Football Remains on the Road with a Trip to Charlotte Saturday, Sept. 17

Football at Charlotte
Date	Saturday, Sept. 17 \| 6 p.m.
Venue	Charlotte, N.C. \| Jerry Richardson Stadium (15,314)
Preview Info	EMU Notes \| Press Conference Video \| Teleconference Audio.
Live Stats	Fan Stats \| Media Stats
Watch	CUSA.TV
Listen	WEMU (89.1 FM) \| TuneIn Radio
Twitter	@EMUFB \| @EMUAthletics
Tickets	Order Tickets Online or call 734.487.2282

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (EMUEagles.com) – After playing last weekend in Missouri, life on the road continues for the Eastern Michigan University football team as the Green and White travel to Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, Sept. 17, to square off against the 49ers of the University of North Carolina-Charlotte. The tilt pits the Eagles against one of the nation's newest Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) programs at 6 p.m. under the lights of Jerry Richardson Stadium.
   The contest will be streamed as a part of Conference USA's online video portal, CUSA.tv. A variety of packages are available for fans to watch all the action. Daily passes are offered for $6.95, providing access to live video as well as archived content for 24 hours. There are also monthly ($10.95) and annual ($99.95) packages available. To subscribe, log on to ConferenceUSA.com/watch.
   WEMU (89.1 FM) will provide audio coverage of the game with Matt Shepard and Rob Rubick calling action on the field. The feed is available online at wemu.org or through the TuneIn application.

ALUMNI TAILGATE: Gather with alumni and friends at the EMU Alumni Football Tailgate in Charlotte, N.C. before EMU football plays against Charlotte Saturday, Sept 17, 3:30-5:30 p.m, at Hauser Alumni Pavilion (8889 Cameron Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28223). Register by Wednesday, Sept 14. Registration includes a BBQ Buffet and complimentary beverages. For more information, click here.

ALL-TIME VS. CHARLOTTE: The Eagles and 49ers have never met on the gridiron in EMU's 125-year history. The 49ers start-up football program has taken the fast track to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) level. The program debuted in 2013 and played for two years (2013, 2014) as a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Independent before making the jump to the FBS and Conference USA in 2015. The 49ers were invited to be a member of Conference USA in the summer of 2012 – before holding their first practice.
   Charlotte will return the favor with a trip to Ypsilanti next season, as the two sides open the 2017 campaign on Sept. 1 on the gray turf inside "The Factory".

ALL-TIME IN THE TAR HEEL STATE: Eastern Michigan is 1-0 all-time against teams based in North Carolina. EMU last played in the Tar Heel State in 1977 when the then-Hurons defeated North Carolina A&T 21-20, Nov. 5.

EMU AGAINST CONFERENCE USA: With conference realignment still in full effect throughout the world of college football, Conference USA has been in the center of the changes. Only five (Marshall, Rice, Southern Miss, UAB, UTEP) of the current 13-member schools were members of Conference USA back in 2010 when conference realignment started to take shape. The Eagles are 3-11 all-time against the current Conference USA institutions, having only played against four of them. EMU is 1-3 against Marshall University, a former Mid-American Conference foe. The Green and White has faced Louisiana Tech six times, while splitting the series with one win apiece against Western Kentucky. EMU most recently wrapped up a home-and-home series with Old Dominion, a set that the Monarchs swept winning 17-3 in 2014 and 38-34 in 2015.

MAKING THE TRANSITION: When Eastern Michigan and Charlotte meet on Saturday, it will mark the fourth time EMU will play a team that was either in the process or has recently completed the transition from the FCS to the FBS. Eastern first played Connecticut while they made the switch from 1-AA to 1-A in 2000 and 2001, defeating the Huskies 32-25 in 2000 and falling 19-0 in 2001. The past two seasons, EMU faced a transitional program in Old Dominion.

NEATHERY VS CHARLOTTE: EMU defensive coordinator Neal Neathery and his defense faced off against the 49ers last season in a 30-27 overtime win for his former UTSA team. In that game, Neathery's defense held Charlotte to just 134 yards on the ground, 2.5 yards per carry, and the secondary forced two interceptions.

ELECTRIC ERIKSEN: In his first two games as a feature back in EMU's offense, redshirt sophomore Ian Eriksen has recorded back-to-back 90-yard rushing performances, with 97 yards against MVSU, Sept. 2, followed by a 90-yard day against Missouri, Sept. 10.
   The Clarkston, Mich. native has also scored three touchdowns in two games, and is EMU's leading rusher with 187 yards on 35 carries. He currently ranks third in the MAC in rushing, and 13th in the country with three rushing TDs.

BAILEY BREAKS THROUGH: Junior Sergio Bailey II had the best game of his young EMU career against Missouri, Sept. 10. The California native recorded career-highs with seven receptions for 57 yards. He also caught his first career touchdown with a diving, fingertip catch in the corner of the end zone. In two games, Bailey II leads Eastern with 10 catches and 90 yards.

PORTER PUTTING UP THE YARDS: Junior Todd Porter put up a career-best 287 yards through the air in his second EMU start against Missouri, Sept. 10. Not only was it the most in his young career, but it was the third-most yards passing by an Eagle in Head Coach Chris Creighton's EMU tenure.

BOMBS AWAY BARNES: Redshirt junior Austin Barnes boomed 10 punts for an average of 47.0 yards, including a long of 55 yards, against Missouri, Sept. 10, putting him in a tie for 11th in single-game punting average. The fourth-year punter currently holds a career average of 43.5 yards, which is second all-time in EMU history, while his 5,393 total yards ranks ninth all-time. His 46.9 season punting average is ninth in the country and second in the MAC.

CASHING IN THE TURNOVERS: Through two games, Eastern Michigan is winning the overall turnover battle, 5-3, with four fumble recoveries on the season. The Eagles have cashed in on the opportunities given to them, turning three of the four recoveries into touchdowns. The three fumble recoveries rank third in the nation.

IMPROVING RUSHING DEFENSE: Through two games, the Eagle rushing defense has seen immense improvement from just a season ago. EMU has only given up 193 yards of rushing offense (23 vs. MVSU, 170 vs. Missouri) which are the best and fourth best rushing defensive efforts in the Chris Creighton era. The Eagle defense only held opponents to less than 200 yards once in 2015, with 175 allowed versus Central Michigan in the final game of the season.

REWRITING THE RECORD BOOK: Two EMU seniors are close to topping the all-time list for defensive categories in the EMU record book. Pat O'Connor is 4.5 sacks away from becoming EMU's all-time sack leader (since 1998), while DaQuan Pace is just three pass breakups away from topping the charts at that category (since 1998).

THE LIGHTS OF TV: For the first time since Nov. 17, 2013, EMU football will play a game that will not be shown on a television network, instead the game at Charlotte will instead be streamed on the Conference USA website. EMU played as a part of a TV game in each of its last 39 contests - the longest streak in program history. The last time it was not on a TV network was at Western Michigan, as EMU posted a 29-23 victory to hold on to the Michigan MAC trophy.

Football Remains on the Road with a Trip to Charlotte Saturday, Sept. 17

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Players Mentioned

Sergio Bailey II

Austin Barnes

Ian Eriksen

Juan Giraldo

Pat O'Connor

DaQuan Pace

Todd Porter

Eastern Michigan Athletics