Football enters rematch with No. 22 OK State as 20-point underdog
John Bonamego doesn’t believe Saturday’s showdown with Oklahoma State is a statement game — at least not yet.
“It’s only a statement game if you win,” said Central Michigan's second-year coach. “There’s no such thing as moral victories.”
The Chippewas travel to Stillwater to take on the No. 22 Cowboys, who dismantled Southeastern Louisiana 61-7 in their season opener. Kickoff is scheduled for noon Saturday.
CMU fell to Oklahoma State 24-13 in the 2015 season opener at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. It was Bonamego’s first game as head coach.
With a venue change, the Chippewas will have a chance to play in front of 60,000 OSU fans at Boone Pickens Stadium.
The odds seem stacked against CMU. Oklahoma State is favored to win by 20 points, according to ESPN.
Against unranked opponents, the Cowboys are 47-5 since the start of 2010 — 31-1 at Boone Pickens Stadium. OSU has won 15 straight against teams outside the Associate Press Top 25.
“It’ll be a hostile environment,” said senior quarterback Cooper Rush. “Their crowd will be loud, but we’ll have to handle that. We’ve played in big places before, so it’ll be a fun game (to play).”
Despite last season’s loss to the Cowboys, senior defensive lineman and team captain Jabari Dean said the Chippewas aren’t approaching the rematch as a revenge game.
“It’s just another game,” he said. “It’s another team in another jersey, and we’re going to approach it that way. We’re going down there to win and nothing else.”
If the Chippewas are able to return to Mount Pleasant with a victory, it would be their first win over a ranked opponent since 1991 when they defeated Michigan State 20-3.
In order for his team to take down the Cowboys on the road, Bonamego said it will take a complete team effort.
“Everybody is going to have to do their jobs exceptionally well and execute at a high level,” he said. “I don’t think you can do more than what you have. You do the best you can. If your best is good enough, then you win. If your best is not, then you won’t. We’ll see what happens.”
