Chippewas Rally From Halftime Deficit to Win Home Opener 13-10

Saturday, September 12

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

1 p.m.

Central Michigan University

1-1 , 0-0

Colgate

2-1 , 2-0

Team	1st	2nd	3rd	4th	Final F
Colgate	0	10	0	0	10
Central Michigan	0	0	6	7	13

Vaughn Blue (#24) celebrates his touchdown run during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Photo by: Katrina Shammami - @mediabykat

Photo by: Brayden Gallagher

Photo by: Lilly Sharrak, @shot.by_lilly ('29)

Angel Flores (#7) watches as the head official flips the coin during the coin toss Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 121, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Angel Flores (#7) thorws a screen pass during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Captains, Langston Lewis (#20), Martin Koivisto (#76), Korver Demma (#5), and Angel Flores (#7) head out to the coin toss before the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 121, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Darrell Bryant Jr. (#19) celebrates with his teammates after a interception during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Fans cheer on 3rd down during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Fans cheer during Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Hunter Zirkle (#6) prushes the quarterback during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Hunter Zirkle (#6) gets a strip sack during the 2nd quarter of the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12,, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Jadyn Glasser (#5) warms up throwing ahead of the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Offensive Coordinator Jim Chapin ahead of the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Justin Ruffin Jr. (#9) pcatches a pass over the middle during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Korver Demma (#5) celebrates a recovered fumble in the 2nd quarter during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Korver Demma (#5) prepares ahead of the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Korver Demma (#5) rushes up the field during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Landon Swanson (#42) celerates with student section after a Central Michigan win against Colgate football on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Langston Lewis (#20) and Jaion Jackson (#4) signal towards the Central Michigan marching band after a Central Michigan win against Colgate football on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Langston Lewis (#20) celerates with the Central Michigan marching band after a Central Michigan win against Colgate football on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Marcus Beamon (#10) hands off the ball to Vaughn Blue (#24) during the 1st half of the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Head Coach Matt Drinkall looks towards the videoboard during the 4th quarter of the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Max Van Fleet (#97) rushes of the line of scrimmage during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Nasir Williams (#3) takes the jet sweep and rushes towards a first down during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Nolan Anderson (#22) during warmups in preperation for Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 121, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Rusty VanWetzinga IV (#8) looks for space after a 2nd quarter reception during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Defensive Coordinator Sean Cronin coaches up his defense during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Tayte Vanderleest (#5) catches a pass during warmups before the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Team celerates with the Central Michigan marching band after a Central Michigan win against Colgate football on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Central Michigan prepares for ther game against Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

A group of Chippewas tackle a Colgate rusher Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Linebacker group huddles up during warmups of the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 121, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Vaughn Blue (#24) rushes towards the sideline during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Vaughn Blue (#24) leaps into the endzone for his first touchdown during the Central Michigan vs Colgate football game on Saturday Sept. 12, 2026 in Mount Pleasant. (Ty Klopf/Central Michigan Football)

Photo by: Ty Klopf

Photo by: Lilly Sharrak, @shot.by_lilly ('29)

Chippewas Rally From Halftime Deficit to Win Home Opener 13-10

9/12/2026 6:19:00 PM | Football

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Angel Flores rushes for 122 yards as CMU offense comes alive and defense shuts down Colgate in the second half; Chippewas' defense gains four turnovers.

By: Andy Sneddon

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Home opener, outstanding crowd, and a surprisingly stubborn opponent.

In the end, Central Michigan had enough starch to overcome a 10-0 halftime deficit and pull out a 13-10 nonconference victory over Football Championship Subdivision Colgate on Saturday before 19,005, the largest crowd for a CMU home opener since 2015, on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

"I am so happy and proud of our kids for battling and battling in all three phases, and I am so, so thankful for our fans," second-year CMU coach Matt Drinkall said. "We had an incredible crowd today and it made a huge difference, especially in the second half when we started playing better in all three phases.

"Mount Pleasant, Michigan helped us win that game today, and that was awesome by our fans. So I can't thank them enough."

The Chippewas improved to 1-1, bouncing back from a 38-7 season-opening loss at New Mexico. The Raiders are 2-1. CMU entertains Wyoming in a nonleaguer on Saturday, Sept. 19.

The Chippewas got a 50-yard touchdown run from quarterback Angel Flores with under a minute remaining in the third quarter and then Vaughn Blue wrestled his way into the end zone on a 6-yard run with 7:29 for the go-ahead touchdown.

The Chippewa defense pitched a second-half shutout and twice intercepted Colgate quarterback Jake Stearney in the final 3:04.

CMU swung momentum in its favor when it went 87 yards in 10 plays with Flores covering the final 50 with his TD run. The senior, who posted his second career 100-yard rushing game, broke through the left side of the line, slipped a tackle at the 40, and raced to the end zone to pull the Chippewas within 10-6 with 24 seconds remaining in the third quarter.

The Chippewas took the lead on their next possession, a nine-play, 65-yard drive. The key play – and arguably the play of the game – came when they faced a fourth-and-9 at the Colgate 47. Flores found sophomore Justin Ruffin over the middle for an 18-yard gain and a first down at the Colgate 29.

Flores, facing pressure, fired a dart to Ruffin, who stretched all of his 5-foot-9 frame to haul it in at the Colgate 40. Ruffin tacked on another 11 yards with his legs.

"We knew they were sending pressure, and (in doing that) there's no more linebackers in that area," Flores said. "Justin is extremely smart. He knew that, and we saw that, and he broke in and made a great catch."

Three plays later, Blue sliced his way into the end zone from 6 yards out with a defender wrapped around his waist to put the Chippewas ahead for good.

The Chippewa defense then made the plays the rest of the way. Safety Darrell Bryant, Jr. made an interception at the Chippewa 24-yard line to end the Raiders' next drive with 3:04 to play, and then Mayson Hitchens picked off a pass at the CMU 26 with 13 seconds remaining to seal it.