Kelly/Shorts Stadium
With three games in the book, Central Michigan is still in search of its first 2018 win. The Chippewas took an early foray into conference play last week, but preseason MAC West favorite Northern Illinois held off CMU for a 24-16 victory in DeKalb.
The Chippewas are back home this week, facing an FCS program that owns three victories over FBS programs. However, the latest such win came just two weeks ago as Maine’s Black Bears rallied for a 31-28 road win at Western Kentucky. Were the Bears to beat Central Michigan Saturday, they would become just the ninth FCS team since 1978 to defeat two FBS opponents in the same season.
MAINE BLACK BEARS (2-0)
➤➤ After defeating Western Kentucky Sept. 8, the Bears had last week off.
➤➤ Hosting WKU jumped out to a 21-0 start sophomore quarterback Chris Ferguson rallied the Bears. Maine tallied 14 unanswered points in both the second and third quarter to take the lead. Kenny Doak added a 37-yard field goal that proved to be the difference. Western Kentucky answered with a 75-yard TD play on the next play from scrimmage, but it was unable to get any more points. A 48-yard try in the final minute of play was blocked.
➤➤ Ferguson connected on just 11 of 28 passes (39%), but the 185 yards through the air included three touchdowns. He also tossed one interception.
➤➤ Maine totaled 142 yards of rushing against WKU. Joe Fitzpatrick and Ramon Jefferson led the way with a combined 33 carries for 142 yards.
➤➤ UM tied the contest at 21-all when DeShawn Stevens returned a fumble 50 yards for a third quarter TD.
➤➤ Senior linebacker Sterling Sheffield led all tacklers with 12 stops (1.5 sacks) against WKU.
➤➤ Maine is a member of the Colonial Athletic Association.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN CHIPPEWAS (0-3, 0-1 MAC)
➤➤ CMU opened the season with losses to Kentucky (35-20) and Kansas (31-7). Those teams are a combined 5-1 heading into Saturday’s action.
➤➤ Central Michigan ranks 10th among MAC teams in scoring (14.3 ppg) and is eighth in scoring defense (30.0 ppg).
➤➤ The Chippewas are last (MAC) in turnover margin (minus-3). Most of Central’s takeaways came against Kentucky in Week One when it picked off two passes and recovered two fumbles.
➤➤ Redshirt safety Devonni Reed ranks fifth in the MAC and 27th nationally in total tackles. He registered 14 tackles and returned a fumble 20 yards for a TD against Kentucky in his first career game.
➤➤ CMU is 11th in third down conversions (30.4%)
➤➤ Junior Tommy Lazzaro will get the start at quarterback this week. He has completed 13 of 22 for 128 yards with one TD and 1 pick so far.
➤➤ Junior RB Jonathan Ward carried 16 times for 74 yards and chipped in three catches for another 23 yards against Northern Illinois. He leads the Chippewas ground game in carries (37) and rushing yards (139).
➤➤ Central Michigan has two rushing touchdowns and two receiving scores.
➤➤ Cameron Cole leads Chippewas receivers with nine catches for 110 yards. Jamil Sabbagh and Julian Hicks own one touchdown each.
➤➤ After facing Main, CMU finishes its non-conference schedule one week later against #24 Michigan State.
➤➤ Central head coach John Bonamego was an assistant coach at Maine from 1988-1991.
➤➤ Malik Fountain leads the MAC in tackles per game (11.7). Freshman Kobe Lewis tops the loop in kick return average (24.8 yards).
➤➤ Central Michigan hs won 10 straight games against FCS opponents, although it took the Chippewas three overtimes to edge Rhode Island 30-27 last year.
➤➤ Central is 24-5 since 2011 when it rushes for at least 150 yards as a team. However, it is 1-0 this season with that formula.