Chippewas to Host Western Michigan in Battle for the Victory Cannon Trophy on Tuesday Night

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Chippewas to Host Western Michigan in Battle for the Victory Cannon Trophy on Tuesday Night

11/16/2024 3:05:00 PM | Football

Watch Live on ESPN2 Listen Live on the Chippewa Sports Radio Network Live Stats Buy Tickets Flip Card (PDF)GameDay Page Digital Game Day Program CMU Game Notes (PDF)Western Michigan Game Notes (PDF)

Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2; Chippewas to honor 21 seniors in a pre-game ceremony.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

GAME 11: WESTERN MICHIGAN (5-5, 4-2 MAC) at CENTRAL MICHIGAN (3-7, 1-5 MAC)
Battle for the Victory Cannon Trophy/Third Weeknight #MACtion Game/Senior Day
Tuesday, November 19 • 7:30 p.m. ET • Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium (30,255)

TUESDAY NIGHT MATCHUP

Television: ESPN2 (Noah Reed, play-by-play; Craig Haubert, analyst; Scott Ferrier, producer).

Chippewa Sports Radio Network: Adam Jaksa, play-by-play; Brock Gutierrez, color analyst; spotter: Steve Powers; host: Riley Edwards; host/engineer: Nathan Arbaugh.

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

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

Coaches: Central Michigan-Jim McElwain, 6th year at CMU (32-35), 12th year overall (76-62), 39th year in coaching. Western Michigan-Lance Taylor, 2^nd year at WMU (9-13); 2^nd year overall (9-13).

Series: Central Michigan and Western Michigan meet for the 95^th time in football since 1907. Western Michigan owns a 53-29-2 advantage in the series, but CMU is 16-7-1 vs. WMU at home since it joined the MAC in 1975. Ironically, WMU has claimed each of the last five straight matchups at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN GAME NOTES

THE ESSENTIALS

Central Michigan (3-7, 1-5 MAC) hosts rival Western Michigan (5-5, 4-2 MAC) in the Battle for the Victory Cannon Game Tuesday night at Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2.

WHERE TO WATCH THE GAME

The game will be nationally televised on ESPN2 with Noah Reed (play-by-play) and Craig Haubert (color analyst) calling action with Scott Ferrier producing.

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 five-station network (Mount Pleasant, Detroit, Grand Rapids, and Muskegon) and nationally on the Varsity Network app. Coverage begins with a one-hour pre-game show.

TUESDAY'S TOP STORYLINES

•Central Michigan and Western Michigan meet on ESPN2 for a pivotal #MACtion game on Tuesday night.

•CMU is looking to snap a five-game losing streak after dropping four straight MAC games and two-game home losing streak.

•CMU and WMU will do battle for the victory cannon for the 95th time since the series began in 1907. Tuesday night's winner will claim the all-important Victory Cannon Trophy.

•Tonight marks Senior Night and the final home game for 21 Central Michigan seniors.

ABOUT THE CHIPPEWAS

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich.—Central Michigan (3-7, 1-5 MAC) plays its third #MACtion weeknight game when it battles Western Michigan (5-5, 4-2 MAC) for the rights to the Victory Cannon Trophy on Tuesday evening. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kelly/Shorts Stadium for an ESPN2 nationally televised game.

The game also represents Senior Day and the final home contest for Central Michigan as the Chippewas will honor 21 seniors in a pre-game ceremony.

Two regular season games remain in the 2024 season for Central Michigan: vs. Western Michigan (Nov. 19), and at Northern Illinois (Nov. 30). Mathematically, Central Michigan has been eliminated from bowl eligibility.

Central Michigan enters Tuesday's rivalry contest on a five-game losing skid. Those games include a 27-25 home loss to Ohio, a 38-34 road loss at Eastern Michigan, a 46-7 loss at Miami (OH), a 23-13 home loss to Bowling Green, and a 37-10 loss at Toledo last Tuesday. The Ohio and Eastern Michigan games were decided in the last minute.

Prior to the Miami (OH) game, the Chippewas played four consecutive close games, defeating both Ball State (37-34) and San Diego State (22-21) in the closing seconds and dropping contests to Ohio (27-25) and at Eastern Michigan (38-34). All four contests were decided by four points or less and were decided in the final minute.

Central Michigan is down to its fourth-string quarterback, while five of its top wide receivers are out for the season. The Chippewas have also suffered numerous other injuries on offense.

