Brian Manzullo

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – Junior wide receiver Bryan Anderson thought that a win like Saturday’s might never happen again.

It was 16 years since the last time the CMU football team beat a Big Ten school. The last game – a 32-25 loss at Purdue on Sept. 20 – was a win that slipped away within seconds.

And on Saturday, it seemed the Chippewas had no answer for Indiana’s vaunted rushing attack. They tied the game four times in the first three quarters, only to watch the Hoosiers take back the lead within minutes.

But in the fourth quarter – behind kicker Andrew Aguila and quarterback Brian Brunner’s power running, of all things – Central finally got it done.

After the two combined for the game-winning nine points and junior cornerback Josh Gordy deflected IU quarterback Ben Chappell’s final fourth-down pass with less than three minutes remaining, Central ran out the clock and secured a 37-34 win in front of 26,104 at Memorial Stadium.

“Every time, we’d come real close, but no cigar,” Anderson said. “It got sickening after awhile. This one was our second chance this year to beat a Big Ten opponent and we didn’t want to let that slip.”

Since upsetting Michigan State 24-20 on Sept. 12, 1992, under coach Herb Deromedi, CMU (7-2 overall, 5-0 Mid-American Conference) had lost 17 consecutive games against Big Ten opponents.

The team also won its first game against a Bowl Championship Series opponent since its inception in 1998. It was winless in 22 tries prior to Saturday.

CMU snapped both streaks with its career record-setting quarterback, junior Dan LeFevour, on the sideline nursing a left ankle injury. It was Brunner’s turn to set a record of his own.

Although it was his 1-yard sneak with 8:52 remaining that decided the game, Brunner completed 35-of-53 passes for 485 yards and four touchdowns to keep Central in the game.

He helped offset a CMU running game that managed just 37 yards on 31 attempts and fended off seven sacks by IU defenders.

“It was as good of a quarterback performance as I’ve seen in a long time,” said coach Butch Jones. “He had some adversity – we weren’t able to run the football. We became one-dimensional.

“All of a sudden, (Indiana) started bringing pressure and he just kept persevering and made the plays when he had to and made some big throws.”

After a fumble on its opening drive, Indiana (3-6 overall, 1-4 Big Ten) used two first-quarter touchdown runs (22 and 77 yards, respectively) from running back Marcus Thigpen to set the tone for its 272-yard rushing performance.

But once IU took a 34-28 lead late in the third quarter on running back Demetrius McCray’s 3-yard run, the Chippewas found a way to take the lead.

Aguila booted a season-long 48-yard field goal on the following drive to cut the deficit to 34-31 with 13:08 remaining in the game. After junior defensive back Kirkston Edwards intercepted Chappell the following series, CMU scored again, this time on Brunner’s 1-yard run up the middle with 8:52 remaining.

When it became time for the offense to run the clock out, it did. Needing one first down to seal the win, senior running back Ontario Sneed delivered with 18 yards on three carries after managing zero yards on three carries all game.

“It’s amazing when, coming into halftime, we’re tied up, I look at the team and said, ‘Been there, done that.’” Jones said. “Then the last drive, to run the clock out, we’ve been there, done that.

“Our kids expected it. We had some big plays to be able to run the clock out. Everyone in our football program had a great hand in this victory today.”

Despite the monumental win, the team’s season is far from over.

Its next two opponents, Northern Illinois (5-3, 4-1 MAC) and No. 16 ranked Ball State (8-0, 4-0 MAC) stand in CMU’s path for a third consecutive conference title.

To Jones, Saturday’s win was important simply because it was the next game on the schedule.

“It’s win No. 7,” he said. “Is it any bigger than any other win? They’re all big. Winning is very sacred, the margin of winning comes by inches.”

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