Football Hangs In Before Succumbing to Michigan State in Season Opener

Friday, September 1

East Lansing, Mich./Spartan Stadium

7 p.m.

Central Michigan University

0-1 , 0-0

Michigan State

1-0 , 0-0

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Mich.

Michigan St.

Photo by: Jack Reeber '23,M'25 - @jackreeber.raw

Football Hangs In Before Succumbing to Michigan State in Season Opener

9/1/2023 11:20:00 PM | Football

Box Score Coach McElwain Post-Game Interview Part 1 Coach McElwain Post-Game Interview Part 2 Full Game Book (PDF)Box Score Post Game Notes (PDF)Post-Game Quotes Photo Gallery Photo Gallery 2

Chippewas trail 10-7 at halftime and led 7-3 at ome point; quarterback Bert Emanuel, Jr. accumulates 128 total yards; Kyle Moretti (14), Donte Kent (10), and Jacques Bristol (7) tally career-highs in tackles.

By: Andy Sneddon

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Positives? Certainly. There almost always are, and there is plenty to look forward to as the 2023 football season unfolds.

Michigan State asserted control in the second half on Friday in handing Central Michigan a 31-7 loss in the season opener at Spartan Stadium.

"Real positives," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "I think there's some things, when we watch film tomorrow, that not only are teachable, but, 'Hey, look, you can do it' and I think that's really important. ... We played with energy and I love those kids in that locker room, I love this team. We've got a rough schedule, and that's OK. Let's go have fun with it."

The Chippewas entertain New Hampshire in their home opener on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 9 (1:30 p.m.), and then play at South Alabama and then Notre Dame on consecutive weekends before opening Mid-American Conference play.

CMU redshirt quarterback Bert Emanuel Jr. turned in an efficient performance, picking up 128 combined rushing and passing yards in just his second career start. He completed 11 of his 17 pass attempts for 87 yards and ran for 68 yards, but finished with 41 net because he was sacked three times.

"I didn't think it was too big for him," McElwain said. "I think in space his athleticism showed against Big Ten people which bodes well for us. We obviously need to throw the ball with some consistency."

The Chippewas led, ever so briefly, after Emanuel tossed his first-career touchdown pass late in the second quarter, a 12-yarder to Chris Parker.

But Michigan State, which looked lethargic throughout the first half, hit the gas and went to the fastbreak, answering immediately by going 84 yards in seven plays in just 57 seconds to take a 10-7 lead on a Nathan Carter 2-yard run.

The Chippewas still had plenty of punch early in the second half as Emanuel drove them from their own 35-yard line to the MSU 34 on their first possession of the third quarter.

But the drive ended with an interception. And after that, it was all MSU.

"I felt like we were giving ourselves a chance and that's what we need to do," McElwain said. "You get a couple of first downs before the turnover and you could feel it tightening a little bit. We've got to be able to answer and that's something we've got to learn and grow up to do and something we will do."

The Spartans extended their lead to 17-7 on a Jalen Berger 12-yard run with 2:42 to play in the third quarter, and then less than two minutes into the fourth Noah Kim tossed a 10-yard TD pass to Tyrell Henry to make it 24-7. The Spartans got another score with just over 9 minutes left on an 8-yard Kim-to-Maliq Carr TD pass.

"When you play in these games depth is always an issue, and yet our guys didn't back down," McElwain said. "That's a good thing."