Football Travels to South Alabama for Final Non Conference Game

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

Football Travels to South Alabama for Final Non Conference Game

9/19/2023 1:28:00 PM | Football

Watch Live on ESPN+Listen Live Live Stats Central Michigan Game Notes (PDF)South Alabama Game Notes (PDF)2023 Statistics 2023 Roster 2023 Ticket Central

Kickoff is scheduled for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT at Hancock Whitney Stadium in Mobile, Ala.; South Alabama is coming off a 33-7 win over Oklahoma State and finished 10-3 last year, including a 38-24 win over the Chippewas in Mount Pleasant.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

GAME FOUR • CENTRAL MICHIGAN (1-2, 0-0 MAC) AT SOUTH ALABAMA (2-1, 0-0 SBC)
Final Non Conference Game • Saturday, September 23 • 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT
Hancock Whitney Stadium (25,450) • Mobile, Ala.

SATURDAY AFTERNOON MATCHUP

Television: ESPN+ (Pat Greenwood, play-by-play; TBA, color analyst).

Chippewa Sports Radio Network: Adam Jaksa, Brock Gutierrez.

Live Stats: visit https://usajaguars.com/sidearmstats/football/summary

CMU Social Media: Twitter (@cmu_football); Facebook (@cmufootball); Instagram (cmufootball); Website: www.cmuchippewas.com.

Coaches: Central Michigan-Jim McElwain, 5th year at CMU (25-23), 11th year overall (69-50), 38th year in coaching. South Alabama- Kane Wommack, 3^rd year at South Alabama (17-11), 3^rd year overall (17-11), 13^th year in coaching.

Series: Central Michigan and South Alabama meet for the second consecutive season and second time in college football. South Alabama claimed last year's meeting, 38-24, at Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Sept. 10, 2022.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN GAME NOTES

THE ESSENTIALS

Central Michigan (1-2, 0-0 MAC) plays its final non-conference game of its 122nd season of college football when it travels to Mobile, Ala. for a return trip to play South Alabama (2-1) on Saturday, Sept. 23. Kickoff is set for 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT in Hancock Whitney Stadium.

WHERE TO WATCH THE GAME

The game will be live streamed on ESPN+ with Pat Greenwood (play-by-play), TBA (color analyst) calling action and TBA handling production.

WHERE TO LISTEN TO THE GAME

Fans can also listen to the Chippewa Sports Radio Network broadcast—presented by Fabiano Brothers. Adam Jaksa (play-by-play) and former Central Michigan/NFL player and CMU Athletic Hall of Famer Brock Gutierrez (color analyst) call action on the seven-station network (Mount Pleasant, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Muskegon, Petoskey, Traverse City) and Varsity Network app. Coverage begins with a one-hour pre-game show.

TODAY'S TOP STORYLINES

• Central Michigan travels to Mobile, Ala. to play South Alabama (2-1) for the second time in two years.
• CMU makes the return trip after the Jaguars defeated the Chippewas 38-24 in Kelly/Shorts Stadium last year. That was the only time the two schools met in college football.
• Head Coach Jim McElwain has guided the Chippewas to two bowl games (2019 New Mexico Bowl and 2021 Sun Bowl) and two winning seasons in each of the past three full years. He is in his fifth year at CMU.
• In South Alabama, Central Michigan plays its final non-conference game.

ABOUT THE CHIPPEWAS

Central Michigan plays its final non-conference game and fourth overall contest of the 2023 season after dropping a 41-17 decision last Saturday at No. 9/11 Notre Dame.

The Chippewas trailed just 21-14 at halftime and were in the game until the fourth quarter. CMU was able to accumulate 268 yards of total offense and rush for 131 yards while quarterback Jase Bauer made his second career start and first of the year. Bauer rushed for a touchdown and finished with 153 total yards (137 passing) while completing 10 of 20 passes, Myles Bailey rushed for 59 yards and a touchdown, and Marion Lukes finished with 56 yards rushing. Against CMU, Notre Dame scored the fewest points against anyone it has played this year.

