4 Players That'll Define Eastern Michigan vs. Buffalo
Cole Snyder set to see some similar faces in EMU's final home game of the 2024 season.
EMU QB Cole Snyder
Cole Snyder’s about to see some familiar faces on Wednesday night. The Buffalo transfer will see his former team come to Ypsilanti, and he’s going to have a lot he’ll want to play through.
For one, the obvious motivation of wanting to beat your old friends led by a new head coach, is going to be reason enough for Snyder to want to come through and have a big game.
But two, that Ohio game is not the type of performance he wants to finish his college career on. Against Ohio, Snyder had three turnovers — three interceptions and one fumble — and I’m sure that’s reason enough for him to want to right his wrongs tomorrow.
COLE SNYDER PASSING STATS
2 years at Buffalo: 474/833 passing (56.9%), 5,138 yards (6.16 Y/A), 31 TD, 17 INT
10 tames at EMU: 209/347 passing (60.2%), 2,242 yards (6.46 Y/A), 12 TD, 6 INT
EMU DL Peyton Price
There was a big need for Peyton Price to be Eastern Michigan’s best, if not one of the best, players on this year’s defense coming into the season. He’s had a lot of playing time in the trenches ever since he was a true freshman, and now he’s about to put a bow on his college career with these final games.
Currently, Price is fourth on the team with 41 tackles made this year, and is the leader in tackles for loss (8.5) and sacks (4.5). By Pro Football Focus’s measure, Price has the highest overall grade this year on the team (84.3), and has the third-highest grade in the league of any defender, behind Buffalo’s Shaun Dolac (90.1) and Ohio’s Ben McNaboe (85.8).
Price is a versatile defensive lineman who’s made his way in the middle of EMU’s D-line, but can line up at different spots along the line before the snap and go up against any number of O-linemen.
EMU doesn’t have many seniors that many expect to be major watches in the NFL Draft (which is still six months from now), but I could see Price being somebody who finds his way into professional football. Price might not be a high-riser on draft boards today, but he has the chance to get a couple more games on film to impress some scouts — let alone help get his team into a bowl game once again.
For his career, Price has racked up 135 tackles with 16 TFL, 10 sacks, 3 pass breakups, and 2 forced fumbles.
Buffalo WR Victor Snow
Victor Snow has made some incredible-looking plays out there for the Bulls this season. Buffalo doesn’t get probably enough chunk plays from its skilled players, but Snow’s leading the way for this offense with 18 receptions for 10+ yards, and is tied for fifth in the MAC on grabs of 20+ yards (10).
For the year, Snow has caught 39 passes for 498 yards and has scored 4 times.
EMU’s defense plays tough, but it can get got against the wrong quarterback. C.J. Ogbonna had 3 touchdowns throwing and 2 more rushing last week in the Ball State OT comeback, and he’s the kind of guy whose running ability will give EMU’s defense fits. If he can get EMU’s defense to key-in on his running prowess, that should open up some opportunities for Snow in the pass game.
Buffalo LB Red Murdock
Red Murdock, in my opinion, played at an All-MAC level last year even though he didn’t get honored as one. He played half the season and was a straight-up menace on the field. Didn’t have the total tackling numbers from only starting the second-half of the year, but he’s second in the nation at 126 this season.
His pal Shaun Dolac leads the country in tackles at 137.
Last year, Murdock finished the year with 60 tackles, 9.5 TFL, 2 sacks, and forced fumbles. This year, He’s more than doubled his tackle count, is up to 11.5 TFL, 2 sacks, and is the nation’s leader with 5 forced fumbles. The redshirt-sophomore’s 9 career fumbles is second-most in Bulls history; Khalil Mack is the program’s the NCAA all-time leader with 16.
