Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU defensive end Troy Hairston II (13) lowers the boom on Washington State quarterback Jayden de Laura on Friday in the Sun Bowl.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Football Notebook: Defense Delivers In Sun Bowl Win
12/31/2021 10:04:00 PM | Football
Nichols caps historic season with 10th 100-yard rushing game
EL PASO, Texas – Through the second half of the season, Central Michigan flexed its offensive muscle in scoring an average of 41 points in rolling to win after win.
On Friday, the Chippewas ditched the flash and dash for the grit and grind in posting an historic 24-21 victory over Washington State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
"That's a Pac-12 team," third-year CMU coach Jim McElwain said of Washington State. "We've got a bunch of guys who just work hard and play their tails off and it showed today.
"The one thing about this team is they never quit, and they never gave up. Found a way to win and in the end that's what you do."
The Chippewas (9-4) built a 21-0 first half lead and then held off the Cougars by turning up the heat on defense after Washington State cut its deficit to 21-14 entering the fourth quarter.
After silencing the Cougars' run-and-shoot offense through the first two quarters, the Chippewas had to dig deep when Washington State made it a one-score game.
CMU did it by keeping steady pressure on Washington State's quarterbacks, Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year Jayden de Laura in the first half and Victor Gabalis in the second.
The Chippewas registered five sacks and limited Washington State to 25 yards rushing. De Laura and Gabalis combined to throw for 225 yards on 20-of-42 passing.
The Chippewas held Washington State to a combined two conversions on third and fourth down. The last of those such plays came with two minutes remaining when linebacker Troy Brown stopped a Washington State receiver inches short of a first down to ice it.
Brown led the Chippewas with 11 tackles and freshman Kyle Moretti had a career-high eight.
"What you want to do against those teams is make them one-dimensional," McElwain said. "I had a lot of confidence going into the game against that type of offense."
The performance of CMU's defense is all the more remarkable considering that the Chippewas had just three days to prepare for the Cougars after their expected opponent – Boise State in the Arizona Bowl – backed out.
The Chippewas bused the 300-plus miles from Tucson, Ariz. to El Paso, Texas, on Thursday, had one practice at the Sun Bowl, and then played the game.
"I think it benefitted us leaving (Tucson) yesterday," said CMU kicker Marshall Meeder, who kicked three field goals. "It was like just a normal away game for us. These last two days we focused up and got it done."
Said McElwain: "Anytime you go play, it doesn't matter what the circumstances are, you go out to win. Our guys went out to win."
Plenty Good Enough
The Chippewas finished with 336 total yards, their third-lowest total of the season, and they punted seven times. Only once this season, vs. Toledo on Oct. 16, had they punted more (nine times).
Still, they managed to move the ball efficiently enough and keep Washington State's potent offense sidelined. The Chippewas finished with a 10-plus-minute edge in possession time and took advantage of good field position to score their two touchdowns.
CMU's first touchdown was set up by Kumehnnu Gwilly's recovery of a fumble during a kickoff return at the Washington State 23-yard line. The Chippewas' second TD, which made it 21-0 late in the second quarter, came shortly after Kalil Pimpleton returned a punt 45 yards to the Washington State 9-yard line.
Pimpleton's 45-yard return is a CMU bowl record. Antonio Brown held the previous best, a 29-yarder, in the 2008 Motor City Bowl.
Lew Sweet, Again
CMU running back Lew Nichols III capped one of the best seasons in program history with his eighth consecutive 100-yard game and his 10th of the season.
He finished with 123 yards rushing on 28 carries, breaking Dan LeFevour's CMU bowl-game rushing record of 114 yards (2007 Motor City Bowl). He also caught two passes for 38 yards, giving him 161 yards on 30 touches.
Nichols, the nation's leading rusher, finished the season with 1,833 yards on the ground, the second-best rushing total in program history behind Brian Pruitt's 1,890-yard season in 1994.
Nichols' 339 carries are also second. Billy Smith set the standard with 374 in 1991.
