No. 2 Michigan State tops upset-minded Central Michigan 30-10
Freshman running back Madre London reaches across the goal line to give Michigan State a 7-0 lead in the first quarter on Saturday, Sept. 26 at Spartan Stadium.
Central Michigan University football had its chances late, but the second-ranked Michigan State Spartans held off the upset minded Chippewas 30-10 Saturday at Spartan Stadium.
Trailing 17-10, the Chippewas offense stalled early in the fourth quarter, and MSU took advantage as running back Gerald Holmes scored back-to-back touchdowns, closing the door on CMU’s comeback hopes.
“It sucks,” said junior quarterback Cooper Rush about the loss. “We’re sitting there in the fourth quarter and we’re all just looking at each other like ‘Man, it’s right there for us.’ Not much else you could ask for, down seven in the fourth against the No. 2 team in the country.”
The Chippewas (1-3) played the 26-point favorites closer than the final score indicated, but penalties and a fumble late in the game proved to be the difference.
The Chippewas outgained the Spartans 340-324.
“You can’t have negative plays and you can’t have penalties,” said CMU Head Coach John Bonamego. “They’re drive killers and momentum killers, particularly when you’re playing a team like Michigan State.”
If the Chippewas can take away anything from Saturday’s game, it would be the play of Rush.
The three-year starter kept CMU alive as he completed 26-of-39 passes for 286 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown pass to junior receiver Anthony Rice which cut the Spartans lead to 17-7 with eight seconds to go in the first half.
“He’s the leader of our offense,” Bonamego said. “We kind of go as he goes. He’s done a tremendous job, I can’t say enough about him, and we’re happy to have him.”
CMU controlled the tempo in the first quarter as its offense was on the field for 11:41, but the Chippewas were unable to come away with any points as MSU blocked both of the Chippewas' field-goal attempts.
CMU moved into Spartan territory on its first drive of the second half, but a sack by MSU star defensive end Shilique Calhoun and an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty pushed the Chippewas back to third-and 37.
The Chippewas were forced to settle for a 42-yard field goal from sophomore kicker Brian Eavey to cut the deficit to 17-10.
Calhoun was all over the field, finishing the game with 2.5 sacks, three tackles for loss and a blocked kick. MSU as a team sacked Rush four times.
“He’s a freakish athlete,” Bonamego said about Calhoun. “We probably didn’t do a consistent enough job against him in some critical situations.”
The Spartans (4-0) gave CMU fits all afternoon on the ground, racking up 184 yards rushing and three touchdowns.
“We just have to come downhill more,” said CMU freshman linebacker Malik Fountain. “The coaches put in a great game plan, and we just have to follow through with the game plan.”
The Spartans got going early as their first offensive play of the game was a 42-yard pass from quarterback Connor Cook to receiver Macgarrett Kings Jr. into CMU’s end of the field.
MSU would punch it in five plays later when freshman running back Madre London rushed off the left side for a 6-yard score, giving the Spartans a 7-0 lead.
MSU extended its lead with a 47-yard field goal early in the second quarter, and followed up with a 5-yard touchdown pass from Cook to Josiah Price putting the Spartans up 17-0 with 5:13 left in the half. Cook finished the game 11-for-19 with 143 yards and a touchdown pass.
Even though the Chippewas have played tight games against three Power Five conference teams, Rush said the team wouldn’t take any morale victories into the Mid-American Conference opener next week against Northern Illinois at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
“We have to watch the film tomorrow and see where our breakdowns were and learn from them” he said. “We know we have to tighten up because NIU had Ohio State on the ropes last week.”
