All Good As Chippewas Capture MAC Opener

Saturday, September 14

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

3 p.m.

Central Michigan University

2-1 , 1-0

Akron

0-3 , 0-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Akron

Central Michigan

Kalil Pimpleton (88) and Tony Poljan celebrate a Chippewa touchdown on Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Photo by: Allissa Rusco

9/14/2019 8:52:00 PM | Football

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Backups Moore, Lewis spearhead offensive onslaught

By: Andy Sneddon, CMUChippewas.com

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Yes, it was just one single football game.

But to a Central Michigan program that won just once last season and was coming off a 61-0 whitewash a week prior at Wisconsin, it was so much more than that.

And a pair of backups led the charge.

David Moore threw for 316 yards and two touchdowns and Kobe Lewis amassed 183 yards and three scores on 30 touches on Saturday as the Chippewas topped Akron, 45-24, before 18,641 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

It was the Mid-American Conference opener for the CMU (2-1), which won a league game for the first time since Nov. 24, 2017.

"Just can't tell you how proud I am of our football team and this coaching staff," first-year CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "It goes back to me feeling so good for these players, who maybe didn't feel great about themselves (before) and yet understanding that the work you put in to it is what's going to help you in whatever you do in life, and they saw that.

"The guys went out and played the game the way it was supposed to be played, and I thought they were physical too."

The Chippewas amassed 533 yards in total offense, surpassing by four yards the total they posted in their season-opening win over Football Championship Subdivision Albany. Their point total was their highest in 19 games, dating to 56-9 victory over Ball State midway through the 2017 season.

The Chippewas built a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter and were never seriously threatened after that.

"I looked at this game, to me it was going to be a measure," McElwain said. "A measure of where we are at. To play someone in conference, to see where that kind of matches up. I thought our guys took it to them. I think we imposed our will at times, which is something that really good teams learn to do and it's something we need to continue to move forward with."

Moore, subbing for injured starter Quinten Dormady, completed 20 of his 31 pass attempts and tossed TD passes to Tony Poljan and Kalil Pimpleton. He was not sacked and the Chippewas turned the ball over just once.

It was Moore's first Football Bowl Subdivision start after transferring from Garden City (Kan.) C.C.

"I've got total trust in him; I said that from the get-go," McElwain said. "I thought he had a great command of the huddle, I thought he was great on the sideline with information. Our staff did a really good job preparing him. Proud of him as I am for all of our guys. It's next man up and he was the next man up and he did a great job."

Lewis, a sophomore, made the most of his first career start as well, subbing for injured Jonathan Ward. He carried 27 times for 146 yards and three TDs, and caught three passes for 37 yards.

Pimpleton led the receiving corps with seven catches for 116 yards, while Poljan made five grabs for 90.

The Chippewa defense posted seven sacks among 13 tackles-for-loss and held the Zips to 47 yards rushing.

"Time will tell," McElwain said. "Right now, for the next 24 hours, as I told our guys, go enjoy this. Man it's been a long time since they've had a MAC victory. They went and did it and they did it the right way. Go enjoy it and then let's get back to work tomorrow and get ready for the next opponent."