CMU is coming off a 37-10 loss at Toledo last Tuesday night. Five turnovers (three fumbles lost and two interceptions) doomed the Chippewas. CMU trailed 17-3 just 22 seconds before halftime but the Rockets scored on a 45-yard interception return, then recovered a fumble and converted a field goal to take a commanding 27-3 lead into halftime. Toledo outgained CMU in total yardage (299-236), outrushed CMU 159-86, and held a huge 5-0 advantage in turnover margin.

True freshman quarterback Jadyn Glasser made his first career start and completed 16 of 27 passes for 150 yards and Marion Lukes scored a touchdown and led CMU in rushing yards (80 on 19 carries) and all-purpose yards (85), and Chris Parker tied a career-high with five receptions. On defense, Jordan Kwiatkowski led the Chippewas with eight tackles, Dakota Cochran added six tackles, a forced fumble, and a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss, and Caleb Spann added six tackles.

Prior to the season, Central Michigan returned 17 players who started a significant number of games in 2023, including eight players on offense and nine on defense. Several transfers were added in who have played significant roles in 2024, several players returned from injury, and a variety of players improved over the offseason and were ready to contribute. The Chippewas entered the year a bit older across the board with a majority of their talent returning.

Last year, CMU narrowly missed advancing to a bowl game as it entered its season finale against No. 23 Toledo needing one more win to become bowl eligible. CMU dropped a 32-17 decision.

Combining the last three seasons (2022-24), CMU has accumulated a 12-22 record and the Chippewas are coming off back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2010 and 2011 when they went 3-9 in consecutive years.

These seasons are 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.

CMU CELEBRATES SENIOR DAY
•In its annual pre-game senior day ceremony, Central Michigan will honor its 21 seniors prior to Tuesday night's game against Western Michigan.

•Those seniors include: RB Myles Bailey, OL Vashon Bailey, P David Chapeau, DL Jayshaun Coffman, WR Solomon Davis, DL Jonathan Decker, DL Jaden Davis, RB B.J. Harris, DB Donte Kent, RB Marion Lukes, PK Tristan Mattson, DB Danny MacLean, DB Da'Raun McKinney, TE Alec Palella, LB Ke'Shon Parker, WR Jesse Prewitt III, OL Dominic Serapiglia III, Brayden Swartout, DB Jaree Turner-Kinsler, LB Justin Whiteside, DL Jason Williams.

A WIN OVER WESTERN MICHIGAN WOULD….
•Give Central Michigan possession of the Victory Cannon Trophy for the first time since Nov. 3, 2021.
•Snap a five-game losing streak.
•Snap a two-game home losing streak.
•Snap a six-game losing streak to Western Michigan in home games.

CMU IS MAC LEADER ON DEFENSE

Central Michigan is a leader in the MAC in two key pressure defensive statistics: No. 1 in tackles for loss and No. 2 in sacks. With 81 tackles for loss on the year, 8.1 tackles for loss per game, CMU leads the MAC and is ranked No. 6 in the nation in that statistical category. The Chippewas have 27 sacks on the year, average 2.70 sacks per game and rank No. 26 in the nation.

Individually, CMU's Jordan Kwiatkowski ranks No. 1 in the MAC and No. 17 nationally in tackles for loss with 13.0 overall and 1.30 per game. Other players who are ranked among MAC leaders in tackles for loss are Dakota Cochran (No. 5, 10.5) and Jonah Pace (No. 9, 8.5). Michael Heldman (No. 13, 4.0) ranks among MAC leaders in sacks. Pace and Jason Williams are ranked No. 22 and 23 respectively.

HOME SWEET HOME

Under Head Coach Jim McElwain, Central Michigan has enjoyed a tremendous home field advantage. The Chippewas are a combined 21-10 under Coach Mac with a .678 win percentage within the confines of Kelly/Shorts Stadium since 2019.

CMU will enter its final home game vs. Western Michigan (Nov. 19) after having won three of its last five and seven of its last 10 home contests.

The last time CMU completed a season with an undefeated home record was during McElwain's first year in 2019, when the Chippewas went a perfect 6-0. The last several seasons, CMU went 1-2 in 2020, 5-1 in 2021, 2-4 in 2022, 4-1 in 2023, and now 3-2 in 2024 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Since 1950, CMU has registered 13 undefeated seasons at home: 1953 (4-0), 1954 (4-0), 1955 (4-0), 1956 (4-0), 1967 (4-0), 1970 (4-0), 1977 (5-0), 1979 (5-0), 1980 (6-0), 1994 (5-0), 1998 (5-0), 2009 (5-0), and 2019 (6-0).

