Homecoming A Critical Game For Chippewas

Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – True, the Central Michigan football team is 1-4 and, despite flashes here and there, its offense has struggled.

Still, there is plenty of optimism and plenty to play for as the Chippewas look ahead to their final seven games, all against Mid-American Conference opponents.

That stretch begins on Saturday (noon) with the Chippewas' homecoming game against Buffalo at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

It was at this point last season that things began to turn for the Chippewas, who started 2-3 in 2017 and then won six of their final regular-season games, beginning with a week-six win at Ohio.

The Chippewas are coming off a 31-20 loss last week at Michigan State. The Chippewas scored 17 points in the second half after trailing 31-3.

"There's a lot of teams that, I think, down 31-3 would have just packed it in," CMU coach John Bonamego said. "The thing that I was most pleased with was the fight and the never-quit attitude that we displayed.

"If we can play the rest of our schedule the way we played in the second half of that game, we're going to be in good shape."

SCOUTING
At 4-1, Buffalo is off to its best start since 1996. The Bulls are 1-0 in the MAC. They defeated visiting Eastern Michigan, 35-28, in their MAC opener. They lost at home to Army West Point last week, 42-13.

The Chippewas hold a 7-1 edge in the all-time series and have won the last five meetings, capped by a 51-14 victory at Kelly/Shorts in 2015.

The Bulls lead the MAC in turnover margin (plus-5) and is the league's least-penalized team.

Buffalo quarterback Tyree Jackson, who played at Muskegon Mona Shores High School, is among the MAC 's best. He ranks third in the league with 240.8 passing yards per game, and is first in touchdown passes with 16.

The 6-foot-7, 245-pound junior is most dangerous when he's on the run, Bonamego said.

"He's a scramble-and-throw (guy)," he said. "The kid's got an absolute cannon for an arm. He can chuck it down there and he's got some guys who can go and fetch it."

UB's top receiver is another Michigan native, K.J. Osborn (Ypsilanti), who has made 23 receptions for 410 yards and six touchdowns. He is tied for fifth in nation in TD receptions.

The Bulls are the lone Football Bowl Subdivision team in the nation that has yet to allow a sack this season.

"When you give a strong-armed guy like that that much time with talented wide receivers, they're going to be able to make some plays on people," Bonamego said.

DEFENSE
The Chippewas surrendered 185 yards in the air to Michigan State's offense. It was a season high for a CMU opponent.

CMU is ranked first in the MAC and sixth nationally in passing yards allowed (149 per game), and is No. 1 in the league and 33^rd nationally in total defense, having allowed an average of 336.4 yards per game.

DEFENSIVE STALWARTS
Saturday's game will feature the top two tacklers, statistically, in the MAC in CMU's Malik Fountain and UB's Khalil Hodge.

Hodge is averaging 13.4 tackles per game and Fountain averages 12.4. They rank first and second, respectively, in the MAC. Nationally, Hodge ranks third and Fountain is eighth.

CHANGING FOCUS
Part of the Chippewas' struggles on the ground can be pointed across the line of scrimmage: CMU's last two opponents, Michigan State and Maine, were ranked No. 1 – MSU in Football Bowl Subdivision and Maine in FCS – against the run in the nation.

The Bulls come in to Saturday's game allowing 170.6 yards per game on the ground, which ranks 84^th in the nation. The Chippewas have averaged 108.6 yards per game on the ground this season.

OPENING THE PLAYBOOK
Because the Chippewas had problems moving the ball on the ground, Bonamego opened up the playbook against MSU. Twice, he gambled and twice it paid off, the first time with a 35-yard gain on the first play of the game, the second on a 29-yard halfback option touchdown pass.

In both cases, Bonamego said, the plays were nothing fancy, but out of the Chippewas' base offense.

"When you're struggling moving the ball, especially on the ground, you have to have all options on the table," Bonamego said. "You have to be very careful that you're not trying to re-invent the wheel each week because experience is the best teacher. Players are going to have the best chance to execute the things that they've repeated over and over in practice."

NEXT
Saturday's game is the first of three straight at home for CMU. The Chippewas play Ball State on Saturday, Oct. 13, and then entertain rival Western Michigan on Oct. 20.

On Saturday, Ball State (2-3, 1-0) plays host to MAC West-leading Northern Illinois (2-3, 2-0), and Western Michigan (3-2, 1-0) entertains Eastern Michigan (2-3, 0-2).

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Players Mentioned

Malik Fountain

Central Michigan University Athletics