Central Michigan doesn’t deserve to be 2-0. The clock had read double ZEROS in Stillwater last weekend but the referees mistakenly gave the Chippewas an untimed down. Good for them. They threw a hail mary that was just short of the endzone, but the savvy WR was able to lateral the ball to another player who was able to convert the TD. It was the highlight play of the week, even though it technically didn’t really happen.
That result creates a level of intrigue for this weekends game against UNLV.
UNLV looks to bounce back after a tough loss at the Rose Bowl against UCLA. Down 28-21 early in the 4th quarter, UNLV’s defense was about to force a 3 and out when safety, Kenny Keys, was called for a targeting penalty which extended the drive and resulted in Keys’ ejection. That play took away the momentum UNLV had, and UCLA was able to seal the victory with a couple TDs in the 4th quarter.
Notes about the week 3 matchup:
-Central Michigan boasts a stout defense, especially against the run. Teams are averaging just 47 yds a game on the ground.
-The Chippewas offense can move the football, especially in the air. Starting QB, Cooper Rush, threw for 4 TDs and 368 yards.
-UNLV’s offensive focus this week should be on working on the short to intermediate passing game. Stanton can throw the deep ball decently, but this game will be won by the team that controls possession.
-The Rebel defense need to get after the QB. Pressure from the front 7 is main ingredient for a good defense. It throws the offence’s timing off, and gives the secondary unit opportunities to create turnovers.
My week 3 prediction:
Everything I see about this week tells me that this a bad matchup for UNLV. I hope that i am underrating UNLV and overrating CMU but I think the Chippewas win 42-34.