In its Saturday, Sept. 9 home opener, CMU registered its first victory of the 2023 season against New Hampshire when placekicker Tristan Mattson converted a field goal as time expired to give the Chippewas a 45-42 home win. CMU led the entire game, led 42-28 with nine minutes to play, but New Hampshire battled back with big plays. Quarterback Bert Emanuel, Jr. was named the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week after he was responsible for four touchdowns (2 rushing/2 passing) and finished with 294 total yards. On the day, he ran for 101 yards on 21 carries, threw for a career-high 193 yards while completing seven of 19 passes. His two rushing scores came on a 66-yard touchdown on his second carry of the game and a 5-yard run in the second quarter. Running back Marion Lukes earned MAC West Division Special Teams Player of the Week after he scored on an 86-yard kickoff return. Other Chippewas turning in impressive performances included running back Myles Bailey (21-108 yards, 1 TD), wide receiver Chris Parker (3-124 yards), and defensive back Donte Kent (10 tackles).

The Chippewas are hoping to erase the memory of a 2022 season which saw it finish 4-8 overall and 3-5 in the Mid-American Conference. The Chippewas finished No. 129 in the nation out of 130 teams in turnover margin (-1.50), 128th nationally in turnovers lost (28) and 130th in fumbles lost (18). During the season, the 2022 Chippewas also lost the majority of their playmakers on offense due to injuries, including two of their top wide receivers, an NFL bound tight end (Joel Wilson) and their top three running backs. Still, Central Michigan had an opportunity to become bowl eligible late in the season and had several opportunities to get to six wins.

Last season's results were a drastic change from the course that Head Coach Jim McElwain has put the Chippewas on since his arrival in 2019. In his first year guiding the program in 2019, he took over a team that finished 1-11 and 0-8 in MAC play and led the Chippewas to one of the nation's top turnarounds, an 8-6 record, 6-2 in the MAC with a berth in the 2019 New Mexico Bowl. After a COVID-shortened 2020 season, he led CMU to a 9-4 overall, 6-2 MAC record and berth in the 2021 Sun Bowl, where the Chippewas closed the year on a five-game win streak, including a 24-21 Sun Bowl win over Washington State.

Central Michigan returned 14 players who started a significant number of games in 2022, including five on offense and nine on defense. Several transfers arrive who will play significant roles in the coming season, several players return from injury, and a variety of players have improved over the offseason and are ready to contribute.

TOUCH SCHEDULE

Central Michigan is attempting to get back to its winning ways against one of the most daunting schedules the school has ever faced. Six of the Chippewas' 2023 opponents played in bowl games last season: Notre Dame (Gator Bowl), South Alabama (R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl), Toledo (RoofClaim.com), Eastern Michigan (Famous Idaho Potato Bowl), Buffalo (Camellia Bowl), and Ohio (Barstool Sports Arizona Bowl). The Chippewas only play five home games and seven road contests.

ABOUT SOUTH ALABAMA

South Alabama enters the weekend after registering two consecutive victories and coming off an impressive 33-7 Saturday win over Oklahoma State in Stillwater, Okla. The Jaguars are 2-1 on the young season after losing to Tulane 37-17 in their season opener and defeating to Southeastern Louisiana 35-17 on Sept. 9. USA is receiving votes in both the Associated Press and USA Today coaches polls.

Last year, after defeating Central Michigan 38-24 in the second weekend, South Alabama went on to win five consecutive games, finished in second place in the Sun Belt Conference West Division, completed their year with a 10-3 overall record, and advanced to the R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl, where they lost a 44-23 decision to Western Kentucky.

The Jaguars are outscoring opponents 28.33 to 20.33 and outrushing opponents 636-359 in total yardage. Running back La'Damien Webb leads the squad with 272 yards rushing and four touchdowns (8.0 yards per carry), while Kentrel Bullock has rushed for 190 yards and a touchdown on 44 carries (4.3 yards per carry). Quarterback Carter Bradley has completed 72.2 percent (52-73) of his passes for 600 yards and four touchdowns and averages 200 yards per passing per game. Wide receiver Caullin Lacy is averaging 101.0 yards receiving per game on 20 catches for 303 yards and three touchdowns.

On defense, South Alabama is led by James Miller (19 tackles, 1.0 FR), Jden Voisin (16.0 tackles, and Trey Kiser (15 tackles).

