Last second field goal seals win for CMU football
With nine seconds remaining and Central Michigan football down one, redshirt senior kicker Tristan Mattson lined up for a 46-yard field goal attempt in hopes to put the game away.
As all of Kelly/Shorts Stadium held their breath, Mattson nailed the kick through the uprights to give the Chippewas the one-point lead over San Diego State University with five seconds remaining.
“I just stay as calm as possible and look around, take it all in,” Mattson said. "Just stay locked in. Don't get too high, don't get in the moment. Just go out there and just act like practice.”
The game winning field goal secured the win for the Chippewas as they defeated SDSU 22-21 Saturday.
“I just love these kids,” head coach Jim McElwain said. “I love this program, the people involved in the program. And for me, it's just seeing the smiles on their face, that's all… Our guys deserve to be winners, and it just makes me happy.”
With the win, CMU moves to 3-2 overall and remains undefeated at home.
Before the game winning kick, the Chippewa defense came up with big stops in their own territory to lead to two field goal attempts for the Aztecs. SDSU then missed back-to-back field goals to give CMU the opportunity to win the game.
“My mentality with that was just don't get too big, like, don't let the moment get too big,” junior defensive lineman Jason Williams said. “We've been here before. We practice (these) situations.”
The defense stepped up in the second half, holding the Aztecs scoreless and only allowed 115 yards.
“What we talked about at halftime was quite simple, was it them or was it us?,” McElwain said. “The kids realized it was us, and every game we played this year, it is about us. And that crew coming in here didn't have a lot of respect for us, and didn’t think we're a very good program, didn't think this league was very good.
“You know what, we out hit them.”
One of the reasons for the defensive success was the team’s ability to get to the backfield securing four sacks. Williams led the way with two sacks.
“It's as simple as what's in front of you, what's the play call, now go do your job,” Williams said. “Everybody just had to fit their gap… cover what they need to cover, and run to the ball.”
In the previous season, Mattson struggled, going 7-for-14 in field goals. However, it's been a different story to open this year, securing eight makes on nine attempts and is currently riding a streak of seven consecutive field goals made.
“I think… being prepared for the season is just mental,” Mattson said. “I know what I can do, and last year is not what I wanted, but it is what it is. So I just went out and cleared my head and just do me.”
The Chippewas got out to the quick start on their first drive when redshirt junior quarterback Joe Labas found sophomore tight end Gavin Harris for a 60-yard pass, putting them at SDSU’s eight-yard line. However, the Chippewas couldn’t find a way to get it into the endzone, settling for a field goal to go up 3-0.
Labas ended the game with 275 yards passing, having one touchdown and one interception.
The Aztecs shot back with just over six minutes left in the first quarter when senior running back Marquez Cooper secured the 3-yard touchdown.
Looking to take back the lead near the end of the first quarter, CMU found itself inside the opponents 10-yard line for the second time after running back Marion Lukes made some shifty moves for an 18-yard gain.
This time, the team capitalized in the red zone when Labas found Lukes for an 8-yard touchdown pass, giving the Chippewas the 10-7 lead heading into the second quarter.
Lukes ended the game with 127 total yards and one touchdown.
When the Chippewas seemed to have all of the momentum following a stop on the defensive end, SDSU’s Chris Johnson forced a fumble with a massive hit on punt returner Donte Kent to give the Aztecs the ball back in CMU territory.
Two personal foul penalties on the Chippewa defense put SDSU closer to the goal line. The Aztecs capitalized with a 5-yard touchdown pass to give them the 14-10 lead in the second quarter.
After SDSU scored another touchdown to go up two possessions, the Chippewas were in desperate need of a score before halftime.
That’s when Mattson secured the 34-yard field goal to put the Chippewas within one score heading into halftime, 21-13.
The Chippewa defense came up big to start the second half, forcing a three-and-out for SDSU’s offense. McElwain has stressed all season long the importance of getting a stop coming out of the half.
CMU’s defense held strong in the third quarter, holding the Aztecs to 29 total yards which resulted in zero points.
It seemed like CMU was going to go scoreless on its first drive of the second half after SDSU caused a fourth down. However, the Chippewas surprised everyone with a fake punt as punter David Chapeau found Justin Whiteside for the first down conversion.
“When you study them… that's the (defensive) coordinators deal,” McElwain said. “That's the way they lined up when they're at North Dakota. It's the way they lined up when he was an assistant at Washington. It's the way they lined up this year, so we took advantage of the way they lined up and felt like we're going to have an opportunity.”
CMU made the most of the opportunity when running back BJ Harris secured the 1-yard touchdown run on 4th and goal to put the Chippewas within two after a failed two-point attempt.
After a missed field goal attempt for SDSU, Labas threw an interception to give the Aztecs the ball back at CMU’s 11 yard-line with 2:29 remaining.
In desperate need for a stop, the Chippewa defense came up big again, causing another field goal attempt. Again, SDSU’s kicker missed the field goal to give CMU the ball back with just under two minutes remaining and down by two.
In another attempt to take the lead, the Chippewas managed to drive down the field to secure the game winner.
This is the second week in a row where CMU has driven down the field in the final minutes to win the game after defeating Ball State the week before on a game winning touchdown.
“They realize they're never out,” McElwain said. “They played off of each other today.”
The Chippewas head into a bye week before they face off against Ohio University for their homecoming game on Saturday, Oct. 12. The time has yet to be announced.
