Chippewas Open 2024 Season at Home on Thursday at 7 p.m.

GAME 1: CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE (3-8, 1-6 NEC) AT CENTRAL MICHIGAN (5-7, 3-5 MAC)
Season/Home Opener • Thursday, August 29 • 7 p.m. ET • Mount Pleasant, Mich.
Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium (30,255)

THURSDAY NIGHT MATCHUP

Television: ESPN+ (Dan Gutowsky, play-by-play; Randy Buffington, color analyst; Producer: Sam Ramos).

Chippewa Sports Radio Network: Adam Jaksa, play-by-play; Brock Gutierrez, color analyst; spotter: Steve Powers; sidelines/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 (29-28), 12th year overall (73-55), 39th year in coaching. Central Connecticut State-Adam Lechtenberg, 2nd year at CCSU (3-8), 2nd year overall (3-8).

Series: Central Michigan and Central Connecticut State meet for the first time. The Chippewas play a Northeast Conference team for the second time. The last time they played an NEC school was Robert Morris on Sept. 11, 2021, a 45-0 win in Mount Pleasant.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN GAME NOTES

THE ESSENTIALS

Central Michigan (5-7, 3-5 MAC in 2023) opens its 123rd season of college football when it hosts FCS opponent Central Connecticut State (3-8, 1-6 NEC) on Thursday, Aug. 29 at Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET.

THURSDAY'S TOP STORYLINES

•Central Michigan opens its 123rd season of college football and six-game home schedule on Thursday evening vs. Central Connecticut State (7 p.m.).
•CMU is looking to win its second straight home opener. It enters the season after having won four of its last five home contests.
•CMU has won 15 straight games vs. FCS level opponents. It is 15-1 all-time vs. FCS foes since 2006.
•Head Coach Jim McElwain is in search of his third bowl appearance and third winning season at Central Michigan in the last five full years (2019 New Mexico Bowl and 2021 Sun Bowl).

ABOUT THE CHIPPEWAS

Central Michigan (5-7, 3-5 MAC in 2023) opens its 123rd season of college football on Thursday, Aug. 29 when it hosts Central Connecticut State (3-8, 1-6 NEC) at Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich. The two schools meet for the first time in college football.

Central Michigan returns 17 players who started a significant number of games in 2023, including eight on offense and nine on defense. Several transfers were added in who will play significant roles in 2024, several players return from injury, and a variety of players have improved over the offseason and are ready to contribute. The Chippewas are a year 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.

Central Michigan opens its 2024 season looking snap a three-game losing streak and win its first season opener since 2020. Combining the last two seasons (2022-23), CMU has accumulated a 9-15 record and the Chippewas have suffered back-to-back losing seasons for the first time since 2010 and 2011 when they went 3-9 in consecutive years. Central Michigan is hoping to erase the memory of those two seasons that saw it finish an identical 3-5 in Mid-American Conference play.

The last two seasons 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.

SEASON OPENERS

Central Michigan opens a season at home for the first time in four years (2020). The Chippewas are looking to snap a three-game losing streak on opening day. The last time the Chippewas won a season opener was in the CoVID-shortened 2020 season, a 30-27 victory over Ohio.

Previously, CMU dropped its 2021 opener at Missouri (34-24), its 2022 opener at Oklahoma State (58-44), and its 2023 opener at Michigan State (31-7).

The last time CMU faced an FCS opponent in a season opener was on Aug. 29, 2019 vs. Albany, a 38-21 win in Jim McElwain's first game with the Chippewas.

CMU SUCCESS AGAINST THE FCS

Since NCAA Division I-AA became NCAA Division I FCS in 2006, Central Michigan has accumulated a 15-1 overall record in 16 meetings against FCS opponents. All 16 games were played at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant. In addition, the Chippewas have won 15 consecutive contests against those opponents. The lone loss was to FCS national power North Dakota State on Sept. 22, 2007 (44-14).

That record is a bit deceiving because several of those wins were close. The Chippewas defeated Rhode Island in triple overtime (30-27) in 2017, defeated Chattanooga 20-16 in 2014, and survived New Hampshire by three points two times (24-21 in 2013 and 45-42 in 2023).

Head Coach Jim McElwain owns a 4-0 record vs. FCS level opponents at Central Michigan.

