A brief history of Central Michigan football on homecoming

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Cody Scanlan | Staff Photographer
Junior running back Jonathan Ward leaves the field after an equipment violation against Buffalo on Oct. 6 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

From its first homecoming game in 1924 against Alma, Central Michigan has won 58 times, lost 32 times and had one tie, a 0-0 draw against Albion in 1925. 

There were also three games, from 1943-45, where no contests were played due to World War II. 

CMU also won 18 straight games on homecoming starting in 1966 with a 20-6 win over Illinois State. The streak stretched all the way to 1982, a 42-18 win over Ohio. 

Through the years, Eastern Michigan has been the team the Chippewas have hosted the most on homecoming at 15 times, the first a 41-0 loss in 1926. The teams have not met on homecoming since 2011, a 35-28 Eagle victory. CMU has defeated EMU nine times when denoted as the homecoming game. 

As homecoming approaches, here is a closer look at the last decade of homecoming football games for Central Michigan. 

Oct. 10, 2009 - CMU 56, EMU 8

CMU had arguably one of its best seasons in 2009 with its 12-2 record, undefeated league mark, Mid-American Conference championship and No. 23 ranking in the AP poll. 

Quarterback Dan LeFevour led the team to a MAC championship game win over Ohio and a GMAC Bowl victory over Troy and finished 12-2 overall and 8-0 in MAC play. 

The Chippewas welcomed the winless Eagles to Kelly/Shorts Stadium for homecoming and LeFevour left his mark on his final homecoming game. 

LeFevour opened the scoring with a 70-yard strike to Antonio Brown. Brown later scored another touchdown on a 75-yard punt return in the second quarter. 

On the other hand, LeFevour had three rushing touchdowns and two other passing scores. 

He finished 16 of 22 for 318 yards and three touchdowns. LeFevour also had 44 yards rushing and the three touchdowns. 

Junior quarterback Ryan Radcliff hands the ball off to sophomore running back Tim Phillips during Saturday's game against Michigan State at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Radcliff threw for 87 yards including one touchdown and two interceptions during the Spartans 45-7 win over the Chippewas. (Andrew Kuhn/Staff Photographer)

Oct. 16, 2010 - Miami (Ohio) 27, CMU 20

Ryan Radcliff took over under center after LeFevour graduated and struggled in the homecoming game against the RedHawks. 

He was 29 of 52 for 329 yards but threw three interceptions. However, CMU was in it until the end. 

While they never led, the Chippewas kept close to the visitors as they only trailed by as many as 10 points. 

Kicker David Harman kicked two field goals in the fourth quarter to tie the score at 20 apiece with just over four minutes to play. 

Looking for the win with 19 seconds to play, Zac Dysert found Andrew Cruse behind the Chippewa secondary and ran untouched for the 71-yard winning touchdown. 

Miami would go on to win the MAC championship game over Northern Illinois and the GoDaddy Bowl over Middle Tennessee State.  

The loss to the RedHawks spear-headed a four-game losing streak on homecoming for CMU. 

Erica Kearns/Staff Photographer Junior kicker David Harman sets up to kick a field goal during Saturday's game against Ball State University at Scheumann Stadium in Muncie, IN.

Oct. 15, 2011 - EMU 35, CMU 28

Harman hit a 28-yard field goal to open the scoring, and that was the only time the Chippewas would lead, but the team kept it close throughout the game. 

The Chippewas scored 15 straight points in the fourth quarter capped with a passing touchdown from Radcliff to Jerry Harris. Radcliff found Titus Davis for the two-point conversion to tie the game just over a minute to play. 

But EMU drove down the field in three plays and 64 yards. Alex Gillett found space and ran for a game-winning, 30-yard touchdown with 37 seconds to play. 

Greg Cornwell | Staff Photographer Senior tight end Ben McCord slips through the fingers of the Oklahoma State University defense at Kelly/Shorts Stadium Sept 3. The Chippewas fell to the Cowboys, 24-13.

Oct. 20, 2012 - Ball State 41, CMU 30

Ben McCord caught a 22-yard pass from Radcliff that tied the score at 7-7 in the second quarter. 

However, the Cardinals pulled ahead and cruised to a victory and spoil the Chippewas' homecoming celebrations. 

Quarterback Keith Wenning was 23 of 30 for 231 yards and three touchdowns against one interception. 

For CMU, Radcliff was 23 of 38 for 339 yards and a similar three scores against one interception. 

Gregory Cornwell | Staff Photographer Redshirt freshman quarterback Cooper Rush looks downfield for junior wide-receiver Titus Davis against NIU Saturday afternoon at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The Chippewas lost 38-17 against an undefeated NIU team.

Oct. 19, 2013 - NIU 38, CMU 17

In the last of three straight losses on homecoming, Cooper Rush made his debut against the No. 23-ranked team in the country as the Huskies came to town. 

Rush was 16 of 32 for 271 yards and two touchdowns with an interception. 

NIU's star quarterback Jordan Lynch was 20 of 30 for just 155 yards with a touchdown and an interception. 

However, Lynch's running game was dominant for the undefeated Huskies. He led the team with 316 yards on the ground and scored three touchdowns. Running back Cameron Stingily ran for 70 yards and punched in a touchdown, as well. 

