Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, September 25
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Noon
Central Michigan University
vs
FIU
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Football Home For Nonleague Finale
9/24/2021 4:22:00 PM | Football
CMU, FIU meet for the first time on Saturday at Kelly/Shorts
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan football team plays its final nonconference game of the season Saturday (noon, ESPN Plus) when it entertains FIU at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
The Chippewas are 1-2 with both losses to Southeastern Conference opponents. They fell, 34-24, at Missouri in the season opener, and dropped a 49-21 decision a week ago at LSU. In between, the Chippewas defeated Football Championship Subdivision member Robert Morris, 45-0, in their home opener.
"We're probably not going to be playing in Atlanta in the SEC Championship," CMU coach Jim McElwain quipped during his Wednesday media session. "We're 0-2 in that league.
"I feel like we've got a real good football team. It'll be interesting to see how we bounce back, how we're going to pick ourselves up. I think this is going to tell a lot about the leadership on our football team."
The Chippewas are scheduled to open Mid-American Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 2 (3:30 p.m.) at Miami (Ohio). The RedHawks (1-2) play at Army on Saturday.
Looking Good
Three games into the season, statistical analysis offers a decent indicator of how good – or bad – a team may be.
The Chippewas rank first among Mid-American Conference teams in first downs, rushing defense, passing offense, and opponent third-down conversions.
The Chippewas are among the top five in the conference in scoring offense, defensive first downs, rushing offense, total offense, total defense, third-down conversions, and time of possession.
CMU running back Lew Nichols III ranks second in the MAC with 232 yards rushing, a good number considering that he was bottled up to the tune of 18 yards last week by LSU. CMU wide receiver JaCorey Sullivan leads the MAC with four touchdown receptions and is third with 83.3 yards per game in receiving.
Big Plays
At LSU, CMU managed just one play that covered more than 20 yards, a 78-yard touchdown pass play from quarterback Jacob Sirmon to Sullivan.
"You've heard me now for three years talk about explosive plays and that's something that we've got to do better offensively," McElwain said.
Improved efficiency
McElwain has harped on third-down efficiency – on both sides of the ball – since the end of last season.
Chippewa opponents are converting 23.5 percent of their third-down opportunities. CMU ranks sixth in the nation in that category. CMU's offense is converting 47.1 percent of the time it faces such a situation.
Like most statistics, third-down efficiency doesn't live in a vacuum. There are a lot of factors that go into.
"You've got to win on first and second down so your third downs become manageable," McElwain said. "On the defensive side we gave up some third-and-longs a year ago; (it's) just the recognition of where the sticks are is something that really has to be a point of emphasis.
"To be a good football team, that's one of those critical areas that you have to be successful at. You've got to get off the field on defense."
Injuries
The Chippewas will be without junior running back Darius Bracy for at least three weeks because of injury and defensive lineman LaQuan Johnson Jr. is likely out for Saturday's game, McElwain said.
He added that starting left offensive guard Danny Motowski should be ready to go against the Panthers and that Sullivan is questionable.
Motowski has missed the last two games, while Bracy was No. 2 on the depth chart at running back behind Nichols.
In fall camp, the Chippewas looked very solid and deep at running back with Nichols, Kobe Lewis and Bracy headlining the group. Lewis was lost for the season to a knee injury during fall camp and with Bracy out for at least the near future, freshmen De'Javion Stepney, Myles Bailey and Marion Lukes figure to get more touches.
Scouting
The Panthers, who play in Conference USA, are 1-2. They opened with a 48-10 win over Long Island and then followed with a 23-17 overtime loss to Texas State and then last week dropped a 54-21 decision at Texas Tech.
Quarterback Max Bortenschlager ranks third in the nation in yards per completion with 16.65, while running back D'vonte Price is averaging 109 yards per game. He ranks 17th nationally in that category.
The Chippewas are 1-2 with both losses to Southeastern Conference opponents. They fell, 34-24, at Missouri in the season opener, and dropped a 49-21 decision a week ago at LSU. In between, the Chippewas defeated Football Championship Subdivision member Robert Morris, 45-0, in their home opener.
"We're probably not going to be playing in Atlanta in the SEC Championship," CMU coach Jim McElwain quipped during his Wednesday media session. "We're 0-2 in that league.
"I feel like we've got a real good football team. It'll be interesting to see how we bounce back, how we're going to pick ourselves up. I think this is going to tell a lot about the leadership on our football team."
The Chippewas are scheduled to open Mid-American Conference play on Saturday, Oct. 2 (3:30 p.m.) at Miami (Ohio). The RedHawks (1-2) play at Army on Saturday.
Looking Good
Three games into the season, statistical analysis offers a decent indicator of how good – or bad – a team may be.
The Chippewas rank first among Mid-American Conference teams in first downs, rushing defense, passing offense, and opponent third-down conversions.
The Chippewas are among the top five in the conference in scoring offense, defensive first downs, rushing offense, total offense, total defense, third-down conversions, and time of possession.
CMU running back Lew Nichols III ranks second in the MAC with 232 yards rushing, a good number considering that he was bottled up to the tune of 18 yards last week by LSU. CMU wide receiver JaCorey Sullivan leads the MAC with four touchdown receptions and is third with 83.3 yards per game in receiving.
Big Plays
At LSU, CMU managed just one play that covered more than 20 yards, a 78-yard touchdown pass play from quarterback Jacob Sirmon to Sullivan.
"You've heard me now for three years talk about explosive plays and that's something that we've got to do better offensively," McElwain said.
Improved efficiency
McElwain has harped on third-down efficiency – on both sides of the ball – since the end of last season.
Chippewa opponents are converting 23.5 percent of their third-down opportunities. CMU ranks sixth in the nation in that category. CMU's offense is converting 47.1 percent of the time it faces such a situation.
Like most statistics, third-down efficiency doesn't live in a vacuum. There are a lot of factors that go into.
"You've got to win on first and second down so your third downs become manageable," McElwain said. "On the defensive side we gave up some third-and-longs a year ago; (it's) just the recognition of where the sticks are is something that really has to be a point of emphasis.
"To be a good football team, that's one of those critical areas that you have to be successful at. You've got to get off the field on defense."
Injuries
The Chippewas will be without junior running back Darius Bracy for at least three weeks because of injury and defensive lineman LaQuan Johnson Jr. is likely out for Saturday's game, McElwain said.
He added that starting left offensive guard Danny Motowski should be ready to go against the Panthers and that Sullivan is questionable.
Motowski has missed the last two games, while Bracy was No. 2 on the depth chart at running back behind Nichols.
In fall camp, the Chippewas looked very solid and deep at running back with Nichols, Kobe Lewis and Bracy headlining the group. Lewis was lost for the season to a knee injury during fall camp and with Bracy out for at least the near future, freshmen De'Javion Stepney, Myles Bailey and Marion Lukes figure to get more touches.
Scouting
The Panthers, who play in Conference USA, are 1-2. They opened with a 48-10 win over Long Island and then followed with a 23-17 overtime loss to Texas State and then last week dropped a 54-21 decision at Texas Tech.
Quarterback Max Bortenschlager ranks third in the nation in yards per completion with 16.65, while running back D'vonte Price is averaging 109 yards per game. He ranks 17th nationally in that category.
Players Mentioned
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