SERIES VS. SUN BELT

• This is Central Michigan's second meeting against South Alabama.
• Central Michigan is 4-7 all-time against current members of the Sun Belt Conference. CMU is 1-0 vs. Troy, 1-1 vs. Louisiana, 2-4 vs. Marshall, 0-1 vs. Arkansas State, and 0-1 vs. South Alabama.

LAST YEAR VS. SOUTH ALABAMA

South Alabama scored on five of its first seven possessions and Central Michigan never recovered as the Chippewas dropped a 38-24 non conference game to the Jaguars at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

The Chippewas, who trailed 38-10 early in the fourth quarter, dropped to 0-2 on the year.

South Alabama quarterback Carter Bradley threw for 354 yards and three touchdowns, and the Jaguars piled up 502 yards of total offense. Bradley threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and another just minutes into the second quarter to give the Jaquars a 28-7 lead. It was 31-10 at halftime.

MCELWAIN DELIVERS ON PROMISE

Under Head Coach Jim McElwain and with three full seasons in charge of the program (CMU played just six games in 2020 due to COVID), the Chippewas have won or shared the MAC West Division championship two times and advanced to two bowl games (2019 and 2021). In addition, the Chippewas are 25-22 including an 18-12 record in MAC games. The 18 league wins tie for the most victories and the 24 overall wins tie for the second-most victories in the MAC when combining the last four seasons. During that four-year span, the Chippewas are the only MAC school to win eight or more overall games and six or more league wins two times (2019-22).

McElwain guided the 2021 Chippewas to a 9-4 finish including a 6-2 record in MAC games—earning CMU the MAC West co-championship—and a 24-21 victory over Pac-12 representative Washington State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.

It marked the Chippewas' first bowl win since 2012 and their first victory over a Power 5 opponent since 2017.

CMU's 2021 ledger included wins over in-state rivals Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan, bringing the Michigan MAC Trophy back to Mount Pleasant for the first time since 2017. McElwain and Co. put that trophy on display alongside the Victory Cannon, which CMU reclaimed with a 42-30 win over Western Michigan.

Central Michigan has closed out seasons successfully under McElwain as the Chippewas are 12-3 in the month of November under Coach Mac. The squad went 3-0 in 2019, 3-1 in 2020, 4-0 in 2021, and is 2-2 in 2022. Previously, the Chippewas won seven straight games in the month of November under McElwain up until last year's 2022 loss to Western Michigan.

NEXT SATURDAY'S EASTERN MICHIGAN GAME SET FOR 1:30 P.M.

•Kickoff for next week's MAC opener against Eastern Michigan has been set at 1:30 p.m. on ESPN+.
•As CMU's MAC opener, the Chippewas will host Community and Hall of Fame Day. CMU students are encouraged to invite their families to campus for Family and Friends Weekend, organized by Family Central, where they can take advantage of a special ticket bundle available.

CHIPPEWAS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS

After just three games, Central Michigan finds itself ranked among top-35 national leaders in several statistical categories. The Chippewas rank:
• No. 10 in kickoff returns (31.0).
• No. 19 in fourth down conversion percentage (80%).
• No. 27 in passing yards per completion (14.10).
• No. 30 in turnovers lost (3).
• No. 35 in time of possession (31:54).

In addition, several individuals are ranked among the nation's top in a variety of statistics:
• Donte Kent, No. 9 in solo tackles (6.0)
• Marion Lukes, No. 10 in combined kick returns (217).
• Marion Lukes, No. 10 in kickoff returns (31.0).
• Maurice White, No. 12 in fumbles recovered (1).
• Jake Walrath, No. 17 in punting (45.0).

M&M BROTHERS LEAD OFFENSIVE ATTACK

Running backs Myles Bailey and Marion Lukes lead Central Michigan's rushing attack, The two friends throw M&M candies after one of them scores a touchdown. The duo did it again at Notre Dame after Bailey finished off a 6-yard TD run in the first quarter.

Combined through three games, the duo has accounted for 261 rushing yards and two touchdowns and 513 all-purpose yards. Lukes also has an 86-yard touchdown on a kickoff return. The duo is ranked 1-2 on CMU in all-purpose yards.