Eastern Michigan Football: 2024 Preview, Best Players, Top Transfers, Season Prediction, Win Total

Eastern Michigan College Football Preview 2024

Yeah, Eastern Michigan had a losing season. Yeah, it got roasted in the bowl game. Yeah, it wasn’t quite the season the program wanted.

But here’s what has to keep being remembered about Eastern Michigan football - having a losing season was noticeable, and it was in a bowl game.

The 1987 California Bowl was the only post-season game the program ever knew before 2016, and under Chris Creighton it went bowling in six of the last eight seasons, and 2020 was one of those off years.

A 6-7 season? Before 2016, EMU managed six wins or more just twice since 1989. There were 24 losing campaigns in 26 years, and in 49 seasons at the FBS level the school has enjoyed a mere ten winning campaigns.

The expectations have changed in Ypsilanti now, but here’s the positive about last season. Eastern Michigan wasn’t good, and it still went to a bowl game.

This year’s team has a bunch of work to do to get the defensive parts in place, the offense needs more pop, and line needs help, and … there’s an upgrade at quarterback, the kickers are amazing, and the coaching is still outstanding.

But to get back to the nine-win level of 2022, the Eagles have to get a lot more from …

Eastern Michigan Football Preview 2024: Offense

- The offense sputtered too often. After scoring 387 points in 2022 the Eagles came up with just 254 last season - taking out 2020, the fewest since 2014. Now the attack gets an upgrade from the transfer portal.

At least five new Eagles are coming in to play big roles, starting with …

- The passing game. The Eagles couldn’t find anything down the field and averaged just 152 yards per game. A few young prospects are coming in to work into the system, but Buffalo transfer Cole Snyder will be the new star.

He started at Rutgers before going to UB, throwing for 5,138 yards with 31 touchdowns. Picks are a problem - 17 in two seasons, but he can run a bit.

The receiving corps is also getting an upgrade. Second-leading target JB Mitchell is back along with TE Jere Getzinger, but Porter Rooks (NC State) for the outside and Oran Singleton (JUCO) for the slot should bring the pop. Florida transfer Jonathan Odom will work into the tight end rotation.

- There wasn’t much happening on the ground averaging just 111 yards per game. A leaky offensive front was a problem, and now there’s some shuffling being done.

Carson Lee can play anywhere on the inside, and Mickey Rewolinski will move from tackle to guard - that’s about it for the top starting experience. Wayne State’s Blake Bustard has to be an instant fit at one tackle job.

Leading rushers Samson Evans and Jaylon Jackson are done, but NC State’s Delbert Mimms is a compact rusher who can barrel in for scores. He didn’t do too much last year for the Wolfpack, but he was a short-yardage machine with eight scores.

Eastern Michigan Football Preview 2024: Defense

- The defense melted down a bit too much at the end of the regular season - allowing 45 points or more in three of the last five games, including the 59-10 blowout against South Alabama in the 68 Ventures Bowl - but it held up well against most of the mediocre-to-lousy teams.

The Eagles have to come up with more from the pass rush in the alignment. Nose tackle Peyton Price managed four sacks and 47 tackles, but the outside has to do its part.

Justin Jefferson is a linebacker-sized 5-10, 234-pound edge defender who generated 3.5 sacks and 7.5 tackles for loss.

Overall, size is a concern on the inside, but they’re bulk at tackle among the twos.

- The linebacking corps is all but starting over. James Djonkam is a 6-3, 245-pounder who should be in on just about everything from his weakside spot.

He made 34 tackles in two years at Arizona State, but it’s up to Kent State transfer Luke Murphy and redshirt freshman Bryce Eliuk to take over for the 143 tackles from Chase Kline in the middle.

- The secondary needs some work, too. Quentavius Scandrett is a solid veteran safety - he finished third on the team with 59 tackles - but the transfers will need to help fill in some gaps. Bryce Llewellyn comes in from Charleston Southern to take over one safety spot - he made 60 tackles last season.

Daiquan White is good at one corner - he broke up 12 passes last season - and Joshua Scott is back after missing last season. Scott made three picks and broke up ten passes in 2022.

