Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU senior defensive end Michael Heldman (97) celebrates a big play with teammate Lawai'a Brown during the Chippewas' 28-16 win at Kent State on Wednesday.
Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography
Football Notebook: Heldman, Kwiatkowski Shine in Another Outstanding Defensive Effort
11/20/2025 9:28:00 AM | Football
KENT, Ohio – It remains to be seen whether Central Michigan wins, or even plays for, the Mid-American Conference football championship.
The Chippewas need several things to fall into place over the next nine days to earn a spot in the Dec. 6 MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit.
But more on that later.
One thing is clear, the Chippewa defense is playing at a championship-caliber level and at the center are a pair of veterans, middle linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski and defensive end Michael Heldman.
Kwiatkowski was seemingly all over the field in the Chippewas' 28-16 victory at Kent State on Wednesday. He finished with 14 tackles, one shy of his career high, and among that total were 4.5 tackles-for-loss and one sack.
That sack resulted in a fumble that was recovered by CMU and, minutes later, became a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
Heldman was credited with two of the Chippewas' four sacks, tying for their second-highest total of the season. They recorded 11 tackles-for-loss, which also tied their season best.
It marked the second consecutive game, and the third time this season, that Heldman has registered two sacks and gave him 9 ½ on the season, which ties for fifth in program history. He now has 17 ½ in his five-year career and ranks seventh in program history in sacks.
Among the names on those season and career sack lists are Dan Bazuin, Joe Ostman, Frank Zombo, Mike Danna and Thomas Incoom. The common denominator (besides the sack numbers)? All are currently playing in the NFL, or played in the past.
Heldman has the prototypical size (6-foot-4, 260 pounds), build and motor to attract the attention of NFL scouts.
"I say this all the time, but it comes from Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, and really I just want to praise him in everything I do," said Heldman, who hails from Romeo. "When it comes to the offseason, when it comes to everything, I know I've got to put my hand down, I put my head down, I got to go work, and just keep level every day … stacking every single day, the little details, the little things, and then you've just got to execute it right. Can't put all that work in and not execute right.
"Being able to come out here and really play for Him and play for my wife, for my family, and just this whole team because we are something special and you can see it."
Kwiatkowski has posted double-digit tackles totals in five of his last six games (the outlier was a nine-tackle effort a week ago in a 38-19 win over Buffalo).
"He's a machine," coach Matt Drinkall said. "I mean, he inspires. He doesn't have to say much, and he doesn't say much, which is awesome. He just shows up and works and does the work every day, and he finds a way. He's a catalyst every week."
The 6-1, 235-pound Kwiatkowski ranks fourth in the MAC in total tackles and he has what every great defensive player possesses: that extra something that makes him go.
"Yeah, I think I have a lot of heart, for sure," he said. "And I think I show it; I think I display it out there, for sure. But it's even better when the guys around you have heart, too. It's 11 guys with heart and will to go have fun and fly around, there's nothing better to see; there's nothing better to be a part of."
And right now, there's maybe nobody better in the MAC on that side of the ball than the Chippewas.
Championship Game Chase
The Chippewas are 5-2 in MAC play, tied for second place with Ohio and Miami (Ohio). Western Michigan (6-1) leads the league and Toledo is one-half game behind the Chippewas, Bobcats and RedHawks at 4-2.
Toledo plays host to Ball State on Saturday, Nov. 22.
In order for CMU to make the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 6, it would first have to beat Toledo in its regular season finale at home on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Then, the Chippewas need Miami to lose at home to Ball State on Nov. 29 and for Ohio to lose at Buffalo on Nov. 28.
The tie-breaker in the standings is head-to-head. CMU has not played Ohio or Miami this season. The second tie-breaker is record against common opponents. Should CMU, Ohio and Miami win next week, the RedHawks and Bobcats would hold the advantage over CMU in that common-opponent category.
Bowl Bound
The Chippewas are 7-4 overall and have posted more victories than in any season since 2021, when they finished 9-4 and won the Sun Bowl. That was also CMU's last bowl appearance.
A Football Bowl Subdivision team needs six victories in order to be bowl eligible and, with seven, the Chippewas are almost certainly headed to a bowl game.
Which one won't be known for weeks – until after the championship games in all of the conferences are played and the 12-team College Football Playoff field is set.
Beamon Shines Again
The Chippewas were without quarterback 1A Angel Flores for the third consecutive game.
His replacement, junior Marcus Beamon, once again filled in admirably, rushing nine times for 42 yards. He twice ran for first-down yardage on fourth down in the Chippewas' opening drive of the game, which covered 75 yards in 18 plays and chewed up a program-record 10:53 in time of possession.
