Week 1: Eastern Michigan vs Eastern Kentucky 9/2/22 College Football Picks, Predictions, Odds

The Eastern Michigan Eagles and Eastern Kentucky Colonels clash Friday in week 1 college football action from Rynearson Stadium.

The Eastern Kentucky Colonels come into the 2021 season looking to build on a fairly successful 2021 season, finishing the year at 7-4 overall, including a 4-2 mark in ASUN conference play. Parker McKinney is back once again after recording a school record 229 completions last year for 2,429 yards and 18 TDs while also rushing for 596 yards and 6 TDs on the ground. The Colonels will look to replace the top man in the backfield after Da’Joun Hewitt finished up his time at EKU, but Kyeandre Maguire is slated to be the next man up after logging 232 yards in 2021. Most of McKinney’s top targets are back at receiver, including tight end Dakota Allen, who had 34 receptions for 440 yards and a team-high 5 scores last season. On defense, Matthew Jackson will once again lead the EKU defense after putting up a team-high 102 tackles last season, as well as 11 TFLs and 3.5 sacks. The front seven also features names like Kelton Dawson, TK McLendon and Shane Burks and the Colonels will have to get some help in the secondary after losing Davion Ross, the defending ASUN Defensive Player of the Year, but the pieces are there to contend.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles will try to build on a decent 2021 season, finishing the year at 7-5 including a 4-4 MAC conference record. The Eagles received an invitation to the LendingTree Bowl, a game that the Eagles would drop to Liberty by a final count of 56-20. The QB situation for Eastern Michigan is muddled, with Ben Bryant and Preston Hutchinson transferring out of the program. Austin Smith remains with the team and Cam’Ron McCoy is an interesting transfer in from Cincinnati, but the best shot for anyone to start at QB is likely former Missouri Tiger and Troy Trojan Taylor Powell. Samson Evans and Darius Boone Jr. are back in the EMU backfield after combining for 19 rushing TDs last season and the Eagles’ receiving group still has some solid pieces with Hassan Beydoun returning after chipping in 97 grabs for 1,015 yards and 4 TDs and Dylan Grumman also added 64 receptions for Eastern Michigan last season. On defense, Alex Merritt and Jose Ramirez anchor the defensive line for the Eagles while Tariq Spikes returns at linebacker after leading Eastern Michigan with 90 tackles last season.

The Colonels are 5-1 ATS in their last 6 non-conference games and 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games overall. The Eagles are 1-4 ATS in their last 5 non-conference games and 0-5 ATS in their last 5 Friday games. The under is 4-1-1 in Colonels last 6 games overall. The under is 5-0 in Eagles last 5 Friday games.

The Eastern Michigan Eagles are obviously the better team here, but they’re also a lower level FBS club that can be upset against lesser competition. The Eastern Kentucky Colonels are coming off a solid season and are far from being an FCS pushover that’s just here for a check. There’s some value in getting Eastern Kentucky and two free touchdowns, as this game could be closer than some believe.