Central Michigan University Athletics
Game Notes: Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan
9/13/2011 12:00:00 AM | Football
The Matchup: Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan
A CMU Win Over Western Michigan Would …
… be a school-record sixth straight win by CMU over the rival Broncos.
… mark the first time since 1985 that CMU claimed three straight wins at Kalamazoo.
… make the Chippewas 1-0 in the MAC for the seventh time in eight seasons.
… keep the Victory Cannon at CMU for a fourth consecutive year.
The Series
• CMU’s five-game winning streak over the Broncos is tied for the longest (1983-87) in school history.
• The Chippewas have won the last two meetings in Kalamazoo (2007, 2009). CMU has not won three straight at WMU since winning five straight from 1978-85 (1978, 1980, 1981, 1983, 1985).
• Sept. 17 is the earliest calendar date for a CMU-WMU game, and this weekend marks the first time since 1996 CMU has faced Western Michigan in its MAC opener.
Series Record: Western Michigan leads, 43-37-2
Last Meeting: Central Michigan 26, Western Michigan 22 (Nov. 5, 2010 at CMU)
Last Meeting at WMU: Central Michigan 34, Western Michigan 23 (Oct. 17, 2009)
CMU-WMU Battle for the Victory Cannon
The winner of Saturday’s game will be presented the Victory Cannon. The trophy debuted in 2008 and is emblematic of the cannon that is fired at both CMU’s Kelly/Shorts Stadium and WMU’s Waldo Stadium. One side of the trophy lists each of CMU’s wins in the all-time series, the other lists each of Western Michigan’s victories. CMU has claimed the Victory Cannon each of the last three seasons.
Home Field Key in CMU-WMU Rivalry
The home team has won 17 of the last 21 meetings in the Central-Western rivalry. CMU wins at
Kalamazoo in 1993, 2007 and 2009 and a Western Michigan win in Mount Pleasant in 2002 are the
only wins by the road team since 1990.
Coaching Staff Connections
Connections between the coaching staffs at CMU and WMU:
• Western Michigan defensive line coach Lou Esposito was the head coach at St. Joseph’s (Ind.) College from 2005-09, where he coached against CMU secondary coach Kirby Cannon, who was the head coach at Missouri S&T.
• WMU running backs coach Mike Sabock was the position coach for CMU defensive line coach Vinson Reynolds during Reynolds’ playing career at Northern Illinois (2000-03).
• Western Michigan head coach Bill Cubit played on the 1974 Delaware team that CMU defeated in the Division II national championship game.
Curtis Adams Selected Honorary Captain
The CMU football program is hosting former lettermen as honorary captains for each game this season. This week’s honorary captain is former running back Curtis Adams, a 1995 inductee into the CMU Athletic Hall of Fame. Adams was a three-time All-MAC first team selection and is CMU’s all-time leader in rushing yards (4,162). A second team All-American in 1984, he ended his career as the MAC’s all-time touchdowns leader (44). He was drafted by the San Diego Chargers in 1985 and played five seasons in the NFL.
Youth Movement
• Of the 52 players listed on CMU’s offensive and defensive depth charts for Saturday’s game, 26 are either freshmen or sophomores. The Chippewas’ roster includes 69 players who are freshmen or sophomores.
• Just 14 seniors appear on CMU’s 2011 roster.
• Nineteen players made their collegiate debut in the season opening over South Carolina State.
Harris Steps Up on the Big Stage
Sophomore Jerry Harris has posted the top two receiving performances of his career against Virginia Tech (2010) and Kentucky. Last year at Virginia Tech, Harris caught five passes for 101 yards and two touchdowns, all career highs. Last week at Kentucky, he set a new career high for receptions (six) while posting a team-high 91 receiving yards and catching a 24-yard touchdown pass.
Radcliff Throws for 295
Ryan Radcliff has thrown for at least 295 yards in eight of his 14 career starts at quarterback.
| Opponent (Date) | | | Yards |
| Temple (9/9/10) | | | 299 |
| Northwestern (9/25/10) | | | 347 |
| Ball State (10/2/10) | | | 295 |
| Miami (10/16/10) | | | 329 |
| Western Michigan (11/5/10) | | | 300 |
| Navy (11/13/10) | | | 394 |
| Toledo (11/26/10) | | | 322 |
| Kentucky (9/10/11) | | | 295 |
Wilson Extends Receptions Streak
Junior receiver Cody Wilson has caught a pass in 21 consecutive games dating back to the 2009 season. He was the Chippewas’ leading receiver last week at Kentucky, catching seven passes for 71 yards.
At Home on the Road
Since the start of the 2005 season, CMU is 18-6 in MAC regular season road games, but has dropped three of its last four conference road contests.
Davis Makes Most of College Debut
True freshman receiver Titus Davis was in the starting lineup for the season opener against South Carolina State. He made just one reception, but it was a 67-yard touchdown pass from Ryan Radcliff in the second quarter. Last week at Kentucky, Davis caught three passes for 55 yards.
Harman Hits Two More
David Harman converted field goal attempts of 19 and 30 yards last week at Kentucky. Since taking over as the regular kicker midway through the 2010 season, Harman is 9-for-10 on field goal attempts inside of 40 yards.
Experience Up Front
CMU’s projected starting five offensive linemen include a senior and four juniors who have combined for 79 career starts. Senior guard Rocky Weaver’s 29 career starts are the most of any current Chippewa.
| Name | | | Starts |
| RG Rocky Weaver | | | 29 |
| RT Jake Olson | | | 17 |
| C Darren Keyton | | | 13 |
| LT Eric Fisher | | | 13 |
| LG Mike Repovz | | | 7 |
CMU Schedule Notables
CMU will play one of the most unique schedules in the history of its program in 2011:
• CMU opens Mid-American Conference play at Western Michigan on Sept. 17, the first time since 1996 the Chippewas have opened MAC play against the rival Broncos. It is the earliest calendar date for a CMU-WMU matchup since Sept. 8, 1979.
• CMU is the only team in the country with two three-game road trips on its 2011 schedule.
• CMU is one of just four teams (Colorado, Tulane, UAB) in the country scheduled to play its 12 regular-season games in 12 consecutive weeks.
• Six opponents on the 2011 schedule played in bowl games following the 2010 season, and a seventh—South Carolina State—competed in the Football Championship Subdivision playoffs.
Chippewas Partner with Army National Guard
CMU will honor the 125th Infantry and 126th Calvary of the Michigan Army National Guard throughout the 2011 football season. The Chippewas will wear a special helmet sticker displaying the seals of the units, and CMU will carry the units’ flags onto the field prior to every home game this season. Members of the 125th and 126th, who are scheduled for deployment to Afghanistan later this fall, were recognized on the field during CMU’s season opener last week.
Chippewas Hold Two Traveling Trophies
CMU opens the 2011 season in possession of a pair of traveling trophies: the Victory Cannon, awarded each year to the winner of the Central Michigan-Western Michigan rivalry game, and the Michigan MAC Trophy, presented annually to the winner of the round-robin competition between Central Michigan, Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan. CMU defeated Eastern Michigan, 52-14, and Western Michigan, 26-22, last season to claim the two trophies.