The visitors were able to amass 437 yards rushing compared to the Chippewas' 75 yards on the ground. 

Greg Cornwell | Staff Photographer Senior running back Thomas Rawls dashes towards the end zone Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The Chippewas defeated Ohio, 28-10.

Oct. 4, 2014 - CMU 28, Ohio 10

On a cold, windy and cloudy day in Mount Pleasant, the Chippewas hosted the Bobcats and started the scoring quickly. 

Rush hit Davis twice in the first quarter — from 4 yards and again from 32 – to bring the Chippewa lead to 14 through the first frame. 

CMU had a balanced attack on the offensive side of the ball with 467 yards in total. Running back Thomas Rawls had 229 yards rushing to lead the team to 234 total yards on the ground. 

In the passing game, Rush was 17 of 27 for 233 yards and allowed the Chippewas to cruise to a victory on homecoming — their first in four years. 

Senior wide receiver Jesse Kroll runs down th efield with the ball during the game against Presbyterian on Sept. 1 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Oct. 3, 2015 - CMU 29, NIU 19

For the second time in three years, the Chippewas hosted NIU for their homecoming game on a cold, windy and rainy day at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. 

CMU kicked a field goal in the first quarter whereas the Huskies scored 10 points. Neither team scored in the second quarter. 

Then, CMU registered itself four times on the scoreboard in the third.

Jesse Kroll was on the receiving end from Rush to bring the score even at 10. Kicker Brian Eavey punched through a 28-yard field goal. Kroll hauled in another pass from Rush — a 23-yarder — then Jahray Hayes scored on the ground from 4 yards out. 

The Chippewas scored 23 points in the third frame while NIU only scored three and the offensive burst, fueled by turnovers, put the hosts ahead for good. 

Former coach John Bonamego was able to win his first homecoming game as the head man for his alma mater. 

Rich Drummond | Assistant Photo Editor

Oct. 8, 2016 - CMU 24, Ball State 21

The air was chilly, 52 degrees, windy but sunny in Mount Pleasant for homecoming. The Chippewas took care of business against Ball State. 

Cornerback Josh Cox intercepted Ball State's Riley Neal and returned it for a touchdown from 33 yards out. 

The turnover, the second interception of Neal's, put the Chippewas ahead by 10 in the beginning stages of the fourth quarter, 24-14. 

Cardinal running back James Gilbert capped off a six play, 75-yard drive just two minutes later to cut the CMU lead to three points.

Neither team would score again and the Chippewas won their third straight homecoming game but have not won since. 

Senior quarterback Shane Morris smiles while talking to his teammates during the football game against the University of Rhode Island on Aug. 31 in Kelly / Shorts Stadium.

Oct. 14, 2017 - Toledo 30, CMU 10

Rain fell sideways on another cold and windy day at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. 

Toledo came into Mount Pleasant and extended its win streak over CMU to eight straight. 

Running back Terry Swanson scored two rushing touchdowns in the first half — from 48 and 22 yards — and Jameson Vest added a field goal in the second quarter to give the Rockets a 17-0 lead at halftime. 

Toledo picked up two rushing touchdowns in the fourth quarter — a 5-yard score from Logan Woodside and an 8-yarder from Shakif Seymour. 

CMU quarterback Shane Morris found Tyler Conklin for a 26-yard passing score with just over a minute to play. 

Toledo outgained CMU in the rushing game, 322-69, led by Swanson's 145 yards and two touchdowns. 

Junior quarterback Tommy Lazzaro runs the ball up the field on Oct. 6 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. 

Oct. 6, 2018 - Buffalo 34, CMU 24

Another cloudy day turned to rain, the eventual MAC East Division champs, Buffalo, came to town with the hopes to spoil homecoming for a 1-4 Chippewa squad. 

The Bulls succeeded. 

Kicker Ryan Tice booted a 40-yard field goal to put his team in front before Buffalo scored 17 straight points with a 6-yard passing score and 5-yard rushing score from Tyree Jackson and a field goal from Adam Mitcheson. 

CMU cut the lead down to seven points on two occasions in the third quarter with a 10-yard run from running back Romello Ross and a 23-yard pass from quarterback Tommy Lazzaro to JaCorey Sullivan. 

After the Ross score, Kevin Marks put Buffalo back ahead by 14 with a 70-yard run on the first ensuing play from scrimmage. 

In the fourth quarter, the Bulls scored 10 more points before Tony Poljan found Julian Hicks for 9 yards with just over a minute to play in the game. It was not enough.

Oct. 12, 2019 - CMU vs. New Mexico State

Central Michigan and New Mexico State have never met, in fact, the Aggies have never played a game in Michigan. 

However, New Mexico State has played a team from Michigan — 1962 against Detroit in Las Cruces, New Mexico. 

As for the 2019 Aggie squad, they currently rank 130 in The Athletic 130 as they are 0-6 with losses to Washington State, Alabama, San Diego State, New Mexico, Fresno State and Liberty. 

Quarterback Josh Adkins is 149 of 236 passing for 1475 yards with six touchdowns against 11 interceptions. 

The Chippewas and Aggies are set to square off at 3 p.m. on Oct. 12 in Kelly/Shorts Stadium. CMU is currently a 11.5-point favorite. 

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