Nichols made 40 catches for 338 yards on the season, finishing with 2,171 all-purpose yards. He scored 18 touchdowns, 16 of which came on the ground.
Nichols' 18 TDs tie for the fourth most in a single season in CMU history with Jim Podoley (1954) and Bernie Raterink (1955). His 16 rushing TDs also tie for fourth with Silas Massey (1996) and Eric Flowers (1998).
Nichols totaled 108 points on the season, tying him for sixth place in program history.
While it is Nichols' third season at CMU, he just completed his freshman season eligibility wise. He appeared in only four games in 2019, preserving his redshirt. The 2020 season did not count against his eligibility.
Sack Man
CMU senior defensive end Troy Hairston II was credited with 1 ½ sacks in Friday's game, bringing his season total to eight and his career total to 15 ½. He is eighth on CMU's career sack list.
Pimpleton Among The Best
Pimpleton, who had four catches for 30 yards on Friday, finished the season with 62 catches for 959 yards.
He has 170 career receptions for 2,130 yards. He ranks seventh in CMU history in career receptions and is ninth in receiving yardage.
Getting His Kicks
Meeder connected on three of his five field goal attempts against the Cougars, giving him 17 field goals (on 26 tries) this season. The 17 field goals tie him for second with Andrew Aguila (2009) for second in a single season in Chippewa history.
Kevin Nicholl holds the record with 20 in 1989.
Meeder made his 49th extra-point kick of the season in Friday's game. That total is the third highest in CMU history. Aguila hit 60 PATs in 2007.
Meeder was good from 49, 52 and 43 yards. His second-quarter 52-yarder is a CMU bowl record, bettering David Harman's 50-yarder in the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
Richardson Solid
Quarterback Daniel Richardson's TD pass to tight end Joel Wilson was his 24th of the season, which puts him eighth in Chippewa history for TD passes in a season.
Richardson turned in yet another efficient performance, completing 16 of 29 passes for 188 yards.
Nine Wins
The nine victories marks CMU's highest win total since the 2009 team finished 12-2. CMU won eight games in 2017 and again in 2019.
The victory made McElwain 20-13 during his three seasons at CMU and 64-40 in his career, which includes head coaching stints at Colorado State and Florida. He is now 3-2 as a head coach in bowl games.
"Our two full seasons we've been to bowl games," McElwain said in reflecting on his time at CMU. "I'm really proud of that. We made it to a (MAC) championship game our first year. We ended up a little short this year.
"My goal when I came to Central Michigan University – there's a lot of history and tradition there; some unbelievable coaches and some unbelievable players who have played there – and for us it's about making it sustainable.
"It's about letting the people know in our conference it isn't going to be a walk-over when they play Central. They better strap it up and we're going to be there to play. … We're starting to get there."
Five-for-Five
CMU closed the season on a five-game win streak, its longest since it also won five in a row in 2017 before falling in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to Wyoming.
The 2009 Chippewas put together win streaks of seven and five games.
Opting Out
The Chippewas played without four starters – offensive tackles Bernhard Raimann and Luke Goedeke, linebacker George Douglas and safety Devonni Reed – who opted out of the game.
Four Washington State players, including running backs Max Borghi and Deon McIntosh, opted out of the game.
Rare Honor
The Chippewas were the first non-Power 5 school to play in the Sun Bowl since 2007 (South Florida) and the first MAC team to play in the game since 1962 (Ohio).
MAC Record
The Chippewas were one of a record eight MAC teams to play in a bowl this season. Those teams went a combined 3-5.
Miami (Ohio) won the Frisco Football Classic and Western Michigan won the Quick Lane Bowl. Ball State (Camellia Bowl), Kent State (Idaho Potato Bowl), Eastern Michigan (LendingTree Bowl), Northern Illinois (Cure Bowl) and Toledo (Bahamas Bowl) lost their games.
