30 Games in 30 Days: #26 Army at Eastern Michigan

ARMY	@ EMU

The beginning of the Ron English era in Ypsilanti is marked by one of the more winnable games on their schedule. Army is, perhaps, the weakest team the Eagles face this year and they have to travel to Michigan. A home win against the Black Knights could be a great storyline for English to start his career.

Where: Ypsilanti, Michigan
When: September 5


All Time: Army 2-0

Date	EMU	Army
October 11, 2008	13	17
October 31, 1992	17	57

Last year Army did not complete a pass in two games. The first was when FCS New Hampshire soundly defeated the Black Knights in week two and the second was when they rolled off 341 rushing yards in a comeback victory over Eastern Michigan at west point.

As much as keeping Army under three hundred yards may have helped offensive miscues late in the game kept Eastern Michigan from recapturing the lead. Four drives averaging 7 yards per drive in the fourth quarter doomed any chances the Eagles had.

Ron English has been very upfront with his belief that the his squad, if more consistent, could be tough enough to win out games like the one last year against Army

"consistency-the truest measure of toughness!" -- Ron English

This game lands in the top 30 because its the official kickoff of the biggest rebuilding job college football has seen in years. Should Ron English, eventually, establish EMU as a power in the MAC it would eclipse both what Turner Gill did at Buffalo and what Brady Hoke did for Ball State.

On the other sideline another new coach Rich Ellerson has his own rebuilding project. Fortunately he is well versed with the option meaning Army is going away, for good, from their failed experiment at the west coast set. The service academies always have their own set of challenges when it comes to recruiting so righting the Army ship may take a few seasons.

This game which may not mean a whole lot on either the national land scape nor in the MAC but it should be close and a good kickoff to two new coaches.

#30: Temple at Navy
#29: Morgan State at Akron
#28: Miami at Kent
#27: Toledo at Ball State