Saturday, September 23
Mobile, Ala./Hancock Whitney Stadium
5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT
Central Michigan University
at
South Alabama
Photo by: Jasper Warner '25 - @jasperwarnermedia
Football Preview: Another Stiff Test Awaits in South Alabama
9/22/2023 7:26:00 AM | Football
Game Day PageWatch Game LiveListen LiveLive StatsDeiyantei Powell-Woods Video FeatureJim McElwain Pre-Game InterviewJason Williams Pre-Game InterviewDeiyantei Powell-Woods Pre-Game InterviewCMU Game Notes (PDF)South Alabama Game Notes (PDF)
Kickoff is at 5 p.m. ET/4 p.m. CT on ESPN+; South Alabama (2-1) enters game after defeating Oklahoma State 33-7 in Stillwater, Okla.
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – South Alabama may not have the name or the pedigree of a Notre Dame.
Don't be fooled. The Jaguars are good, maybe really good, and they certainly will give Central Michigan everything it can handle when the Chippewas go to Mobile on Saturday (5 p.m. ET) for its final nonleague football game of 2023.
CMU is 1-2 after a 41-17 loss at ninth-ranked Notre Dame last week. The Jaguars (2-1) are coming off a sit-up-and-take-notice 33-7 victory over Oklahoma State. It was the second win over a Power 5 opponent in 15 tries in South Alabama history.
Win or lose on Saturday, the four-game nonconference slate has prepared the Chippewas for their Mid-American Conference opener next week at home against Eastern Michigan.
"I think it's probably one of the most ambitious schedules we've gone into and yet we're learning a lot about our guys," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "They aren't hanging their heads; they're coming back and playing. It's not just playing hard; the next step is now we have to play smart."
The Chippewas trailed Notre Dame, 21-14, at halftime last week and then were outscored, 20-3, over the final two quarters. It played out similarly to CMU's 31-7 loss to Michigan State in the season opener, when the Chippewas trailed just 10-7 at halftime.
"These first few games really showed us that we can play fast, physical and play tough and that's something that didn't always show up on film last year," senior guard Deiyantei Powell-Woods said. "Throughout these first three games, I think we've shown that we have what it takes, we just have to finish with execution and play all four quarters."
The Chippewas found modest success on the ground against an Irish defense that came into the game ranked seventh in the nation. CMU ran for 131 net yards and much of it came in the first half when the game was still very much in doubt.
"From the kickoff that was the mentality (that) they put their cleats on the same way we do, strap their shoulder pads up the same way we do," said Powell-Woods, who did not play because of injury in the Chippewas' first two games this season. "It's not like that just because they're (Notre Dame) that they're the best thing since sliced bread. You get out there and you realize you can hang with these guys."
Also encouraging was the fact that backup quarterback Jase Bauer performed admirably in place of ill starter Bert Emanuel Jr. Bauer threw for 137 yards – the second-highest total of his career -- on 10-of-20 passing one week after Emanuel threw for a career-high 193 yards in a 45-42 home win over New Hampshire, which is ranked 11th in Football Championship Subdivision.
"Like anybody, there's plays you'd like back," CMU coach Jim McElwain said of the final analysis of Bauer and his performance against the Irish in front of more than 77,000 at Notre Dame Stadium. "It was definitely not too big for him and that was great to see."
Whether Emanuel or Bauer gets the start on Saturday, or whether or not both see the field, is to be determined. Clearly, though, both have shown an ability to move the offense.
"Both of these guys are competitive," McElwain said. "They give you different things that they both do well. For us, it's a matter of cleaning up those little mistakes and not giving up those long plays (on defense)."
Another point of emphasis is third-down conversions which lead to sustained possessions. The Chippewas are converting just 25 percent on third down, ranking last in the 12-team MAC in that category.
"Those are those little things we're talking about," McElwain said. "We've got to have more consistency in that in that third-down area."
