"There is something special about playing in Kelly/Shorts up here in the fall," head coach Matt Drinkall said. "When you see everyone out here and you hear the music and the tribe and the band is killing it, when everyone is tailgating and you can smell it and the weather is perfect, it's like good old fashioned college football. There is just something special about it."

The sights and sounds of college football game day grow closer to Mount Pleasant as the team in maroon and gold prepares to distance itself from last week's result in favor of its home opener where the Chippewas will face Colgate.

CMU was stumped in its last game, losing 38-7 on the road against New Mexico, but with another week of preparation under its belt, Drinkall is willing to take the blame in order to look forward for the rest of the season

"It was evident to me that I completely failed as the head coach to prepare our team for the environment and the intensity," Drinkall said. "I asked the leadership council when we got back, they needed to give me two things as a head coach that I needed to do better... a lot of these guys are very comfortable and they want to be coached harder."

Meet the opponent

Colgate hails from the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and enters the game 2-0 on the season with wins over Fordham and Holy Cross.

Colgate has started the season hot on defense, forcing three interceptions against Holy Cross last week while holding the Crusaders to 66 yards rushing on 35 attempts.

"On the defensive side, 16 of their guys are juniors or seniors on the two-deep," Drinkall said. "There are only six players on their entire defense two-deep that are not veteran, end of their career guys."

The Colgate rushing attack has been efficient, spearheaded by junior running back Danny Shaban who rushed for 214 yards and two touchdowns on 28 attempts in the Raiders week one contest against Fordham.

"They are awesome at the offensive line, their running back [Shaban] will be one of the best football players we play this entire season, period, end of discussion" Drinkall said. "He is a tremendous football player."

The Crusaders have shown that their passing attack is formidable as well, however turnovers have been an issue so far into the season with senior quarterback Jake Stearney having already thrown three interceptions through two weeks.

"They are just really well coached," Drinkall said. "They are 2-0, they expect to win, their coaches treat their kids right and do everything the right way."

"The reality is, we've got Central Michigan uniforms on and they've got Colgate uniforms on but most of us were all playing somewhere else last year, so that doesn't mean a whole lot anymore."

Keys to victory

Perhaps the biggest key to victory for the Chippewas is forgetting about last week.

"Everybody is so frustrated about last week because regardless of the win or loss column we've got to play better, people deserve to see better football than we played," Drinkall said. "And we're going to."

Establishing an offensive identity is also of importance this week as Central Michigan struggled to get any facet of its offense clicking last week.

All eyes will be on quarterback Angel Flores as he looks to bounce back after passing for 14 yards and an interception against New Mexico just a week ago.

"Playing at home in front of our fans, that is going to be the juice we need to get us right," Drinkall said. "It is going to be awesome."

However, CMU will be without one of its captains for the first half of the game due to coaches' decision after Jaion Jackson was ejected last week following two unsportsmanlike conduct calls.

"I love Jaion, he is my guy I will defend him to the teeth, I know who he is and what he is about and anyone that thinks he is a bad kid and a bad person, I will fight that person," Drinkall said. "What I do have a problem with is that my most loved and revered and respected player who is a team captain was ejected on national television. We cannot have that and we will not have that, that's not who we are and what we are about."

"He will not serve as team captain this week and he is actually going to sit the first half of the Colgate game."

With one of the few veterans on the defensive side of the ball out for half of the game, the defense will have to lean on its unity to control a Raider offense that has not struggled to move the ball downfield this season.

"I can tell you this, what Jaion Jackson is going to do, he will have the best week of preparation of anyone on the entire roster this week, I can guarantee you that," Drinkall said. "He will be the best coach and the most energetic player on the sideline for the entire first half and I'll bet you when he gets in in that second half and we check his GPS numbers, we will think he played an entire game."

If CMU is able to disrupt Colgate's offense without one of its star performers on defense for the first half and distance itself from last week's result, the Chippewas should have everything in place to come out victorious on Saturday.

Central Michigan (0-1) vs. Colgate (2-0)

Time: 1 p.m. ET

Date: Saturday, Sept. 12

Stadium: Kelly/Shorts Stadium

Location: Mount Pleasant, Michigan

TV: ESPN+