from start to finish, though, all three phases played really hard and played well. And we played winning football. It just had a different feel to it.”

In a thorough 38-14 earholing of previously undefeated UMass (4-1, 0-1 MAC) on Saturday at McGuirk Alumni Stadium, propelling EMU (3-3, 2-0 MAC) to the top of the conference standings, the Eagles displayed a balanced offense with a marauding run game and surgical passing offense behind an offensive line coming into its own and played stifling defense to handcuff the abilities of Minuteman QB Pop Watson III. 

EMU took the ball away twice from UMass, didn’t turn it over once itself, went 11-of-14 on third down and went 4-of-4 on red zone opportunities. The Eagles scored in every quarter. EMU is now 2-0 in the MAC for the first time since 2005.

“But we were just not going to be denied, just from the beginning of the game on,” Creighton said. “And I'm really excited for our football team to experience what it feels like to play in the way that we played today.”

Saturday was easily Eastern Michigan’s best offensive performance of the season, from the obvious season-high 38 points to some underlying details. 

EMU was balanced, rushing for 192 yards (at 4.9 yards per carry) with Amareon Blue (66 yards), Joey Mattord (54) and Braydon Bennett (42) amassing 162 yards on 29 combined carries. All three had a rushing touchdown. 

Quarterback Noah Kim also played maybe his best game of the season, going 21-of-30 for 219 yards and two touchdowns. He looked in control and made a number of impressive throws for chunk gains down the field. 

“And then offensively we're really balanced,” Creighton said. “We didn't turn the ball over and we — I think we were something over 400 yards but it was pretty balanced. Noah was efficient, and our run game. I'm really proud of our offensive line.” 

And that offensive line performance clicked as the Eagles continue to get healthier and more intact up front. 

EMU didn’t give up a sack and had just two negative plays vs. a UMass front that was one of the most disruptive in the country entering Saturday. 

And the starting group, left to right, of Tyler Brumfield, Guzzy Kayed, Nic Gallegos, Dennis Strey Jr. and Elijha Payne helped key in an offensive performance that’s close to the vision Creighton had entering the year. 

“Yeah, it was the vision and the hope, right?” Creighton said. “Both those things. And so, we did get some guys back but we also just got some guys for the first time. And that matters. And so really proud of just all the different roles that guys have played and have to play and will continue to play and some of those are new and some of those are familiar.”

Step forward vs. MSU begins what Eastern Michigan hopes is continual OL improvement

The Eagles got good push in the run game and the looked largely clean in handling pass protection against a Big Ten foe, a promising sign for games to come.

Mitten FootballAndrew Graham

Chris Creighton confident EMU’s offense will get clicking: ‘Not gonna be surprised’

The Eagles have scored 38 points across the last three games, including a pair of forgettable performances on the road vs. Big Ten foes.

Mitten FootballAndrew Graham

And while EMU ultimately gave up 316 yards of offense, that pales to the ways the defense shined for the Eagles. 

Caleb Dobbs came up with a third quarter interception and 31 yard return to set up the EMU offense at the UMass nine yard line for a two-play touchdown drive that made it 28-7. This came right after EMU’s offense had marched down the field and scored to take a 21-7 lead out of the break. The defense also came up with a fumble recovery in the first half, producing two turnovers against a UMass team that had given up the ball once in four games all season — all while the Eagles didn’t turn it over themselves. 

The EMU defense also forced a turnover on downs and the Eagles benefitted from UMass attempting, and missing a 54-yard field goal in the first half. 

Watson finished 20-of-27 for 210 yards and a touchdown along with his interception, and didn’t get sacked, but the Eagles managed to corral him and the Minutemen for seven points until a two-minute drive at the end of the game 

“We certainly didn't let him take over the game and that is something that he's capable of and something that he's done for almost half the season,” Creighton said of Watson. “And so it was a great plan by our defensive staff and our guys executed it.”

Now Eastern Michigan sits atop the MAC, the only 2-0 team in conference play so far (in part a benefit of a Week 0 conference game vs. Sac. State). 

It sets the table for a final six games where the Eagles can jostle to make the MAC title game for the first time in program history, and sets the course for this team to get back to bowl eligible for the first time since 2023. 

It’s what Creighton has planned on Eastern Michigan football looking like all season. Now they just need to repeat it six more times, at least. 

“Everybody in the country picked them to win and talked about being sold out and all of that,” Creighton said. “And so it was just us getting on a plane, believing in ourselves, and knowing that we just hadn't played how we were capable of playing. And we got a lot closer to that today and so we beat a good football team. And it means absolutely nothing for next week. And I made that perfectly clear. So, we're going to enjoy this one but we're not going to be burning down any buildings or anything like that. We're just going to get back and start all over again.”