The Chips get set to host one last non-conference game when the Aztecs come to town.
Saturday is the last hurrah for the Central Michigan Chippewas (2-2, 1-0 MAC) in the non-conference slate, as they hope to defend Kelly/Shorts Stadium once again when they take on the newly-minted PAC-12 member San Diego State Aztecs (1-2).
It’s a vital match for Central, as they sit at 2-0 at home in 2024 and have won six of the last seven contests on home turf dating back to last season. The Aztecs, who will be playing their third-straight road contest, also have reason to be motivated as they are looking to shake off two back-to-back losses to Oregon State and Cal.
It should be an intriguing difference of styles when the two teams take the field this weekend.
Game notes
- Time and date: Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024 at 3:30 p.m. Eastern time
- Location: Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mt. Pleasant, Michigan
- TV options: The game will be available on CBS Sports Network. A valid cable subscription is required for viewing. Chris Lewis (play-by-play) and Taylor McHargue (color) will provide the commentary.
- Streaming options: The game will be available for streaming via the Paramount+ App. A valid subscription is required for viewing. Other applicable cable/satellite streaming options are also available with a valid subscription.
- Radio options: For Central Michigan, Adam Jaksa (play-by-play) and Brock Gutierrez (color) will provide the CMU call for WUPS-FM 98.5.
- Gambling considerations: Central is a 2.5-point favorite on Band Day, with an over/under of 53.5, per DraftKings.
- All-time series: These two teams have played just once, with San Diego State routing Central Michigan 48-11 in the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in 2019.
Getting to know the Aztecs
Photo by Chris Williams/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Aztecs cross over to the Eastern time zone for the first time since 2015 this weekend, bringing a fast-paced tempo offense with them for an upset effort. Last week saw SDSU fall 31-10 to a Cal team which has gotten off to a hot start in their first year as a member of the ACC.
Former Kent State head coach Sean Lewis leads the charge for SDSU, two years removed from his last season with the Flashes. Through three games, it’s been a major transition for SDSU, as the offense has been transitioning from a conservative, run-heavy scheme to the #FlashFAST offense many MAC fans are familiar with. They currently sit at 117th in total offense, averaging 307.7 yards per game and accumulating five total touchdowns.
“They’ll go as fast they can, snap it with 35, 32 [seconds] on the clock… you get out of the gap and all of a sudden, they get a big one on you,” Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain said when discussing what SDSU does well offensively. “We’ve got to do a great job of staying disciplined and we’ve got to do a great job of taking them out of what they want to do.”
That will involve winning on first downs defensively, per McElwain, and SDSU does have some inexperience at the most important offensive position to contend with.
As of publication, it is unknown if Danny O’Neill or Javance Tupou’ata-Johnson will be the starter under center, with O’Neill currently nursing an injury. Either way, it’ll be a true freshman at quarterback. O’Neill had a decent effort vs. Texas A&M-Commerce, but both he and Tupou’ata-Johnson struggled against superior competition.
The offense will likely lean on experienced skill position players to help guide the attack along, with two very familiar names to MAC fans leading their respective positions in former Golden Flashes Marquez Cooper and Ja’Shaun Poke. Cooper sits at eighth in the NCAA in rushing yards per game (121), while Poke (10 receptions, 69 yards) leads all Aztecs in receptions. Louis Brown IV (eight catches, 160 yards, touchdown) leads in receiving yards. Jordan Napier has hauled in two of the team’s three receiving scores.
Defensively, SDSU utilizes the 4-2-5 look much like Sean Lewis used at Kent State, though it does have multiple other flares.
As of publication, the defense sits 77th in the NCAA, averaging 357.7 yards per game. They make their hay in the passing game, allowing just 166 yards per game in the air— though their rushing defense has been less-than-ideal, sitting at 109th.
Linebackers and EDGE rushers set the tone on this team, with SAM backer Tano Letuli leading the team in tackles (19), solo tackles (12) and joint-first in fumble recoveries and interceptions (1.) EDGE rusher Trey White will be the highlight factor for the Aztecs defense, leading the SDSU defense with four tackles-for-loss and three sacks, while also picking up a forced fumble, a QB hurry and 15 tackles (third on team.) Overall, they’re a high-effort tackling team, with 10 players already notching up double-digit tackles in just three contests.
