Central Michigan (2-1) at Northwestern (3-0)

Saturday, September 25, 2010 11:00 CST

Dyche Stadium, Evanston, Illinois

Photo credit: hailtopurple.com

Northwestern struggled to get things going early against Rice last week, but in the end cruised to a 30-13 victory lead by outstanding defensive play.  Central Michigan routed in-state rival Eastern Michigan (who has now lost 15 straight games) 52-14 to begin the season 2-1.  NU and CMU have never met, but both are very familiar with their respective conferences.  NU is 15-8-1 all-time against the MAC, including eight in a row.  The Chippewas are 4-19 all-time against the Big Ten, but have won their last two, including an upset victory over Michigan State last year.  Both teams have similar strengths as they both rank in the top ten nationally in scoring defense and both average over 30 points per game.

Injury Report: David Arnold (foot) remains out for the CMU game.  But Jared Carpenter is expected to play tomorrow at safety after sitting out last week in Houston.  Niko Mafuli (leg) is listed as questionable for CMU.  Freshman wideout Tony Jones (shoulder) is still out; and reserve LB Roderick Goodlow (knee) is now expected to miss the entire season.  Get well soon boys!

College Injury Report.com does not report any injuries for the Chippewas.

Weather: Was looking like a perfect day for football earlier in the week.  But now the forecast calls for some light rain.  Strong winds are expected too, over 20 mph.  Click here for the Weather.com forecast.

When Northwestern has the Ball:

Players to watch…

Dan Persa: It is sort of funny to say that Dan Persa "struggled" in the first half of a game where he ended up 24-32 and set career highs for completions and yards (307).  But he solidified his role as the leader of the team in Houston last Saturday.  When things were not going right for the offense, he stepped up and led the team to three strong scoring drives, and a fourth which resulted in a goal-line fumble.  Central Michigan has a veteran defense, starting all juniors and seniors.   The Chips have given up some decent passing numbers, but are stout against the run.  So Dan will need to demonstrate his moxie from the gun. 


Photo credit: lindyssports.com

Nick Bellore (LB): Bellore will start his 45th consecutive game this weekend.  If the Chips can make it to the MAC Championship game and a Bowl, he will break the all time FBS record for consecutive starts.  He is also the nation's active leader in career tackles, which as we know is indicative of his 45 starts.  But he is a beast totaling double-digit tackles 20 times in his career.  He is a perfect size MLB at 6'1" 250; and should give the struggling NU running game fits.  On the other hand, he is not used much as a pass rusher as he has only tallied 4.5 career sacks.  Look for Bellore to drop into coverage on passing downs rather than blitzing.

Demetrius Fields: Fields finally had a breakout game against Rice with six catches, and looks primed to continue this high level of performance.  He is getting pushed by Venric Mark on the two-deep, but the big sophomore Fields is rising to the challenge.  At 205, Fields is NU's biggest wideout, which is why he was a popular target against Rice's unusually large DBs.  The Chippewas have a normal sized defensive backfield, which will give Fields a nice size advantage.  Look for him over the middle especially against man-to-man coverage.

In the trenches: NU’s offensive line continues to improve each week.  Yet they still gave up two sacks (one against Watkins while Persa regained his breath).  The tackles continue to get tested by athletic DEs and they will again against the Chips.  Joe Kinville (6'2" 248) and Kashawn Fraser (6'3" 247) are quick pass rushers who will use their height to get around unsuspecting tackles (think Corey Wootton).  NU should be able to manage the middle of the line fairly well.  But the maturation process of Pat Ward and Al Netter remains the biggest question mark on the offense. 

Overall impression: CMU has been known for its offense for the last few years.  They still have a few remnants from the Brian Kelly era and, of course, Dan LaFevour led the team for four years.  But its defense has slowly crept up to become a strength of the team.  They have only given up four scoring drives all year.  NU has scored on its first possession in each of its games.  Something has to give.  Look for NU to be methodical, but do not expect this to be the game where the running game opens up.  The wind could be a major factor in NU's ability to be effective offensively.

When Central Michigan has the Ball:

Players to watch…Paris Cotton (RB): Cotton (Jr.) was named the MAC's Offensive Player of the week for his performance against Eastern Michigan.  Cotton is a small shifty back at only 5'9" 179, but he has speed to burn.  NU will need to contain Cotton first and deal with the passing game second.  NU's run defense did a much better job containing Sam McGuffie last week than they did against Vandy.  So hopefully this is a gradual improvement.


Photo credit: mlive.com



Quentin Davie: Northwestern’s defensive playmaker was the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week last week with his monster performance in the heat of Houston.  He has three interceptions, including his pick-six against Rice.  CMU quarterback Ryan Radcliff is starting only his fourth game, and while he has put up some nice numbers, he is still young and inexperienced.  Davie will need to lead his defense into putting pressure on Radcliff.

Cody Wilson (WR): This sophomore wideout has recorded two 100-yard games thus far and has found the end zone twice.  He is a small, but quick wideout who could be dangerous if he finds his way into space.  The CMU offense is designed around spreading the ball around to its various receivers.  NU cannot get caught up in the distribution, but must keep their eye on this youngster.  Mabin will have his hands full. 

In the trenches: CMU's offensive line is large and is comprised of all juniors and seniors.  With that said, CMU only ran for 43 yards in their 13-10 loss to Temple.  NU's front seven should be able to contain the run and put pressure on Radcliff.  This unit has played well this year, but has not seen anything like the Wildcat defense this year.

Overall Impression: CMU has put up some nice offensive numbers, but against Temple, it managed only 10 points and 43 rushing yards -- against Temple.  Typical of a lot of MAC offenses over the years, there are a lot of eye-popping numbers available to cover up a lot of problems.  The Wildcats should be able to continue to play at their aggressive pace, but they have to be more considerate of the big play than in prior weeks.

Intangibles: The wind and the potential for rain will be a big problem as both teams will need to rely on the pass in order to move the ball.  The quarterback who is able to keep his composure will have the major advantage.  Radcliff is not a runner, so advantage Persa in that area.  The ability for the QBs to get out of trouble and make plays will be the difference in this game.

Bottom Line: CMU will make this game uncomfortable.  But they have already shown a complete inability to perform against a stronger defense.  The more intriguing aspect is how NU will be able to move the ball given the weather and the veteran defense.  NU will squeeze out its points in the end, but it will not be easy.

Cats win 27-17.

Go Cats!