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Chippewas Travel to Miami to Take on Florida International on Saturday at 6 p.m.

9/4/2024 5:46:00 PM | Football

Watch Live on ESPN+Listen Live on the Chippewa Sports Radio Network Live Stats CMU Game Day Page CMU Game Notes (PDF)FIU Game Notes (PDF)

A win at Florida International would give Central Michigan a 2-0 start in non conference play for the first time since 2017 and its first 2-0 start to a season since the 2020 season.

By: Greg Hotchkiss

GAME 2: CENTRAL MICHIGAN (1-0, 0-0 MAC) at FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL (0-1, 0-0 C-USA)
First Road Game
Saturday, September 7 • 6 p.m. ET • Miami, Fla.
South Kia Field at Pitbull Stadium (20,000)

SATURDAY NIGHT MATCHUP

Television: ESPN+ (Steve Goldstein, pbp; Kim Bokamper, analyst; Producer: Nick Garrido).

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

Live Stats: visit: Central Michigan at FIU (statbroadcast.com)

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

Coaches: Central Michigan-Jim McElwain, 6th year at CMU (30-28), 12th year overall (74-55), 39th year in coaching. Florida International-Mike MacIntyre, 3^rd year at FIU (8-16), 12^th year overall (54-81).

Series: Central Michigan and Florida International meet for the second time in college football. CMU holds a 1-0 advantage in the series. The first game was played on Sept. 25, 2021, a 31-27 win at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

CENTRAL MICHIGAN GAME NOTES

THE ESSENTIALS

Central Michigan (1-0) plays the second game of its 123rd season of college football when it travels to Miami to take on Florida International (0-1) on Saturday, Sept. 7 at South Kia Field at Pitbull FIU Stadium. Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET.

WHERE TO WATCH THE GAME

The game will be live televised on ESPN+ with Steve Goldstein (play-by-play) and Kim Bokamper (color analyst) calling action. Nick Garrido will handle 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 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.

SATURDAY'S TOP STORYLINES

•Central Michigan plays the second game of its 123rd season of college football when it takes on Florida International on Saturday evening at 6 p.m.

•Road games have not been kind to Central Michigan as of late as the Chippewas have dropped four straight.

•CMU and FIU meet for the second time in football with the Chippewas holding a 1-0 advantage. CMU is 6-3 all-time vs. Conference USA opponents.

•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 (1-0) plays the second contest of its 123rd season of college football on Saturday, Sept. 7 when it travels to Miami, Fla. to take on Florida International (0-1) at Pitbull FIU Stadium. The two schools meet for the second time in college football as the Chippewas claimed a 31-27 victory on Sept. 25, 2021 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich. This encounter marks the return matchup between the two schools.

Central Michigan is coming off a spectacular 66-10 victory over FCS foe Central Connecticut State on Thursday, Aug. 29. The Chippewas amassed 491 yards of total offense, scored nine touchdowns, registered touchdowns on punt, interception and kickoff returns, and threw for 378 yards. CMU led 42-7 at halftime.

In his CMU debut, quarterback Joe Labas completed 75 percent of his passes (18-24) for 342 yards and three touchdowns of 47, 17, and 72 yards. Myles Bailey ran for two touchdowns, Solomon Davis caught two touchdown passes (17 and 72 yards), Stephan Bracey, Jr. scored on an 87-yard kickoff return touchdown and led CMU with 166 all purpose yards, Donte Kent tallied a 68-yard punt return touchdown and 132 punt return yards, and Aakeem Snell scored on a 46-yard interception return.

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 enters its contest at FIU looking to snap a four-game road losing streak. The Chippewas opened the 2024 season by snapping a three-game losing streak and won its first season opener since 2020. Combining the last three seasons (2022-24), CMU has accumulated a 10-15 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.

POST-GAME NOTES FROM CCSU

The Central Michigan win...

•Improved Central Michigan to 1-0 overall on the year.

•Snapped a three-game losing streak for Central Michigan dating back to the 2023 season.

•Gave Central Michigan its 16th consecutive victory over FCS programs. The Chippewas improved to 16-1 all-time vs. FCS foes since 2006.

•Gave Central Michigan its fifth win in its last six home games.

•Snapped a four-game losing streak with a victory on opening day.

•Gave Central Michigan its second straight victory and 2-0 all-time record vs. Northeast Conference opponents.

Team Notes

•The 56-point victory was Central Michigan's largest since a 63-0 victory at Eastern Illinois on Oct. 14, 1972.

