Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, October 26
Buffalo, NY
3:30 p.m.
Central Michigan University
at
Buffalo
Photo by: Allissa Rusco
Chippewas Eye Second-Straight Road Win
10/25/2019 6:06:00 PM | Football
CMU faces strong defense in Buffalo
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Snap the chinstrap, lace 'em up tight.
'Bout to get fun, important and tough.
The resurgent Central Michigan football team goes to Buffalo on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) for a crucial Mid-American Conference game. The Chippewas are 5-3, 3-1 MAC and are riding a three-game win streak after a 38-20 victory last week at Bowling Green.
That win snapped a nine-game road losing streak.
"The guys hopefully learned something last week," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "We'll find out when the test is given on Saturday."
The Chippewas are in second place in the MAC West, one-half game behind first-place Ball State (CMU plays at Bal State in two weeks). The Bulls are 3-4, 1-2 and a game behind the leaders in the East Division, which they won last season to earn a berth in the league title game at Ford Field in Detroit.
"I'm excited for our team as far as putting ourselves in a position where these games really start to mean something and it'll be interesting to see how they respond, especially going back-to-back road games against a team that's obviously got a great run defense as well as some running backs who can put it on you," McElwain said.
The Race
McElwain, who took over the program in December, 2018, just weeks after the Chippewas completed a 1-11 season, has CMU in position to make a run to the top of the West and a berth in the MAC Championship Game.
That remains to be seen – CMU plays host to Northern Illinois and to Toledo in addition to the trip to Ball State – over the final four games of the season. And while CMU is squarely in the hunt, it can't afford to look back or even to its side.
"This is all the growing up, they're in uncharted territory right now," McElwain said of his players. "It'll be interesting to see how they react."
Ground and Pound
Saturday's game features a Buffalo defense that ranks No. 1 overall in the MAC and 20th nationally. The Chippewas are No. 2 in the league in total defense.
Buffalo surrenders an average of 95.3 yards per game on the ground and leads the league and ranks 13th in the nation in that category. The Chippewas, who are allowing 110.9 yards per, rank second in the MAC and 23rd nationally. Buffalo is No. 1 in the league against the pass, while the Chippewas rank sixth.
Buffalo ranks first in the MAC in points allowed per game; the Chippewas are third. The Bulls are second in rushing yards per game in the league, CMU is third.
On the flip side, Buffalo ranks last in the MAC and near the bottom of Football Bowl Subdivision teams in passing yards per game (127.7 yards per); the Chippewas are sixth (241.4) in the MAC.
Maintain the Mojo
CMU sophomore safety Devonni Reed said last week's road win over Bowling Green was a confidence boost. Now comes another step in the process: winning back-to-back road games.
"People didn't think we could win on the road, we proved everyone wrong," he said, adding the key, as it has been all season, is to "keep the same energy, keep the same focus, work harder, and each week keep on putting your foot on the pedal.
"I really do feel like the more we win, the more wins that we get, we're starting to believe in ourselves. People see it, other coaches see it. When we go in other people's houses, they realize how organized we are, how focused we are. As we win each game, it makes us more confident; we believe in ourselves."
Solid Starts
The Chippewas have scored first – and never trailed – in each of their last three games, scoring touchdowns on their first possession in all three.
Clean QB
CMU's offensive line has not allowed a sack in any of those three games. The Chippewas have started the same five players on the interior of their offensive line in all eight of their games: tackles Clay Walderzak and Luke Goedeke, guards Derek Smith and Oge Udeogu, and center Steve Eipper.
The Bulls have recorded nine sacks in their last two games and have 20 on the season. They rank third in the MAC behind Western Michigan (26) and the Chippewas (22).
Scouting
• Senior linebacker Ledarius Mack leads Buffalo's stout defense was named the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after making four tackles, three of which were behind the line of scrimmage including a sack, in a 21-0 win over Akron last week. Mack is the brother of former Buffalo great Khalil Mack, who is now with the Chicago Bears.
• Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks have a fairly strong one-two punch at running back, just as the Chippewas do with Jonathan Ward and Kobe Lewis. Patterson is averaging 98 yards per game rushing and Marks is at 86.1. They rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in rushing yards per game in the MAC.
Patterson was the 2018 MAC Freshman of the Year Award winner after rushing for 1,013 yards and 14 TDs.
"Much respect to those guys," Reed said. "They do know how to run the rock. The whole plan this week is play ball, play ball just like we've been doing."
• The Bulls are 1-2 in league play and one game back in the race for the East Division crown. Before their 21-0 win over Akron a week ago, they fell, 21-20, in overtime at home against Ohio. The Bulls scored first in the extra session and missed the extra point. The Bobcats answered with a TD and the extra point was the difference.
• Sophomore Kyle Vantrease made his first start at quarterback for Buffalo two weeks ago against Ohio. Bulls starter Matt Myers was injured in their fifth game, a 34-20 loss to Miami (Ohio). Vantrease completed 16 of his 23 pass attempts for 197 yards and two TDs against the Bobcats. Last week against Akron, he was 14 for 23 for 65 yards.
The Series
CMU leads the series with Buffalo, 7-2. The Bulls won last year's meeting, 34-24, in Mount Pleasant, snapping CMU's five-game win streak against them.
Next
The Chippewas return to Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2 (noon) to face defending MAC champion Northern Illinois. The Huskies, 2-5, 1-2, are scheduled to play host to Akron this week.
