Central Michigan University
Marshall
Chippewa Comeback Falls Short
10/26/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Oct. 26, 2002
MOUNT PLEASANT - Spotting Marshall University a 20-0 lead, Central Michigan University's football team came to life and nearly pulled off a major upset before the Thundering Herd claimed a 23-18 victory here Saturday.
The win upped Marshall's record to 6-1 for the season and 4-0 in Mid-American Conference play while the Chippewas are now 3-5 for the season and 1-3 in conference action. It was CMU's fifth straight loss.
Two Curtis Head field goals (40 and 35 yards), and two Byron Leftwich TD passes put Marshall ahead, 20-0, with 8:43 remaining in the first half.
CMU then scored the next nine points to trail by a 20-9 margin at the half. Terrence Jackson scored on a one-yard run with 5:17 to go in the half, and then Mike Gruzwalski drilled a 25-yard field goal with 20 seconds left.
The Chippewas whittled the deficit to 20-12 at the 9:24 mark of the third period on a 36-yard field goal by Gruzwalski. Marshall countered with its only points of the second half on a 19-yard field goal by Head with 6:06 remaining in the third.
CMU then cut the margin to 23-18 with 5:15 remaining on another one-yard run by Jackson. The two-point pass attempt failed.
Chippewa linebacker Jon Nelson intercepted a Leftwich pass at the CMU 17 to give the Maroon and Gold one last chance with 2:23 to play in the game.
A Derrick Vickers-Rob Turner pass was complete for 31 yards and a first down at the MU 46. That was as close as the Chippewas got, however.
"We played today," CMU head coach Mike DeBord said. "We played tough, and we played with effort. We played what we call 'The Central Way." When you play like that, you have an opportunity to win."
*CMU'sTerrence Jackson had his first 100-yard game of the season in his third game back from an ankle injury; the 1,000-yard rusher in 2001 gained 112 yards in 26 carries.
*CMU's Robbie Mixon nearly made it two over the 100-yard barrier with 16 carries for 95 yards.
*Rob Turner led the Chippewas with six catches for 82 yards.
*Marshall's Heisman Trophy candidate, Leftwich, hit on 29-of-42 passes for 374 yards and two touchdowns. MU had three receivers with more than 100 yards in receptions - Denero Marriott (nine for 100), Josh Davis (seven for 101) and Darius Watts (six for 126 yards).
*The five-point win matched Marshall's narrowest MAC win of the season, a 26-21 decision over Central Florida. *The Chippewas are at Eastern Michigan next Saturday, November 2, at 1 p.m.