•The 66 points were the second most points ever scored by Central Michigan at the NCAA Division I level. The Chippewas missed the NCAA Division I record by three points as the scoring record remains at 69 points vs. Northern Illinois in 1975. The overall record is 80 points vs. Ferris State in 1920.

•Central Michigan scored 35 unanswered points in the first half before CCSU scored on a 50-yard field goal in the third quarter.

•Central Michigan scored on a kickoff return, punt return, and interception return.

•Central Michigan scored on its first drive, going 79 yards in eight plays and ending in a Myles Bailey 7-yard touchdown run.

•The Chippewas amassed 491 yards of total offense, eight touchdowns and only ran 52 plays for a whopping 9.4 average gain per play.

•The 491 yards of total offense were the most accumulated by Central Michigan since it amassed 546 yards of total offense at Oklahoma State in 2022.

•Central Michigan averaged 18.0 yards per completion, completed 21 of 28 passes total for 378 yards passing.

•CMU finished with 22 first downs and won the turnover battle 1-0.

•Central Connecticut State was held to 16 first downs, 5-15 on third down conversions and 285 yards of total offense.

Player Notes

•Quarterback Joe Labas made his first start at Central Michigan and completed 18 of 24 passes (75 percent) for 342 yards and three touchdowns of 47, 17, and 72 yards. He also averaged 19.0 yards per completion. His quarterback rating with 236.0 and he was never sacked. It marked his second collegiate start in his career as he started one game at Iowa. In the first half alone, Labas completed 16 of 20 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns. He completed 80 percent of his passes and his touchdowns were 47 and 17 yards.

•Running back Myles Bailey scored CMU's first touchdown of the night, a 7-yard rush in the first quarter following an 8-play, 79-yard scoring drive. He finished with nine carries for 68 yards and two touchdowns. Bailey also rushed for the longest run of his career, a 35-yarder.

•Stephan Bracey, Jr. returned a kickoff 87 yards for touchdown in the first quarter. It marked his second career kickoff return for touchdown as he returned a 91-yarder at Wisconsin. The last time a CMU player returned a kickoff for touchdown was Marion Lukes vs. New Hampshire on Sept. 9, 2023, an 86-yarder. Bracey finished with two catches for 48 yards and led the Chippewas with a career-high 166 all purpose yards (118 on kickoff returns and 48 receiving).

•Running back B.J. Harris scored his first career touchdown at Central Michigan on a 9-yard run up the middle in the second quarter. He finished with 14 yards on three carries.

•Wide receiver Evan Boyd scored his first career touchdown on his first career reception, a 47-yard pass play from Joe Labas in the second quarter. He made three receptions for 78 yards.

•Wide receiver Solomon Davis had two touchdown receptions and a team-high four receptions for a game-high 109 yards in his debut at Central Michigan. He scored his first touchdown at CMU on a 17-yard touchdown pass from Joe Labas in the second quarter. He scored his second on a 72-yard pass play from Labas in the third quarter.

•Wide receiver Jordyn Williams made his first career catch in second quarter and finished with two catches for 22 yards.

•Running back Nahree Biggins had his first career carry. He ran four times for 14 yards.

•On the offensive line, Brayden Swartout made his 26th consecutive start, Davis Heinzen made his 25th straight start, and Dominic Serapiglia made his 13th consecutive start. The Chippewas gave up no sacks and only one tackle for loss.

•Defensive back Donte Kent registered his first career punt return touchdown with a 68-yard touchdown in the third quarter. He finished the evening with four punt returns for a total of 132 yards. The last time CMU had a punt return for touchdown was on November 3, 2021, a 97-yarder by Kalil Pimpleton. Kent also made five tackles (four solo). Kent also started his fourth consecutive game and 37th career contest.

•In his debut, defensive back Aakeem Snell scored on a 46-yard interception return in the third quarter.

•Linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski led Central Michigan with nine 10 tackles (five solo). He also made 1.5 tackles for loss and broke up a pass.

•Defensive tackle Jonah Pace finished with a team and career-high 2.5 tackles for loss for six yards and 0.5 sacks on three tackles.

•Linebacker Justin Whiteside made six tackles with 1.0 sack for three yards.

•Defensive back Elijah Rikard finished with a career-high seven tackles.

•Placekicker Tristan Mattson finished the game with 11 points. He converted his first field goal of the year, a 26-yard attempt in the third quarter and was a perfect 8-8 on point after attempts.

