Virginia and Eastern Michigan Meet for First Time on Saturday Night

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Game Details
Venue: David A. Harrison III Field at Scott Stadium
Capacity: 61,500
Playing Surface: Grass
Series vs. EMU: First Meeting

Webcast: ESPN3.com
Radio: Virginia Sports Network (affiliates)
Satellite Radio: Sirius 213, XM 191

Live Stats: Click here for the link to the LiveStats page. Note: Link available 30 minutes before kickoff. Allow 1-2 minutes for it to load at the start.
Rosters: Virginia Eastern Michigan
Game Notes: Virginia Eastern Michigan
Statistics: Virginia Eastern Michigan

Virginia, Eastern Michigan Square Off for First Time
• Virginia and Eastern Michigan will play for the first time in football on Saturday.
• EMU, in Ypsilanti, Mich., is located 10 minutes from Ann Arbor and 45 minutes from Detroit.
• The Eagles, competing in their 1,000th game all-time on Saturday, will be playing in the commonwealth of Virginia for the first time. EMU has played just one opponent from Virginia, falling to Liberty, 25-24, in Ypsilanti in 1989.

Virginia vs. the Mid-American Conference
• Virginia is 10-1-1 against teams which currently represent the Mid-American Conference.
• UVa is 2-0 vs. Akron, 2-0 against Buffalo, 1-0 against Central Michigan, 1-0-1 against Miami (Ohio), 2-0 against Temple, and 2-1 against Western Michigan.
• The Cavaliers have never faced the MAC’s Ball State, Bowling Green, Kent State, Northern Illinois, Ohio or Toledo.
• Virginia is scheduled to play host to Ball State in 2013 and Kent State in 2014.

Virginia Steps Out of ACC Play
• Virginia will play its final non-conference game this weekend; UVa is 2-1 thus far in non-league play.
• UVa has won its last four October non-conference games.
• Three of those wins came in Charlottesville; the lone road contest was a victory at Middle Tennessee in 2007.
• The Cavaliers’ last loss out of conference in October was Oct. 7, 2006, a 31-21 defeat at East Carolina.

Moses a Rare Freshman to Enter Starting Lineup
• Starting at right tackle against North Carolina, Morgan Moses became just the third true freshman in UVa history to start at an offensive tackle position.
• He follows D’Brickashaw Ferguson (2002- LT), who is Virginia’s only true freshman to start the season opener on the offensive line, and Brad Butler (2002- RT), who only started the bowl game, as the only true freshmen to start at either of the tackle positions.
• Moses is the seventh true freshman to start at offensive tackle in Division I this season. Others include: Seantrel Henderson (Miami – RT) – James Hurst (North Carolina – LT) -Rob Crisp (NC State – LT) – Luke Joeckel (Texas A&M – LT) – Davonte Wallace (New Mexico State – LT) – Ja’Wyan James (Tennessee – RT).
• In addition to Moses, John Fullington of Washington State (RT) joined that list Saturday when the Cougars kicked off against Arizona Saturday night.

Payne in the Backfield
• After a year away from the team, senior TB Keith Payne has returned with a vengeance.
• He has a team-high 402 rushing yards this season, including 4.6 yards per carry.
• Payne ranks sixth in the ACC in scoring, with 8.0 points per game.
• Last week he posted his second career 100-yard rushing game with 107 vs. UNC and also recorded a career-long 49-yard run.
• He already is close to eclipsing the UVa rushing high for all of 2009 – 461 yards by Rashawn Jackson.

Horne Gives UVa Edge with Kickoff Returns
• Virginia leads the conference in kickoff return average this season, averaging 24.1 yards per kick return.
• Averaging 27.5 yards per kick return, Raynard Horne leads the ACC and ranks 23rd nationally in that category.
• Last week Horne had five returns for 144 yards (28.8/return), including a 53-yarder.
• Horne returned a first-quarter kickoff 87 yards for a touchdown against VMI.
• It was UVa’s first kickoff return since Sept. 11, 2004, when Marquis Weeks took a kick back 100 yards for a TD against North Carolina.
• Horne’s return was the 12th-longest return in UVa history and the senior’s first career scoring play.

Howell Continues Consistent Punting
• Virginia punter Jimmy Howell ranks fourth in the ACC in punting, averaging 43.56 yards per kick.
• In ACC games Howell has been even better, averaging an ACC-best 45.1 yards per kick in three games.
• Howell tied a career long with a 58-yard punt Saturday vs. North Carolina.

For full game notes, click on the link at the top of page