Central Michigan University Athletics
Saturday, September 24
University Park, Pa./Beaver Stadium
Noon
Central Michigan University
at
Penn State
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Penn State Poses Strong Test In Nonconference Finale
9/23/2022 9:48:00 AM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – A ratcheting up in the competition level one week ahead of the Mid-American Conference opener.
The Central Michigan football team goes to No. 14 Penn State on Saturday for its final nonconference game of the 2022 season. Kickoff is set for noon at the Nittany Lions' Beaver Stadium – capacity 106,572 -- and the game will be carried live on the Big Ten Network.
The Chippewas are 1-2 after a 41-0 victory last week over Football Championship Subdivision member Bucknell. CMU opens MAC play on Oct. 1 at Toledo.
The Nittany Lions are 3-0 after a 41-12 win at Auburn last week and are, by any measure, one of the true heavyweights of college football and among the very best in the Big Ten.
"They're a heck of a football team," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "We've got our work cut out for us and yet I know it's a great opportunity when you get a chance to play in an environment like this.
"I know (our players are) excited to play and we're looking forward to going into a place that has great history and tradition. Should be a lot of fun for all of us."
After playing relatively well, particularly in the second half, in their season-opening loss at Oklahoma State, the Chippewas never fully recovered from an early deficit in falling to South Alabama at home.
Last week against Bucknell, CMU led 7-0 at halftime and then poured it on to the tune of 34 points in the second half to turn it into a rout.
"We finally got a bad taste out of our mouth, and I think there's a lot of things we can build on (from) that last ball game," McElwain said.
Among them? The run game. Sophomore Lew Nichols III, last year's NCAA rushing champ, broke out for 166 yards – an average of 5.5 yards per carry -- and two touchdowns.
McElwain and his staff also got a good look at some of the younger players, particularly in the secondary where they were pressed into duty with key veterans Trey Jones, a safety, and Donte Kent, a cornerback, sidelined.
Sophomore Lavario Wiley, redshirt freshman Caleb Spann, and senior graduate transfer Ronald Kent Jr. each drew their respective first start in a Chippewa uniform. Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Michael Heldman had 3 ½ tackles-for-loss including 1 ½ sacks in just his second career start.
Both Jones and Donte Kent are expected to be in the lineup at Penn State.
The Chippewa defense held Bucknell to 21 rushing yards in recording its first shutout since early in the 2021 season.
"When you've got new players, you know they're talented, but you really haven't been able to get to see if you can trust them, for lack of a better term," McElwain said. "What was proven is that these guys should have been playing all along.
"They're going to take their lumps here and there; they can overcome a lot of that with the way they play, the way they prepare, and I really feel like they'll get better and better as the year goes on."
Penn State freshman Nicholas Singleton is averaging 111.3 rushing yards per game. He had 179 two weeks ago in a victory over Ohio and 124 at Auburn. He scored two touchdowns in each game. The Nittany Lions rank 26th nationally in total offense with an average of 485 yards per game.
Nittany Lion quarterback Sean Clifford has been efficient in completing 63.8 percent of his passes for 673 yards and five touchdowns against just one interceptions.
"For us, you can't really be focused as much on the opponent and what I mean by that is the people in those uniforms," McElwain said. "We've got to do what we can control, and we've got to be us.
"Sometimes when we go into these ball games guys try to do too much. They get too jacked up rather than just go do the best you can do and best the best us we can be. That's really been the focus this week."
Kicking Game
The Chippewas missed three field goal attempts – two by Marshall Meeder and one by Josh Rolston – last week against Bucknell. Rolston also missed an extra point.
"They're great kids," McElwain said. "They obviously didn't go out there to miss and yet technically there's things they can work on. I think (Meeder) has proven in the past that he's a pretty reliable kicker and the same thing with Rolston.
"I think they press themselves. Those things sometimes happen when you're in those type of positions. They'll get out of it, and I've got faith in them. I'm not overly concerned."
Looking Ahead
The Chippewas open MAC play next week at Toledo. The Rockets (2-1) lost at No. 3 Ohio State last week, 77-21, after convincing back-to-back wins over Long Island and UMass.
"I think we've got a chance to be a really good football team," McElwain said. "I don't think we're anywhere near where we need to be and time's kind of running out because you head into the league schedule after this and then you can't stub your toe.
"I think we're starting to find an identity with some of the new guys that we have and that's important. Right now, our focus is to go down and be the best us we can be in front a hundred thousand people on Michael Zordich day."
Chippewa Assistant to be Honored
Zordich is CMU's defensive backs coach who played at Penn State from 1982-85. He and his teammates from the '82 Nittany Lion squad will be honored on the 40th anniversary of their national championship on Saturday.
