30 Games in 30 Days: #23 Eastern Michigan at Michigan

EMU	@ Michigan

Where: Ann Arbor, MI
When: September 19th

All Time Series: Michigan 3-0

Date	EMU	Michigan
October 6, 2007	22	33
September 17, 2005	0	55
September 19, 1998	20	59

I went back on fourth on this one, this series has no real history, the game will likely not decide any MAC teams fortune, and I doubt it will be close but the 'in state' David and Goliath coupled with coaching connections makes it relevant. Maybe Michigan gets caught looking ahead to its conference opener against Indiana and EMU is able to play scrappy for awhile but in the end a big ten team, even a struggling one, has too much depth for most mid majors to hang around with, especially programs as downtrodden as Eastern Michigan.

Ron English Now	And Then

For Michigan this will be the second of three instate games this year. Mid American West contender Western Michigan opens their season in Ann Arbor, EMU makes the trip in week three, and the wolverines make the trip to Michigan State in week five. Its a shame that they could not swap Central Michigan for Delaware state.

Eastern Michigan comes in to Ann Arbor the week after travelling to Northwestern, and one week before the open conference play by hosting Temple. Last year Toledo shocked Michigan and a loss to a, then, low tier MAC team has really stung MU fans. Expect Michigan to not overlook any team from the MAC this year, unfortunately for the Eagles I don't see them beating Michigan unless they catch the wolverines looking past them.

Michigan football is a shadow of where it usually is and a stronger team like Western *might* be able to take advantage of this but the Eagles, who have occasionally played great games, would have to have to play as hard as they did last year against Central Michigan to even be in this one.

The last time these teams met the Eagles kept the game close until well into the third quarter when an Andy Schmitt touchdown run made the score 16-14 in favor of the wolverines. The wolverines would roll off 17 third quarter points to shut the door, some of the highlights of that game including an amazing fake hand off by Schmitt which fooled Englishes defense, the camera, and the announcers:

Hopefully the Eagles can keep it close again but unless Michigan has a second terrible year I don't see Eastern Michigan holding on too long.

#30 Temple at Navy

#29 Morgan State at Akron

#28 Miami at Kent

#27 Toledo at Ball State

#26 Army at Eastern Michigan

#24 Ball State at Western Michigan