2021 Mid-American Conference Football Week 4 Game Preview: Texas State Bobcats at Eastern Michigan Eagles

The Texas State Bobcats travel from San Marcos, Texas, to Ypsilanti, Michigan, to face the Eastern Michigan Eagles this weekend for each team’s last non-conference game of the 2021 season.

Texas State is a relative newcomer to FBS football, having made the leap in 2012. They first joined the Western Athletic Conference, but they jumped ship after a year to join their current conference of the Sun Belt. Coach Jake Spavital is in his third season as the coach for the Bobcats (and his third season overall as a head coach). He is 6-21. Last year, Texas State was 2-10 and they are currently 1-2. The Bobcats have had a team since 1904 and they claim two Division II titles. They had one winning season in FBS and that was when they went 7-5 in 2014.

Believe it or not, this is the first time that Eastern Michigan has played a team from Texas. They traveled to Texas when they played in the Pioneer Bowl, but they have not played a team based in Texas.

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Texas State has scored an average of 26 points, but has given up an average of 29 points. They have gained an average of 144 yards on the ground versus giving up 152 yards on the ground. Their leading rusher is Calvin Hill, who accounts for about 60 yards per game. Their quarterback is Brady McBride, who is 63-of-112 for 199 yards per game but he has thrown three interceptions. His leading target is Marcell Barbee, who averages 59 yards per game. Their defense has 1 interception and has recovered 6 fumbles. They have only recorded two sacks while giving up seven.

Kenneth Bailey

The Eagles have scored an average of 28 points per game, while giving up 26 points per game. They have rushed for 140 yards per game, while giving up 222 yards. Their apparent quarterback is Ben Bryant, who is 26-of-38 for an average of 149 yards per game. He has no interceptions. Preston Hutchinson, currently 15-of-28 for an average of 47 yards per game with two interceptions, will also likely see time as a spell QB. Their leading rusher is Jawon Hamilton with 93 yards per game. He is backed up by Darius Boone, who has 44 yards per game.

Their receiving corps is a three headed hydra of Hassan Beydoun, Dylan Drummond and Zach Westmoreland.

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The Eastern Michigan defense is led by Terry Myrick with 13 tackles and one sack. David Carter has two interceptions. The Eagle defense has a total of three interceptions and two fumble recoveries. They have found the quarterback six times.

Kenneth Bailey

That being said, I think I can safely say that Eastern Michigan will walk away with a victory. I don’t expect to see them passing too much. I think they are going to give Jawon Hamilton and Darius Boone a good work out. I expect the Eastern Michigan defense will be able to reach Brady McBride a few times. I think this will be a pretty good tune up when Eastern Michigan travels to Northern Illinois next weekend.

The game starts at 2:00P.M. EST. It will be shown on ESPN+. If you prefer, you can listen to it on WEMU at 89.1 on your radio dial or at WEMU.org.

It should be a good game at any rate.