Western Kentucky 49, Central Michigan 48: Chippewas go for two-point conversion, lose Bahamas Bowl
In front of a national audience, the Central Michigan University football team lost to Western Kentucky University and its star quarterback on Christmas Eve in heartbreaking fashion.
The Chippewas scored a touchdown on the last play of regulation, when Titus Davis caught his fourth touchdown pass of the game on a CMU Hail Mary try.
With the Chippewas down 49-48, Head Coach Dan Enos elected to go for two and attempt to win the game. But Quarterback Cooper Rush's pass intended for Jesse Kroll went incomplete and WKU held on for an incredible 49-48 victory in the inaugural Bahamas Bowl on Wednesday, Dec. 24.
Here is a quarter-by-quarter breakdown of how the Chippewas were defeated:
First quarter:
WKU grabbed the lead on its first drive when quarterback Brandon Doughty connected with receiver Jared Dangerfield from 15 yards out. The Hilltoppers went 66 yards on 10 plays and took a 7-0 lead.
The Chippewas responded with two huge passing plays to senior wide receiver Titus Davis. A 22-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Cooper Rush to Davis tied the game at seven.
Doughty responded with another touchdown pass and WKU took the lead back 14-7. Rush was picked off in the endzone on the ensuing CMU drive. Doughty and the WKU offense took advantage of the turnover, scoring another touchdown and claiming a 21-7 lead.
Second quarter:
The Chippewas made it to the Hilltoppers' end zone, but were faced with a fourth and one near WKU's 20-yard line. Enos elected to go for the first down, but running back Saylor Lavallii was stuffed at the line of scrimmage.
The Hilltoppers turned the failed conversion into points as Doughty tossed his fourth touchdown of the first half and gave WKU a 28-7 lead midway through the second quarter.
Faced with fourth and fifteen deep in WKU territory, Enos elected to go for a first down and it paid off in a big way. Rush connected with Courtney Williams from 30 yards out to cut WKU's lead to 28-14 with 2:55 remaining until halftime.
Doughty then completed a 55-yard touchdown pass on the next WKU drive and the Hilltoppers took the commanding lead back.
After CMU's final drive of the first half stalled, Doughty and the WKU offense refused to that their foot off the accelerator. The Hilltoppers ran for another touchdown during the final minute of the first half.
Third quarter:
The Chippewas were forced to punt on their first two drives of the second half.
WKU needed just one play to score it's first touchdown of the second half, which put the Hilltoppers up 49-14 midway through the third period. WKU took more than six minutes off the clock with their last drive of the third quarter, but missed a field goal at the end of that red zone trip.
Fourth quarter:
In his last game as a Chippewa, senior wide receiver Titus Davis tied the CMU single-season record for most touchdown passes caught in a season. Davis' 11th touchdown of the year cut WKU's lead to 49-21 early in the final quarter of the game.
Davis caught another score, high third, on CMU's next drive.
Rush found Courtney Williams for his fifth touchdown pass with three minutes left in the game and CMU cut WKU's lead to 49-34. Rush made it a one-score game when he found Anthony Garland for a touchdown.
CMU trailed 49-42 with 1:08 left in the game. The Chippewas received the ball with one second remaining when Rush threw the Hail Mary score.
For more from Wednesday's Bahamas Bowl loss, check back with Central Michigan Life later today.
