Central Michigan University Athletics
Wednesday, November 2
DeKalb, Ill./Huskie Stadium
7 p.m. ET
Central Michigan University
at
NIU
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Football Preview: Chippewas Head To Northern Illinois
11/1/2022 5:17:00 PM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – While the Central Michigan football team has struggled to find consistency, particularly on offense throughout the 2022 season, it did find a spark last week in its 34-18 home loss to Bowling Green.
That spark came in the form of quarterback Jase Bauer, who came off the bench for his first extended playing time of his career.
CMU coach Jim McElwain did not tip his hand as to whom will start at quarterback for the Chippewas on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET) when they play a Mid-American Conference game at Northern Illinois. Both teams are 2-6, 1-3 MAC.
"We've got packages for all of them," he said in reference to Bauer, season-long starter Daniel Richardson, and the other quarterbacks on the roster, freshman Bert Emanuel Jr. and redshirt freshman Tyler Pape.
"Really (you) want to see how the team moves and most importantly (he does not) not turn the ball over and gets first downs. We'll give them opportunities to go in and play and move the team."
Bauer, a redshirt freshman from Ankeny, Iowa, completed 18 of his 25 pass attempts for 185 yards and a touchdown, leading two second-half touchdown drives against Bowling Green.
He also ran for 109 yards to become the first Chippewa quarterback to crest the 100-yard mark in passing and rushing in the same game since the 2018 season. Bauer's third-quarter 60-yard run was the longest by a CMU quarterback since the 2005 season.
"He can move, he can break some runs," McElwain said of Bauer. "He did a good job, gave us a little momentum boost, and that's a good thing."
While the offense has struggled to consistently find its footing, the Chippewa defense has been solid. CMU ranks third in the MAC in total defense and first in the conference in stopping opponents on third down.
NIU ranks second in the MAC in rushing and rushing defense and first in possession time. The Huskies are fifth in total offense and sixth in total defense.
Jake Tafelski, like Bauer a redshirt freshman who saw his first significant playing time in his career against Bowling Green, is penciled in to start for CMU at running back on Saturday. Defensive back De'Javion Stepney is also likely to see time in the backfield against NIU, McElwain said.
The Chippewas have been decimated by injury at the position this season. Their top four running backs on the roster have been ruled for Saturday because of injury.
"Our approach has always been next man up," McElwain said. "You hear that and I know it's a cliché, but we don't abandon things just because a certain guy that's been playing is injured. Those guys have been training and now they're going to get a chance to put themselves on film."
Chippewa Notes
• CMU is 10-1 in the month of November under McElwain, who is in his fourth season.
• CMU tight end Joel Wilson has 41 receptions for 412 yards. His receptions are the second most in the nation for a tight end and his 412 yards are fourth best nationally for a player at his position. He also has five touchdown receptions, which is fifth best among tight ends in the nation.
• The CMU defense ranks first in the nation with 71 tackles-for-loss and is fifth nationally with 26 sacks. The Chippewas recorded nine sacks in a 28-21 win at Akron on Oct. 15. The nine sacks are the most by CMU in a game since at least 2005.
Scouting
The Huskies are coming off a 24-17 loss at Ohio. Their league win came two weeks ago at Eastern Michigan, 39-10. That victory snapped a five-game losing streak.
NIU averages more than 200 yards rushing behind the Harrison Waylee and Antario Brown combination. The pair has combined to run for 1,302 yards and 11 touchdowns on 230 carries.
Three quarterbacks, Ethan Hampton, Rocky Lombardi and Justin Lynch, have taken snaps for the Huskies. Lynch, the brother of former NIU standout Jordan Lynch, started last week against Ohio and completed nine of 18 passes for 110 yards.
Lombardi, last year's starter, started the first three games of the season, while Hampton has made three starts.
Next
The Chippewas return home to take on Buffalo on Wednesday, Nov. 9 (7 p.m.) and then entertain rival Western Michigan on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The Bulls are 5-3 overall and lead the MAC East at 4-0. They were scheduled to play at Ohio on Tuesday, Nov. 1. The Broncos, 3-5, 2-2, are slated to play at Bowling Green on Wednesday.
