Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, December 21
Albuquerque, N.M.
2 p.m. ET/Noon MT
Central Michigan University
vs
San Diego State University
CMU's Quinten Dormady (left) and Devonni Reed address the media during a press conference on Friday in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Photo by: Benjamin Suddendorf
Trip To Albuquerque Takes Chippewas To New Heights
12/20/2019 6:39:00 PM | Football
CMU faces stingy San Diego State defense in New Mexico Bowl
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – All that's left now is to play football.
The Central Michigan football team will lock horns on Saturday with San Diego State on Saturday in the New Mexico Bowl at Dreamstyle Stadium on the campus of the University of New Mexico. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (EST).
The Chippewas are 8-5; San Diego State, which plays in the Mountain West Conference, is 9-3.
It's more than 1,300 miles, as the crow flies, from Mount Pleasant to Albuquerque. Those 1,300 miles also carry a major increase in altitude. Albuquerque is 5,312 feet above sea level; Mount Pleasant is 711.
"We've been here long enough now to acclimate ourselves and the hydration and the things that go along with it," said CMU coach Jim McElwain, a native of Montana whose coaching resumé includes a stop at Colorado State, which is in Fort Collins, Colo., elevation 5,003 feet. "For me personally, it's great to be back in the mountains, I'll say that."
Playing at such elevation changes the game. The ball sails more freely through the thinner air, affecting both the kicking game and the passing game, generally a positive for the offensive team.
McElwain, who played quarterback at Eastern Washington in the early 1980s, had plenty of experience playing at elevation.
"I can remember the first time as a quarterback, playing Northern Arizona (Flagstaff, Ariz.) which is 7,000 feet and I went out for warmups and I thought I was John Elway," he said.
CMU quarterback Quinten Dormady said the difference was evident during the Chippewas' first practice in Albuquerque on Thursday.
"It's different," he said. "The ball flies tighter, travels farther. It was huge to get out there yesterday and throw in it."
Strong Defense
The Chippewas will face a San Diego State defense that ranks second in the nation against the run and is fifth nationally in total defense.
"We've got our work cut out for us," McElwain said. "It's a huge challenge and yet I like our plan and really it just comes down to us going out and executing."
The Chippewas enter the game averaging a respectable 186.7 yards per game on the ground. They're averaging 258.9 yards per through the air.
CMU is 28th nationally in total offense, averaging 445.6 yards per game.
The Aztecs
San Diego State went 2-2 in its final four regular-season games after a 7-1 start.
The Aztecs finished second behind Hawaii in the Mountain West West Division. Boise State won the league title, defeating Hawaii, 31-10, in the conference championship game. San Diego State's three losses came to Hawaii, Nevada and Utah State.
The Aztecs rank 115th nationally in total offense, averaging 329.3 yards per game, and are 119th in scoring offense, averaging 19.0 points per game.
Milestone Rushers
CMU's one-two backfield punch of Jonathan Ward and Kobe Lewis are poised to make program history.
Ward, a senior, has run for 1,082 yards this season, becoming the 27th Chippewa to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. He had 1,019 yards as a sophomore in 2017 and is just the ninth player in program history to produce multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
Lewis, a sophomore, has run for 977 yards this season. If he gets to 1,000, it will mark the first time in program history that two Chippewas have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season.
Ward has scored 16 touchdowns this season, which is tied for sixth in program history. He is tied for sixth in program history with six rushing TDs this season. He is eighth in program history with 28 career TDs.
"Jonathan Ward has been a great leader for this football team," McElwain said. "The other thing that I don't think a lot of people realize is that he's played injured, which tells you a lot and the fact that he cares so much about this group of guys and how hard he plays. Just really proud of him and glad he's on our team."
More Milestones
CMU sophomore Kalil Pimpleton has posted 79 receptions this season, which is good for sixth in program history. He needs four grabs to tie Cody Wilson for fifth. Wilson made 83 catches in 2012.
Big Numbers
The Chippewas have scored 415 points this season, the fifth most in program history, and the second most through 13 games. The 2007 team set the standard with 487 points in 14 games.
Common Opponent
The lone common opponent for CMU and San Diego State is New Mexico State. The Chippewas defeated the Aggies, 42-28; the Aztecs defeated them, 31-10.
Bowl History
Saturday's game marks the second time that McElwain will coach in the New Mexico Bowl. In 2013, he led Colorado State to a 48-45 victory over Washington State.
"One thing on coaching is you focus on the now and don't really get a chance maybe to relive what's happened in the past," McElwain said. "Just seeing the smiling faces from the people involved in this bowl game, it felt like I was coming back home."
The Turnaround
As has been well documented, the Chippewas are the most-improved team in college football. They finished 1-11 in 2018, and McElwain was named to head the program shortly after the conclusion of that season.
McElwain and his staff gave the players a clean slate and a fresh start.
"We never really looked at what was," he said. "We met with each and every one of the players and explained to them that here's an opportunity to have a clean slate. We ripped up the bios, we ripped up any of the notes that there were for any players on the team and said, 'Here's your opportunity to be who you want to be.'
