Bryan Anderson hoped to get involved on special teams and see some playing time behind standout wide receiver Damien Linson when he first came to CMU.

Before his first career game — when CMU hosted Boston College in 2006 — he was moved to slot receiver to complete the receiving core. There, he started a streak that, in Friday’s 45-31 Senior Day win against Northern Illinois, became an NCAA record.

In the first quarter, the senior wide receiver caught a pass in his 52nd consecutive game, passing Texas Tech wide receiver Taurean Herderson and Miami (Ohio) wide receiver Michael Larkin for the all-time record. He has caught a pass in every collegiate game he has played in, missing only last year’s game against Buffalo due to injury.

“What Dan LeFevour has meant to the quarterback position at CMU to the offense is what Bryan Anderson has meant to our wide receiver position,” said coach Butch Jones.

While Anderson has done his best to keep the record out of his mind this season, he said his parents were a different story.

“It’s been on my parents’ mind quite a bit,” he said with a laugh. “They always (say), ‘Make sure they throw you the ball in the first quarter.’”

Anderson finished the game with three catches for 35 yards and a touchdown. He has 50 catches for 646 receiving yards and five touchdowns this season.

Leaving Kelly/Shorts

Friday’s game was the last at Kelly/Shorts Stadium for Anderson, finishing his home career with 82 catches for 940 yards and six touchdowns.

“I’ve had some great times out here,” Anderson said.

Anderson has 276 career receptions, second all-time at CMU and third-most in Mid-American Conference history. He also is first in CMU history with 3,510 receiving yards. He sits behind his current teammate, junior wide receiver Antonio Brown, for most receptions in CMU history (284).

“You know where he’s going to be when you throw the ball, and he knows where I’m going to throw it,” said LeFevour, who has started all four years alongside Anderson.

Coming into his senior season, all three of Anderson’s previous seasons ranked in the top 10 all-time at CMU in catches and yardage. He also holds the single-season record with 10 touchdown catches, accomplished in 2007.

Anderson was a first-team All-MAC selection his freshman and junior seasons and a second-team All-MAC selection his sophomore season. During his freshman year, Anderson was voted first-team freshman All-America by the Sporting News.

Anderson can extend his NCAA record in CMU’s 8 p.m. Friday game against Ohio in the Mid-American Conference Championship at Ford Field in Detroit.

Anderson has combined for 11 catches and 104 receiving yards in his two appearances in MAC Championship games. He had six catches for 70 yards when CMU defeated Ohio
31-10 in the 2007 title game.

Another weapon

Anderson has not been the only receiver making noise this year.

Junior Kito Poblah has quietly joined Anderson and Brown to form a three-pronged receiving attack this season. The three receivers have combined for 185 catches and 2,187 receiving yards and 18 receiving touchdowns this season.

“We have a lot of depth and that’s what gives defenses problems,” Anderson said. “We’re not right-handed or left-handed. We don’t have to move guys around to get certain players the ball all the time because that’s what we have. We have weapons at all of our wideout positions.”

E-mail the author: Tim Ottusch