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Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Football's Michael Heldman Earns MAC Defensive Player of the Week Honor
11/17/2025 10:57:00 AM | Football
Defensive lineman Michael Heldman is the MAC co-Defensive Player of the Week following his 2.0 sack, two pass breakup, two quarterback hurry, and four tackle performance in Chippewas’ 38-19 win over Buffalo.
CLEVELAND, Ohio—Central Michigan senior defensive lineman Michael Heldman was named the Mid-American Conference Football Defensive Player of the Week honor, the league office announced Monday morning.
Heldman becomes Central Michigan's second MAC weekly honoree of the 2025 season as senior linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski previously earned the honor on Oct. 20.
In Central Michigan's 38-19 victory over Buffalo, Heldman made play after play as his constant pressure and plays helped the Chippewas to score two defensive touchdowns and register five turnovers, including three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. Heldman finished the game with two sacks for 11 yards, two pass breakups, and two quarterback hurries, along with four tackles.
In the first quarter, Heldman applied pressure on the Buffalo quarterback and batted a pass in the air for Kwiatkowski, who intercepted the ball and ran 48 yards for a touchdown and 7-3 lead. In the second quarter, Heldman registered his first sack of the day right before halftime. He followed that up with pass breakup and quarterback hurry on Buffalo's first drive in the third quarter. Later, on Buffalo's next series, Heldman tallied his second sack, two plays later, CMU picked off another Buffalo pass.
Heldman wasn't the only standout Chippewa player on defense. Kwiatkowski finished the contest with a game-high nine tackles, one interception for 48-yard touchdown, 1.0 tackle for loss, one forced fumble, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry. Linebacker Dakota Cochran scored a touchdown on an 85-yard fumble return, the third longest fumble return in school history, and added five tackles, defensive lineman Korver Demma had 2.0 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and quarterback hurry, and defensive back Elijah Gordon intercepted his first career pass and recovered a fumble.
A Romeo, Mich. native, Heldman leads the Chippewas in sacks (7.5-35 yards), tackles for loss (10.5-46 yards), and quarterback hurries (seven), and ranks No. 2 in pass breakups (4) with 39 total tackles (18 solo). In his five-year, 50-game career, Heldman has totaled 111 tackles (58 solo), 28.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks for 86 yards, 27 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, and five pass breakups. He currently holds the career school record for quarterback hurries, ranks No. 19 in school history in career tackles for loss, tied for No. 8 in career sacks, and tied for No. 10 in career forced fumbles.
Central Michigan (6-4, 4-2 MAC) travels to Kent State (4-6, 3-3 MAC) for a Wednesday MACtion game at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
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Heldman becomes Central Michigan's second MAC weekly honoree of the 2025 season as senior linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski previously earned the honor on Oct. 20.
In Central Michigan's 38-19 victory over Buffalo, Heldman made play after play as his constant pressure and plays helped the Chippewas to score two defensive touchdowns and register five turnovers, including three fumble recoveries and two interceptions. Heldman finished the game with two sacks for 11 yards, two pass breakups, and two quarterback hurries, along with four tackles.
In the first quarter, Heldman applied pressure on the Buffalo quarterback and batted a pass in the air for Kwiatkowski, who intercepted the ball and ran 48 yards for a touchdown and 7-3 lead. In the second quarter, Heldman registered his first sack of the day right before halftime. He followed that up with pass breakup and quarterback hurry on Buffalo's first drive in the third quarter. Later, on Buffalo's next series, Heldman tallied his second sack, two plays later, CMU picked off another Buffalo pass.
Heldman wasn't the only standout Chippewa player on defense. Kwiatkowski finished the contest with a game-high nine tackles, one interception for 48-yard touchdown, 1.0 tackle for loss, one forced fumble, a pass breakup, and a quarterback hurry. Linebacker Dakota Cochran scored a touchdown on an 85-yard fumble return, the third longest fumble return in school history, and added five tackles, defensive lineman Korver Demma had 2.0 sacks, 2.5 tackles for loss, a forced fumble, and quarterback hurry, and defensive back Elijah Gordon intercepted his first career pass and recovered a fumble.
A Romeo, Mich. native, Heldman leads the Chippewas in sacks (7.5-35 yards), tackles for loss (10.5-46 yards), and quarterback hurries (seven), and ranks No. 2 in pass breakups (4) with 39 total tackles (18 solo). In his five-year, 50-game career, Heldman has totaled 111 tackles (58 solo), 28.5 tackles for loss, 16.5 sacks for 86 yards, 27 quarterback hurries, four forced fumbles, and five pass breakups. He currently holds the career school record for quarterback hurries, ranks No. 19 in school history in career tackles for loss, tied for No. 8 in career sacks, and tied for No. 10 in career forced fumbles.
Central Michigan (6-4, 4-2 MAC) travels to Kent State (4-6, 3-3 MAC) for a Wednesday MACtion game at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Follow Central Michigan Football: TWITTER | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM
—CMU—
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Jordan Kwiatkowski Post-Game Press Conference vs. Toledo
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