Second-Half Surge Not Enough

Saturday, October 27

Akron, Ohio

12 p.m.

Central Michigan University

1-8 , 0-5

Akron

4-3 , 2-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Michigan

Akron

Photo by: Mary Lewandowski

10/27/2018 5:16:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

Chippewas fall at Akron, 17-10

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

AKRON, Ohio – Positive steps, yes. But not enough, and at the end of the day, too many squandered opportunities.

The Central Michigan football team found itself in a 17-0 halftime hole on Saturday, battle back in the second half, before eventually falling short to Akron, 17-10, at rainy and chilly InfoCision Stadium.

The loss dropped the Chippewas to 1-8, 0-5. They have three games remaining, beginning with a trip to Eastern Michigan next week. Akron is 4-3, 2-2.

"We had a lot of opportunities today," CMU coach John Bonamego said. "Just came up short. I'm proud of the fact that, down 17-0 at halftime, we came out in the second half and worked our way back into the game. We found a way to move the ball."

The Chippewas got a 28-yard field goal from Ryan Tice and a 1-yard Tony Poljan quarterback sneak midway through the third to pull within one score at 17-10.

But they couldn't get the equalizer despite outplaying the Zips and the CMU defense pitching a shutout over the final two quarters.

"Our defense played well all day, stepped up especially in the second half," Bonamego said. "They really tightened up."

Telling of how it unfolded for CMU on Saturday was a 14-play, 72-yard fourth-quarter drive that ended with a failure to convert on fourth-and-1 at the Akron 5-yard line with 3:27 left. A touchdown and extra point there would have tied the game.

As it was, it was CMU's last legitimate chance.

"It is frustrating," Bonamego said. The players are "frustrated; we're all frustrated. We just have to find a way to make plays. We have to be able to get a yard on fourth-and-1 when the game's on the line. Great teams are going to find a way to get that done.

"I'm not discouraged in any way, shape or form, or disappointed because I really think that we had a bunch of guys who really gave everything they had today. They'll just keep getting better."

Poljan, who started CMU's first three games at quarterback before giving way to Tommy Lazzaro, returned as the signal-caller in place of the injured Lazzaro. Poljan completed 19 of his 38 pass attempts for 169 yards. He also rushed for 37 yards as the Chippewas gained 140 on the ground. Romello Ross led the Chippewas with 75 yards on 22 carries.

"At times good; at times not as good," Bonamego said of Poljan's performance. "The thing about Tony is you know you'll get his very best and there's zero quit in that kid. He found a way to make some plays with his legs. We've just got to continue to find ways to give him a little bit more time and a little bit more space downfield. We're making progress."

Most of CMU's offensive success came in the second half as they battled to get back in the game after Akron used a few chunk plays to set up its first-half scores.

The Chippewa defense held Akron to minus-3 rushing yards and 104 total offensive yards in the second half. But CMU failed to cash in on several occasions, including a drive that started at the Akron 11-yard line and ended in a field goal rather than a touchdown, and another that ended in a missed field goal attempt.

"I'm proud of the way they played, I'm proud of the effort, but we can't accept the loss and we can't accept the mistakes that we made because we did have our opportunities," Bonamego said. "We've just got to stop hurting ourselves. We had less (self destruction) today, (fewer) bad penalties, (fewer) turnovers ... We've got to find a way to get past that and win a football game."