Football Preview: Chippewas Get Back to Work

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Party's over. Time to get back to work.

Central Michigan was abuzz last week in the wake of the Chippewas' dramatic and memorable 37-34 victory over Ball State.

The Chippewas scored the game-winning touchdown with just 16 seconds remaining to win their Mid-American Conference opener, level their record at 2-2 and, perhaps, set their season on a promising course.

But one game, good or bad, does not a season make.

"Can't really hang your hat on just that one game," CMU center Dominic Serapiglia said. "We've still got eight weeks left in the season. The goal is to go 1-0 every week and now we're focused on a very good team out of the Mountain West (Conference)."

That team is San Diego State, which visits CMU on Saturday (3:30 p.m.). The Aztecs (1-2) opened with a 45-15 win over Texas A&M Commerce and then has dropped its last two games, 21-0, at Oregon State and 31-10 at Cal. The Aztecs were idle last week.

The Chippewas rushed for 335 yards last week among 527 total yards. The rushing total is the most by a CMU team since 2019, and the total yardage was the most since 2022.

"CMU offensive line play, the bubs, it's a storied tradition here," Serapiglia said. "To go out there and be able to put out 335 (rushing yards) just speaks volumes to the level of commitment that everybody has in the room and how well we work together and how you play for the guy next to you."

"You take pride in everything you do, that's the standard here. How you do small things is how you do all things, and that's what coach Mac preaches. We just take pride in everything."

Running back B.J. Harris rushed for a career-high 151 yards and earned the MAC Offensive Player of the Week Award. The Chippewas came from behind three times in the game, overcoming 10-0, 27-23 and 30-27 deficits.

All very encouraging, but on the flip side, the 431 yards that Ball State gained was a season-high total for a CMU opponent.

In San Diego State, the Chippewas will see a potentially explosive offense under first-year coach Sean Lewis, who prefers an uptempo fast pace.

The Chippewas have seen it from a Lewis-coached team before. He led Kent State from 2018-22 and, in the one meeting between the Chippewas and the Lewis-coached Golden Flashes, CMU came away with a 54-30 win in 2021.

"The biggest difference is what he was doing at Kent State he's doing (now) with a lot better players," said CMU coach Jim McElwain, who coached in the Mountain West at both Fresno State and Colorado State. "Having (coached) in that conference I know what kind of guys they have and I think (Lewis is) probably licking his chops a little bit coming back to this league with that kind of talent."

Lewis isn't the only MAC connection in San Diego State football. Leading rusher Marquez Cooper played for Lewis at Kent State in 2021-22 and spent the '23 season at Ball State. Cooper is the Football Bowl Subdivision active leader in career rushing yards (4,219) and career all-purpose yards (4,859). He is averaging 5.9 yards per carry this season.

Saturday's game is CMU's final nonconference game of the season. The Chippewas are idle next weekend and then welcome Ohio for homecoming and a MAC game on Saturday, Oct. 12.

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Players Mentioned

B.J. Harris

Central Michigan University Athletics