Chippewas win season-opening shootout over Ohio, 30-27
Troy Hairston, #13, faces off against an Ohio player during the Ohio game on Nov. 4 in Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Ohio called a timeout to talk over a big third down play.
The next snap would be taken nearly 20 minutes later.
During the timeout, the lights in Kelly/Shorts Stadium went out, leaving a mostly empty crowd baked in only the light of the jumbotron above the south end zone. With CMU leading 20-13, both teams trotted across the darkened turf into their locker rooms for an early halftime.
And when they took the field, Ohio wasted no time snatching the momentum. After scoring to tie the game, Bobcat senior running back De'Montre Tuggle took the opening kickoff of the third quarter 93 yards for a touchdown to give his team the lead.
The Chippewas never wavered. Two plays after sophomore Willie Reid recovered a fumble, junior Kobe Lewis scampered 8 yards into the end zone to tie the game at 27.
True freshman Marshall Meeder nailed a 22-yard field goal, the first of his career, with 9:05 to give CMU a 30-27 advantage, one they wouldn't relinquish.
Ohio had a chance on a late drive after the Chippewas failed to convert a 4th-and-1, however Troy Brown broke up Rourke's last pass to end the game.
"We're gonna do nothing but get better," CMU coach Jim McElwain said. "I'm proud of the guys and the way they hung in defensively."
CMU jumped on the board first, as Richardson piloted a 16-play, 75 yard drive that ended with his 1-yard touchdown run. Ohio answered right back when Kurtis Rourke hit Shane Hooks on a fade route to knot the score.
Both teams traded touchdowns of 50 yards or more. First Richardson hit Pimpleton for 50 yards and the first TD pass of Richardson's career. Then, Rourke hooked up with Isiah Cox from 58 yards out. The Bobcats missed the extra point, and it was 14-13 CMU with 13:56 to play.
Lewis scored the first of his two touchdowns when he pounded in from two yards out. Marshall Meeder, playing in his first game, missed the ensuing extra point, keeping the Chippewa advantage at seven. After each team punted, Ohio was on the move when suddenly the lights went out.
Richardson finished with 243 yards on 23-of-41 passing in his first career start. He showed good poise at times in the pocket, moving around and extending plays. His favorite target was Pimpleton, who had 5 catches for 65 yards.
"I thought (he), for his first start, really handled it well," McElwain said. "Really proud of him, the way he played."
Lewis, meanwhile, carried the load with authority. Finishing with 112 yards on 28 carries, he was the Chippewas' go to option on short yardage situations. Whether it be in the passing game, on handoffs or behind center in the wildcat, McElwain dialed Lewis' number early and often with great success.
"I'm not satisfied," Lewis said. "I know we can be a lot better than what we showed today. But we did come out on top and with us getting this win, it's a big confidence booster."
Defensively, the Chippewa newcomers struggled in the secondary. Juniors Dishon McNary, Brian Edwards and Richard Bowens were each beat for big plays. However, Edwards had good coverage in the end zone early in the fourth to stall a Bobcat drive that would result in a missed field goal.
Senior Troy Hairston was the star on the defensive line, notching three sacks. Junior Amir Siddiq notched two, including one to end the first half. Junior linebacker George Douglas led the team with nine tackles while junior safety Devonni Reed chipped in eight.
"We had good edge pressure," Hairston said. "A lot of times, tackles on the edge (were) false starting because they were afraid of us coming on the edge."
Ohio made it's living on the ground with Tuggle, who ran 16 times for 79 yards. The Bobcats used two quarterbacks, with Rourke serving as a primary thrower and completing 12-of-19 passes for 231 yards and two scores. Senior Armani Rogers was used heavily in the run game, carrying the ball seven times for 37 yards while completing 1-of-3 passes.
The Chippewas (1-0) travel to Northern Illinois on Nov. 11.