Here is a list of CMU's results against FCS opponents (most recent to least recent):

Date	Opponent	Score
Sept. 9, 2023	New Hampshire	W, 45-42
Sept. 17, 2022	Bucknell	W, 41-0
Sept. 11, 2021	Robert Morris	W, 45-0
Aug. 29, 2019	Albany	W, 38-21
Sept. 22, 2018	Maine	W, 17-5
Aug. 31, 2017	Rhode Island	W-3OT, 30-27
Sept. 1, 2016	Presbyterian	W, 49-3
Sept. 12, 2015	Monmouth	W, 31-10
Aug. 28, 2014	Chattanooga	W, 20-16
Sept. 7, 2013	New Hampshire	W, 24-21
Aug. 30, 2012	SE Missouri State	W, 38-21
Sept. 1, 2011	South Carolina State	W, 21-6
Sept. 2, 2010	Hampton	W, 33-0
Sept. 19, 2009	Alcorn State	W, 48-0
Aug. 28, 2008	Eastern Illinois	W, 33-12
Sept. 22, 2007	North Dakota State	L, 44-14

HOME SWEET, HOME

Under Head Coach Jim McElwain, Central Michigan has enjoyed a tremendous home field advantage. The Chippewas are a combined 18-8 under Coach Mac with a .692 win percentage within the confines of Kelly/Shorts Stadium since 2019.

CMU enters Thursday's season opener after winning four of its last five home games. The Chippewas' four-game win streak was snapped after the Chippewas dropped their season finale vs. Toledo 32-17 on Nov. 24, 2023.

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. CMU went 1-2 in 2020, 5-1 in 2021, 2-4 in 2022 and 4-1 in 2023 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 AMONG TOP-50 PROGRAMS

Historically, Central Michigan has been ranked among the nation's top-50 all-time football programs by a variety of organizations. The Pro Football Hall of Fame and ESPN both rated Central Michigan No. 41 on its list of all-time most successful college football programs.

Of MAC schools, the two highest rated college football programs of all-time are Miami (OH) and Central Michigan.

PRESEASON NUMBERS

•Central Michigan returns eight starters on offense. Those starters include offensive lineman Brayden Swartout (tackle), Davis Heinzen (tackle) and Dominic Serapiglia III (center), wide receivers Chris Parker, Jesse Prewitt III, and Tyson Davis, and running backs Myles Bailey and Marion Lukes.

•Numerically speaking on offense, Central Michigan returns players who accounted for 76 percent of rushing yards, 86 percent of receiving yards, 78 percent of all-purpose yards, and 60 percent of starters on the offensive line.

•The Chippewas return an experienced defense featuring nine returning starters. Those players include defensive lineman Jason Williams, Michael Heldman, Jonah Pace, linebackers Justin Whiteside, Fernando Sanchez III, and Dakota Cochran, and defensive backs Donte Kent, Caleb Spann, Elijah Rikard, and Da'Raun McKInney. Other returning players include defensive lineman Kade Kostus, linebackers Ke'Shon Parker and Jordan Kwiatkowski, and defensive back Marcus Badgett.

•Numerically speaking on defense, Central Michigan returns players who accounted for 59 percent of last year's tackles, 80 percent of its interceptions, 61 percent of its pass breakups, and 53 percent of its quarterback hurries.

•On special teams, Central Michigan returns players who accounted for 100 percent of field goals made and 70 percent of its kickoff return yards, and 78 percent all-purpose yards.

LUKES PRIMED FOR 2024

Over the last four games of the 2023 season, junior running back Marion Lukes played several of his best games of his career as he rushed for 477 yards and three touchdowns on 72 carries, totaled 734 all-purpose yards and caught six passes for 72 yards. In his back-to-back 100-yard rushing games vs. Northern Illinois and Western Michigan, Lukes averaged 174.5 yards rushing and 248.5 all-purpose yards per game.

Against Northern Illinois, Lukes was named the MAC West Division Offensive Player of the Week after rushing for a career-high 202 yards on 21 carries and a 46-yard touchdown and amassing a career-best 254 all-purpose yards. He backed that up with a 147-yard, one touchdown, 243-all-purpose yard game at Western Michigan. He added 5.0 yards per carry and a touchdown (75 yards on 15 carries) at Ohio.
In 12 games, Lukes led the Chippewas in rushing yards (737), all-purpose yards (1,618), kickoff return yards (581) and ranked second on the squad with 29 receptions. He scored six total touchdowns (five rushing, one on kickoff returns) and ranked among national leaders in kickoff return touchdowns and combined kick returns.

LABAS EMERGES AS STARTING QUARTERBACK

Transfer quarterback Joe Labas will begin the 2024 season as Central Michigan's starter at quarterback. He will make his second career start at the collegiate level against Central Connecticut State.

Labas is a junior Iowa transfer. He enrolled at Central Michigan in January prior to spring drills. At Iowa, he played in one game, leading the Hawkeyes to a 21-0 victory over Kentucky in the Music City Bowl in Nashville. Labas completed 10-24 passes for 139 yards and one touchdown with no interceptions. He also ran four times for 11 yards. His 15-yard scoring pass gave Iowa a 7-0 advantage and was the winning touchdown.

The former 4-star recruit was originally recruited by Central Michigan out of Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School.

