Eastern Michigan @ UMass

3:30 we at Eastern Michigan who went 6 and 7 traveling a UMass who went 3 and N this was an even spread when I wrote that down I think it's changed a little bit since then but we're going to rock with even for right now on ESPN Plus Austin Smith for the Eagles went 171 of 298 through for 1,775 yards nine touchdowns seven interceptions Samson Evans had 142 carries for 635 yards and 12 touchdowns and Tanner new had 50 catches for 479 yards and three touchdowns Tyson Chan sorry if I'm pronouncing that incorrectly you Mass fans you can hit me up in the comment section below he went 139 to 227 last year threw for 1, 157 yards six touchdowns to six interceptions he is returning this year so big win for the minute man kayin Lynch Adams had 236 carries for 1,57 yards and 12 touchdowns it would have been great to have him back but he is unfortunately gwn from the minute man and Anthony sepson had 57 catches for 792 yards and three touchdowns you do bring him back uh Eastern Michigan has none of those players returning by the way uh not a single Eagle that I mentioned is returning this was a bowl team last year I feel like is worth mentioning this is a team that made a bowl game I believe the only one of the Michigan teams to make a bowl game so big win for Eastern Michigan um you uh Eastern Michigan all time is 3 and2 against UMass um last three games have gone to Eastern Michigan from 2021 to 2023 um they're two and0 in one possession games as well so keep that in mind I think what is going to be extremely fascinating at least to me in this game is UMass is again a team I understand they're probably not going to be in playoff position at the end of the year I understand that but they are one of the weird teams with Yukon in Washington state and Oregon State that if you look at it there's not a clear path to the playoffs even if you go 12 and0 you don't get that championship game and you're going to be viewed as a group of five strength schedule which means me you don't get the easy group of five lock as well because you don't have a conf you can't get the automatic bid so you have to be in at large and it's just a really weird position that um is in now to be fair the chances of them uh being in that position very very low this is a ums team that is typically winning two or three games a year um now even is a big win for them even if they're at home against a team that may bowl game last year I understand they don't bring out back the vast majority of that team but still a big win for them to be even that being said I do think Eastern Michigan is significantly better than UMass I don't understand how the spread is even give me the Eagles on the road to win and obviously cover because it's an even spread [Applause] [Music]