On Friday, the Chippewas ditched the flash and dash for the grit and grind in posting an historic 24-21 victory over Washington State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
"That's a Pac-12 team," third-year CMU coach Jim McElwain said of Washington State. "We've got a bunch of guys who just work hard and play their tails off and it showed today.
"The one thing about this team is they never quit, and they never gave up. Found a way to win and in the end that's what you do."
The Chippewas (9-4) built a 21-0 first half lead and then held off the Cougars by turning up the heat on defense after Washington State cut its deficit to 21-14 entering the fourth quarter.
After silencing the Cougars' run-and-shoot offense through the first two quarters, the Chippewas had to dig deep when Washington State made it a one-score game.
CMU did it by keeping steady pressure on Washington State's quarterbacks, Pac-12 Freshman Offensive Player of the Year Jayden de Laura in the first half and Victor Gabalis in the second.
The Chippewas registered five sacks and limited Washington State to 25 yards rushing. De Laura and Gabalis combined to throw for 225 yards on 20-of-42 passing.
The Chippewas held Washington State to a combined two conversions on third and fourth down. The last of those such plays came with two minutes remaining when linebacker Troy Brown stopped a Washington State receiver inches short of a first down to ice it.
Brown led the Chippewas with 11 tackles and freshman Kyle Moretti had a career-high eight.
"What you want to do against those teams is make them one-dimensional," McElwain said. "I had a lot of confidence going into the game against that type of offense."
The performance of CMU's defense is all the more remarkable considering that the Chippewas had just three days to prepare for the Cougars after their expected opponent – Boise State in the Arizona Bowl – backed out.
The Chippewas bused the 300-plus miles from Tucson, Ariz. to El Paso, Texas, on Thursday, had one practice at the Sun Bowl, and then played the game.
"I think it benefitted us leaving (Tucson) yesterday," said CMU kicker Marshall Meeder, who kicked three field goals. "It was like just a normal away game for us. These last two days we focused up and got it done."
Said McElwain: "Anytime you go play, it doesn't matter what the circumstances are, you go out to win. Our guys went out to win."
Plenty Good Enough
The Chippewas finished with 336 total yards, their third-lowest total of the season, and they punted seven times. Only once this season, vs. Toledo on Oct. 16, had they punted more (nine times).
Still, they managed to move the ball efficiently enough and keep Washington State's potent offense sidelined. The Chippewas finished with a 10-plus-minute edge in possession time and took advantage of good field position to score their two touchdowns.
CMU's first touchdown was set up by Kumehnnu Gwilly's recovery of a fumble during a kickoff return at the Washington State 23-yard line. The Chippewas' second TD, which made it 21-0 late in the second quarter, came shortly after Kalil Pimpleton returned a punt 45 yards to the Washington State 9-yard line.
Pimpleton's 45-yard return is a CMU bowl record. Antonio Brown held the previous best, a 29-yarder, in the 2008 Motor City Bowl.
Lew Sweet, Again
CMU running back Lew Nichols III capped one of the best seasons in program history with his eighth consecutive 100-yard game and his 10th of the season.
He finished with 123 yards rushing on 28 carries, breaking Dan LeFevour's CMU bowl-game rushing record of 114 yards (2007 Motor City Bowl). He also caught two passes for 38 yards, giving him 161 yards on 30 touches.
Nichols, the nation's leading rusher, finished the season with 1,833 yards on the ground, the second-best rushing total in program history behind Brian Pruitt's 1,890-yard season in 1994.
Nichols' 339 carries are also second. Billy Smith set the standard with 374 in 1991.
Nichols made 40 catches for 338 yards on the season, finishing with 2,171 all-purpose yards. He scored 18 touchdowns, 16 of which came on the ground.
Nichols' 18 TDs tie for the fourth most in a single season in CMU history with Jim Podoley (1954) and Bernie Raterink (1955). His 16 rushing TDs also tie for fourth with Silas Massey (1996) and Eric Flowers (1998).
Nichols totaled 108 points on the season, tying him for sixth place in program history.
