CMU looks to salvage season Saturday against NIU

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Salvaging a season requires more than just one win.

But a road win inside the division can mean a lot going forward for the rest of the season.

For the first time in four years, the Central Michigan football team finds itself in a hole that will be tough to dig out of.

At 4 p.m. on Saturday in DeKalb, Ill., the Chippewas look to start the climb when they face the first place Northern Illinois Huskies.

“It is a must win. Everyone wants to go to a bowl game and we have to start with this game,” said senior linebacker Nick Bellore. “We have been preparing and have the right game plan, but we have not been executing. The biggest thing we have been saying is we have to stop talking about it and do it. At the end of the day, we just have to make plays.”

All season the offense has been there. It has put up solid numbers statistically, but the points and wins are not there to show for it.

Despite making a lot of mistakes, sophomore quarterback Ryan Radcliff ranks third nationally in total passing yards (2,032) and 11th in passing yards per game (290.3).

The Huskies and Chippewas rank first and second, respectively, in the Mid-American Conference in total offense. If CMU wants to pull off a road win they will need guys to step up on defense and try to stop NIU’s potent offense.

“We have to have playmakers step up on both sides of the ball and we have not seen it enough this year,” said head coach Dan Enos. “Great players play when the game is on the line and when you need a play, (those) guys step up and get things done. We have been searching for that guy this year and we are hoping that changes this week.”

NIU (5-2, 3-0 MAC) will be looking to keep its train rolling on Saturday. After beating Temple and then Buffalo in consecutive weeks, the Huskies are now the clear-cut favorites to win the MAC.

The defense will have its hands full as senior running back Chad Spann has been a work horse for the Huskies this year, rushing for 773 yards and eight touchdowns.

Junior quarterback Chandler Harnish leads the NIU attack with 1,087 passing yards and 10 touchdowns.

The Chippewas (2-5, 1-3 MAC) have lost three games this year by a combined total of just 15 points. A win on Saturday would give CMU four consecutive wins against NIU and consecutive wins at Huskie Stadium for the first time since 1976-77.

“We are going into a hostile environment and we have got to start fast and get the rhythm of our team going,” said senior wide receiver Kito Poblah. “We are just waiting for that one game and we really believe this weekend could be that game.”

But a win on Saturday can do a lot more than just show up as a ‘W’ on the schedule. For the moment, it could salvage the season.

NOTES: With starting right guard Darren Keyton out due to injury, changes will have to be made to the offensive line. Expect sophomore Mike Repovz and Matt Kanitz to see playing time. … CMU leads the all-time series 24-20-1. The Chippewas beat NIU 33-30 on Nov. 12, 2008, in the last meeting in DeKalb.