Central Michigan University
Akron
Chippewas Rally For 24-17 MAC Win Over Akron
9/14/2002 12:00:00 AM | Football
Sept. 14, 2002
AKRON - Central Michigan University fought back from a 17-3 halftime deficit and claimed a 24-17 Mid-American Conference victory here Saturday night over the Akron Zips.
The win upped CMU's record to 3-0, marking the first time the Chippewas opened the season with three wins since 1986.
CMU scored twice in the third period and one more time in the final quarter, and then withstood a fierce Zip drive for the win. The Chippewas rushed for 144 yards and passed for 149 more in the second half, totalling 293 yards. Akron had 46 yards rushing and 101 passing for 147 yards in the final two periods.
CMU has a chance to bag its fourth straight win next Saturday at Indiana University. The last time the Chippewas opened at 4-0 was 1985.
Kickoff in Memorial Stadium is set for 4 p.m.
Following are some of the highlights of CMU's win over Akron:
*Junior Kenan Lawhorne carried 30 times for 133 yards and two touchdowns in his first extended action this season. He was still limping a bit on his sprained ankle.
*Junior quarterback Derrick Vickers was solid behind center. He connected on 21-of-33 passes for 227 yards.
*Senior Robbie Mixon rushed 24 times for 84 yards and CMU's first TD of the second half, a four-yard scamper.
*Senior Robbie Turner caught five passes for 75 yards and sophomore Tory Humphrey four for 73 to pace CMU.
*Sophomore Omari Colen, filling in for sophomore safety Ron Bartell, came up with a huge interception in the fourth period at the Chippewa 17 to halt one drive.
*Trailing 24-17 with 2:26 to play, Akron took over on its own 20 and moved to a first-and-10 at the CMU 12. After a two-yard loss, UA QB Charlie Frye threw two straight incomplete passes and then ran for nine yards - short of a first down.
*On Akron's third-down pass play, Frye was hurried by a blitz from Jovan Clarke and he narrowly missed a wide-open Brandon Payne in the end zone.
*CMU ran 92 plays to 63 for Akron, and held a 35:50-24:10 edge in time of possession.
*Clarke had three tackles for losses of four yards.
*Frye powered the Akron offense with 22 completions in 32 passes for 246 yards and one TD.
*Akron scored on a razzle-dazzle pass from receiver Nick Sparks-to-Matt Cherry from 41 yards to give the Zips their 17-3 lead with 5:24 to play in the half.