'Bout to get fun, important and tough.
The resurgent Central Michigan football team goes to Buffalo on Saturday (3:30 p.m.) for a crucial Mid-American Conference game. The Chippewas are 5-3, 3-1 MAC and are riding a three-game win streak after a 38-20 victory last week at Bowling Green.
That win snapped a nine-game road losing streak.
"The guys hopefully learned something last week," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "We'll find out when the test is given on Saturday."
The Chippewas are in second place in the MAC West, one-half game behind first-place Ball State (CMU plays at Bal State in two weeks). The Bulls are 3-4, 1-2 and a game behind the leaders in the East Division, which they won last season to earn a berth in the league title game at Ford Field in Detroit.
"I'm excited for our team as far as putting ourselves in a position where these games really start to mean something and it'll be interesting to see how they respond, especially going back-to-back road games against a team that's obviously got a great run defense as well as some running backs who can put it on you," McElwain said.
The Race
McElwain, who took over the program in December, 2018, just weeks after the Chippewas completed a 1-11 season, has CMU in position to make a run to the top of the West and a berth in the MAC Championship Game.
That remains to be seen – CMU plays host to Northern Illinois and to Toledo in addition to the trip to Ball State – over the final four games of the season. And while CMU is squarely in the hunt, it can't afford to look back or even to its side.
"This is all the growing up, they're in uncharted territory right now," McElwain said of his players. "It'll be interesting to see how they react."
Ground and Pound
Saturday's game features a Buffalo defense that ranks No. 1 overall in the MAC and 20th nationally. The Chippewas are No. 2 in the league in total defense.
Buffalo surrenders an average of 95.3 yards per game on the ground and leads the league and ranks 13th in the nation in that category. The Chippewas, who are allowing 110.9 yards per, rank second in the MAC and 23rd nationally. Buffalo is No. 1 in the league against the pass, while the Chippewas rank sixth.
Buffalo ranks first in the MAC in points allowed per game; the Chippewas are third. The Bulls are second in rushing yards per game in the league, CMU is third.
On the flip side, Buffalo ranks last in the MAC and near the bottom of Football Bowl Subdivision teams in passing yards per game (127.7 yards per); the Chippewas are sixth (241.4) in the MAC.
Maintain the Mojo
CMU sophomore safety Devonni Reed said last week's road win over Bowling Green was a confidence boost. Now comes another step in the process: winning back-to-back road games.
"People didn't think we could win on the road, we proved everyone wrong," he said, adding the key, as it has been all season, is to "keep the same energy, keep the same focus, work harder, and each week keep on putting your foot on the pedal.
"I really do feel like the more we win, the more wins that we get, we're starting to believe in ourselves. People see it, other coaches see it. When we go in other people's houses, they realize how organized we are, how focused we are. As we win each game, it makes us more confident; we believe in ourselves."
Solid Starts
The Chippewas have scored first – and never trailed – in each of their last three games, scoring touchdowns on their first possession in all three.
Clean QB
CMU's offensive line has not allowed a sack in any of those three games. The Chippewas have started the same five players on the interior of their offensive line in all eight of their games: tackles Clay Walderzak and Luke Goedeke, guards Derek Smith and Oge Udeogu, and center Steve Eipper.
The Bulls have recorded nine sacks in their last two games and have 20 on the season. They rank third in the MAC behind Western Michigan (26) and the Chippewas (22).
Scouting
• Senior linebacker Ledarius Mack leads Buffalo's stout defense was named the MAC East Defensive Player of the Week on Monday after making four tackles, three of which were behind the line of scrimmage including a sack, in a 21-0 win over Akron last week. Mack is the brother of former Buffalo great Khalil Mack, who is now with the Chicago Bears.
• Jaret Patterson and Kevin Marks have a fairly strong one-two punch at running back, just as the Chippewas do with Jonathan Ward and Kobe Lewis. Patterson is averaging 98 yards per game rushing and Marks is at 86.1. They rank fifth and sixth, respectively, in rushing yards per game in the MAC.
Patterson was the 2018 MAC Freshman of the Year Award winner after rushing for 1,013 yards and 14 TDs.
"Much respect to those guys," Reed said. "They do know how to run the rock. The whole plan this week is play ball, play ball just like we've been doing."
• The Bulls are 1-2 in league play and one game back in the race for the East Division crown. Before their 21-0 win over Akron a week ago, they fell, 21-20, in overtime at home against Ohio. The Bulls scored first in the extra session and missed the extra point. The Bobcats answered with a TD and the extra point was the difference.
• Sophomore Kyle Vantrease made his first start at quarterback for Buffalo two weeks ago against Ohio. Bulls starter Matt Myers was injured in their fifth game, a 34-20 loss to Miami (Ohio). Vantrease completed 16 of his 23 pass attempts for 197 yards and two TDs against the Bobcats. Last week against Akron, he was 14 for 23 for 65 yards.
The Series
CMU leads the series with Buffalo, 7-2. The Bulls won last year's meeting, 34-24, in Mount Pleasant, snapping CMU's five-game win streak against them.
Next
The Chippewas return to Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 2 (noon) to face defending MAC champion Northern Illinois. The Huskies, 2-5, 1-2, are scheduled to play host to Akron this week.
Players Mentioned
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/ FootballFootball Insider - 10.24.25
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