The Jaguars, who finished 10-3 last season and shared the Sun Belt West Division title, defeated CMU, 38-24, a year ago in Mount Pleasant after leading, 31-7, late in the second quarter.
La'Damian Webb, who ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns in that game, is back as is quarterback Carter Bradley, who threw for 337 yards and three scores. Webb ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Oklahoma State and is averaging eight yards per carry this season while Bradley is completing 72.2 percent of his passes. Bradley played at Toledo from 2018-21.
Don't be fooled. The Jaguars are good, maybe really good, and they certainly will give Central Michigan everything it can handle when the Chippewas go to Mobile on Saturday (5 p.m. ET) for its final nonleague football game of 2023.
CMU is 1-2 after a 41-17 loss at ninth-ranked Notre Dame last week. The Jaguars (2-1) are coming off a sit-up-and-take-notice 33-7 victory over Oklahoma State. It was the second win over a Power 5 opponent in 15 tries in South Alabama history.
Win or lose on Saturday, the four-game nonconference slate has prepared the Chippewas for their Mid-American Conference opener next week at home against Eastern Michigan.
"I think it's probably one of the most ambitious schedules we've gone into and yet we're learning a lot about our guys," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "They aren't hanging their heads; they're coming back and playing. It's not just playing hard; the next step is now we have to play smart."
The Chippewas trailed Notre Dame, 21-14, at halftime last week and then were outscored, 20-3, over the final two quarters. It played out similarly to CMU's 31-7 loss to Michigan State in the season opener, when the Chippewas trailed just 10-7 at halftime.
"These first few games really showed us that we can play fast, physical and play tough and that's something that didn't always show up on film last year," senior guard Deiyantei Powell-Woods said. "Throughout these first three games, I think we've shown that we have what it takes, we just have to finish with execution and play all four quarters."
The Chippewas found modest success on the ground against an Irish defense that came into the game ranked seventh in the nation. CMU ran for 131 net yards and much of it came in the first half when the game was still very much in doubt.
"From the kickoff that was the mentality (that) they put their cleats on the same way we do, strap their shoulder pads up the same way we do," said Powell-Woods, who did not play because of injury in the Chippewas' first two games this season. "It's not like that just because they're (Notre Dame) that they're the best thing since sliced bread. You get out there and you realize you can hang with these guys."
Also encouraging was the fact that backup quarterback Jase Bauer performed admirably in place of ill starter Bert Emanuel Jr. Bauer threw for 137 yards – the second-highest total of his career -- on 10-of-20 passing one week after Emanuel threw for a career-high 193 yards in a 45-42 home win over New Hampshire, which is ranked 11th in Football Championship Subdivision.
"Like anybody, there's plays you'd like back," CMU coach Jim McElwain said of the final analysis of Bauer and his performance against the Irish in front of more than 77,000 at Notre Dame Stadium. "It was definitely not too big for him and that was great to see."
Whether Emanuel or Bauer gets the start on Saturday, or whether or not both see the field, is to be determined. Clearly, though, both have shown an ability to move the offense.
"Both of these guys are competitive," McElwain said. "They give you different things that they both do well. For us, it's a matter of cleaning up those little mistakes and not giving up those long plays (on defense)."
Another point of emphasis is third-down conversions which lead to sustained possessions. The Chippewas are converting just 25 percent on third down, ranking last in the 12-team MAC in that category.
"Those are those little things we're talking about," McElwain said. "We've got to have more consistency in that in that third-down area."
The Jaguars, who finished 10-3 last season and shared the Sun Belt West Division title, defeated CMU, 38-24, a year ago in Mount Pleasant after leading, 31-7, late in the second quarter.
La'Damian Webb, who ran for 93 yards and two touchdowns in that game, is back as is quarterback Carter Bradley, who threw for 337 yards and three scores. Webb ran for 151 yards and two touchdowns in the win over Oklahoma State and is averaging eight yards per carry this season while Bradley is completing 72.2 percent of his passes. Bradley played at Toledo from 2018-21.
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