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Game Preview: CMU at Toledo

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – John Bonamego didn’t hold back in discussing the importance to his Central Michigan football team the importance of Saturday’s game at Toledo.

“Let’s say it the way it is: If you don’t win this game then you’re just playing for bowl eligibility,” Bonamego said.

The Chippewas are 5-2 overall, 2-1 in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo is 5-1, 2-0. CMU is tied for third place with surprising Eastern Michigan. The Rockets are in a virtual tie for first with Western Michigan, which is 7-0 overall and 3-0 MAC.

“The chances of winning the West with two losses is, I’m not saying that it’s impossible, but the likelihood of that happening is not very high,” Bonamego said. “That’s just the facts. We’re at the stage in our season, like a lot of teams, where we’re in a one-game elimination tournament as far as representing the West at Ford Field in the MAC Championship Game.”

The Chippewas are coming off a 34-28 triple-overtime win at Northern Illinois; the Rockets a 42-35 win over rival Bowling Green. Toledo’s lone loss came at BYU, 55-53, three weeks ago. Toledo may be as good as any team in the MAC, including Western Michigan, which is ranked 20th. The Rockets lead the MAC and rank third nationally in total offense, averaging 565.2 yards per game, and rank fifth in the league in total defense.

Toledo leads the MAC in passing offense with 345.8 yards per game; the Chippewas are second at 294.3.

“Explosive on offense, fast and aggressive on defense,” Bonamego said. “They’re just sound all across the board. They’re putting up amazing numbers. It’ll be a big challenge for us.”

The Chippewas have lost six consecutive meetings with the Rockets.

The Chippewas are no slouch on either side of the ball. CMU is fourth in total offense, third in total defense.

The CMU ground game has shown signs of life in the past two games, victories over Northern Illinois and Ball State.

Devon Spalding recorded his second consecutive 100-yard game last week at NIU when he finished with 124 rushing yards, one week after running for a career-high 157 in a 24-21 win over Ball State.

Senior running back Jahray Hayes (11) had a huge game against NIU last week and looks to keep that momentum going this Saturday at Toledo.
Senior running back Jahray Hayes (11) had a huge game against NIU last week and looks to keep that momentum going this Saturday at Toledo.

Senior Jahray Hayes added 105 yards last week against the Huskies, marking his first 100-yard performance in a Chippewa uniform. It was the first time two CMU backs had rushed for 100 yards in a game since Spalding and Saylor Lavallii rushed for 154 and 105 yards, respectively, in a 38-7 win at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 1, 2014, a span of 23 games.Spalding ranks sixth in the MAC with 79.1 rushing yards per game, while Toledo’s Kareem Hunt (108.8) is third.

CMU quarterback Cooper Rush continues to produce a very high level in his senior season, completing 61.3 percent of his passes for 2,060 yards and 18 touchdowns against seven interceptions. He ranks second in CMU history and fourth in MAC history with 11,414 career passing yards.

Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside leads the MAC with 335.5 passing yards per game, while Rush ranks third (293.3). They are third and fourth, respectively, in the league in passing efficiency.

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