Beamon was again the perfect complement to starter Joe Labas, who threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-20 passing.
Beamon, a junior transfer from Butte (Calif.) Junior College, began the season No. 4 on the depth chart behind Labas, Flores and Jayden Glasser. Glasser was injured in CMU's second game of the year, a 45-17 loss at Pitt.
Beamon has now played in three games. A player is allowed by the NCAA to appear in four games and preserve his redshirt.
Flores, a junior, has been listed as game to game since he was injured in the Chippewas Oct. 25 win over Massachusetts. With 519 yards, Flores remains CMU's leading rusher, and he leads the Chippewas with eight rushing TDs.
Turnover Streak
The CMU defense has created at least one turnover in every game this season and the Chippewas have a plus-8 turnover margin, which is No. 1 in the MAC and among the top 25 in the country.
Kwiatkowski's jarring sack of Kent State quarterback Dru DeShields forced a fumble and led to a CMU touchdown and a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Labas' Numbers
Labas threw two touchdown passes, a 1-yarder to Tommy McIntosh and a 19-yarder to DeCorion Temple. It have him seven TD passes in his last four games and 12 for the season against five interceptions.
He was intercepted in the second quarter on Wednesday with the Chippewas lead, 14-0, after they had scored on their first two drives and appeared on their way to an easy win.
The interception, which came with 4:15 to play in the half, changed the complexion of the game and allowed Kent State to hang in.
The Golden Flashes drove 52 yards for a field goal to cut CMU's lead to 14-3 with under a minute to play in the half.
The Chippewas had a golden opportunity with under 30 seconds left in the half. On third-and-3 at the Kent State 45, Labas found a wide-open McIntosh at the Kent State 9-yard line. No defender was within 20 yards of McIntosh, but McIntosh dropped the ball and the Chippewas punted on fourth down.
Instead of going into the half with a shot of momentum and up, 21-3, the Chippewa lead was a much-less-comfortable 14-3.
"I think that took the wind out of our sails," said Drinkall and then, in a familiar refrain, said the Chippewas did not dwell on it.
"Like crying over spilled milk," he said, but "it took us a little bit to get our bearings going again in the third quarter."
The Series
The Chippewas improved to 26-11 in the series with the Golden Flashes. They are 13-6 in games played at Kent State and have won three straight at the Golden Flashes Dix Stadium.
The Chippewas need several things to fall into place over the next nine days to earn a spot in the Dec. 6 MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit.
But more on that later.
One thing is clear, the Chippewa defense is playing at a championship-caliber level and at the center are a pair of veterans, middle linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski and defensive end Michael Heldman.
Kwiatkowski was seemingly all over the field in the Chippewas' 28-16 victory at Kent State on Wednesday. He finished with 14 tackles, one shy of his career high, and among that total were 4.5 tackles-for-loss and one sack.
That sack resulted in a fumble that was recovered by CMU and, minutes later, became a touchdown and a 14-0 lead.
Heldman was credited with two of the Chippewas' four sacks, tying for their second-highest total of the season. They recorded 11 tackles-for-loss, which also tied their season best.
It marked the second consecutive game, and the third time this season, that Heldman has registered two sacks and gave him 9 ½ on the season, which ties for fifth in program history. He now has 17 ½ in his five-year career and ranks seventh in program history in sacks.
Among the names on those season and career sack lists are Dan Bazuin, Joe Ostman, Frank Zombo, Mike Danna and Thomas Incoom. The common denominator (besides the sack numbers)? All are currently playing in the NFL, or played in the past.
Heldman has the prototypical size (6-foot-4, 260 pounds), build and motor to attract the attention of NFL scouts.
"I say this all the time, but it comes from Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior, and really I just want to praise him in everything I do," said Heldman, who hails from Romeo. "When it comes to the offseason, when it comes to everything, I know I've got to put my hand down, I put my head down, I got to go work, and just keep level every day … stacking every single day, the little details, the little things, and then you've just got to execute it right. Can't put all that work in and not execute right.
"Being able to come out here and really play for Him and play for my wife, for my family, and just this whole team because we are something special and you can see it."
Kwiatkowski has posted double-digit tackles totals in five of his last six games (the outlier was a nine-tackle effort a week ago in a 38-19 win over Buffalo).
"He's a machine," coach Matt Drinkall said. "I mean, he inspires. He doesn't have to say much, and he doesn't say much, which is awesome. He just shows up and works and does the work every day, and he finds a way. He's a catalyst every week."