"This is an opportunity to prove who you want to be and what you're all about, all of those types of things and I really think our guys embraced that."
The Central Michigan football team will lock horns on Saturday with San Diego State on Saturday in the New Mexico Bowl at Dreamstyle Stadium on the campus of the University of New Mexico. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. (EST).
The Chippewas are 8-5; San Diego State, which plays in the Mountain West Conference, is 9-3.
It's more than 1,300 miles, as the crow flies, from Mount Pleasant to Albuquerque. Those 1,300 miles also carry a major increase in altitude. Albuquerque is 5,312 feet above sea level; Mount Pleasant is 711.
"We've been here long enough now to acclimate ourselves and the hydration and the things that go along with it," said CMU coach Jim McElwain, a native of Montana whose coaching resumé includes a stop at Colorado State, which is in Fort Collins, Colo., elevation 5,003 feet. "For me personally, it's great to be back in the mountains, I'll say that."
Playing at such elevation changes the game. The ball sails more freely through the thinner air, affecting both the kicking game and the passing game, generally a positive for the offensive team.
McElwain, who played quarterback at Eastern Washington in the early 1980s, had plenty of experience playing at elevation.
"I can remember the first time as a quarterback, playing Northern Arizona (Flagstaff, Ariz.) which is 7,000 feet and I went out for warmups and I thought I was John Elway," he said.
CMU quarterback Quinten Dormady said the difference was evident during the Chippewas' first practice in Albuquerque on Thursday.
"It's different," he said. "The ball flies tighter, travels farther. It was huge to get out there yesterday and throw in it."
Strong Defense
The Chippewas will face a San Diego State defense that ranks second in the nation against the run and is fifth nationally in total defense.
"We've got our work cut out for us," McElwain said. "It's a huge challenge and yet I like our plan and really it just comes down to us going out and executing."
The Chippewas enter the game averaging a respectable 186.7 yards per game on the ground. They're averaging 258.9 yards per through the air.
CMU is 28th nationally in total offense, averaging 445.6 yards per game.
The Aztecs
San Diego State went 2-2 in its final four regular-season games after a 7-1 start.
The Aztecs finished second behind Hawaii in the Mountain West West Division. Boise State won the league title, defeating Hawaii, 31-10, in the conference championship game. San Diego State's three losses came to Hawaii, Nevada and Utah State.
The Aztecs rank 115th nationally in total offense, averaging 329.3 yards per game, and are 119th in scoring offense, averaging 19.0 points per game.
Milestone Rushers
CMU's one-two backfield punch of Jonathan Ward and Kobe Lewis are poised to make program history.
Ward, a senior, has run for 1,082 yards this season, becoming the 27th Chippewa to surpass the 1,000-yard mark. He had 1,019 yards as a sophomore in 2017 and is just the ninth player in program history to produce multiple 1,000-yard seasons.
Lewis, a sophomore, has run for 977 yards this season. If he gets to 1,000, it will mark the first time in program history that two Chippewas have rushed for 1,000 yards in a season.
Ward has scored 16 touchdowns this season, which is tied for sixth in program history. He is tied for sixth in program history with six rushing TDs this season. He is eighth in program history with 28 career TDs.
"Jonathan Ward has been a great leader for this football team," McElwain said. "The other thing that I don't think a lot of people realize is that he's played injured, which tells you a lot and the fact that he cares so much about this group of guys and how hard he plays. Just really proud of him and glad he's on our team."
More Milestones
CMU sophomore Kalil Pimpleton has posted 79 receptions this season, which is good for sixth in program history. He needs four grabs to tie Cody Wilson for fifth. Wilson made 83 catches in 2012.
Big Numbers
The Chippewas have scored 415 points this season, the fifth most in program history, and the second most through 13 games. The 2007 team set the standard with 487 points in 14 games.
Common Opponent
The lone common opponent for CMU and San Diego State is New Mexico State. The Chippewas defeated the Aggies, 42-28; the Aztecs defeated them, 31-10.
Bowl History
Saturday's game marks the second time that McElwain will coach in the New Mexico Bowl. In 2013, he led Colorado State to a 48-45 victory over Washington State.
"One thing on coaching is you focus on the now and don't really get a chance maybe to relive what's happened in the past," McElwain said. "Just seeing the smiling faces from the people involved in this bowl game, it felt like I was coming back home."
The Turnaround
As has been well documented, the Chippewas are the most-improved team in college football. They finished 1-11 in 2018, and McElwain was named to head the program shortly after the conclusion of that season.
McElwain and his staff gave the players a clean slate and a fresh start.
"We never really looked at what was," he said. "We met with each and every one of the players and explained to them that here's an opportunity to have a clean slate. We ripped up the bios, we ripped up any of the notes that there were for any players on the team and said, 'Here's your opportunity to be who you want to be.'
"This is an opportunity to prove who you want to be and what you're all about, all of those types of things and I really think our guys embraced that."
Players Mentioned
QB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
RB
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