By: Andy Sneddon
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MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Central Michigan football team continues Mid-American Conference play on Saturday when it goes to Buffalo.
The Chippewas are coming off a big 26-23 home win over Eastern Michigan in their league opener. It was CMU’s second straight win and as it improved to 3-2. Buffalo is 1-4, 1-0 after topping Akron, 13-10, in overtime last week in its MAC opener.
“The team we play this week doesn’t have a losing record in conference,” CMU coach Jim McElwain said. “We’re both the same. We’re 1-0 and we’re battling for a spot. That’s really the importance. We’ve talked about the preseason and then you’ve got the regular season and now we’re in the regular season. Everything counts.”
The Chippewas are a win away from equaling their 2022 victory total and appear to be in the midst of a turnaround.
A sign that the program is on the upswing is that they are finding ways to win close games. They defeated a good New Hampshire team on field goal as time ran out and then scored the game-winning touchdown with 13 seconds remaining to top South Alabama.
“Part of it is just the energy and the way they get along in that locker room,” McElwain said of his players. “You’ve got guys who, no matter what their role is, they’re going to go out and play that play to the best of their ability and they’re doing it for the team.
“I see a lot of unselfish acts with this team and that’s what keeps them close. When you need a play guys are willing to step up and make it.”
Cornerback Donte Kent made several key plays in the final three minutes to preserve the Chippewas’ lead last week over Eastern Michigan. He broke up a third-down pass attempt to force the Eagles into a potential game-tying field goal try with under a minute remaining.
The junior, who was a First Team All-MAC selection a year ago and a Freshman All-American in 2021, said the entire program has turned a corner in putting last season’s 4-8 record behind it.
“There definitely is a difference and I think it’s the way we practice, I think it’s the way our scout team practices, and I think it’s the mentality that this whole team has,” he said. “Even though we might make mistakes here and there, we’ve got guys playing at 100 percent, giving full maximum effort.”
On paper, it would appear that the Chippewas could use last week’s win over Eastern as a springboard to get on a role. Beginning with Buffalo, none of CMU’s next five opponents – all MAC foes — has a winning record.
“We’re going into this game with a lot of confidence, but we’re not cocky with It,” Kent said. “We’re not overlooking our opponent. We treat every opponent with the same amount of respect and we just go and do what we have to do and handle business.”
• A win over Buffalo would give the Chippewas their first three-game win streak since they won five straight to close the 2021 season, which was capped by a Sun Bowl victory over Washington State.
• A win would also give CMU its first 2-0 start in MAC play since the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Before 2020, the Chippewas’ last 2-0 start in the league game in 2009.
2023-10-06 12:29:05
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