Chuck Martin and Chris Creighton, the two longest tenured coaches in the MAC, battle it out at The Factory.
Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, October 12 at 2:00 p.m. ET
- Network: ESPN+
- Location: Rynearson Stadium — Ypsilanti, MI
- Spread: Eastern Michigan (-3)
- Over/under: 45.5
- All-time series: Miami (OH) leads, 19-6
- Last meeting: Eastern Michigan 13, Miami (OH) 12 — October 9, 2021
- Current streak: Eastern Michigan, 2 (2017-21)
Setting the scene
Eastern Michigan and Miami (OH) aren’t the most familiar MAC rivals. In the six-year span from 2018-23, the Eagles and RedHawks only squared off once with Chris Creighton’s Eagles emerging in a low-scoring bout.
Now the teams reconvene on the gray turf in Ypsilanti where Eastern Michigan (4-1, 1-0 MAC) is hoping to build on its best start since 2016. The Eagles ride a three-game win streak after a prosperous non-conference showing and now they’re launching a campaign for their first MAC Championship Game appearance ever.
One team that knows about MAC championships is the visitor. Miami (OH) (1-4, 0-1 MAC) isn’t off to the start it imagined given its returning experience from last year’s 11-3 MAC champion. Still, you can never count out a Chuck Martin team as he turned 1-3 starts into winning records in both 2019 and 2021.
This matchup features the two longest tenured coaches in the MAC. Both Eastern Michigan’s Chris Creighton and Miami’s Chuck Martin started their tenures with the 2014 season, and this marks their 11th year at the helm.
Miami (OH) RedHawks outlook
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The RedHawks are enduring the inevitable MAC championship hangover, as no team holding the conference crown maintained it for another year since Northern Illinois won back-to-back in 2011 and 2012.
There are a combination of factors contributing to Miami’s 1-4 start. One is a brutal opening schedule featuring consecutive matchups vs. Northwestern, Cincinnati, and Notre Dame with no FCS team on the schedule. Also, the RedHawks drew a challenging matchup at Toledo for their first conference game.
But offensive woes are one of the main issues plaguing Miami on its quest for a repeat. The RedHawks went over two-and-a-half road games before notching their first touchdown away from home in 2024. The offense has yet to exceed 23 points and with an average of 13.6 per game, it ranks second-last in the country in scoring.
What’s plaguing Miami most is the inability to run the football which may come as a surprise considering the size and prowess of the RedHawks’ offensive line. The unit returned four starters from last year and two All-MAC selections, but the team is only picking up 79 rushing yards per game on a 3.0 average and allowing 3.0 sacks per game, which factor into the rushing stats. When Miami ran the ball successfully Week 5 vs. UMass, it resulted in a win. Running back Keyon Mozee produced 114 yards in that outing, and getting Mozee on a roll is the spark Miami needs to get out of its offensive funk.
The passing game remains potent under sixth-year senior quarterback Brett Gabbert. Gabbert flirted with 300 yards last week, finishing with 296 and two touchdowns before throwing a late interception which sealed a 30-20 victory for Toledo. The quarterback’s efficiency numbers have never been the best, but he throws as good as a deep ball as anybody in the MAC. His ability to attack vertically kept Miami in a dogfight with Cincinnati, and he targets the sidelines 10+ yards downfield quite regularly. However, Gabbert has never threw more than eight interceptions in his previous five seasons, yet he already has seven through five games — so cutting turnovers is a priority for the RedHawks.
Miami didn’t enter 2024 with the most experienced receiving corps, but this group is a strength of the team. Cade McDonald is emerging into a star with 382 receiving yards to rank fourth in the MAC, while Javon Tracy and Reggie Virgil are reliable second and third options.
Throughout Martin’s tenure, defense is where Miami always wins its games, and that was evident during last year’s MAC championship run. The RedHawks snapped a 17-game streak of holding opponents to under 30 after falling 30-20 to Toledo, but they remain one of the better units in the MAC. Not even Notre Dame or Cincinnati could exceed 28 as the RedHawks consistently muck up games on this end.
