YPSILANTI, Mich. – Ohio tries to end its three-game losing streak this Saturday when it heads to Eastern Michigan, which has a 16-game losing streak dating back to 2008.

Ohio coach Frank Solich said beating the Eagles (0-4, 0-2 Mid-American Conference) will not necessarily be as easy as it sounds.

“Looking at Eastern Michigan, I think they’re a better football team,” Solich said. “They’re getting things done offensively.”

Eastern Michigan has averaged 20.5 points and 311 yards per game, led by quarterback Alex Gillett, who has completed 58 percent of his passes for 550 yards with six touchdowns and three interceptions. He also has 174 yards rushing and an average of 4.0 yards per carry.

Devontae Payne also has seen action at quarterback for the Eagles, throwing for 156 yards with one interception in three games.

“They’re making big plays through the passing game,” Solich said. “They’ve got two quarterbacks that they’re playing, that both are young quarterbacks. Both are good throwers, with Alex also being a very good runner, so they do present you some problems in terms of being able to strike quickly.”

Kinsman Thomas has made nine catches for 262 yards, and Ben Thayer has caught 15 passes for 184 yards.

Dwayne Priest leads the Eagles’ running game with 223 yards and four scores.

Eastern Michigan coach Ron English said he has been somewhat pleased with his team’s offense, which managed 20 points at Ohio State this past week.

“Alex Gillett continues to make plays in the throw game,” he said. “He can escape and he can buy time. He can find guys, and then those receivers, Kinsman Thomas did a real nice job out there. I really liked him. I was pleased with that part of it.”

Defense, though, has been a major struggle for the Eagles, who have allowed an average of 46 points and 471.8 yards per game.

The last two weeks, Eastern Michigan has surrendered 73 points to Ohio State and 52 points to Central Michigan.

“We just want to get back to continuing to improve and be competitive,” English said. “We were competitive the first two games and really we weren’t competitive games 3 and 4, and we want to get back to being competitive and giving ourselves a chance to win.”

Linebackers Neil Howey, with 44 tackles, and Tim Fort, with 38 tackles, lead Eastern Michigan defensively, while defensive end Javon Reese already has 3.5 sacks.

Like Eastern Michigan, Ohio has used two quarterbacks, Phil Bates and Boo Jackson, who for the first time were used interchangeably during the same drive last week against Marshall. Both are expected to see action again this week, Solich said.

“There’s probably a place for them both on the football field at some point and time,” Solich said. “If one of them has a good game going and has a hot hand, that guy will get more reps.”

Jackson has completed 59.7 percent of his passes for 458 yards with four touchdowns and five interceptions. He’s added 61 yards and a score on the ground.

Bates leads the Bobcats in rushing despite missing a game with 161 yards and an average of 6.0 yards per carry, but he has completed only 6 of 15 passes for 63 yards and two interceptions.

Besides Bates, though, Ohio’s running game has struggled with Vince Davidson totaling 123 yards, but just 2.6 yards per carry.

Terrence McCrae has caught nine passes for 165 yards, while Riley Dunlop, likely out against the Eagles, has 10 caches for 121 yards.

“They play two quarterbacks and they run all the gun run stuff, but they run it with what we call insert plays,” English said. “They’ll run the power, they’ll run the lead, then they throw it around. They have some tall receivers who go get the ball, so they throw the ball around.”

The Bobcats have surrendered 24.2 points and 315.5 yards per game.

Despite missing the last game, linebacker Noah Keller still leads Ohio in tackles with 26, but he could miss the rest of the season with a toe injury. Jay Edwards had 11 tackles in his place against the Thundering Herd.

Safety Donovan Fletcher has 23 tackles and three interceptions, and linebackers Chad Clemens and Eric Benjamin also have 23 tackles.

“Then they’re solid on defense,” English said. “They run we call an over, a 4-3 with quarters coverage as their base and then have a nice pressure package out of it.”

Now is the time for the Bobcats to get things together, Solich said, as the Bobcats beginning playing every week in the MAC, which he said still is anyone’s to win.

“You’ve got to make a lot of play and do a lot of the right things in order to win,” he said. “We still feel good about our football team. We just need to start winning and start winning with regularity and hopefully that will happen.”

Kickoff is at 12 p.m. at Rynearson Stadium.