Chippewas back home after three-game road trip

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It’s been 29 days and three losses since the Central Michigan football team has played at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

After beating South Carolina State in the opener, CMU has lost on the road to Kentucky, Western Michigan and Michigan State. The Chippewas are returning to Mount Pleasant at 3:30 p.m. Saturday to play Northern Illinois (2-2).

“It’s a great feeling, we haven’t been home for about a month now.” said CMU defensive back Jahleel Addae. “We get to go home to the town that loves us and we get to show them what type of team we’re really capable of on the field Saturday.”

NIU won the meeting between the two teams last year 33-7 at Northern Illinois, but the Huskies haven’t had success in Mount Pleasant.

“We’re excited to play this week,” said NIU coach Dave Doeren said. “There isn’t a player on our roster that has won at CMU so they know the challenge.”

The last time the Huskies won at Kelly/Shorts Stadium was in 2005 by three points. The last year NIU won the Mid-American Conference West with an 8-0 record.

“The players want to be great here,” Doeren said. “They had a taste of it last year and they want to get it back.”

Meanwhile, the Chippewas are just happy to be back home.

“The atmosphere we have here is great, we’re just excited to be home,” said CMU quarterback Ryan Radcliff.

Head coach Dan Enos is looking forward it, but he knows the crowd won’t be on the field for the maroon and gold.

“Excited to play at home, but at end of day when ball’s kicked off, there’s two teams playing and you have to make plays,” Enos said. “We’ll get a lot energy from being at home. I know that.”