Central Michigan University
5-4 , 3-2
Buffalo
4-4 , 2-2
Turnover-Prone Chippewas Fall At Buffalo
10/26/2019 7:19:00 PM | Football
CMU commits five turnovers as win streak is snapped
The loss ended CMU's win streak at three games. The Chippewas are 5-4, 3-2 MAC, and play host to Northern Illinois on Saturday, Nov. 2 (noon) at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. CMU is tied for second place in the MAC West with Western Michigan. Ball State leads the division at 3-1 in league play.
The Chippewas fumbled the ball away to Buffalo (4-4, 2-2) on back-to-back possessions in the first half. Both gave the Bulls very short fields to work with, and they cashed in both times in building a 24-7 lead.
"That team took it to us today," first-year CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "The opponent beat us in every phase it was pretty plain and simple. It's disappointing and yet there's a lot still out there to play and we'll learn from it. I like this locker room, I like these guys.
"I don't care who you are, if you're going to do that kind of stuff you're not going to give yourself a chance to win. All things we can learn from, that's the important piece. We've got a lot ahead of us."
CMU trailed 24-14 at halftime and had one last good chance to remain in the game when it drove to the UB 18-yard line, trailing 30-14, and still with plenty of time to mount a comeback. But Bulls stopped CMU on fourth down.
CMU finished with 73 rushing yards against a defense that entered the game ranked first in the MAC and 13th nationally against the run. The Chippewas had run for an average of more than 300 yards per game during their win streak.
"They took us out of our game," McElwain said. "We didn't get any rhythm, we didn't have explosive plays."
CMU quarterback Quinten Dormady put up respectable numbers, completing 25 of 37 pass attempts for 272 yards and two touchdowns, but he was intercepted twice and one of the picks was returned for a Buffalo TD.
CMU also struggled to stop a potent Buffalo run game that produced 197 yards, 149 of which came from Jaret Patterson on 28 carries.
Dormady's TD passes went to JaCorey Sullivan (14 yards) and Kalil Pimpleton (5 yards). Jonathan Ward scored CMU's other TD on a 1-yard plunge.
Team Stats
CMU 0, UB 3
UB - MCNULTY, Alex 29 yd field goal 11 plays, 46 yards, TOP 4:13
CMU 7, UB 3
CMU - WARD, Jonathan 1 yd run (TICE, Ryan kick), 10 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:09
CMU 7, UB 10
UB - NUNN, Antonio 8 yd pass from VANTREASE, Kyle (MCNULTY, Alex kick) 6 plays, 22 yards, TOP 3:12
CMU 7, UB 17
UB - PATTERSON, Jare 15 yd run (MCNULTY, Alex kick), 1 plays, 15 yards, TOP 0:07
CMU 7, UB 24
UB - NUNN, Antonio 14 yd pass from VANTREASE, Kyle (MCNULTY, Alex kick) 15 plays, 80 yards, TOP 5:59
CMU 14, UB 24
CMU - SULLIVAN, J. 14 yd pass from DORMADY, Q. (TICE, Ryan kick) 5 plays, 59 yards, TOP 1:57
CMU 14, UB 30
UB - MARKS, Kevin 3 yd run (MCNULTY, Alex kickfailed), 5 plays, 75 yards, TOP 0:34
CMU 14, UB 33
UB - MCNULTY, Alex 29 yd field goal 13 plays, 58 yards, TOP 5:12
CMU 14, UB 36
UB - MCNULTY, Alex 39 yd field goal 8 plays, 32 yards, TOP 4:46
CMU 20, UB 36
CMU - PIMPLETON, K. 5 yd pass from DORMADY, Q. (DORMADY, Q. passfailed) 11 plays, 75 yards, TOP 4:00
CMU 20, UB 43
UB - WRIGHT, Kadofi 40 yd interception (MCNULTY, Alex kick)
