A newly introduced fall break could very well have steered Eastern Michigan University students away from campus this weekend, but it certainly isn’t phasing the EMU football team as they host Kent State University inside ‘The Factory’ in Ypsilanti, Michigan, on Saturday, Oct. 14.
The spirits are high in Depot Town as the Eagles are coming off of a dominating homecoming win over Ball State last weekend, 24-10, with Kent State on the opposite end as they enter week seven on a three-game losing streak after falling to Ohio last Saturday, 42-17.
Kent State leads the all-time series between the two squads, 19-15, but the Eagles came away victorious most recently as they knocked off the Golden Flashes last season, 31-24.
Here is your full game preview, as well as how to watch and what to watch for:
How to watch
When: Saturday, Oct. 14
Where: Ypsilanti, Michigan
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET
TV: CBS Sports Network
Odds
Spread: EMU -8.5
Over/Under: 39.5 points
Moneyline: EMU -350
ESPN Analytics: EMU 69.2% chance to win
Keys to success, what to watch
EMU: Similar to Ball State a week ago, the Eagles are going to have to attack the Golden Flashes with their passing game so that they can obtain a win on Saturday. Kent State is averaging 409.2 yards given up per game, most importantly 234.3 of those yards are through the air, so continuing to improve throwing the ball will be key for EMU in this matchup. Against a squad that ranks 125th in the country in scoring defense (35.5 PPG allowed), the Eagles must utilize their offensive play calling to put some points on the board and get their second consecutive win over Kent State.
Kent State: What the Golden Flashes need to do to walk out of Rynearson Stadium on Saturday with a win is force the Eagles offense to be uncomfortable. Kent State is going to need to make this a defensive battle, as they rank second-worst in the country in scoring offense (13.3 PPG). It’s also not ideal for them to try to beat EMU with their offense as the Eagles rank 38th in scoring defense, allowing just 20.3 points per game. If they can create some pressure with their defensive front while containing EMU quarterback Austin Smith and his mobility, Kent State could come up with a huge win on Saturday.