Key To The Eastern Michigan Football Season

Stop quarterbacks from completing passes.
The pass rush wasn’t great, but the secondary was okay and should be one of the better parts of the defense this year. Last year, EMU struggled against teams that could throw, going 1-6 against teams hat hit 58% or more of their passes.

The Eagles were 5-1 against teams that completed fewer than 58%.To stake this further, over the last two seasons they’re 12-2 when opponents are under that mark.

Eastern Michigan Key Player

Cole Snyder, QB Sr.
It’s not going to take a lot for Snyder to upgrade the passing attack, but he needs to be steady, accurate, and give the Eagles more pop. The yards he threw for at Buffalo over the last two seasons were good, but he needs to complete more than 57% of his passes to get the O going.

Eastern Michigan Football Top Transfer, Biggest Transfer Loss

Top Transfer In: Delbert Mimms, RB Sr.
Snyder might be the most important transfer, but Mimms should breakout with more work and the chance to have the gig to himself. He has the size and the power to be a big-time short-yardage and touchdown producer, and with just 129 career carries, the former NC State back should be ready for the workload.

Top Transfer Out: Kempton Shine, CB Sr.
He’s not the biggest of tacklers - around 165 pounds - but he’s feisty, made 176 tackles with 26 broken up passes in his five seasons, and now he’s a part of the Virginia secondary.

Eastern Michigan Key Game

at UMass, Aug. 31
Eastern Michigan might be one of those momentum teams. It’ll be a 50/50 baller against everyone on the MAC schedule, and it won’t win at Washington, but the opener on the road against future conference brother UMass will really, rally matter if it loses.

Win, and it’s a road win to start the season against a team it’s supposed to beat. Lose, and it’s 0-2 - Washington is next - and needing to go at least 6-4 the rest of the way to go bowling.

10 Best Eastern Michigan Football Players

1. Peyton Price, NT Sr.
2. Quentavius Scandrett, S Sr.
3. Daiquan White, CB Soph.
4. Cole Snyder, QB Sr
5. Mickey Rewolinski, OG Sr.
6. Joshua Scott, CB Jr.
7. Delbert Mimms III, RB Sr.
8. Bryce Eliuk, LB RFr.
9. Mitchell Tomasek, P Jr.
10. Jesus Gomez, PK Sr.

Eastern Michigan 2023 Fun Stats

- Fumbles: Opponents 19 (lost 11), Eastern Michigan 13 (lost 6)

- 4th Down Conversions: Eastern Michigan 10-of-19 (53%), Opponents 12-of-34 (35%)

- 3rd Quarter Scoring: Opponents 90, Eastern Michigan 42

Eastern Michigan Football 2024 Win Total Prediction: What to Expect This Season

To be TOTALLY wishy-washy on a team that’ll be 50/50 in every game but one, good luck figuring out what the Eagles can do on a consistent basis.

There are plenty of winnable games considering five of the six road games aren’t bad - the sixth is at Washington - and the toughest conference dates against Miami University and Toledo are at home.

Expect an up-and-down season with a good base of wins to count on.

The Eagles will beat Saint Francis and should win at least two of the three home games against Jacksonville State, Central Michigan, and Buffalo.

They’ll at least split the road games at Kent State and Akron, pull off an upset somewhere, and they’ll be off to another bowl.

Set The Eastern Michigan Win Total At … 5.5

Likely Wins: Buffalo, Saint Francis

50/50 Games: at Akron, Central Michigan, Jacksonville State, at Kent State, Miami University, at Ohio, Toledo, at UMass, at Western Michigan

Likely Losses: at Washington

2024 Eastern Michigan Football Schedule

Aug 31 at UMass
Sept 7 at Washington
Sept 14 Jacksonville State
Sept 21 Saint Francis
Sept 28 at Kent State
Oct 5 OPEN DATE
Oct 12 Miami University
Oct 19 Central Michigan
Oct 26 at Akron
Nov 2 Toledo
Nov 9 OPEN DATE
Nov 13 at Ohio
Nov 20 Buffalo
Nov 30 at Western Michigan

Missing: Ball State, Bowling Green, Northern Illinois

Related: College Football Preview 2024: CFN 134 Team Previews, Rankings, Top Players, Win Totals & Schedules