Chippewas Fall In Finale

Friday, November 23

Toledo, Ohio

12 p.m. ET

Central Michigan University

1-11 , 0-8

Toledo

7-5 , 5-3

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Michigan

Toledo

Devon Spalding, one of 17 CMU seniors playing his final college football game, runs against Toledo on Saturday at the Glass Bowl.

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

11/23/2018 4:47:00 PM | Football

Box Score Photo Gallery

CMU offense struggles in loss at Toledo

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

TOLEDO, Ohio – A disappointing end to a disappointing season.

Central Michigan surrendered 473 yards in total offense on Friday in falling to Toledo, 51-13, at the Glass Bowl in the Chippewas' final football game of the season. CMU finished 1-11, 0-8 Mid-American Conference.

"Certainly not the way we wanted to finish out the season," fourth-year CMU coach John Bonamego said. "Offensively we couldn't get anything going at all (and) gave up big plays in the kicking game which put more stress on our defense. I thought the defense battled hard. They were really put in some tough situations throughout the game. Pretty much a terrible offensive performance."

The Chippewa offense was nonexistent in the first half, during which CMU picked up just three first downs to Toledo's 18 as the Rockets outgained the Chippewas, 288-62, in surging to a 24-0 lead.

The Rockets (7-5, 5-3) enjoyed outstanding field position throughout the game because of the Chippewas' inability to move the ball. CMU punted 15 times and was penalized 16 times for 132.

"Penalties were completely, totally unacceptable," Bonamego said. "I don't think we had a punt return or a punt that didn't have a penalty on it this game. We lost yards in the return game and made it even harder on our offense by keeping ourselves backed up.

"It was a loss all the way across the board."

Freshman quarterback George Pearson played the entire second half in relief of starter Austin Hergott, a redshirt freshman.

Pearson completed 12 of 24 passes for 94 yards and a touchdown, the first of his career which went to redshirt freshman Jack Combs and covered 12 yards in the fourth quarter, long after the game was decided. Hergott, making his second straight start, was 6-for-19 for 39 yards.

The Chippewa quarterbacks were sacked six times and the Chippewas converted on just two of 17 third downs. On Pearson's first play – the first play of the third quarter – the ball slipped from his hand on a pass attempt, was intercepted and then returned for a touchdown as Toledo upped its lead to 31-0.

CMU's other score came on Mike Danna's 53-yard fumble return for touchdown, also in the fourth quarter.

"It was tough," said Danna, a junior. "To send our seniors out like this, it was really tough. And it's sad. But we can't dwell on it. We've got to move on, get back to work. That's all we can do, really."