YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) — The Eastern Michigan University football team will take on Liberty University in the 23rd Annual LendingTree Bowl Saturday, Dec. 18, at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The announcement was made Sunday, Dec. 5, by officials of EMU, the bowl, and the Mid-American Conference. Kickoff for the game will be at 5:45 p.m. ET (4:45 p.m. CT) on ESPN.
The Eagles will play in their fourth bowl game in the previous six seasons. Prior to 2016, Eastern had reached bowl eligibility just twice in its history and had earned the opportunity to play in a postseason bowl just once (1987 California Bowl). Additionally, Eastern earned bowl eligibility for the third consecutive season in 2021 (excluding COVID-shortened 2020 season), the first such occurrence in program history.
Tickets for the LendingTree Bowl will go on sale Monday, Dec. 6, at 8:30 a.m. through the EMU Athletics Ticket Office. Tickets can be ordered online through EMUEagles.com/tickets or by calling 734.487.3669. All EMU fans are encouraged to buy their tickets to the LendingTree Bowl through the EMU Athletics Ticket Office since bowl ticket sales are a critical component for future bowl consideration.
The LendingTree Bowl will mark the second meeting between EMU and LU (7-5). Liberty previously pulled the 25-24 upset of EMU at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Oct. 14, 1989, while the Flames were still a member of the Football Championship Subdivision ranks (FCS). The two are scheduled to meet again during the 2023 and 2024 seasons. Overall, Liberty is appearing in a bowl game for the third consecutive season after winning the previous two Cure Bowls in Orlando.
“This is an exciting opportunity for our program to represent this university on a national stage,” said EMU Vice President/Director of Athletics Scott Wetherbee. “I have heard fantastic things about the LendingTree Bowl and the hospitality they show the visiting teams. I hope we have a bunch of Eastern fans who can get to a great destination spot and support our team.”
EMU put together yet another impressive season in 2021, adding to the success that has come to define the last eight years under Head Coach Chris Creighton. With its seven regular season wins, Eastern has already clinched a winning record, the third under Creighton; Prior to Creighton’s arrival, EMU had not had a winning record since the 1989 season.
“I can’t wait for our group to be able to play one more game together,” added Creighton. “I am so proud of everything these guys have done to represent this university and this opportunity is well deserved. We know we will face a great opponent that will present a tough challenge, but we’re looking forward to the opportunity to win our eighth game of the season.”
EMU’s last three postseason appearances have come down to the wire, with plenty of high drama playing out on national television. The Eagles came up short against Old Dominion, 24-20, in the 2016 Bahamas Bowl, while Georgia Southern provided heartbreak with a game-winning field goal, 23-21, at the 2018 Camellia Bowl. Most recently, in front of a record-breaking crowd at the 2019 Quick Lane Bowl, Pittsburgh overtook EMU with 47 seconds remaining for a 34-30 victory at Ford Field.
“We are excited to bring two first-time teams to the LendingTree Bowl,” President Jerry Silverstein said. “Liberty and Eastern Michigan will be an exciting matchup between two teams that have been very successful over the last five years.”
The LendingTree Bowl will be played on the campus of the University of South Alabama for the first time after previously spending the last 22 years at Ladd-Peebles Stadium. Hancock Whitney Stadium features 11 suites, 44 loge boxes, terrace standing room with drink rails, and ample concourse space. The $78 million state-of-the-art facility offers numerous opportunities for the bowl to enhance the gameday atmosphere.
One of 13 bowl games played in an active college football stadium, the LendingTree Bowl is also one of nine bowl games played in an on-campus stadium, joining Arizona, Boise State, Coastal Carolina, FAU, Navy, New Mexico, SMU, and TCU. Four other bowl games are played in college stadiums, but at off-campus sites. UAB (Protective Stadium), USF (Raymond James Stadium), Memphis (Liberty Bowl), and UCLA (Rose Bowl) also host bowl games.
The 2021 regular season had plenty of exciting moments. One of the most memorable occasions in recent EMU history, the Eagles erupted for a 52-49 win over MAC-West rival Toledo, Nov. 2. It was the program’s first victory inside the Glass Bowl (UT’s home stadium) since the 1999 season. Coming into the game, Eastern had lost 10 consecutive road games to Toledo. EMU’s most impressive home win came in Week 11, when the Green and White used late-game defensive heroics to upend in-state foe Western Michigan, 22-21, on Senior Night in “The Factory.” The victory marked the third straight for Eastern over Western, the best stretch for the program since it notched the same number between 2011-13.
