2020 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team

The 2020 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University during the 2020 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Eagles were led by seventh-year head coach Chris Creighton and played their home games at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan. They competed as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference (MAC).

2020 Eastern Michigan Eagles football
Conference	Mid-American Conference
	West Division
2020 record	2–4 (2–4 MAC)
Head coach	Chris Creighton (7th season)
Defensive coordinator	Neal Neathery (5th season)
Home stadium	Rynearson Stadium (Capacity: 30,200)
Uniform

2020 Mid-American Conference football standings
	Conf							Overall
Team		W		L					W		L
East Division
No. 25 Buffalo xy		5	–	0					6	–	1
Kent State		3	–	1					3	–	1
Ohio		2	–	1					2	–	1
Miami (OH)		2	–	1					2	–	1
Akron		1	–	5					1	–	5
Bowling Green		0	–	5					0	–	5
West Division
No. 23 Ball State xy$		5	–	1					7	–	1
Western Michigan		4	–	2					4	–	2
Toledo		4	–	2					4	–	2
Central Michigan		3	–	3					3	–	3
Eastern Michigan		2	–	4					2	–	4
Northern Illinois		0	–	6					0	–	6
Championship: Ball State 38, Buffalo 28
$ – Conference champion x – Division champion/co-champions y – Championship game participant Note: Due to COVID-19, the Mid-American suspended the season on August 8, but later decided to begin play on November 4.[1] Rankings from AP Poll.

Previous season

The Eagles finished the 2019 season 6–7, 3–5 in MAC play to finish in a tie for fifth place in the West Division, losing the tiebreaker to Toledo. They were invited to the Quick Lane Bowl where they lost to Pittsburgh 30–34.

Preseason

Award watch lists

Listed in the order that they were released

Award	Player	Position	Year
John Mackey Award[2]	Thomas Odukoya	TE	SR
Paul Hornung Award[3]	Dylan Drummond	WR	JR
Wuerffel Trophy[4]	Thomas Odukoya	TE	SR

Schedule

Eastern Michigan had games against Kentucky and Missouri, which were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[5]

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
November 4	6:00 p.m.	at Kent State	Dix Stadium Kent, OH	ESPN+	L 23–27	0
November 11	7:00 p.m.	at Ball State	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	CBSSN	L 31–38	1,183
November 18	7:00 p.m.	Toledo	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	CBSSN	L 28–45	0
November 27	4:00 p.m.	Central Michigan	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy)	CBSSN	L 23–31	300
December 5	Noon	at Western Michigan	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI (Michigan MAC Trophy)	ESPN+	W 53–42	0
December 12	11:00 a.m.	Northern Illinois	Rynearson Stadium Ypsilanti, MI	ESPN3	W 41–33	300
Rankings from AP Poll and CFP Rankings (after November 24) released prior to game All times are in Eastern time

[6]

References

1. Wells, Adam (September 25, 2020). "MAC Approves 6-Game College Football Schedule Beginning November 4". Bleacher Report. Retrieved September 25, 2020.
2. "John Mackey Award preseason watch list announced". July 17, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
3. "50 Players Named to 2020 Paul Hornung Award Watch List". July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
4. "The Wuerffel Trophy 2020 Watch List (Non AP)". July 23, 2020. Retrieved July 23, 2020.
5. Talty, John. "SEC moves to conference-only 2020 schedule, pushes back start of season". AL.com. Retrieved 30 July 2020.
6. "2020 Eastern Michigan Football Schedule". FBSchedules.com. Retrieved March 10, 2020.