Matthew Salopek is a tackle machine, well on pace for his fourth-straight 100+ tackle season after generating 45 in five games. Then there’s Brian Ugwu the backfield invader with seven tackles for loss on the year. The pass defense has been especially promising with Silas Walters and Raion Strader leading the charge with nine combined pass breakups. But one aspect Miami struggles with is generating turnovers. The RedHawks finally got on board with their first two interceptions of 2024 last week thanks to outside linebacker Corban Hondru, but the unit is in desperate need of more — especially for field position purposes given the offense’s struggles.
Eastern Michigan Eagles outlook
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The Chris Creighton era is the gift that keeps on giving at Eastern Michigan. The Eagles were once a perennial doormat and now this team keeps churning out victories and bowl appearances. The 4-1 start, with a quality overtime win over Jacksonville State, is especially impressive giving the sheer amount of talent Eastern Michigan lost over the offseason.
One gift the Creighton era hasn’t given yet is that elusive MAC Championship Game appearance, but the Eagles are off to a stellar start toward that objective after dismantling Kent State 52-33 two weeks ago. Now fresh off their bye, they return to The Factory in hopes of upending the 2023 MAC champions.
Disciplined football is what has characterized Eastern Michigan’s first 4-1 start in eight years. The Eagles are first in the country in fewest turnovers, only losing one fumble on the year. Quarterback Cole Snyder has yet to throw an interception in 144 attempts as an Eagle, and Army and Vanderbilt are the only teams in the country that can say the same with their quarterbacks. The Buffalo transfer was an important transfer portal addition for Creighton’s team as he significantly opened up the aerial offense. Last year, there were only two occurrences of an Eastern Michigan quarterback reaching 200 yards in a game. Snyder has already done that three times in five starts, firing for 957 yards and four touchdowns on a 65.3 completion rate.
Snyder is equipped with a capable receiver duo of Oran Singleton and Terry Lockett Jr., who lead the Eagles with 311 and 230 yards, respectively. Singleton is sure to get the ball early and often, obtaining at least seven catches in four of five games in 2024. Lockett was instrumental in the MAC opener win at Kent State, corralling a team-high eight receptions in the shootout victory.
Eastern Michigan still maintains tremendous balance on offense, moderately thriving in the run game led by NC State transfer Delbert Mimms III. Mimms is up to 314 yards and five touchdowns in his first year as an Eagle, but he’s not the only one inflicting damage on the ground. Snyder dabbles in the run game with 109 yards and a pair of scores while Elijah Jackson-Anderson excels as a short-yardage threat with 146 yards and two touchdowns this season.
Similar to Miami, Eastern Michigan’s best quality is typically its defense. However, that showed and didn’t show at the same time in the 52-33 win over Kent State. The defense played a crucial role in the scoring department as it won the turnover battle 3-0 and points resulted from all three takeaways. However, Kent State managed three 40+ yard plays in the passing game, proving the Eagles are susceptible to allowing explosive plays.
Takeaways is oftentimes Eastern Michigan’s gateway to victory as the Eagles are tied for seventh in the FBS with a +7 turnover margin. Most of the takeaways have been on the ground, however, as Eastern Michigan has only intercepted two passes all season. The Eagles are putting themselves in good position to generate more interceptions though, forcing 3.2 sacks per game which is good for 11th in the FBS. Defensive linemen Justin Jefferson and Peyton Price are difficult matchups for opposing o-lines as each has three sacks so far in 2024.
One other aspect Eastern Michigan thrives is on special teams. Kicker Jesus Gomez is already a three-time MAC Special Teams Player of the Week this year, tied for second in the nation in most field goals made. Gomez is 12-of-14 on the year with his only misses from 49 and 57 yards out, yet he’s connected on 4-of-5 from 40-49 and 2-of-3 from 50-59 — proving he can be the difference in a close game.
Prediction
A matchup between a Chuck Martin team and a Chris Creighton team just sounds like a scrappy, defensive-oriented low-scoring finish — just like their previous 13-12 result in 2021.
Miami and Eastern Michigan aren’t typically characterized by explosive offenses, but rather, these programs generate their victories by playing sound on the other side of the ball. This year’s teams are no exception. Eastern Michigan can stifle Miami’s run game and present an effective pass rush which causes the RedHawks to see inefficiency through the air. Miami counters with a swarming secondary that forces Eastern Michigan to run right at a talented linebacking corps led by Matt Salopek.
The end result should be a slew of punts, but the difference in this low-scoring affair will be a Jesus Gomez field goal.
Prediction: Eastern Michigan 17, Miami (OH) 16