CHALLENGING SCHEDULE

Once again, Central Michigan enters a season with a challenging schedule.

Six of the Chippewas' 2024 opponents played in bowl games last season: Bowling Green (Quick Lane Bowl), Eastern Michigan (68 Ventures Bowl), Miami (OH) (Cure Bowl), Northern Illinois (Camellia Bowl), Ohio (Myrtle Beach Bowl) and Toledo (Barstool Arizona Bowl).

In the preseason MAC coaches' poll, Central Michigan was picked to finish eighth. According to that poll, the Chippewas will play all seven teams ranked ahead of them in conference play. Additionally, CMU will not play three of the four teams ranked below it: Akron, Kent State, and Buffalo.

CMU IN NATIONAL STATISTICS

Central Michigan finished the 2023 season ranked among the nation's top-35 national leaders in two statistical categories. The Chippewas ranked:

•No. 10 in fourth down conversion percentage (69.6).
•No. 21 in fumbles lost (5).
•No. 33 in blocked kicks (2).

In addition, several individuals were ranked among the nation's top-35 in a variety of statistics:
•Jayden Evans, No. 4 in blocked kicks (2).
•Marion Lukes, No. 6 in kickoff return touchdowns (1).
•Marion Lukes, No. 7 in all-purpose yards (134.83).
•Marion Lukes, No. 20 in combined kick returns (581).
•Jake Walrath, No. 34 in punting (43.2).

M&M BROTHERS LEAD OFFENSIVE ATTACK

Running backs Myles Bailey and Marion Lukes lead Central Michigan's rushing attack as they have called themselves the M&M Brothers. The two roommates throw M&M candies on the sidelines after either of them scores a touchdown.

Combined through 12 games, the duo has accounted for 1,213 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns along with 2,206 all-purpose yards (nine total touchdowns). Lukes also scored on an 86-yard touchdown on a kickoff return. The duo is ranked 1-2 among team leaders in both rushing and all-purpose yards. The duo has accounted for 63.4 percent of CMU's rushing yards and 43.3 percent of all-purpose yards. The duo has also caught 43 passes for 412 yards.

Lukes led the Chippewas in rushing with 737 yards and five touchdowns on 144 carries (5.1 average and ranks second in receiving with 29 catches for 300 yards). Bailey, missed two games with an injury (Ball State and Northern Illinois), came back for one carry at Western Michigan and four at Ohio and concluded the year averaging 4.7 yards per carry (101-476) with three touchdowns.

ABOUT CENTRAL CONNECTICUT STATE

Central Connecticut State opens its 2024 season after completing a 3-8 overall and 1-6 NEC season last year. The Blue Devils lost each of their last four games of the 2023 season and were picked to finish seventh out of eight Northeast Conference teams in the 2024 preseason coaches' poll.

Five Blue Devils were named to the preseason All-NEC team including linebacker Jayden Anderson, offensive lineman Isaiah DeLoatch, placekicker Jack Barnum, defensive back Kimal Clark, and running back Elijah Howard.

On offense, CCSU is led by returning running back Elijah Howard, who rushed for 990 yards and five touchdowns on 170 carries in 2023. Howard also caught 15 passes for 165 yards and a touchdown, and totaled six touchdowns last season.

The Blue Devils will have a new quarterback as UMass transfer Brady Olson steps into the starting role. Ricky Ortega is also back after seeing action in nine games and throwing for 240 yards and a touchdown last year.

Free safety Kimal Clark, who finished No. 32 nationally in the FCS in tackles per game with 8.9 and a team-best 89 (53 solo) with three interceptions, is a Buchanan Award Preseason Watch List member, presented annually to the top defensive player in FCS.

Linebacker Jayden Anderson also returns after making 43 tackles with five tackles for loss last season. Defensive tackle Dan Toatley also returns after leading the Blug Devils in tackles for loss (12-52) and sacks (six) with 52 tackles and linebacker Malachi Wright is back after making 49 tackles, 7.5 tackles for loss, and 3.5 sacks in 2023.

Placekicker Jack Barnum tied the school's single-season record for field goals made in a season, connecting on 13 kicks in 2023.

Head Coach Adam Lechtenberg is in his second season at CCSU.

Players Mentioned

Marcus Badgett

Myles Bailey

Dakota Cochran

Tyson Davis

Jayden Evans

Davis Heinzen

Michael Heldman

Donte Kent

Kade Kostus

Jordan Kwiatkowski

Joe Labas

Marion Lukes

Jonah Pace

Chris Parker

Ke'Shon Parker

Jesse Prewitt III

Elijah Rikard

Fernando Sanchez III

Dominic Serapiglia III

Caleb Spann

Brayden Swartout

Jake Walrath

Justin Whiteside

Jason Williams

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