# 2021 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

The 2021 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University during the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles were led by eighth-year head coach Chris Creighton and played their home games at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan. They competed as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC). For the third time in the past six seasons (2016, 2018), the Eagles clinched a winning record, becoming the sixth Eagle team to reach seven wins.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 3 | 7:00 p.m. | Saint Francis (PA)* | Rynearson StadiumYpsilanti, MI | ESPN3 | W 35–15 | 16,461 |
| September 11 | 7:00 p.m. | at No. 18 Wisconsin* | Camp Randall StadiumMadison, WI | FS1 | L 7–34 | 70,967 |
| September 18 | 3:30 p.m. | at UMass* | Warren McGuirk Alumni StadiumHadley, MA | NESN+ | W 42–28 | 7,012 |
| September 25 | 2:00 p.m. | Texas State* | Rynearson StadiumYpsilanti, MI | ESPN+ | W 59–21 | 14,253 |
| October 2 | 2:00 p.m. | at Northern Illinois | Huskie StadiumDeKalb, IL | ESPN+ | L 20–27 | 10,034 |
| October 9 | 3:30 p.m. | Miami (OH) | Rynearson StadiumYpsilanti, MI | ESPN+ | W 13–12 | 15,664 |
| October 16 | 2:00 p.m. | Ball State | Rynearson StadiumYpsilanti, MI | ESPN+ | L 31–38 | 15,258 |
| October 23 | 12:00 p.m. | at Bowling Green | Doyt Perry StadiumBowling Green, OH | ESPN+ | W 55–24 | 10,875 |
| November 2 | 7:30 p.m. | at Toledo | Glass BowlToledo, OH | ESPN2 | W 52–49 | 14,997 |
| November 9 | 8:00 p.m. | Ohio | Rynearson StadiumYpsilanti, MI | ESPN2 | L 26–34 | 13,636 |
| November 16 | 7:30 p.m. | Western Michigan | Rynearson StadiumYpsilanti, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy) | ESPN2 | W 22–21 | 15,272 |
| November 26 | 12:00 p.m. | at Central Michigan | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI (rivalry, Michigan MAC Trophy) | ESPNU | L 10–31 | 7,708 |
| December 18 | 5:45 p.m. | vs. Liberty* | Hancock Whitney StadiumMobile, AL (LendingTree Bowl) | ESPN | L 20–56 | 15,186 |
| *Non-conference gameRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||

## Game summaries
### at No. 18 (FBS) Wisconsin

| Quarter | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eagles | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 7 |
| No. 18 Badgers | 7 | 17 | 3 | 7 | 34 |
at Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, Wisconsin
* Date: September 11, 2021
* Game time: 7:00 p.m. EST
* Game weather: 82 °F (28 °C); Sunny; Wind at SW3 MPH
* Game attendance: 70,967
* Referee: Reggie Smith
* TV announcers (FS1): Dan Hellie (play-by-play) and Robert Smith (analyst)
Game information :
First quarter
WISC – Chez Mellusi 6-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 4:39 (Wisconsin, 7–0)
Second quarter
WISC – Collin Larsh 33-yard field goal, 13:39 (Wisconsin, 10–0)
WISC – Jalen Berger 6-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 7:02 (Wisconsin, 17–0)
WISC – Isaac Guerendo 82-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 4:40 (Wisconsin, 24–0)
Third quarter
WISC – Larsh, 39-yard field goal, 8:02 (Wisconsin, 27–0)
Fourth quarter
EMU – Chase Wolf pass intercepted for a TD, Chad Ryland kick, 9:38 (Wisconsin, 27–7)
WISC – Braelon Allen 1-yard TD run, Collin Larsh kick, 4:16 (Wisconsin, 34–7)
Top passers
EMU – Preston Hutchinson – 6/13, 53 yards, INT
WISC – Graham Mertz – 14/17, 141 yards
Top rushers
EMU – Preston Hutchinson – 3 rushes, 12 yards
WISC – Chez Mellusi – 20 rushes, 144 yards, TD
Top receivers
EMU – Zach Westmoreland – 2 receptions, 35 yards
WISC – Kendric Pryor – 4 receptions, 54 yards
Top defenders
EMU – Scott Woo – 3 tackles, 2 TFL, sack
WISC – John Torchio – 3 tackles, TFL, 0.5 sack :

### Ball State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| • Ball State | 14 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 38 |
| Eastern Michigan | 0 | 14 | 3 | 14 | 31 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| BALL –1.0 | 55.5 |
| Statistics | Ball State | Eastern Michigan |
| First downs | 29 | 27 |
| Total yards | 433 | 385 |
| Rushing yards | 200 | 46 |
| Passing yards | 233 | 339 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 32:43 | 27:17 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Ball State | Passing | Drew Plitt | 27/35, 207 yards, 1 TD |
| Ball State | Rushing | Carson Steele | 18 carries, 138 yards, 1 TD |
| Ball State | Receiving | Justin Hall | 10 receptions, 58 yards |
| Eastern Michigan | Passing | Ben Bryant | 35/48, 331 yards, 1 TD, 2 INTs |
| Eastern Michigan | Rushing | Jawon Hamilton | 8 carries, 40 yards |
| Eastern Michigan | Receiving | Dylan Drummond | 7 receptions, 105 yards, 1 TD |

### at Central Michigan (Michigan MAC Trophy)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Eastern Michigan | 0 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 10 |
| • Central Michigan | 7 | 3 | 7 | 14 | 31 |
| Pregame line | Over/under |
| CMU –8.5 | 63.5 |
| Statistics | Eastern Michigan | Central Michigan |
| First downs | 15 | 22 |
| Total yards | 226 | 366 |
| Rushing yards | 5 | 236 |
| Passing yards | 221 | 130 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 1 |
| Time of possession | 27:17 | 32:43 |
| Team | Category | Player | Statistics |
| Eastern Michigan | Passing | Ben Bryant | 24/35, 221 yards |
| Eastern Michigan | Rushing | Bryson Moss | 5 carries, 26 yards |
| Eastern Michigan | Receiving | Tanner Knue | 7 receptions, 70 yards |
| Central Michigan | Passing | Daniel Richardson | 12/24, 130 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT |
| Central Michigan | Rushing | Lew Nichols III | 44 carries, 194 yards, 1 TD |
| Central Michigan | Receiving | JaCorey Sullivan | 4 receptions, 46 yards, 2 TDs |