"We busted his chops in the staff meeting just a little bit," said McElwain, who won two national titles as an assistant at Alabama. "We're wondering if they're going to unveil his statue as he walks in the stadium. What a great honor. I'm just really excited that Michael can be there because there's nothing like winning a national championship."
The Central Michigan football team goes to No. 14 Penn State on Saturday for its final nonconference game of the 2022 season. Kickoff is set for noon at the Nittany Lions' Beaver Stadium – capacity 106,572 -- and the game will be carried live on the Big Ten Network.
The Chippewas are 1-2 after a 41-0 victory last week over Football Championship Subdivision member Bucknell. CMU opens MAC play on Oct. 1 at Toledo.
The Nittany Lions are 3-0 after a 41-12 win at Auburn last week and are, by any measure, one of the true heavyweights of college football and among the very best in the Big Ten.
"They're a heck of a football team," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "We've got our work cut out for us and yet I know it's a great opportunity when you get a chance to play in an environment like this.
"I know (our players are) excited to play and we're looking forward to going into a place that has great history and tradition. Should be a lot of fun for all of us."
After playing relatively well, particularly in the second half, in their season-opening loss at Oklahoma State, the Chippewas never fully recovered from an early deficit in falling to South Alabama at home.
Last week against Bucknell, CMU led 7-0 at halftime and then poured it on to the tune of 34 points in the second half to turn it into a rout.
"We finally got a bad taste out of our mouth, and I think there's a lot of things we can build on (from) that last ball game," McElwain said.
Among them? The run game. Sophomore Lew Nichols III, last year's NCAA rushing champ, broke out for 166 yards – an average of 5.5 yards per carry -- and two touchdowns.
McElwain and his staff also got a good look at some of the younger players, particularly in the secondary where they were pressed into duty with key veterans Trey Jones, a safety, and Donte Kent, a cornerback, sidelined.
Sophomore Lavario Wiley, redshirt freshman Caleb Spann, and senior graduate transfer Ronald Kent Jr. each drew their respective first start in a Chippewa uniform. Redshirt freshman defensive lineman Michael Heldman had 3 ½ tackles-for-loss including 1 ½ sacks in just his second career start.
Both Jones and Donte Kent are expected to be in the lineup at Penn State.
The Chippewa defense held Bucknell to 21 rushing yards in recording its first shutout since early in the 2021 season.
"When you've got new players, you know they're talented, but you really haven't been able to get to see if you can trust them, for lack of a better term," McElwain said. "What was proven is that these guys should have been playing all along.
"They're going to take their lumps here and there; they can overcome a lot of that with the way they play, the way they prepare, and I really feel like they'll get better and better as the year goes on."
Penn State freshman Nicholas Singleton is averaging 111.3 rushing yards per game. He had 179 two weeks ago in a victory over Ohio and 124 at Auburn. He scored two touchdowns in each game. The Nittany Lions rank 26th nationally in total offense with an average of 485 yards per game.
Nittany Lion quarterback Sean Clifford has been efficient in completing 63.8 percent of his passes for 673 yards and five touchdowns against just one interceptions.
"For us, you can't really be focused as much on the opponent and what I mean by that is the people in those uniforms," McElwain said. "We've got to do what we can control, and we've got to be us.
"Sometimes when we go into these ball games guys try to do too much. They get too jacked up rather than just go do the best you can do and best the best us we can be. That's really been the focus this week."
Kicking Game
The Chippewas missed three field goal attempts – two by Marshall Meeder and one by Josh Rolston – last week against Bucknell. Rolston also missed an extra point.
"They're great kids," McElwain said. "They obviously didn't go out there to miss and yet technically there's things they can work on. I think (Meeder) has proven in the past that he's a pretty reliable kicker and the same thing with Rolston.
"I think they press themselves. Those things sometimes happen when you're in those type of positions. They'll get out of it, and I've got faith in them. I'm not overly concerned."
Looking Ahead
The Chippewas open MAC play next week at Toledo. The Rockets (2-1) lost at No. 3 Ohio State last week, 77-21, after convincing back-to-back wins over Long Island and UMass.
"I think we've got a chance to be a really good football team," McElwain said. "I don't think we're anywhere near where we need to be and time's kind of running out because you head into the league schedule after this and then you can't stub your toe.
"I think we're starting to find an identity with some of the new guys that we have and that's important. Right now, our focus is to go down and be the best us we can be in front a hundred thousand people on Michael Zordich day."
Chippewa Assistant to be Honored
Zordich is CMU's defensive backs coach who played at Penn State from 1982-85. He and his teammates from the '82 Nittany Lion squad will be honored on the 40th anniversary of their national championship on Saturday.
"We busted his chops in the staff meeting just a little bit," said McElwain, who won two national titles as an assistant at Alabama. "We're wondering if they're going to unveil his statue as he walks in the stadium. What a great honor. I'm just really excited that Michael can be there because there's nothing like winning a national championship."
Players Mentioned
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