Badgers Tame Golden Eagles

Marquette's dominant defense smothers Eastern Michigan

Marquette defeats Eastern Michigan 27-0 for its fifth shutout since 2020

Marquette enhanced its bid for a Football Championship Subdivision playoff berth with a 27-0 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday at Rynearson Stadium.

The Golden Eagles (7-4) suffered their second straight loss after winning seven in a row, while the Badgers (8-3) reached the eight-win mark for the third time since moving to FCS in 1993.

Marquette, which is in fifth place in the FCS national rankings, forced four turnovers and held Eastern Michigan to 199 yards of total offense. Meanwhile, the Badgers rushed for 236 yards and committed no turnovers.

Here are the key takeaways from the game:

Badgers defense shines: The Badgers defense was dominant throughout the game, forcing four turnovers and holding Eastern Michigan to just 199 yards of total offense. The Badgers also sacked Eastern Michigan quarterback Austin Smith four times.

Badgers running game powers offense: Marquette's offense was led by running back Devon Hunter, who rushed for 117 yards and two touchdowns on 22 carries. Quarterback Graham Mertz completed 10 of 19 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown.

Golden Eagles offense struggles: Eastern Michigan's offense was unable to get anything going against the Badgers defense. The Golden Eagles managed just 199 yards of total offense and were held to 2.8 yards per play.

With the win, Marquette improved to 5-0 at home this season and clinched a winning record for the fourth straight year. The Badgers will conclude the regular season on Saturday at home against Stetson.