That spark came in the form of quarterback Jase Bauer, who came off the bench for his first extended playing time of his career.
CMU coach Jim McElwain did not tip his hand as to whom will start at quarterback for the Chippewas on Wednesday (7 p.m. ET) when they play a Mid-American Conference game at Northern Illinois. Both teams are 2-6, 1-3 MAC.
"We've got packages for all of them," he said in reference to Bauer, season-long starter Daniel Richardson, and the other quarterbacks on the roster, freshman Bert Emanuel Jr. and redshirt freshman Tyler Pape.
"Really (you) want to see how the team moves and most importantly (he does not) not turn the ball over and gets first downs. We'll give them opportunities to go in and play and move the team."
Bauer, a redshirt freshman from Ankeny, Iowa, completed 18 of his 25 pass attempts for 185 yards and a touchdown, leading two second-half touchdown drives against Bowling Green.
He also ran for 109 yards to become the first Chippewa quarterback to crest the 100-yard mark in passing and rushing in the same game since the 2018 season. Bauer's third-quarter 60-yard run was the longest by a CMU quarterback since the 2005 season.
"He can move, he can break some runs," McElwain said of Bauer. "He did a good job, gave us a little momentum boost, and that's a good thing."
While the offense has struggled to consistently find its footing, the Chippewa defense has been solid. CMU ranks third in the MAC in total defense and first in the conference in stopping opponents on third down.
NIU ranks second in the MAC in rushing and rushing defense and first in possession time. The Huskies are fifth in total offense and sixth in total defense.
Jake Tafelski, like Bauer a redshirt freshman who saw his first significant playing time in his career against Bowling Green, is penciled in to start for CMU at running back on Saturday. Defensive back De'Javion Stepney is also likely to see time in the backfield against NIU, McElwain said.
The Chippewas have been decimated by injury at the position this season. Their top four running backs on the roster have been ruled for Saturday because of injury.
"Our approach has always been next man up," McElwain said. "You hear that and I know it's a cliché, but we don't abandon things just because a certain guy that's been playing is injured. Those guys have been training and now they're going to get a chance to put themselves on film."
Chippewa Notes
• CMU is 10-1 in the month of November under McElwain, who is in his fourth season.
• CMU tight end Joel Wilson has 41 receptions for 412 yards. His receptions are the second most in the nation for a tight end and his 412 yards are fourth best nationally for a player at his position. He also has five touchdown receptions, which is fifth best among tight ends in the nation.
• The CMU defense ranks first in the nation with 71 tackles-for-loss and is fifth nationally with 26 sacks. The Chippewas recorded nine sacks in a 28-21 win at Akron on Oct. 15. The nine sacks are the most by CMU in a game since at least 2005.
Scouting
The Huskies are coming off a 24-17 loss at Ohio. Their league win came two weeks ago at Eastern Michigan, 39-10. That victory snapped a five-game losing streak.
NIU averages more than 200 yards rushing behind the Harrison Waylee and Antario Brown combination. The pair has combined to run for 1,302 yards and 11 touchdowns on 230 carries.
Three quarterbacks, Ethan Hampton, Rocky Lombardi and Justin Lynch, have taken snaps for the Huskies. Lynch, the brother of former NIU standout Jordan Lynch, started last week against Ohio and completed nine of 18 passes for 110 yards.
Lombardi, last year's starter, started the first three games of the season, while Hampton has made three starts.
Next
The Chippewas return home to take on Buffalo on Wednesday, Nov. 9 (7 p.m.) and then entertain rival Western Michigan on Wednesday, Nov. 16. The Bulls are 5-3 overall and lead the MAC East at 4-0. They were scheduled to play at Ohio on Tuesday, Nov. 1. The Broncos, 3-5, 2-2, are slated to play at Bowling Green on Wednesday.
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