Orange Crush


Chippewas drop to 2-1 on season after blowout loss to Syracuse


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Meagan Dullack | Photo Editor Junior running back Saylor Lavallii dives as he is pulled down by the Syracuse defense Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

On a highly anticipated and brisk autumn afternoon at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, the Central Michigan University football team was force-fed a dose of bitter reality by the best team it taken on this season.

Without senior running back and graduate transfer student Thomas Rawls, the Chippewas (2-1) were pummeled by Syracuse 40-3.

Rawls, CMU's leading rusher this year, was announced as inactive Saturday morning due to “an issue that came to (the program’s) attention Friday,” according to a statement from the team.

Following the game, Head coach Dan Enos refused to answer any questions regarding Rawls' absence.

CMU entered the game with a great deal of momentum following a 38-17 thrashing of Purdue last week and a 16-point comeback win in the Chippewas home opener the week before.

“You’ve got to move on. You can’t let one team beat you twice,” Enos said. “It’s human nature. Guys walk around campus and people tell them: ‘Wow you guys really kicked Purdue’s butts’. I told them not to take any complacency pills. We went from the penthouse to the outhouse pretty quick.”

The loss snapped a five-game CMU win streak dating back to late in the 2013 season. Senior wide receiver Titus Davis (knee) also sat out of Saturday’s loss. Enos said playing Davis was not an option for him.

"I don't make that call," Enos said. "Someone tells me if he is available to us and he wasn't. Hopefully we'll get him back soon."

The Chippewas gained only 34 yards without Rawls in the game. After CMU jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, the Orange scored 40 unanswered points to put the game away.

The Chippewas defense had no answer for SU quarterback Terrel Hunt, who carved CMU’s defense up for 175 yards passing, 92 yards rushing and four all-purpose touchdowns.

“He was a playmaker today,” CMU senior linebacker Justin Cherocci said. “We really didn’t execute well. He was able to do a lot of different things on us.”

In what was one of his poorest performances to date, sophomore quarterback Cooper Rush made key errors late in the first half and early in the second.

Rush’s first blunder came with 10 minutes until halftime and the game tied at 3. The Orange ran a Rush’s fumble back 57-yards for a touchdown.

The game started to get away from the Chippewas when Rush was backed into his own end zone and forced to throw the ball away on CMU’s opening drive of the 3rd quarter. Rush was called for intentional grounding, Syracuse led 19-3 and CMU never narrowed the gap.

“I talked to Rush (about the fumble). He’s got to learn to just take the sack sometimes,” Enos said. “He has to be better than that and he knows it. We forced him into some different situations today.”

With the lack of Davis and now twice-suspended receiver Andrew Flory, slot pass catcher Jesse Kroll was thrown to early and often, brining in five receptions for 86 yards.

“I made some big mistakes out there. That’s all I’m thinking about right now,” Kroll said. “Winning like we have been obviously feels great. But I hate this.”

For the first time this season, Rush was sacked more than twice in a game. Saturday’s loss was CMU’s worst since the 2013 season opener, which the Chippewas dropped to U-M 59-9.

Enos insisted that his running backs were ready for the challenge they ultimately failed to complete.

“We prepare every guy every week,” Enos said. “We plan like someone is going to get hurt on the first series of every game. We just got worn down.”

The Chippewas head to Lawrence, Kan. next Saturday for a matchup with the Jayhawks.

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About Dominick Mastrangelo

Dominick Mastrangelo is the Editor in Chief of Central Michigan Life. Contact him at: editor@cm-life.com 

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