Eastern Michigan Football Prediction: Game-By-Game Predictions in 2020

When Eastern Michigan beat Illinois in Week 3 last season, everyone highlighted the Illini's misery more than another Power Five win for Eastern Michigan. Turns out, Illinois didn't suck and Eastern Michigan would exceed most preseason expectations…again. 

The Eagles, ranked 108th in the HERO Sports Preseason College Football Rankings, has 25 wins over the last four year, their most over a four-year period since the 1980s, and needs eight wins to match the five-year total of 33 wins from 1985-89. With a new starting quarterback, questionable running game, and issues across the defense, the Eagles aren't in the eight-win conversation.

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Offensively, they return two All-MAC candidates at receiver in Quian Williams (above) and Dylan Drummond, both only juniors, along with three offensive-line starters, including one of the best centers in the Group of Five, Mike Van Hoeven, who hopes to improve a rushing offense that averaged just 3.9 yards per tote last year, 89th in the FBS.

Defensively, last year wasn't as bad as the numbers suggest for Neal Neathery's unit. They ranked in the nation's bottom third in most areas, including yards per play (5.9), third-down conversions (45 percent), and yards per carry (4.8), but bent more than they broke.

Eastern Michigan will scare one of their two Power Five opponents, Kentucky (Week 1) or Missouri (Week 4). I'm stopping short of predicting another Power Five upset but Chris Creighton deserves the benefit of the doubt in challenging at least one of those teams. Unfortunately, without a win in one of those games, their bowl streak won't extend to three years.