CMU falls to 'Cats
Chris McCarty
The CMU football team lost Homecoming 34-3 to Ohio on Saturday, behind 342 yards on the ground. It was Ohio’s first ever win at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
“All season we have had momentous things hanging over our heads,” said Ohio Head Coach Brain Knorr. “We knew that we had never won in Mt. Pleasant but we didn’t talk about that this week.”
The weather kept many fans away from the game as only 18,010 came out.
The Chippewas (2-3 overall and 1-2 Mid-American Conference) offense was unable to score touchdowns having to settle for a second quarter field goal.
“We drove the ball down the field but we didn’t finish just like in Buffalo. We need to work on scoring in the redzone,” said tailback Terrence Jackson.
For Ohio it was its first win this season.
“I think that for those who saw last year’s game they saw us get annihilated-we weren’t even in it after the first series,” said CMU Head Coach Mike DeBord. “People who know football can see how our program has progressed.”
Ohio opened the scoring five minutes into the game when redshirt freshman halfback Stafford Owens, scored his first career touchdown.
Seven minutes later Ohio scored when redshirt freshman fullback Ray Huston took it 56 yards for a 14-0 lead.
The Chippewas had problems with penalties, they were penalized eight times for 74 yards.
“Sometimes kids will being playing hard up to the whistle. Penalties are not good. We were the least penalized team last year so I think we were maybe a little too nice,” DeBord said.
James King was hit with a 15-yard personal foul for roughing the kicker.
The next play Ohio quarterback Dontrell Jackson connected with Owens for a 27-yard strike. Ohio kicker Kevin Kerr failed on the kick.
CMU appeared to have a drive going marching from their 25-yard line to the Ohio 1-yard line before settling for a Paul Savich 22-yard field goal.
Ohio took a 20-3 lead into halftime.
The Chippewas forced a fumble during the Bobcats’ opening drive but the Chippewas were not able to take advantage, picking up one first down before punting.
Ohio then went 79 yards on seven plays , the drive was capped by Huston 23-yard run.
CMU drove again making it to the Ohio 36 yard line before Terrence Jackson fumbled to end the drive.
He said that the fumble was his fault that he was just trying to get extra yardage.
Ohio scored again at the end of the third quarter ending the scoring at 34-3.
Huston and Owens led the Bobcat offense, each with two touchdowns. Huston rushed for 124 yards on 11 carries while Owens had eight carries for 64-yards.
Dontrell Jackson ran the Ohio option raking up 86 yards on the ground and 94 yards through the air.
“When you play a team that runs the option attack, you have to win it as a team,” DeBord said. “Our offense didn’t compliment our defense.”
For CMU Terrence Jackson led the offense carrying 29 times for 135 yards.
While Vickers completed 16-of-25 attempts for 105 yards with one interception.
“Our passing game was very bad,” DeBord said. “I am talking about not just the quarterback but the wide receivers, the line protection and the quarterback.”
The Chippewas travel to Marshall Saturday to take on the East Division leading Herd at 4 p.m.