(Former Chippewa Kyle Moretti has 11 tackles in rotation duty at the SAM spot.)
Getting to know the Chippewas
James H. Jimenez
The Chips are coming off an impressive victory against conference foe Ball State, where they rushed for 335 yards and three touchdowns en route to a comeback victory.
CMU had to push through some initial adversity, falling behind 10-0 to the visitors in the first quarter, But a key fourth-down stop inside their own territory would spark a 20-point unanswered run which went a long way to helping the Chippewas secure a one-score win at the gun.
“I think the important thing from that was that you’re always in it; never say never,” McElwain said regarding comeback effort. “Just make sure you finish, and we did.”
The last two games have seen Central really lean in on a running game that goes four-deep for talent. Myles Bailey could be questionable with a shoulder injury going into this week, but BJ Harris (151 yards vs. Ball State), Marion Lukes (24 carries, 171 yards, two touchdowns) and Nahree Biggins (19 carries, 136 yards) will all be available to tote the rock on a Aztecs squad that has shown difficulty stopping a good ground game.
Part of the rushing success last week was due to the re-emergence of Bert Emanuel Jr., who came back from a hamstring injury to make his season debut. Emanuel ran a special package in the redzone and scored twice— once on the ground and once in the air— to help Central take control of the contest.
Per McElwain, CMU will continue to integrate Emanuel Jr. into the gameplan, splitting reps at quarterback with Iowa transfer Joe Labas, who finished 14-of-20 for 185 yards and the game-winning touchdown to Chris Parker in the waning moments.
Chris Parker III was the hero of last week on the receiving end with two touchdowns on the day, and currently leads the Chips with 12 receptions for 195 yards and thee touchdowns. Evan Boyd (11 rec., 202 yards, one TD) and Solomon Davis (nine rec., 151 yards, two TDs) have settled in to the WR2/3 slots, while Gavin Harris has proven a reliable chainmover at tight end.
They’ll prove a tough task for SDSU, as CMU is 24th in explosive play rate, 47th in total offense, 40th in rushing offense and 66th in passing offense.
Defensively, the Chips have played with a lot more freedom than last season, which saw them struggle to penetrate the backfield. They’re middle of the road in total defense (76th in NCAA) but have done an excellent job in situational play, with a 32.7 percent mark on third-down plays.
A linebacker quartet has paced the Chippewas on the ball-stopping side, with each having at least 1.5 tackles-for-loss and three having over two TFLs.
Jordan Kwiatkowski has emerged as the defensive talisman at the middle linebacker spot, with an impressive 37 tackles and 3.5 tackles-for-loss. Dakota Cochran also has 3.5 TFLs to go along with 1.5 sacks and 20 total tackles, while Justin Whiteside (1.5 TFLs, one sack) and Fernando Sanchez III (2.5 TFLs, 1.5 sacks) have also contributed on havoc plays.
The secondary trio of Donte Kent (17 tackles, three pass break-ups), Caleb Spann (15 tackles, two TFLs, half-sack, two pass break-ups) and true freshman Jaion Jackson (13 tackles, TFL) has also given opponents fits, as their versatility in pass and run downs makes them hard to predict.
The gambling considerations would say this is a fairly close contest, and CMU does indeed have a recent history of 1) winning close and 2) winning close at home.
But the current odds kind of undersell the potential of the Chippewas roster, especially against a San Diego State side which currently sits atop the NCAA in penalty yards by a wide margin over second-place UMass.
Outside of a freak result against FIU in Week 2, CMU has performed admirably in a loss to a now-ranked Illinois squad and taken a dramatic win over a punchy Ball State squad. Their ability to wear down teams on the ground before opening up big plays downfield in the passing game is working this season a lot more than last fall, while the defense has shown significant progress enough to show they can win games.
San Diego State is still figuring out the new-look offense and the defense has been very prone to teams built like Central. This does not try to dampen the possibility of SDSU figuring out how to get open downfield with an up-tempo passing game, of course, but trends have shown this year CMU should be a heavier favorite.