After each team shook off first-drive jitters in their season openers, it was the Central Michigan Chippawas (1-0, 0-0 MAC) prevailing 16-14 over San Jose State (0-1, 0-0 MW) at CEFCU Stadium in a grinding contest.
Central Michigan immediately established a power run game with 99 yards in the first quarter alone; ending with 236 total rush yards.
San Jose State’s first drive showed the high pace and promise offense all the way to the goal line on a 65-yard drive that died after Spartan QB Walker Eget threw an end zone interception into double coverage.
“The biggest thing is we’re coming off hot on the get-go,” said Eget after hitting receiver Danny Scudero for 46-yards down to the CMU 15-yard line. “It was some bad decision-making on my part. That was a crucial moment that I wish I could take back.”
On SJS’ very next possession, Eget fumbled on their own 31-yard line. Eget had three turnovers for the game.
“The biggest thing was obviously turnovers,” said Eget. “That’s something someone in my position can’t allow to happen, because the score would be completely different.”
It was a game the Spartans would have won without just one of those turnovers.
“We can’t turn the ball over was my big message,” said head coach Ken Niumatalolo. “Three turnovers is tough to overcome in a game like that where we have to maximize everything.”
The good news for SJSU to that point?
The Spartan defense finally dialed it in to stop what looked reminiscent of an Army run game with first-year CMU head coach Matt Drinkall who hails from Army.
“The way our defense played, they gave us a chance,” said Niumatalolo.
Led by All-Mountain West linebacker Jordan Pollard’s 15 total tackles, SJS was able to hold off the Chippewa’s power run game on a short field after Eget’s fumble, leaving the Spartans only behind 10-0 after 15 minutes of football.
“When they run the ball a lot, it’s pretty fun,” said Pollard on the question of being a tackling machine. “I’ve just got to get around the ball and be around it all the time.”
Pollard added, “But defensively tonight, I’d give us a C+.”
With the Spartan defense stiffening, Eget mustered an eight-play, 74-yard scoring drive. With four minutes left in the second quarter, Eget led receiver Leland Smith into the end zone with an 11-yard TD pass and the momentum was seemingly turning.
But the Spartans continued to flail on offense; lucky to be down only 13-7 at the half.
With an out-of-sync offense, it was a sloppy half for San Jose State, which surprised the home crowd of 14,877.
Hoping for a tale-of-two-halves, the Spartans tuned it up and hit all cylinders to start the half.
The spark plug?
Freshman QB Tama Amisone opened the second-half with three straight runs for 23 yards and just like that, Amisone temporarily became SJS’ leading rusher.
“Bringing Tama in wasn’t because of the way Walker was playing,” said Niumatalolo. “We had planned to have him come in.”
On the same opening second-half drive, Eget came back in to find his next throw to Scudero for a 45-yard catch-and-run touchdown and the first lead of the night for San Jose.
Scudero’s game-high 189-yards receiving on nine receptions was reminisent of Nick Nash’s exploits last season.
“It starts when I first got here from winter and summer workouts, and spring and fall ball,” said Scudero on his monster performance. “We put in a lot of work as a collective and I’m glad we were able to see a glimpse of it tonight.”
The remainder of the third quarter became a stalemate until CMU’s longest completion of the night — a 47-yarder to Chippewa receiver Tommy McIntosh from Angel Flores.
But the play of the game by the Spartans to that point soon followed— a fourth-down stop on the one-yard line leaving the Chippewas nothing to show for the long drive.
In the fourth quarter, the Chippewas longest drive of the night went 70-yards on 14-plays taking 7:16, though it only earned a field-goal to take back the lead 16-14.
The last two minutes of the game saw two clear chances to score for the Spartans.
After Smith’s 39-yard catch to the CMU 11-yard line, it looked as if SJSU would prevail, but the drive stalled leaving Spartan kicker Dennis Lynch unable to clinch the win after a 33-yard miss.
With less than a minute remaining, the Spartan defense held one more time; giving the offense one last gasp, but Lynch’s 56-yard redemption kick was another miss to closeout the game.
“I trust Walker and Dennis and they’ll come back,” said Niumatalolo.
Facing the number one team in the country next Saturday, it will take far more than trust to be competitive against the Texas Longhorns in Austin. A reasonable goal might be to stay healthy while collecting the check.