While it is Nichols' third season at CMU, he just completed his freshman season eligibility wise. He appeared in only four games in 2019, preserving his redshirt. The 2020 season did not count against his eligibility.
Sack Man
CMU senior defensive end Troy Hairston II was credited with 1 ½ sacks in Friday's game, bringing his season total to eight and his career total to 15 ½. He is eighth on CMU's career sack list.
Pimpleton Among The Best
Pimpleton, who had four catches for 30 yards on Friday, finished the season with 62 catches for 959 yards.
He has 170 career receptions for 2,130 yards. He ranks seventh in CMU history in career receptions and is ninth in receiving yardage.
Getting His Kicks
Meeder connected on three of his five field goal attempts against the Cougars, giving him 17 field goals (on 26 tries) this season. The 17 field goals tie him for second with Andrew Aguila (2009) for second in a single season in Chippewa history.
Kevin Nicholl holds the record with 20 in 1989.
Meeder made his 49th extra-point kick of the season in Friday's game. That total is the third highest in CMU history. Aguila hit 60 PATs in 2007.
Meeder was good from 49, 52 and 43 yards. His second-quarter 52-yarder is a CMU bowl record, bettering David Harman's 50-yarder in the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
Richardson Solid
Quarterback Daniel Richardson's TD pass to tight end Joel Wilson was his 24th of the season, which puts him eighth in Chippewa history for TD passes in a season.
Richardson turned in yet another efficient performance, completing 16 of 29 passes for 188 yards.
Nine Wins
The nine victories marks CMU's highest win total since the 2009 team finished 12-2. CMU won eight games in 2017 and again in 2019.
The victory made McElwain 20-13 during his three seasons at CMU and 64-40 in his career, which includes head coaching stints at Colorado State and Florida. He is now 3-2 as a head coach in bowl games.
"Our two full seasons we've been to bowl games," McElwain said in reflecting on his time at CMU. "I'm really proud of that. We made it to a (MAC) championship game our first year. We ended up a little short this year.
"My goal when I came to Central Michigan University – there's a lot of history and tradition there; some unbelievable coaches and some unbelievable players who have played there – and for us it's about making it sustainable.
"It's about letting the people know in our conference it isn't going to be a walk-over when they play Central. They better strap it up and we're going to be there to play. … We're starting to get there."
Five-for-Five
CMU closed the season on a five-game win streak, its longest since it also won five in a row in 2017 before falling in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl to Wyoming.
The 2009 Chippewas put together win streaks of seven and five games.
Opting Out
The Chippewas played without four starters – offensive tackles Bernhard Raimann and Luke Goedeke, linebacker George Douglas and safety Devonni Reed – who opted out of the game.
Four Washington State players, including running backs Max Borghi and Deon McIntosh, opted out of the game.
Rare Honor
The Chippewas were the first non-Power 5 school to play in the Sun Bowl since 2007 (South Florida) and the first MAC team to play in the game since 1962 (Ohio).
MAC Record
The Chippewas were one of a record eight MAC teams to play in a bowl this season. Those teams went a combined 3-5.
Miami (Ohio) won the Frisco Football Classic and Western Michigan won the Quick Lane Bowl. Ball State (Camellia Bowl), Kent State (Idaho Potato Bowl), Eastern Michigan (LendingTree Bowl), Northern Illinois (Cure Bowl) and Toledo (Bahamas Bowl) lost their games.
Players Mentioned
LB
/ Football
LB
/ Football
OL
/ Football
LB
/ Football
DL
/ Football
K
/ Football
LB
/ Football
RB
/ Football
WR
/ Football
OL
/ Football
DB
/ Football
QB
/ Football
TE
/ FootballCoach Drinkall Press Conf.
Sunday, October 05
Brock Townsend Press Conference
Sunday, October 05
Jordan Kwiatkowski Press Conference
Saturday, October 04
Football Insider - 10.2.25
Thursday, October 02