Football team to end regular season Friday at UMass

Last Saturday, the football team won-back-to-back game for the first time under head coach Dan Enos.

Friday, Central Michigan will look to obtain another first under Enos: finishing .500 and being bowl eligible.

In order to do so, CMU will have to beat a 1-10 Massachusetts team at 3 p.m. at Gillette Stadium.

“(The team) understands where we’re at,” Enos said. “We’ve talked about it, how important it is.  There are no guarantees after this game.”

Even with a win, the Chippewas might have a slim chance at making a bowl game.

The combined record of the five teams they defeated this season is 14-42.

UMass is last in the Mid-American Conference in offense and defense, but Enos said the team has improved from the beginning of the year.

“I think you see them get better every week,” he said. “I think they are playing with more and more confidence every week and they are playing a lot of young players that are continuing to get better.”

After beating Akron Nov. 10, the Minutemen lost to Buffalo 29-19 last week, but were leading until the 12:45 mark in the fourth quarter.

“They play hard,” senior quarterback Ryan Radcliff said.  “That’s one thing that’s evident watching the film. But, like I say every week, they’re going to do what they’re going to do, but it comes back to us having to execute what we have to execute, and controlling what we can control.”

Redshirt freshman quarterback Mike Wegzyn has thrown for 1,825 yards this season and is second on the team in rushing.

Despite Radcliff throwing for just 202 yards last week, the Chippewas were still able to beat Miami 30-16 last Saturday.

The defense created two turnovers, and junior running back Zurlon Tipton rushed for over 100 yards for the fifth-straight game.

“I think we had a lot of different people step up,” Enos said. “Our quarterback didn’t play his best game but we won and I think that’s a real positive sign.”

Game Notes:

Saturday will be the first time CMU faces UMass in program history.

Sophomore receiver Titus Davis needs 11 receiving yards to break into the top-10 in the CMU single-season receiving chart.