EMU has been one of the most disciplined teams in the country thus far in 2021. The Eagles rank first in the nation in fewest penalties per game (3.42), fewest penalty yards per game (30.5), fewest penalties (41), and fewest penalty yards (366).
Eastern Michigan’s offense is one of the best scoring units in the Mid-American Conference in 2021. Averaging 31.0 points per game, EMU has put up 372 total points on 46 touchdowns, 15 field goals, and 45 extra points. In total, 14 different Eagles have found the pay dirt in 2021, including five players who have scored multiple touchdowns. Sophomore Samson Evans leads all Eagles and ranks fourth in the league with 12 touchdowns. That number is the seventh-most in a single season by any EMU player.
Senior quarterback Ben Bryant ranks first in the MAC and 12th nationally with a 69 percent completion clip in 2021. His 2,921 yards passing ranks second in the league and 29th in the country, while his 243.4 passing yards per contest sits at third in the MAC, and ranks 39th in the NCAA. Bryant’s current completion percentage ranks second best for any Eastern player since the turn of the century. Only Andy Schmitt (72.8%) in 2007 has recorded a season with a better completion percentage since 2000. Bryant needs just 79 yards to hit the 3,000 mark this season. Only two other EMU signal callers have reached the rarified air – Charlie Batch (1997 – 3,280; 1995 – 3,177) and Mike Glass III (2019 – 3,169).
On the defensive end, EMU has been impressive as well. EMU has forced 15 turnovers in 2021, and has scored points off of 13 (9 touchdowns, 4 field goals). EMU has scored 75 points off those turnovers, twice as a direct result of the play, and 11 times in its subsequent offensive possession. Eastern Michigan has been one of the best teams in the nation when it comes to recovering fumbles in 2021. The Eagles have picked up nine loose balls this season, which ranks third in the MAC and 25th nationally.
Individually, defensive end Jose Ramirez has been one of the biggest challenges for offensive linemen in the league. He ranks 10th in the MAC with 6.0 sacks, a career-best mark for the Lake Alfred, Fla. native. In the backfield, Russell Vaden IV has emerged as an elite defender. The Louisville, Ky. native leads all Eagles with three interceptions. That number is tied for second in the conference.
The Eagles have also been elite on special teams. As a unit, EMU ranks first in the MAC and 18th nationally with a 42.22 yards per punt average. Individually, senior punter Jake Julien, the reigning MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week, has already slotted himself as the best in school history. EMU’s all-time record holder in punt average at 44.0 yards per kick, Julien has 9,494 yards on 216 tries. In 53 career contests, he has 50 kicks of 50-or-more yards to go along with 69 placed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
In the kicking game, junior Chad Ryland has been unbelievable. A season of records for the Lebanon, Pa. native, Ryland kicked his way into the No. 1 overall spot on the EMU all-time scoring list in 2021. He currently has 301 points, and passed former Eagle Andrew Wellock (2003-07) for the top spot in program history against Central Michigan, Nov. 26. Already the program’s all-time record holder in PAT attempts (142), PAT makes (138), and longest field goal (t-1; 55 yards) – all set this season, Ryland also notched a program record when he hit five field goals, the most ever in a single game for the program, against Western Michigan, Nov. 16.
EMU players collected six MAC Player of the Week awards during the 2021 regular season, and had one player earn MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week Honors. Furthermore, four different 100-yard receiving performances and two 100-yard rushing efforts have been recorded.
One of the most entertaining teams in college football, Eastern Michigan is one of just three FBS teams to have multiple wins by a one-point margin this season (Miami, 13-12; WMU, 22-21). Coincidentally, the other two teams that can make that claim also reside in the Mid-American Conference (Northern Illinois 3, Buffalo 2).
A team that plays well late, EMU is 12-6 in the month of November during the last three regular seasons (excluding COVID season). An amazing 36 of EMU’s last 40 MAC games and 49 of its last 59 games overall have either been a win or a one-possession loss.
Eastern Michigan is one of eight bowl eligible teams from the Mid-American Conference. All six teams in the MAC West Division finished with .500 record or better. Eastern also becomes the 11th different MAC team to play in Mobile.