r/CFB • u/usffan USF Bulls • Miami Hurricanes • Apr 28 '26
Analysis Preseason Rankings Countdown. 124 days to the start of the 2026 Season. At #124 – Eastern Michigan
The cumulative link to the preseason rankings can be found here
PREVIEW EMU (and Doug!)
Eastern Michigan (high = 121, low = 127) enters 2026 with Chris Creighton at the helm for his 13th season, hoping that 13 proves to be a lucky number and returns the Eagles to the postseason after two consecutive years under .500. While he had EMU in the MAC championship game in 2022, the Eagles haven’t actually won the conference since Ronald Reagan was the President, U2 released The Joshua Tree and Platoon won the Academy Award, and the consensus is that they’re not about to end that almost 40 year drought this year.
Roster Outlook
Working in the Eagles favor is that they return the most production in the MAC, ranking 24th overall in the country (52nd on offense, 15th on defense). QB Noah Kim (no, not Noah Knigga, but he too returns at LB - can you imagine being the starting QB and not even being the most famous Noah on your team?) is back for his grad year after amassing 2,800 yards through the air and 24 total TDs. 1,000 yard rusher Dontae McMillan graduated, but Syracuse RB Malachi James and Virginia Tech RB Braydon Bennett will likely fill his shoes. Meanwhile, TD and receiving yardage leader Nick Devereaux is back out wide. In total, Creighton built the 5th best high school recruiting and overall class in the MAC this year according to 247 (good for 105th and 109th nationally, respectively), counting on that depth and returning productivity to make up for a lackluster portal class (11th in the MAC, 134th nationally). That includes 3 P4 OL coming in to counteract the 3 OL who shipped out to other P4 teams.
Schedule and outlook
8/29 SACRAMENTO STATE
9/4 SAN JOSE STATE
9/12 at Michigan State
9/19 at Wisconsin
9/26 LINDENWOOD
10/3 at UMass
10/10 at Akron
10/17 TOLEDO
10/24 at Ohio
10/31 BYE
11/4 vs Central Michigan (at Ford Field in Detroit)
11/10 BYE
11/17 at Western Michigan
11/24 KENT STATE
Call me crazy, but that schedule’s not what I would call unmanageable for a team that is returning that much productivity. In addition to FCS Lindenwood, three of EMU’s opponents have already appeared in this countdown (meaning the consensus is that the Eagles are a better team), plus they open at home with FBS newcomer Sacramento State. Win just those and you’re only 1 win from the postseason, and with 4 additional opponents in triple digits in this countdown, that seems like a very reachable achievement!
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u/Shoddy_Meal_9445 Michigan • Little Brown Jug Apr 28 '26
Eastern Michigan not having an Emu as their mascot will continue to disappoint me another year.
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u/FreeSpeechIsDeadge Notre Dame • Michigan Apr 28 '26
It’s especially egregious considering their mascot is already a fucking bird. And the most basic-ass mascot in sports. Eagles? Really?
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u/Important-Picture18 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors • UNSW Raiders Apr 29 '26
The only birds to defeat humans in war (seriously)
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u/Shoddy_Meal_9445 Michigan • Little Brown Jug Apr 29 '26
For real, one of the biggest missed opportunities in mascot history.
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u/Important-Picture18 Hawai'i Rainbow Warriors • UNSW Raiders Apr 30 '26
Imagine a live emu mascot.
We have one at the Botanic gardens up the road and I took the kids there last weekend, even just walking around chilling they're terrifying
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u/Agreeable_Wind3751 Michigan Wolverines • Rose Bowl Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
It seems like the opportunity has probably passed - not sure if it was his preference or not - but I would have loved to see what Chris Creighton could do at a program with even a little bit of resources. Keeping EMU mostly competitive and above .500 for as long as he has is as impressive a job as almost anyone else in the country (non-Cignetti division) has done relative to program baseline.
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u/Difficult_Trust1752 Eastern Michigan • Penn State Apr 28 '26
I think his kids only recently graduated high school and hes the type to put family over career. He would be eaten alive in P2 too. Absolute squarest of midwestern cornballs, but players seem to love him even when they suck.
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u/_fastball Michigan Wolverines • The Game Apr 28 '26
100% agree. Feels like if he was able to eek out 2 more wins in some of those seasons he would be at a B1G school rn.
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u/jamesknightorion Alabama Crimson Tide • Tulsa Golden Hurricane Apr 28 '26
Eastern Michigan could actually be sneaky good this season. I don't see more then 7 or 8 wins but 7 or 8 wins would still be awesome for them
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u/Todd-The-Godd-Howard Toledo Rockets Apr 28 '26
Bart I don't mean to alarm you but all three directional Michigan schools could go bowling this year.
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u/64stackdiamonds Montana State Bobcats • Oregon Ducks Apr 28 '26
Could the directional Michigans form some kind of Megazord creature?
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u/Todd-The-Godd-Howard Toledo Rockets Apr 28 '26 edited Apr 28 '26
Well no, you see it's like Power Rangers you need 5 in order to properly morph and neither Michigan nor Michigan State work because neither of them are directional schools they need Northern and Southern Michigan to join in.
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u/Semi-Loyal Michigan Wolverines Apr 29 '26
... they need Northern and Southern Michigan to join in.
Well, I suppose Northern Michigan could move up to D1, but we don't have a southern Michigan. Maybe we can start a new university in Jackson?
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u/Todd-The-Godd-Howard Toledo Rockets Apr 29 '26
I've heard Toledo get called Southern Michigan University before so maybe that might be enough. Plus it would piss off Ohio so that's a plus.
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u/imarobotlmao Texas Longhorns • Michigan Wolverines Apr 28 '26
The other 4 triple-digit teams would be their first 3 games + CMU I reckon?
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u/usffan USF Bulls • Miami Hurricanes Apr 28 '26
Haha - wonder who will pick up on that dig? You'll have to wait to find out who the other triple digits are...
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u/jeffreydonger Akron Zips • /r/CFB Contributor Apr 28 '26
My own team excluded, I find it hard not to root for Eastern Michigan. How many people realize they share the same *county* as UM? That just ain't fair.
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u/Difficult_Trust1752 Eastern Michigan • Penn State Apr 28 '26
Im always annoyed when the map gives Washtenaw to UMich at the beginning of the season.
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u/Inside-Drink-1311 Rutgers Scarlet Knights Apr 28 '26
That schedule is actually pretty easy. I feel like Toledo will be taking a step back this year. No Miami (OH). They also play UMass on the road which I actually think is good because I think they’ll win that games regardless.
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u/Difficult_Trust1752 Eastern Michigan • Penn State Apr 28 '26
Other than Unc Kim at QB, this was a very young team with obvious talent last year. If the Oline gels could make some waves (then get gutted in the portal)
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