Eastern Michigan Eagles Season Preview

Poor Eastern Michigan! If you like facts to back up how bad a program has been, then you are in for quite a ride. The last bowl game Eastern Michigan played in was the 1987 California Bowl against San Jose State! The Eagles' last winning season was in 1995 when they went 6-5! That is correct, 15 straight losing seasons for poor Ypsilanti. The Eagles have not won more than four games in a season since 1995 as well! 

In the past 15 years they are a miserable 43-129 which equates to a winning percentage of 25 percent! From 2000-2009, EMU ranked 118 out of 120 FBS teams with a record of 27-89, a winning percentage of 23 percent. I may do a season with Eastern Michigan in NCAA Football Dynasty Mode just to give the town something positive. EMU is easily the worst program in the MAC in recent memory, as their division record is 4-10 over the past three years and 8-31 over the past five. 

There have been seven different coaches in the past two decades as they have struggled mightily to avoid ten loss seasons.

Former Louisville and Michigan defensive coordinator Ron English is now in his third season as Eastern Michigan's head coach and he is doing his best to save the program. He is a horrid 2-22 through two seasons! I could not imagine cheering or being part of a team that goes 2-10 or 1-11 every single season. I would rather become a water polo fan…almost. 

I truly believe Ypsilanti is the coolest college town to pronounce, but it has not exactly been kind to Ron English as he has failed to record a  win at home for two straight seasons! Chris Petersen from Boise State has not even LOST a home game and he has been there for five seasons.

I feel that this is English’s best squad at Eastern and that with a favorable schedule, he honestly could win more home games in the first two weeks of the season than he has during his stay thus far. 

With six starters back on offense and seven returning on defense, Eastern Michigan is in much better hands in English's third year. The great Phil Steele included only four Eagles on his 2011 Preseason All-MAC Team selections, and all were named third or fourth team All-MAC.

On paper, the Eagles are among the four worst teams in the MAC, but actually have a respectable secondary led by Willie Williams and Marcell Rose. 

They ranked 113th in total defense, allowing 454 yards per game, and were not much better offensively, averaging 333 yards per game, which ranked the Eagles 91st in the FBS. Those numbers should climb up a bit, but the program is still years away from being contenders in the MAC.

The Eagles open with FCS opponents Howard and Alabama State. They better win those two games because the following two games are at the Big House and at Happy Valley! Wow, what a 360 degree turnaround in September for English. 

They get to host Akron and Ball State, who figure to be the two worst teams in the MAC this season and arguably should have two of the worst records in all of college football.

Predicted Finish: 4-8, 2-6

Predicted Bowl:  None

Predicted order of finish in MAC: Tenth overall, Sixth in West Division