For the first time since the 2020 season, the Eastern Michigan University football program opened its season away from home. The Eagles picked up a 28-14 win over the Minutemen from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst to improve to 1-0 in 2024.
When the scoring started, Eastern Michigan led the entire game, including allowing no points in the first half on defense. It all came into place for the Eastern Michigan debut of Cole Snyder (Lakewood, New York), who threw for 241 yards, completing 17 of his 29 attempts.
Snyder is no stranger to defeating Eastern Michigan. He was the starter of one of the Eagles' worst defensive efforts in the Chris Creighton era when the Buffalo Bulls came into Ypsilanti and defeated the Eagles 50-31 in 2022. He was also their starter in the game last year when the two schools faced each other.
Passing was not the only thing the Eagles had going today, as rushing and receiving both played a massive role in the victory. The Eagles ran for 134 yards, including Delbert Mimms II (Indianapolis, Indiana), an NC State transfer, and Dontae McMillan (Seattle, Washington), who had 60 and 54 yards, respectively, to lead the Eagles.
Eastern's offense also included 241 yards of receiving. Oran Singleton (Clewiston, Florida) and Terry Lockett Jr. (St. Paul, Minnesota) recorded over 80 yards of receiving, with 89 and 80 yards each.
Other highlights included Justin Jefferson (Chicago, Illinois) recording two sacks and the Eagles having six as a team, Jesus Gomez (Puebla, Mexico) making two field goals, and Mitchell Tomasek (Columbus, Ohio) tallying two punts for a combined 71 yards.
It is the fourth consecutive season in which the future MAC opponent UMass and Eastern Michigan have squared off against each other. The Eagles have won all four of those games. The game also marks another season in which the Eagles have a non-conference road win, something they failed to accomplish in 2023.
The Eagles improved in different areas team-wise, but they outnumbered the Minutemen by 64 yards, 241-177, in passing. They will take this effort to a big-time opponent next weekend.
First Quarter
The game started at a temperature of 79 degrees, and UMass got the football to start the contest. Both teams went scoreless in the first quarter. No team even got into the red zone in quarter number one.
Second Quarter
The game's first score was a touchdown by Eastern Michigan in their first possession of the second quarter. The Eagles drove down the field 75 yards in seven plays to take a 7-0 lead.
On the ensuing possession, UMass drove down the field for a long time and eventually missed a field goal from 43 yards out. This drive lasted 15 plays, but the Minutemen failed to get on the board.
The highlight of the second quarter came with 38 seconds to go, with Cole Snyder connecting on an 18-yard touchdown pass to Singleton for the Eagle's first touchdown of the season. The Eagles went into the locker room up 14-0.
Third Quarter
In the third quarter, both teams scored less, with UMass getting the edge around 7-3 this time. The Minutemen scored their first touchdown of the game and season on their first possession of the third quarter.
This play was just a one-yard touchdown, but they did drive the football 70 yards down the field. It was the first time the Eagle's defense allowed some points in 2024.
Eastern scored its first points of the second half when Gomez made a 20-yard field goal, bringing the Eagles' cushion back to 10 points heading into the fourth quarter.
Fourth Quarter
They had the most offense in any portion of this game in the fourth quarter. After 12 plays, the Eagles got on the board in the fourth, with Gomez making his second field goal of the game, this one from 31 yards, bringing his total of field goals for the afternoon to 51 yards.
After forcing another turnover on defense, the Eagles got some insurance points to make the game a 28-7 lead. Mimms rushed for 6 yards to first make it 26-7. After that, the Eagles went for the two-point conversion, which succeeded in giving them 28 points, and they would finish the game with that total.
Finally, with UMass getting the ball and with time running out, the Minutemen scored another touchdown after driving down the field 75 yards. The Eagles won the scoring in every quarter except for the third.
Up Next
Eastern Michigan will end two straight road games before returning to Rynearson Stadium when it faces the defending national runner-up Washington Huskies in Seattle. Kickoff is set for 3:30 p.m. ET, and it will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
