Game Notes: Army Heads Back Out on the Road

THE OPENING KICKOFF • The Black Knights are coming off a thrilling 31-30 double overtime victory last Saturday over Miami (OH). • With the win, Army has now won 10-straight games at Michie Stadium and three consecutive contests overall heading into Saturday's game with the Eagles. • Also with the victory, the Cadets won their fourth-straight game against a MAC opponent dating back to the 2016 season. Army is 2-0 against the MAC so far this year. • Since the start of the 2017 season, the Cadets have won 15 of their last 20 games for a .750 winning percentage and is 15-3 over the last two seasons when kicking off prior to 7 p.m. Eastern with a 5-0 mark in 2018. • Sophomore Cam Thomas made his first career start against the RedHawks and became the first quarterback to win his first start since Max Jenkins '11 defeated Fordham 55-0 in the snow at Michie Stadium in 2011. • Thomas was also the first quarterback to run for a 100 yards in his first start since Chris Carterdid so in 2015 against Rutgers. Thomas racked up 137 yards rushing in the game, which was the most by an Army player this season. • Teammate Darnell Woolfolk scored his 30th career touchdown as well to help the Army offense and now has seven touchdowns this season. • The Black Knights' defense held Miami (OH) to under 100 yards rushing, marking the third time this season Army has done so (Hawai'i and San Jose State were the other two schools). • Cole Christiansen recorded a career-high 13 tackles opposite the RedHawks earning him his third career game with double-digit tackles. • One week after making his first career field goal, John Abercrombie nailed a career-long 37-yarder in overtime to tie the game at 24-24. • Over the last six contests, the Black Knights' running game has averaged 343.3 rushing yards and has scored 24 of their 28 touchdowns during that time via the ground game. • After leading the nation in rushing just a year ago, the Black Knights are back in the Top-5 in that category after averaging 318.3 yards (second nationally) over their last seven contests. • The Army defense has been solid all year and is one of the nation's best when it comes to defending on third down situations. The Cadets are currently ninth in the nation in that category, allowing only 20 conversion in 71 attempts (.282 percent). • In the last three years the Black Knights are undefeated (11-0) when they don't lose the football. Over Coach Jeff Monken's tenure (five years), Army is 12-4 in that situation. ARMY-EASTERN MICHIGAN HISTORY • This will be the ninth all-time meeting between the two schools. • Army currently leads the series 7-1 and won the last meeting on Oct. 14, 2017, 28-27. • In that contest, the Black Knights held off a late EMU rally in which Army denied the Eagles on their potential game-winning two-point conversion with 49 seconds remaining. • James Gibson made the incredible one-on-one stop and halted the EMU play one yard shy. • The Cadets then swallowed up the on-side kick to secure the one point win. • The Black Knights and Eagles have one common opponent during the 2018 season in Buffalo. The Cadets defeated the Bulls, 42-13, on Sept. 29, while the Eagles dropped a 35-28 decision back on Sept. 15. ABOUT THE EAGLES • Eastern Michigan is currently 4-4 on the year and 2-3 in MAC play after defeating Toledo and Ball State in its last two outings. • In their most recent game with the Cardinals, EMU took a 21-6 edge into halftime before going on to outscore their host 21-14 in the second two periods. • Three different rushers found the end zone with Shaq Vann leading the way with 63 yards and one score. Breck Turner followed closely with 50 yards, including a team-high 21-yard scamper in the second period. • Senior quarterback Tyler Wiegers connected with Line Latu, Arthur Jackson, and Isaac Holder for the Eagles' three receiving touchdowns. Latu led the receiving corps with 86 yards on three catches. Jackson and Holder compiled 59 and 53 yards, respectively. • Junior Brody Hoying recorded a team-best 11 tackles, including five solo shots and one tackle for a loss of one yard. Seniors Justin Moody and Kyle Rachwall added seven tackles each for the Eagles' final total, while Jaylen Pickett registered 1.5 tackles-for-loss. • Eastern Michigan is averaging 29.50 points per game, but is giving up nearly the same at 24.13 to its opponents. • Vann and Mike Glass III have racked up over 300 rushing yards for the Eagles. Vann has compiled 455 and four touchdowns, while Glass has accumulated 361 and six scores. • Wiegers has been EMU's main play caller and is 107-of-162 so far this season with 1,268 passing yards and eight touchdowns. Glass has also seen time under center, going 52-of-85 with 780 yards and six TDs. • Blake Banham, Jackson and Latu have all tallied three receiving touchdowns with each of them compiling more than 300 yards through the air. • Rachwal leads the Eagles' defense with 71 total tackles, including 8.0 tackles for a loss of 25 yards. Vince Calhoun and Pickett follow closely with 54 and 48 tackles, respectively. Junior Maxx Crosby has an impressive 10 tackles-for-loss, while his 4.5 sacks are tops on the team.