Central Michigan vs. Oklahoma State – Game Preview – September 1, 2022 – ESPN

Oklahoma State coach Mike Gundy seeks his one hundred and fiftieth profession win Thursday night time towards Central Michigan.

Gundy has a 149-69 report and, with a victory, would turn into the seventh energetic coach and sixty fifth in main faculty teaching historical past to achieve the milestone.

Gundy is happy with what he is finished at his alma mater, and it has been particularly good currently. The Cowboys performed for the Huge 12 title final season and beat Notre Dame within the Fiesta Bowl.

He stated he has way more to perform, so a win would not register as extra vital than one other to him.

“We’ve been very lucky right here to have quite a lot of success, and – knock-on wooden – I really feel higher now than I’ve in years and years right here,” the 55-year-old Gundy stated. “I’m pondering method down the road. I imply, I believed at one time at 65 I’d verify in, however I don’t see that occuring now.”

For now, Gundy simply needs his Twelfth-ranked Cowboys to get off to the suitable begin, and so they must earn it. Central Michigan is coming off a 9-4 season that completed with 5 straight wins, together with a victory over Washington State within the Solar Bowl. Lew Nichols III, who led the nation with 1,848 yards dashing final season, returns. So does quarterback Daniel Richardson, who handed for two,633 yards and 24 touchdowns a yr in the past.

“Oklahoma State is an excellent workforce,” Central Michigan middle Jamezz Kimbrough stated. “They’ve some good gamers. But it surely’s all the time about us and what we do. We simply management the stuff that we management. We’re very assured going into Thursday.”

Oklahoma State has some offensive weapons, too. Senior quarterback Spencer Sanders leads an offense that returns 10 starters. He handed for 371 yards and 4 touchdowns and ran for 125 yards within the Fiesta Bowl win.

“Clearly, their quarterback’s unbelievable,” Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain stated. “He makes nice selections. He makes the factor go for them. You want in an opener you have been taking part in a workforce that perhaps was attempting to interrupt a man in. Nicely, this man’s seeking to break us in.”

ANOTHER UPSET?

Central Michigan surprised Oklahoma State 30-27 in 2016. It was controversial as a result of Oklahoma State was erroneously referred to as for intentional grounding on fourth down, giving the Chippewas an untimed down. Cooper Rush linked on a deep Hail Mary, and a lateral and run later, Central Michigan was celebrating an enormous win.

“We haven’t talked an excessive amount of about it,” Kimbrough stated. “After all, it’s on the market. The media talks about it. It’s not one thing that you possibly can simply act such as you don’t see. However we don’t deal with that stuff.”

TOUGH UP FRONT

The Cowboys led the nation in sacks per sport final yr, and far of that manufacturing is again. Collin Oliver led the Huge 12 with 11.5 sacks as a real freshman final season and Brock Martin had 9 sacks. Tyler Lacy had 11.5 tackles for loss.

Hint Ford, a dominant move rusher who missed final season with an harm, has returned.

“I’m craving it fairly unhealthy,” Ford stated. “I’m simply able to play. Day-after-day I give it some thought. Day-after-day I take into consideration, ‘simply someday nearer to sport time.’ I simply wish to run out the tunnel and play.”

GROUND AND POUND

Nichols rushed for no less than 100 yards his last eight video games final season and carried no less than 25 occasions in seven of these video games. All however a kind of video games was a win for the Chippewas, and the loss was by a single level.

“Their again is bodily,” Gundy stated. “He’s a part of what they’re.”

RECEIVERS TO WATCH

Central Michigan’s Dallas Dixon is primed to be Richardson’s major receiver. He had 701 yards and eight touchdowns final season.

Brennan Presley is poised to have a breakout yr for Oklahoma State. He had 50 catches for 619 yards and 5 touchdowns final season, together with 10 catches for 137 yards towards Notre Dame.

OUT FOR THE YEAR

McElwain stated Central Michigan offensive lineman Keegan Smith has re-injured a knee he damage final season and is out for the yr. The 6-foot-3, 300-pound sophomore began 4 video games up entrance final season. McElwain stated the harm would require surgical procedure, however he expects Smith to get better.

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Comply with Cliff Brunt on Twitter: twitter.com/CliffBruntAP

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