•Making first career starts tonight included tight end Gavin Harris, left tackle Jemeil Jackson, quarterback Joe Labas, right guard Brady Ploucha, and wide receiver Evan Boyd on offense. On defense, freshman cornerback Jaion Jackson and cornerback Aakeem Snell both made first career starts.

HOME FIELD SUCCESS

Under Head Coach Jim McElwain, Central Michigan has enjoyed a tremendous home field advantage. The Chippewas are a combined 19-8 under Coach Mac with a .703 win percentage within the confines of Kelly/Shorts Stadium since 2019.

CMU will enter its next home game after winning five of its last six home contests. Previously, 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, 4-1 in 2023, and now 1-0 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).

CENTRAL MICHIGAN RANKED AMONG NATION'S 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.

LABAS EMERGES AS STARTING QUARTERBACK

Transfer quarterback Joe Labas begins the 2024 season as Central Michigan's starter at quarterback.

In the season opener against Central Connecticut State, Labas was effective and efficient. He completed 18 of 24 passes (80 percent) for 342 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions. It was the best passing game at CMU since the Chippewas played at Oklahoma State in 2022.

The performance marked his second career start at the collegiate level after he transferred to CMU from Iowa. He enrolled at Central Michigan in January prior to spring drills. At Iowa, he played and started 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.

CHIPPEWAS IN THE NATIONAL STATISTICAL RANKINGS

After one game, Central Michigan is ranked among the nation's top-35 national leaders in 17 statistical categories. The Chippewas ranked:
•No. 1 in red zone offense (1.000).
•No. 1 in sacks allowed (0).
•No. 1 in tackles for loss allowed (1).
•No. 2 in punt returns (33.0).
•No. 5 in defensive touchdowns (1).
•No. 5 in kickoff returns (39.33).
•No. 6 in scoring offense (66.0)
•No. 7 in punt return defense (0.0).
•No. 8 in team passing efficiency (223.7).
•No. 10 in passing yards allowed (91.0)
•No. 11 in passing yards per completion (18.0)
•No. 15 in passing offense (378.0).
•No. 16 in team passing efficiency defense (76.7).
•No. 16 in completion percentage (75.0).
•No. 20 in turnover margin (1.00).
•No. 28 in red zone defense (0.50).
•No. 30 in team tackles for loss (8.0)

In addition, several individuals were ranked among the nation's top-35 in a variety of statistics:

•Stephan Bracey, Jr.., No. 1 in kickoff return touchdowns (1).
•Donte Kent, No. 1 in punt return touchdowns (1).
•Donte Kent, No. 1 in punt returns (33.0).
•Aakeem Snell, No. 3 in interceptions per game (1.0).
•Aakeem Snell, No. 3 in interceptions (1).
•Stephan Bracey, Jr., No. 4 in kickoff returns (39.3).
•Solomon Davis, No. 6 in receiving touchdowns (2).
•Joe Labas, No. 6 in yards per pass attempt (14.25).
•Joe Labas, No. 7 in passing efficiency (236.0).
•Donte Kent, No. 7 in combined kick returns (132)
•Joe Labas, passing yards per completion (19.0).
•Stephan Bracey, Jr., No. 8 in combined kick returns (118).
•Jonah Pace, No. 11 in tackles for loss (2.5).
•Joe Labas, No. 15 in completion percentage (75.0).
•Joe Labas, No. 15 in passing yards per game (342.0).
•Joe Labas, No. 19 in passing yards (342).
•Joe Labas, No. 22 in total offense (343.0).
•Myles Bailey, No. 27 in scoring (2).
•Solomon Davis, No. 27 in scoring (2).
•Stephan Bracey, Jr., No. 28 in all-purpose yards (166.0).
•Solomon Davis, No. 28 in receiving yards (109).
•Joe Labas, No. 28 in points responsible per game (18.0).
•Joe Labas, No. 30 in points responsible for (18).

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Players Mentioned

Myles Bailey

Nahree Biggins

Evan Boyd

Stephan Bracey, Jr.

Solomon Davis

B.J. Harris

Gavin Harris

Davis Heinzen

Jaion Jackson

Jemeil Jackson

Donte Kent

Jordan Kwiatkowski

Joe Labas

Marion Lukes

Tristan Mattson

Jonah Pace

Brady Ploucha

Elijah Rikard

Aakeem Snell

Brayden Swartout

Justin Whiteside

Jordyn Williams

Chippewas Travel to Miami to Take on Florida International on Saturday at 6 p.m.

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