REWIND: Despite loss to No. 2 Michigan State, healthy and confident Central Michigan football team ready for conference play
Before the season began, Central Michigan University football fans knew the 2015 nonconference schedule would be tough.
Few could have predicted how valiantly the Chippewas played during their first four games and how far they have pushed three teams from Power Five conferences en route to CMU's current 1-3 record.
In CMU's season opener, Oklahoma State escaped with a 24-13 victory. A week later, the Chippewas pounded FCS foe Monmouth 31-10 to claim their first win of the season.
Since the lone win, the team has outgained a pair of Power Five opponents in losses, including an overtime game at Syracuse and Saturday's 30-10 loss to Michigan State.
"It sucks,” said junior quarterback Cooper Rush after the MSU game. “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 (points) in the fourth against the No. 2 team in the country.”
Rush and the Chippewas had MSU and Syracuse on the ropes late in the game before eventually letting the teams escape. Head Coach John Bonamego said mental mistakes and unforced penalties helped MSU pull away.
“You can’t have negative plays and you can’t have penalties,” Bonamego said. “They’re drive killers and momentum killers, particularly when you’re playing a team like (Michigan State).”
The Mid-American Conference season begins this week, and the first team on CMU's league agenda is MAC powerhouse Northern Illinois.
The Huskies are 2-2 following Saturday's 17-14 loss to Boston College and were the preseason favorites to finish among the top teams in the MAC.
Led by senior quarterback Drew Hare, the Huskies lost to CMU in 2014 – their first loss in DeKalb, Illinois in 29 games.
After throwing for 286 yards and a touchdown on 26-of-39 passing against the Spartans, Rush reminded reporters on Saturday how close NIU came to beating No. 1 Ohio State before losing 20-13 on Sept. 19.
"They had Ohio State on the ropes," Rush said. "Next week is a huge one for us."
Rush has been CMU's most consistent playmaker all season. He has assumed a leadership role on a team with plenty of talent and harnessed the respect of Bonamego and his staff.
“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.”
Rush is not satisfied with his team at 1-3, as he said he views three nonconference losses all the same, no matter the opponent.
“We have to watch the film tomorrow and see where our breakdowns were and learn from them," Rush said.
CMU and NIU will kickoff at 3 p.m. Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
