Eastern Michigan had a pretty slow start out of the gate, but the offense finally got rolling with some big plays out of its receivers and a little bit of turnover help from its defense.

EMU beat the visiting Sacramento State squad 28-17 to open up the 2026 football season on an incredibly unorthodox Week 0 assignment on the conference schedule.

Not only does EMU get the pleasure of opening the season up with a 1-0 record, but it gets to be 1-0 overall and 1-0 in Mid-American Conference play with its first season-opening victory over a league foe in 22 years. The last time EMU began the year with a victory over a league opponent came back in 2004 when the Buffalo Bulls, then a fifth-year FBS program, came to town for EMU to win 37-34.

This time, EMU wore its all-black uniforms to combat Sacramento’s all-white get-ups on the gray turf.

Here’s how Saturday’s action unfolded:

No scoring plays

7-0 EMU, 14:20 | 10-YARD RUN BY QB NOAH KIM (RUDY KESSINGER PAT)

After the offense’s first four drives went nowhere, EMU made a couple of big plays to give it some positive momentum. Quarterback Noah Kim connected with receiver Benson Prosper for a pair of 25-yard receptions, and Nick Devereaux made a 10-yard catch as well. Kim sprinted up the middle for a 10-yard run and dove his way into the end zone for his team’s first score of the new year.

7-3 EMU, 9:24 | FIELD GOAL BY SAC STATE K GRANT MEADORS

Thanks to a breakthrough by the Sacramento State punt blocking unit, it was able to get on the scoreboard while its offense was of little help. Sac State blocked Daniel Hull’s fifth punt try of the night, which was recovered on EMU’s 28-yard line.

Sac State got one first down, but settled for a field goal. Any points early are better than none for the first-year FBS program.

14-3 EMU, 7:40 | 40-YARD CATCH BY WR KOZY ISAAC, FROM QB NOAH KIM (KESSINGER PAT)

Second-year receiver Kozy Isaac had a deep pass broken up in the first quarter, but was uncontested on the next pass that came his way. After some tough runs from running back Amareon Blue, Kim found Isaac very wide open for maybe the easiest score Eastern will enjoy all season.

21-3 EMU, 5:07 | 7-YARD RUN BY RB BRAYDON BENNETT (KESSINGER PAT)

EMU’s defense matched the special teams miscue by setting its offense up with a quick score of its own. A Quincy Byas fumble (and recovery by Marvell Eggleston) put EMU’s offense in the red zone right away, and it scored after it ran the ball three times in a row.

21-10 EMU, 0:54 | 29-YARD FUMBLE RECOVERY BY SAC STATE LB XAVIER WILLIAMS (MEADOWS PAT)

Not exactly a touchdown you necessarily see every week. Kim dropped back to pass for EMU, and Sac State linebacker Xavier Williams made a big third-down play by simply taking the ball out of the quarterback’s hands and running the ball in himself.

No scoring plays.

28-10 EMU, 13:31 | 31-YARD CATCH BY WR NICK DEVEREAUX, FROM QB NOAH KIM (KESSINGER PAT)

A defensive pass interference call on third down moved EMU’s offense up from Sacramento’s 46 to 31-yard line, then Kim found his top target in the end zone. Kim threw a perfect pass to Devereaux in the front-right corner of the end zone, who leapt up and caught the ball over Sacramento’s defender.

28-17 EMU, 8:23 | 1-YARD RUN BY SAC STATE RB ISAIAH ENE (MEADOWS PAT)

Sacramento State finally found the big, imposing run it was hoping to see from its running back room. However, it was too little too late for the opposing offense.

Hornet running back Isaiah Ene had the best rush of the night. He took an inside handoff and ripped through EMU’s defense, which couldn’t bring him down by tackle, but instead pushed him out of bounds after he stomped downfield for 37 yards. A near-touchdown catch and run by Sacramento’s Onterrio Smith put the visiting team at the goal line for Ene to finish the drive and give the new MAC team its first offensive points of the year.

EIGHT PUNTS IN THE FIRST QUARTER

Here’s how the first eight drives of the game finished:

EMU’s defense slammed the door on Sacramento State’s offense all through the first quarter. The Hornets did not pick up a first down, and its rushing attack was pushed backward by EMU’s defense (-4 yards).

Eastern’s offense was dormant in its first four drives. Only one first down was gained in the game’s early minutes (via Josh Long reception), and the Hornets punted to end their first four drives of the year.

HORNETS BLOCK PUNT

Sacramento State’s biggest play of the first half came on special teams. Daniel Hull delivered his fifth punt in the first quarter, and saw his punt be blocked by the Hornets. He did his best to box out one of the Hornets in the area, but there were too many opposing players in the area for him to prevent the turnover in Sac State territory. The Hornets settled for a field goal seven plays later.

BYAS CAUSES FUMBLE FOR IMMEDIATE RED ZONE APPEARANCE

After EMU got its second touchdown, the defense came through with a quick turnover to put the offense right back onto the field. Two plays into the Sacramento State drive, Byas, in his fifth career start, punched the ball out of QB Carson Conklin’s hands and made his first career fumble (Marvell Eggleston recovered on Sac State’s 15-yard line).

KESSINGER MISSES FIRST FG TRY

EMU’s returning kicker missed his first and only field goal try against Sacramento State. After Sacramento’s defensive touchdown, Devereaux returned the ensued kickoff 40 yards for EMU to begin its final drive of the first half on its own 43-yard line, and 46 seconds remained. Blue ran and received a pair of first downs, and Long was found on a quick strike to move the chains moving, and Kim’s pass to Devereaux in the end zone was knocked incomplete with six seconds left.

Kessinger was called on to kick a 28-yard field goal, but the ball was pushed wide right.

1ST & A MILE, THEN 3RD & FOREVER

On its second possession of the second half, EMU found itself in a deep hole after tight end Tanner Lemaster was flagged for a holding call. EMU moved the chains as Kim found Devereaux (17 yards) and Prosper (6 yards), but that was as good as the drive would get.

Offensive lineman Cole Powell caught an unorthodox pass to lose EMU yards on first down. Kim’s intended pass was bobbled in the air a couple of times and found its way towards EMU’s offensive lineman, who caught the ball instead of letting the ball hit the ground. Kim was sacked the next play for a 13-yard loss, and set the Eagles way behind the sticks again. EMU let Blue take the ball for a short rush before it brought out its punt squad.

FIRST-EVER INT FOR SAFETY

Now in his fifth year with the team, Jason Marshall made his first-career interception on EMU’s final defensive series of the game.

INJURIES

A long list of players were ruled out for EMU in its home opener, including five offensive linemen.

A sixth offensive lineman went down in the third quarter; starting left tackle Tyler Brumfield went down with an injury and did not return. After Powell came in and [erroneously] made a reception, McMillan moved from the right to left side, and true freshman Samuel Adjin finished the game at right tackle.

Players of note who missed Saturday’s action: DE Jefferson Adam, OL Joshua Anderson, CB Caleb Coley, DE Hector Gonzalez, and OL Elijha Payne.

One game into the 2026 and EMU will have a shorter week as it prepares for its second home game of the year.

San Jose State (0-1) of the Mountain West will come to EMU for its first-ever trip to Ypsilanti on Friday. EMU has a 2-0 record over SJSU, and both victories came in bowl games. In 1987, EMU beat SJSU in the California Bowl. In 2022, a short 35 years later, Eastern beat San Jose in the Potato Bowl.

San Jose State fell 42-26 at #14 USC in its Week 0 road opener. Of SJSU’s 26 points, 23 of them were scored in the fourth quarter.