The 6-1, 235-pound Kwiatkowski ranks fourth in the MAC in total tackles and he has what every great defensive player possesses: that extra something that makes him go.
"Yeah, I think I have a lot of heart, for sure," he said. "And I think I show it; I think I display it out there, for sure. But it's even better when the guys around you have heart, too. It's 11 guys with heart and will to go have fun and fly around, there's nothing better to see; there's nothing better to be a part of."
And right now, there's maybe nobody better in the MAC on that side of the ball than the Chippewas.
Championship Game Chase
The Chippewas are 5-2 in MAC play, tied for second place with Ohio and Miami (Ohio). Western Michigan (6-1) leads the league and Toledo is one-half game behind the Chippewas, Bobcats and RedHawks at 4-2.
Toledo plays host to Ball State on Saturday, Nov. 22.
In order for CMU to make the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 6, it would first have to beat Toledo in its regular season finale at home on Saturday, Nov. 29.
Then, the Chippewas need Miami to lose at home to Ball State on Nov. 29 and for Ohio to lose at Buffalo on Nov. 28.
The tie-breaker in the standings is head-to-head. CMU has not played Ohio or Miami this season. The second tie-breaker is record against common opponents. Should CMU, Ohio and Miami win next week, the RedHawks and Bobcats would hold the advantage over CMU in that common-opponent category.
Bowl Bound
The Chippewas are 7-4 overall and have posted more victories than in any season since 2021, when they finished 9-4 and won the Sun Bowl. That was also CMU's last bowl appearance.
A Football Bowl Subdivision team needs six victories in order to be bowl eligible and, with seven, the Chippewas are almost certainly headed to a bowl game.
Which one won't be known for weeks – until after the championship games in all of the conferences are played and the 12-team College Football Playoff field is set.
Beamon Shines Again
The Chippewas were without quarterback 1A Angel Flores for the third consecutive game.
His replacement, junior Marcus Beamon, once again filled in admirably, rushing nine times for 42 yards. He twice ran for first-down yardage on fourth down in the Chippewas' opening drive of the game, which covered 75 yards in 18 plays and chewed up a program-record 10:53 in time of possession.
Beamon was again the perfect complement to starter Joe Labas, who threw for 121 yards and two touchdowns on 11-of-20 passing.
Beamon, a junior transfer from Butte (Calif.) Junior College, began the season No. 4 on the depth chart behind Labas, Flores and Jayden Glasser. Glasser was injured in CMU's second game of the year, a 45-17 loss at Pitt.
Beamon has now played in three games. A player is allowed by the NCAA to appear in four games and preserve his redshirt.
Flores, a junior, has been listed as game to game since he was injured in the Chippewas Oct. 25 win over Massachusetts. With 519 yards, Flores remains CMU's leading rusher, and he leads the Chippewas with eight rushing TDs.
Turnover Streak
The CMU defense has created at least one turnover in every game this season and the Chippewas have a plus-8 turnover margin, which is No. 1 in the MAC and among the top 25 in the country.
Kwiatkowski's jarring sack of Kent State quarterback Dru DeShields forced a fumble and led to a CMU touchdown and a 14-0 lead early in the second quarter.
Labas' Numbers
Labas threw two touchdown passes, a 1-yarder to Tommy McIntosh and a 19-yarder to DeCorion Temple. It have him seven TD passes in his last four games and 12 for the season against five interceptions.
He was intercepted in the second quarter on Wednesday with the Chippewas lead, 14-0, after they had scored on their first two drives and appeared on their way to an easy win.
The interception, which came with 4:15 to play in the half, changed the complexion of the game and allowed Kent State to hang in.
The Golden Flashes drove 52 yards for a field goal to cut CMU's lead to 14-3 with under a minute to play in the half.
The Chippewas had a golden opportunity with under 30 seconds left in the half. On third-and-3 at the Kent State 45, Labas found a wide-open McIntosh at the Kent State 9-yard line. No defender was within 20 yards of McIntosh, but McIntosh dropped the ball and the Chippewas punted on fourth down.
Instead of going into the half with a shot of momentum and up, 21-3, the Chippewa lead was a much-less-comfortable 14-3.
"I think that took the wind out of our sails," said Drinkall and then, in a familiar refrain, said the Chippewas did not dwell on it.
"Like crying over spilled milk," he said, but "it took us a little bit to get our bearings going again in the third quarter."
The Series
The Chippewas improved to 26-11 in the series with the Golden Flashes. They are 13-6 in games played at Kent State and have won three straight at the Golden Flashes Dix Stadium.
Players Mentioned
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