Heart at Home

By Anthony Fenech, Senior Reporter || October 15, 2010

Think back to the last time Central Michigan lost to Ball State.

“Well uh,” you’re thinking. “That was two weeks ago.”

Why yes, it was. Now think back to the last time, before the Cardinals two-touchdown win Oct. 2.
Flip the calendar back a couple of years.

Nov. 19, 2008. National television. Nate Davis versus Dan LeFevour. The Chippewas would lose that game, 31-24, and the next two, to Eastern Michigan and Florida Atlantic, respectively, in the Motor City Bowl.

It was the program’s last three-game losing streak. And it’s something the program certainly would like to put an end to in order to save any chance at the Mid-American Conference championship.

This year, CMU lost a heart-breaker to Northwestern. Then they lost that Ball State game. And then the follow-up at Virginia Tech.

Now, it’s homecoming and the team walks in with a 2-4 record, two wins and two losses different than most forecasted.

And in the beginning, the forecast was sunny with a chance of big, puffy clouds. Breeze through MAC play with a loss or two at the most, and lose to Northwestern and Virginia Tech.

But that was before the team went searching for a kicker. Before the defense couldn’t handle the Cardinals run attack and before the Chippewas couldn’t parlay big plays with points against Virginia Tech.

These days, the forecast is a little less sunny, a little more cloudy, with the possibility of rain on the way.

But unlike recent seasons, without a standout quarterback, an established offense and a veteran head coach, Mount Pleasant is due for a small shower or two.

And just like there’s never a good time to lose to Ball State, there’s never a good time to lose four straight, especially against a team that just got beat 45-3 by your former coach.

With still an outside shot to make waves in the conference, the forecast looks good for a midseason Chippewas resurgence.

And the forecast for Saturday?

63 degrees and sunny.

Happy Homecoming.