YPSILANTI, Mich. – EKU football begins its highly-anticipated 2022 season Friday, September 2nd, when the Colonels take the field to face Eastern Michigan.

The game will be aired live on ESPN3. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Dan Gutowsky will handle play-by-play duties with Marcus Ray serving as the analyst.

A live radio broadcast will also be available in the Richmond area on WCYO 100.7 FM, Greg Stotelmyer and Jim Tirey will be on call.
 
INSIDE THE SERIES
-  Eastern Kentucky leads the all-time series, 3-0-1. The two teams met for the first time in 1948 when EKU beat EMU 20-0.

-  The Colonels won the first three meetings in the series.

-  EKU is 1-0-1 all-time at Eastern Michigan.

-  The last meeting in the series was in 1971 when the two teams battled to a 0-0 in Ypsilanti.
 
 
THE COLONELS
-  Eastern Kentucky is competing in the ASUN-WAC challenge as a member of the ASUN conference. The alliance will feature Austin Peay, Central Arkansas, Eastern Kentucky, Kennesaw State, and North Alabama from the ASUN, and Abilene Christian, Southern Utah, and Stephen F. Austin from the WAC.

-  EKU tied for second with Central Arkansas in the preseason ASUN Coaches poll

-  Garry McPeek was named acting head coach on August 29th, one day after head coach Walt Wells suffered a cardiac episode. McPeek joined the EKU staff in February of 2021 as the assistant director of football operations. He served as the director of football operations during the 2021 season and was promoted last offseason to chief of staff.

-  Linebacker Matthew Jackson is a Second Team HERO Sports FCS Preseason All-American, a Stats Perform FCS Preseason Third Team All-American, the ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, the Phil Steele ASUN Preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and a member of the preseason Buck Buchanan Award watchlist.

-  EKU placed six players on the Preseason All-ASUN team. The Colonels selected were Payton Collins (offensive line), Kelton Dawson (defensive line), Eli Hairston (linebacker), Matthew Jackson (linebacker), Joseph Sayles (defensive back), and Howard Watkins Jr. (offensive line).

-  After going 3-6 during the 2020 campaign, EKU's 7-4 record in 2021 marked the biggest single-season win improvement in program history.

-  The Colonels won their season opener last season against Western Carolina, 31-28.
 
 
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT
-  The Eagles finished 7-6 in 2021, ending the season on December 16th with a 56-20 loss to Liberty in the LendingTree Bowl

-  Jose Ramirez (defensive lineman) was placed on the preseason 2022 Bednarik Award watchlist. Last season, Ramirez ranked 10th in the MAC with 6.5 sacks.

-  Hassan Beydoun (wide receiver) had 97 catches and a total of 1,015 receiving yards last season.

-  EMU ranked first in the nation last season in fewest penalties (41), fewest penalties per game (3.42), fewest penalty yards (366), and fewest penalty yards per game (30.5).

-  Offensively, the Eagles averaged 31.0 points per game last season. 14 different players on EMU's roster scored touchdowns in 2021.