Friday, November 24
Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Noon
Central Michigan University
vs
Toledo
Safety Trey Jones is one of several CMU seniors who will play for the final time on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Friday when CMU entertain Toledo.
Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw
Football Preview: Chippewas Look to Send Seniors Out With a Home Win
11/22/2023 11:40:00 AM | Football
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MAC West-champion Toledo the opponent for Black Friday battle at Kelly/Shorts.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Getting a win and becoming bowl eligible are the first priorities.
Secondly? A win for a handful of Chippewas who will play in their final game at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
"Senior Days are something special," said CMU coach Jim McElwain, whose team is set to close the regular season on Friday (noon) at home against Toledo. "We want for them to go out the right way here at home, especially with all the things they've been through through their careers.
"You see them as freshmen and they think, 'Gosh, will I ever get to that point?' You get to the point and you say, 'Where'd the time go?'"
Giving those Chippewas playing their final home game a special memory won't be easy.
Toledo is 10-1, 7-0 in the Mid-American Conference, ranked 23rd by the Associated Press, and has won 10 straight since a 30-28 season-opening loss at Illinois. The Rockets have already wrapped up the MAC West title and will play Miami (Ohio) in the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 2.
Toledo is eyeing its second straight MAC crown.
The Chippewas are 5-6, 3-4 and will become bowl eligible with a win. CMU has lost three of its last four games; all three of those losses came on the road. The Chippewas are looking to go unbeaten at home for the 14th time in program history and the first since 2019, McElwain's first in charge of the program.
"Obviously we evaluate every week, every day, after every practice," McElwain said in expounding on his team's success at home and relative lack thereof on the road. "We can point to a lot of different things. You can point to the youth, you can point to the bounce of the ball, you can point to a call – but none of that matters. It's about how do you do it day in and day out. And that's something we've got to go do against an unbelievably good football team this week."
The Chippewas took a 34-20 loss at Ohio last week, falling into a 17-0 hole early in the second quarter. They twice pulled to within 10 points in the second half, but could get no closer against the MAC's No. 1-rated defense.
It was the latest chapter in an up-and-down season that has seen the Chippewas win in dramatic fashion – all five of their wins have been decided by a touchdown or less – and then lose the following week on the road.
The Rockets last week overcame an 18-point deficit to beat rival Bowling Green, 32-21, on the road.
Toledo leads the MAC in several statistical categories, including total offense, rushing offense and passing offense. They rank sixth in total defense. Rocket quarterback Dequan Finn leads the league in several categories, including total offense per game (253.9 yards per game). Rocket running back Peny Boone, a junior, leads the MAC in rushing with 1,173 yards.
Secondly? A win for a handful of Chippewas who will play in their final game at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
"Senior Days are something special," said CMU coach Jim McElwain, whose team is set to close the regular season on Friday (noon) at home against Toledo. "We want for them to go out the right way here at home, especially with all the things they've been through through their careers.
"You see them as freshmen and they think, 'Gosh, will I ever get to that point?' You get to the point and you say, 'Where'd the time go?'"
Giving those Chippewas playing their final home game a special memory won't be easy.
Toledo is 10-1, 7-0 in the Mid-American Conference, ranked 23rd by the Associated Press, and has won 10 straight since a 30-28 season-opening loss at Illinois. The Rockets have already wrapped up the MAC West title and will play Miami (Ohio) in the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 2.
Toledo is eyeing its second straight MAC crown.
The Chippewas are 5-6, 3-4 and will become bowl eligible with a win. CMU has lost three of its last four games; all three of those losses came on the road. The Chippewas are looking to go unbeaten at home for the 14th time in program history and the first since 2019, McElwain's first in charge of the program.
"Obviously we evaluate every week, every day, after every practice," McElwain said in expounding on his team's success at home and relative lack thereof on the road. "We can point to a lot of different things. You can point to the youth, you can point to the bounce of the ball, you can point to a call – but none of that matters. It's about how do you do it day in and day out. And that's something we've got to go do against an unbelievably good football team this week."
The Chippewas took a 34-20 loss at Ohio last week, falling into a 17-0 hole early in the second quarter. They twice pulled to within 10 points in the second half, but could get no closer against the MAC's No. 1-rated defense.
It was the latest chapter in an up-and-down season that has seen the Chippewas win in dramatic fashion – all five of their wins have been decided by a touchdown or less – and then lose the following week on the road.
The Rockets last week overcame an 18-point deficit to beat rival Bowling Green, 32-21, on the road.
Toledo leads the MAC in several statistical categories, including total offense, rushing offense and passing offense. They rank sixth in total defense. Rocket quarterback Dequan Finn leads the league in several categories, including total offense per game (253.9 yards per game). Rocket running back Peny Boone, a junior, leads the MAC in rushing with 1,173 yards.
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