Central Michigan University Athletics
Football vs. Ball State Notebook
10/19/2014 12:00:00 AM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. - Wide receiver Titus Davis tied his career-high with 10 catches in Saturday's 32-29 loss to Ball State, and in the process moved up another notch on three Central Michigan career statistical lists.
With 128 yards in receptions against the Cardinals, Davis now has 3,222 yards, moving him into third place on the all-time list and just 21 from surpassing Reggie Allen for second place. Allen, who played from 2007-09, had 3,242 yards.
Davis caught two touchdown passes against the Cardinals, giving him 28 for his career, tying him for the top spot with Bryan Anderson (2006-09).
Davis also ranks sixth in career receptions with 175. His 10-catch performance on Saturday moved him past Justin Harper, who caught 167 passes from 2002-05.
"It's been a ride, I've enjoyed it every step of the way, but at the end of the day, you play to win," Davis said after Saturday's loss. "Despite what the stats are, and what records you break, you want to win."
Davis passed current Pittsburgh Steeler Antonio Brown on the receiving yards list. Brown had 3,199 yards while wearing a Chippewa uniform from 2007-09.
Davis has 31 receptions for 502 yards this season, and leads CMU in both categories. He shares the team lead in TD receptions (four) with Jesse Kroll.
Davis is third in the Mid-American Conference in receiving yards per game (100.4), fifth in receptions per game (6.2), and eighth in all-purpose yards (114.8).
Rush moves up
Davis isn't the only Chippewa who continues to ascend the career statistical lists.
Quarterback Cooper Rush completed 20 of his 32 pass attempts for 245 yards and three touchdowns against the Cardinals, giving him 28 career TD tosses which is good for eighth on CMU's all-time list.
Rush, a sophomore who has started 18 consecutive games, moved past Andy McDonald, who threw 27 TD passes from 1950-51.
Rush's 20 completions upped his career total to 320, which is eighth all-time in CMU history. He supplanted Chad Darnell, who completed 319 attempts from 1994-96.
Rush now has 4,093 passing yards in his career, making him the ninth player in school history to have thrown for at least 4,000 yards.
Numbers game
Statistics often tell the story of a game. Sometimes not.
Central Michigan held the advantage over Ball State in the major offensive categories - first downs, rushing yards, passing yards and total yards - on Saturday, yet still lost.
The answer to that can be found in other numbers. CMU turned the ball over five times - the Chippewas had committed 11 turnovers all season prior to Saturday's game - and were penalized 10 times for 91 yards.
"Very uncharacteristic of our team," CMU coach Dan Enos said. "We usually don't play undisciplined like that and we did today."
For the record, the Chippewas had 25 first downs to Ball State's 24; finished with 181 yards rushing to the Cardinals' 89; had 245 yards passing to 198 for Ball State; and rolled up 426 yards in total offense to Ball State's 287.
The number of penalties and the yardage assessed on those penalties were both season-highs for CMU, which entered the game averaging a MAC-best 38 yards per game in penalties.
Rawls keeps rolling
CMU running back Thomas Rawls continued his torrid pace, finishing with 167 yards and two touchdowns on 32 carries.
It was the fifth time this season (in the six in which he has played) that Rawls has rushed for at least 100 yards and it brought his season total to 1,007 yards. His touchdown run, which came in the first quarter, was his 10th of the season.
The senior transfer from Michigan leads the MAC in rushing yards, rushing yards per game (167.8), all-purpose yards (1,090), and all-purpose yards per game (181.7). He ranks fourth in the MAC in points per game (10).
Among ball carriers from Football Bowl Subdivision schools, Rawls ranks third in rushing yards per game and fifth in total rushing yards.
Defensive leaders
Safety Tony Annese and end Joe Ostman led CMU's defense with eight tackles apiece, while linebacker Justin Cherocci added seven.
Among Annese's eight tackles were six solos and 1.5 tackles-for-loss.
The Chippewas finished with eight TFLs for a total of 25 yards. Cherocci and end Blake Serpa had two TFLs each. Serpa, who finished with six tackles, recorded a sack, forced a fumble (which he recovered), and broke up a pass.
Cornerback Dennis Nalor was credited with a team-high three pass breakups, while defensive tackle Leterrius Walton was credited with two quarterback hurries.
Linebacker Tim Hamilton also picked up a sack.
The Chippewa defense held Ball State to an average of 3.8 yards per play. CMU averaged 6.2 yards per play.
On top
The Chippewas remain, statistically speaking, the best defense in the MAC.
They are first in total defense (346.6 yards per game), first in pass defense (203.2), second in scoring defense (24.8) and fifth in rushing defense (143.4).
They are also first in pass defense efficiency, a number derived from a formula comprising completion percentage, yards, average yards per game, and touchdown passes.
Dean of effort
CMU defensive tackle Jabari Dean broke through and blocked the Cardinals' extra-point attempt on their first touchdown of the game.
Perhaps it seemed insignificant at the time, but by the fourth quarter, Dean's block loomed large because Ball State's lead was just eight points (29-21) - rather than nine, which it could have been or would have been had Dean not blocked the kick in the first quarter.
The difference between an eight-point deficit and one of nine in college football is significant, and the Chippewas took full advantage, scoring a touchdown and adding the all-important two-point conversion late in the fourth quarter to tie the game at 29-29.
Century club
Through eight games, CMU has allowed just one opposing ball carrier, Adonis Ameen-Moore of Syracuse, to rush for 100 yards this season.
Ball State's Jahwan Edwards finished with 98 yards on 32 carries on Saturday and in the process became the Cardinals' all-time leading rusher with 4,013 yards.
Happy returns
Freshman Amari Coleman appears to have found his footing as the deep man for CMU on kick returns.
Coleman returned five kickoffs for 136 yards (a 27.2-yard average) with a long of 38 yards. He also returned one punt for 13 yards. A number of times on Saturday, he appeared with a half-step from breaking off a long return.
Coleman's 149 all-purpose yards were second only to Rawls' 173 in the game.
Kicking update
CMU placekicker Brian Eavey remained perfect in the extra-point department on the season as he made all three of his attempts on Saturday.
Eavey, a redshirt freshman walk-on, is 21-for-21 on the year. He did not attempt a field goal in the game.
Ron Coluzzi punted three times for an average of 40.3 yards with a long of 43. Two of his punts were downed inside the Cardinal 20-yard line, the other went for a touchback.
Coluzzi averaged 49.6 yards on five kickoffs with one touchback.