CMU-WMU SERIES NOTES

Central Michigan and Western Michigan meet for the 95th time in series history. Consider the following:

•Central Michigan enters its rivalry game with a 39-53-2 all-time record vs. Western Michigan.

•Western Michigan has won five of the series' last six games, including a 38-28 decision in Kalamazoo last year.

•Central Michigan has won 16 of the last 24 home games in the series. Ironically, Western Michigan has won six straight vs. CMU at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

•CMU head coach Jim McElwain is 1-4 vs. Western Michigan.

TOLEDO POST-GAME NOTES

The Central Michigan loss...
•Dropped Central Michigan to 3-7 overall and 1-5 in the MAC.

•Gave Central Michigan its fifth consecutive loss.

•Dropped Central Michigan to 0-5 on the road this year.

•Handed Central Michigan its ninth consecutive road loss.

Team Notes
•Central Michigan turned the ball over five times (two interceptions, three fumbles lost) leading to 20 Toledo points off turnovers. Central Michigan turned the ball over three times in the first half (two interceptions and fumble recovery).

•Central Michigan trailed 27-3 at halftime. It tied for CMU's largest halftime deficit of the season. The Chippewas also trailed 24-0 vs. Ohio on Oct. 12, 2024.

•Statistically, the game was almost even. Toledo outgained Central Michigan 299-236 in total yards, finished with 17 first downs to the Chippewas' 16 and CMU outpassed Toledo 150-140.

•CMU had four fumbles and lost three.

•Central Michigan totaled 10.0 tackles for loss for 47 yards and two sacks for 14 yards.

Player Notes
•True freshman Jadyn Glasser made his first career start at quarterback for Central Michigan. He registered career-highs for completions (16), attempts (27), and passing yards (150).

•Running back Marion Lukes rushed for 80 yards on 19 carries and his fifth touchdown of the season, a two-yard run in the fourth quarter. He led Central Michigan with 85 all-purpose yards and caught two passes for five yards.

•Wide receiver Chris Parker tied his career-high for receptions in a game with five catches for 52 yards with a long of 24.

•Linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski led the Chippewas with eight total tackles (five solo) with 1.0 tackle for loss.

•Linebacker Dakota Cochran finished with a career-high 3.0 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and six total tackles.

•Defensive back Donte Kent registered a pass breakup and three tackles. He now has 45 career pass breakups and needs just one more to tie the school's career record for pass breakups. Tedaro France (1998-01) owns the record with 46. With his breakup, he pulls into a second place tie on the all-time career passes defended list with 47. He tied Ken Strong (1987-90) with 47 and still trails France, who accumulated 56 from 1998-01.

•Defensive back Caleb Spann had six solo tackles with a pass breakup.

•Defensive lineman Kade Kostus finished the game with his first career sack and two tackles.

•Defensive lineman Michael Heldman had a quarterback hurry,1.0 sack for six yards and three tackles. With his quarterback hurry, Heldman extended his school record to 18 career quarterback hurries. He now has seven quarterback hurries on the year and pulls into a tie for second place on the all-time season quarterback hurries list. He holds the record for season quarterback hurries with 10 set last year in 2023.

•Defensive back Da'Raun McKinney finished the game with a career-high four kickoff returns for 76 yards with a long of 22. McKinney finished with five tackles.

•Placekicker Tristan Mattson converted a 34-yard field goal in the first quarter to give Central Michigan a 3-0 lead. It was his 12th field goal made in 14 attempts this season. At this moment, he has tied the school's season record for best field goal percentage (85.7 percent). He tied the record held by Kevin Nicholl (12-14) in 1988. Mattson finished with four points in the game.

Miscellaneous
•Toledo's Nasir Bowers scored on a 45-yard interception return touchdown in the second quarter. The last time an opponent scored on an interception return was Brian Blades at Florida International on Sept. 7, 2024.

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Players Mentioned

Myles Bailey

Vashon Bailey

David Chapeau

Dakota Cochran

Jayshaun Coffman

Jaden Davis

Solomon Davis

Jonathan Decker

Jadyn Glasser

B.J. Harris

Michael Heldman

Donte Kent

Kade Kostus

Jordan Kwiatkowski

Marion Lukes

Danny MacLean

Tristan Mattson

Da'Raun McKinney

Jonah Pace

Alec Palella

Chris Parker

Ke'Shon Parker

Jesse Prewitt III

Dominic Serapiglia III

Caleb Spann

Brayden Swartout

Jaree Turner-Kinsler

Justin Whiteside

Jason Williams

Chippewas to Host Western Michigan in Battle for the Victory Cannon Trophy on Tuesday Night

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