Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, September 18
Baton Rouge, La.
7:30 p.m. ET
Central Michigan University
at
LSU
Photo by: Steve Jessmore
Major Challenge Awaits In Baton Rouge
9/17/2021 5:31:00 PM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Some call it a challenge; others an opportunity.
Whatever the term, Central Michigan will face a biggie on Saturday (7:30 p.m., SEC Network) when the Chippewas go to LSU for a nonconference game at one of the iconic stadiums in college football, Tiger Stadium, known colloquially as Death Valley.
"The atmosphere is like no other," said third-year CMU coach Jim McElwain, who visited the stadium several times while coaching in the Southeastern Conference at both Florida and Alabama.
"It'll be a really good experience for our football team and for our program to be able to go and play in such a historical venue," he said. "It's all about opportunities and experiences. Our guys, hopefully, won't go in with big eyes; a been-there, done-that kind of thing would happen, I hope.
"The fans are great. They are rabid about their team. They make it something special and they don't cut you any slack when you go in there, I'll tell you that. … They're right there on top of you. There's no hiding."
Both teams are 1-1. The Chippewas looked particularly impressive last week in their home opener in a 45-0 victory over Football Championship Subdivision foe Robert Morris after dropping a 34-24 decision at Missouri in their season opener.
LSU began the season ranked 16th by the Associated Press but fell out of the rankings after a 38-27 loss to UCLA in its season opener. The Tigers posted a 34-7 win over FCS McNeese last week.
Looking Good
The Chippewas were expected to beat Robert Morris. That is almost always the expectation when an FBS team entertains an FCS foe.
But the manner in which CMU dominated the game was perhaps a tad surprising, and encouraging. The shutout was CMU's first since 2013.
"I think when you look at the progression of our program, I'm not sure that we've been able to do that against anybody," McElwain said.
The Chippewas held RMU, which was playing its season opener, to 109 total yards and three first downs. CMU built a 28-0 halftime lead and substituted liberally throughout the second half.
"There wasn't a lot of talk about a shutout," defensive end Troy Hairston II said. "We just went out there and played Central Michigan ball. Regardless, a shutout is nice. We take pride in that for sure. It says a lot about us as a defense and how we work together and how we attack."
Numbers
The Chippewas lead the Mid-American Conference in total defense and rank second in total offense. They are among the top 20 in the nation in offensive first downs and opponent first downs, passing yards allowed, and time of possession.
That all bodes well and looks good on paper. LSU most certainly will test the Chippewas in every facet of the game.
"This is a lot bigger task staring at us this week," McElwain said. "You've got to relish those opportunities and relish the moments and really go enjoy it.
"We've got to be able to give (LSU) some things to think about. We can't just go in and do the things that we've done on film because they're very, very well coached and they'll know how to attack it."
Sirmon Surging
CMU quarterback Jacob Sirmon has been solid, completing 57.4 percent of his passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns.
The sophomore transfer from Washington made his first collegiate start in the season opener at Missouri. Last week against Robert Morris, he was as efficient as he needed to be, completing 12 of his 16 passes for 110 yards and three TDs.
"It was really good to be out there, doesn't matter who we're against, and throw some balls and play catch with the receivers and let them do their thing," Sirmon said.
Sirmon completed his first seven passes against Missouri, leading a scoring drive on the Chippewas' opening possession.
"The confidence isn't necessarily built off success, it's built off preparation," he said. "I've spent a lot of time and a lot of years preparing for any moment I've been in; Missouri, Robert Morris, LSU, it doesn't matter where it is, when a moment's presented to me, I'm going to do my best and I'm confident in the preparation that I've put in.
"From there it releases all the anxiety and the tension or the pressure you might put on yourself and lets you relax and play smooth and in the flow. When you're in that state it's when you can play your best ball."
Much Improved
McElwain stressed in the weeks leading up to the season that the Chippewas needed to improve their third-down efficiency.
Through two games, CMU is converting 46.9 percent on third down; a year ago, the Chippewas converted just over 28 percent.
Perhaps even more impressive is CMU's defense in such situations. The Chippewas held Missouri and Robert Morris to a combined 8.7 percent on third down. They rank second in the nation in that category.
"It's about putting some of your playmakers in some positions to make some plays," McElwain said.
Scouting
The Tigers, who won the national championship in 2019, are averaging 342.5 yards per game and rank 93rd in the nation in total offense. Their run game has produced an average of 87.5 yards per game, and they rank 116th in that category.
Sophomore wide receiver Kayshon Boutte leads the nation with five TD receptions.
LSU ranks 48th in the nation in total defense and tops the nation with 14 sacks.
History
This is the first meeting between CMU and LSU. The Tigers have won 56 of their last 57 games against nonconference opponents in Tiger Stadium.
Next
The Chippewas return to Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 25 for a nonleague game with Florida International. The Panthers (1-1) are scheduled to play at Texas Tech on Saturday.
