Chippewas Head To Toledo for Season Finale

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – No, the 2018 season has not gone as John Bonamego – or anybody in and around the Central Michigan football program – would have hoped.

The Chippewas have an opportunity to finish on a high note on Friday when they play their season finale at Toledo.

"They're very motivated," Bonamego, the Chippewas' fourth-year coach, said of his players as they prepared this week to face the Rockets in a Mid-American Conference game. "I think that's one thing that's been consistent with this team throughout the year.

"I really appreciate all the work that these guys have put in. They've prepared hard all year long and they've played hard. There's a difference between playing hard and playing well, we all understand that. No one is satisfied with where we are at and I can assure everyone that there's not one person that's more disappointed in the season and the outcome that we have than I am."

The Chippewas go in to Friday's game 1-10, 0-7 MAC, while the Rockets are 6-5, 4-3. They became bowl eligible last week with a 56-34 win at Kent State.

THE MATCHUP
Friday's game is a textbook good offense vs. good defense matchup. The Chippewas rank second in the MAC and 30^th nationally in total defense, while Toledo's offense is third in the league and 33^rd in the country.

CMU is surrendering an average of 344.6 yards and 25.2 points per game. The Rockets average 40.2 points per game, which ranks 13^th nationally. Toledo has won three of its last four games, averaging 50.6 points in those three victories. The Rockets have scored 50 points or more five times this season.

CMU has allowed 19.3 points per game in its last three starts.

BYE WEEK
The Chippewas will have had 13 days since their last game, a 24-13 home loss to Bowling Green.

Bonamego said the Chippewas took advantage of that time to give some of the veterans a break and to take an extended look at the underclassmen.

"We tried to rest some guys who really needed the rest and time to heal up, and we got some good quality work with our younger guys," he said.

GROWING PAINS
The Chippewas have come frustratingly close a number of times throughout the season. Taking out their 35-10 loss to Western Michigan, they have lost six MAC games by an average of 7.8 points.

"We've been in every game," Bonamego said. "We haven't played well enough to win."

While the losses have mounted – frustratingly so – Bonamego knows above all that the Chippewas can't dwell on the past and feel sorry for themselves. They have to take a long-term pragmatic approach, make corrections and, he said, grow up.

"There's a lot of things that we need to address in the offseason, in our winter program and going into spring ball," he said. "We'll get those addressed. I'm excited about the roster. We've played an inordinate number of young players this year. They're going to benefit from that experience.

"There's a lot of young talent on this team. We've got a lot of key players returning next year for us all to be really excited. You can't manufacture game experience. It's got to be earned and we're going to have a lot of players that are going to be bigger, stronger and faster because they're going to be a year older a year from now (and they) will benefit greatly from the experience that they've gained this year."

LAST GAME
For 17 Chippewas, Friday's game will be their last in maroon and gold. Among them is defensive lineman Mitch Stanitzek, who has been a steady mainstay throughout his five years in the program.

"Us seniors haven't beaten Toledo throughout our whole career so to be able to get one against them – we're going to go out, play hard, we're going to enjoy the moment being our last game together," he said. "Obviously it hasn't been the season we wanted, but this (a win) would kind of send us off right."

Stanitzek, along with his fellow seniors, recognize that it has fallen to them to keep a positive attitude and endure through what has obviously been a difficult season.

"To have a season like this it's tough," he said. "It's adversity. Nobody plans to have an outcome like that. It really kind of tests your will, you've really got to dig deep, you've really got to come together. I think the guys have come together. It's just things haven't fallen our way. But no matter what, we came here to work and we come back every single day ready to work, ready to put in the time."

Maintaining that approach has been critical in light of the fact that if the younger players sense that the veterans are simply going through the motions and mailing it in, the lasting effects could be devastating to the program.

"We tell these (younger) guys: 'No matter what happens next year, don't be a losing team,'" Stanitzek said. "You can't have that attitude, you can't be alright with losing no matter how many games you lose. We've lost 10 games this year. You can't be OK with that no matter what happens. We've been really stressing that. We want to see them be winners."

MILESTONE START
Another of those seniors, middle linebacker Malik Fountain, is poised to make his 51^st career start on Saturday.

That would tie him with Nick Beamish (2012-15) for the second-longest streak in program history. Andrew Hartline made 52 starts from 2005-08.

SCOUTING
The Rockets rushed for a season-high 384 yards in their victory over Kent State. Bryant Roback ran for 192 yards and Art Thompkins finished with 122.

Toledo averages 217.3 yards rushing, which ranks second in the MAC and 25^th in the nation.

The Rockets lead the nation in blocked kicks with seven. Eli Peters has started the last three games at quarterback for the Rockets. He has completed 55.8 percent of his passes on the season for 14 TDs against six interceptions.

Next Event

Players Mentioned

Malik Fountain

Mitch Stanitzek

Central Michigan University Athletics