COLUMN: Call me a fool
I ran my cocky mouth last week, predicting the rest of CMU’s football season after previously picking every game correctly. Just like athletes need to be held accountable for their poor performance, I, too, should be held accountable.
But at least I have a good attitude about it.
CMU was not supposed to compete with Ohio, win a dogfight on the road, upset the homecoming crowd and beat the Mid-American Conference East Division favorite.
But it did, and CMU did it without its arguably best player, wide receiver Titus Davis.
With Davis out, CMU turned to sophomore running back Saylor Lavallii, who had another career game with 184 yards rushing. Besides Lavallii, youth was at the forefront of victory.
Redshirt freshmen played big roles in the final minutes. CMU wouldn’t have been in position to win without Joe Bacci, who recovered the muffed punt. Cooper Rush then fired a pass into the end zone with 22 seconds left to junior Courtney Williams for the win.
All game, the general thought was that as soon as Ohio could score a touchdown, the floodgates would open.
Ohio didn’t score its first touchdown until the third quarter. Credit CMU’s coaching staff for locking the high-powered Bobcat offense up for much of the game.
So, what does this victory even mean?
The team could be getting an invitation to a bowl game for the second-straight year.
The Chippewas needed to upset Ohio, Northern Illinois or Ball State during this three-game stretch to have a shot. They got the upset out of the way on their first try.
Their last three games are played against the weakest teams in the MAC, and CMU should be the favorite in each game.
The biggest winner from this game?
Head coach Dan Enos.
Just when you think he is down and out, he pulls out a signature victory.
A lot of fans grumble about Enos. If CMU can win its last three games, then it could be going to back-to-back bowl games.
That’s something to build on.
Football programs such as Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, Missouri, Tennessee, Arkansas and Utah can’t say the same thing.
We shouldn’t be surprised with the signature Enos upset. He has one every year.
Two years ago, the Chippewas upset Northern Illinois, last year they shocked Iowa, and a big win against Western Michigan came in his first season.
He has two more chances this year to add on to that list.
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