FIU opened with a 48-10 win over Long Island and then fell last week at home to Texas State, 23-17, in overtime.
Whatever the term, Central Michigan will face a biggie on Saturday (7:30 p.m., SEC Network) when the Chippewas go to LSU for a nonconference game at one of the iconic stadiums in college football, Tiger Stadium, known colloquially as Death Valley.
"The atmosphere is like no other," said third-year CMU coach Jim McElwain, who visited the stadium several times while coaching in the Southeastern Conference at both Florida and Alabama.
"It'll be a really good experience for our football team and for our program to be able to go and play in such a historical venue," he said. "It's all about opportunities and experiences. Our guys, hopefully, won't go in with big eyes; a been-there, done-that kind of thing would happen, I hope.
"The fans are great. They are rabid about their team. They make it something special and they don't cut you any slack when you go in there, I'll tell you that. … They're right there on top of you. There's no hiding."
Both teams are 1-1. The Chippewas looked particularly impressive last week in their home opener in a 45-0 victory over Football Championship Subdivision foe Robert Morris after dropping a 34-24 decision at Missouri in their season opener.
LSU began the season ranked 16th by the Associated Press but fell out of the rankings after a 38-27 loss to UCLA in its season opener. The Tigers posted a 34-7 win over FCS McNeese last week.
Looking Good
The Chippewas were expected to beat Robert Morris. That is almost always the expectation when an FBS team entertains an FCS foe.
But the manner in which CMU dominated the game was perhaps a tad surprising, and encouraging. The shutout was CMU's first since 2013.
"I think when you look at the progression of our program, I'm not sure that we've been able to do that against anybody," McElwain said.
The Chippewas held RMU, which was playing its season opener, to 109 total yards and three first downs. CMU built a 28-0 halftime lead and substituted liberally throughout the second half.
"There wasn't a lot of talk about a shutout," defensive end Troy Hairston II said. "We just went out there and played Central Michigan ball. Regardless, a shutout is nice. We take pride in that for sure. It says a lot about us as a defense and how we work together and how we attack."
Numbers
The Chippewas lead the Mid-American Conference in total defense and rank second in total offense. They are among the top 20 in the nation in offensive first downs and opponent first downs, passing yards allowed, and time of possession.
That all bodes well and looks good on paper. LSU most certainly will test the Chippewas in every facet of the game.
"This is a lot bigger task staring at us this week," McElwain said. "You've got to relish those opportunities and relish the moments and really go enjoy it.
"We've got to be able to give (LSU) some things to think about. We can't just go in and do the things that we've done on film because they're very, very well coached and they'll know how to attack it."
Sirmon Surging
CMU quarterback Jacob Sirmon has been solid, completing 57.4 percent of his passes for 405 yards and four touchdowns.
The sophomore transfer from Washington made his first collegiate start in the season opener at Missouri. Last week against Robert Morris, he was as efficient as he needed to be, completing 12 of his 16 passes for 110 yards and three TDs.
"It was really good to be out there, doesn't matter who we're against, and throw some balls and play catch with the receivers and let them do their thing," Sirmon said.
Sirmon completed his first seven passes against Missouri, leading a scoring drive on the Chippewas' opening possession.
"The confidence isn't necessarily built off success, it's built off preparation," he said. "I've spent a lot of time and a lot of years preparing for any moment I've been in; Missouri, Robert Morris, LSU, it doesn't matter where it is, when a moment's presented to me, I'm going to do my best and I'm confident in the preparation that I've put in.
"From there it releases all the anxiety and the tension or the pressure you might put on yourself and lets you relax and play smooth and in the flow. When you're in that state it's when you can play your best ball."
Much Improved
McElwain stressed in the weeks leading up to the season that the Chippewas needed to improve their third-down efficiency.
Through two games, CMU is converting 46.9 percent on third down; a year ago, the Chippewas converted just over 28 percent.
Perhaps even more impressive is CMU's defense in such situations. The Chippewas held Missouri and Robert Morris to a combined 8.7 percent on third down. They rank second in the nation in that category.
"It's about putting some of your playmakers in some positions to make some plays," McElwain said.
Scouting
The Tigers, who won the national championship in 2019, are averaging 342.5 yards per game and rank 93rd in the nation in total offense. Their run game has produced an average of 87.5 yards per game, and they rank 116th in that category.
Sophomore wide receiver Kayshon Boutte leads the nation with five TD receptions.
LSU ranks 48th in the nation in total defense and tops the nation with 14 sacks.
History
This is the first meeting between CMU and LSU. The Tigers have won 56 of their last 57 games against nonconference opponents in Tiger Stadium.
Next
The Chippewas return to Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 25 for a nonleague game with Florida International. The Panthers (1-1) are scheduled to play at Texas Tech on Saturday.
FIU opened with a 48-10 win over Long Island and then fell last week at home to Texas State, 23-17, in overtime.
Players Mentioned
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