Danes battle, fall in opener
Ualbany in range vs. Central Michigan before falling to FBS foe in season-opener
Albany defense forces fumbles, and even scores, but can’t stop Chippewas’ highpowered attack late in game.
Juwan Green got behind the free safety, looked over his left shoulder and watched a pass from redshirt freshman quarterback Jeff Undercuffler drop into his arms for a 36-yard touchdown in the second quarter.
Each time Ualbany scored to make it interesting, Central Michigan, a Division I FBS program, responded.
The Chippewas (1-0), coming off a 1-11 season, defeated Ualbany, 38-21, at Kelly Shorts Stadium.
The game was delayed 108 minutes due to lightning in the area, pushing the 7 p.m. start time to 8:48 p.m.
CMU’S program paid the Great Danes $400,000 to play in the season-opener.
Undercuffler finished 15for-28 through the air for 199 yards and one touchdown. He wasn’t able to complete his first pass until the 14-minute mark of the second quarter. Green boasted 94 yards and a touchdown as a pass-catcher, while running back Karl Mofor tacked on 45 yards.
When the Great Danes (0-1) had a chance to add points with 1:04 left in the first half, kicker Dylan Burns’ 39-yard field goal attempt missed the mark. On CMU’S ensuing possession, quarterback Quinten Dormady marched down the field and scored, giving his group a 24-7 edge at the break.
Sixth-year coach Greg Gattuso’s squad made up for the
mistake in the third quarter, scoring on a 9-yard throw from Undercuffler to Green — the second connection between the two players.
Ualbany cut CMU’S lead to 10 points, 24-14, with nine minutes left in the third, but the Chippewas kicked it into high gear. Running back Jonathan Ward punched the ball into the end zone from 7 yards out, putting the home team back up by 17 points. This time, Ualbany was unable to fight back. 36-yard passes to Mofor and Green, respectively. The latter went to the end zone, as Green snuck behind safety Da’quaun Jamison with 5:27 to play in the half.
By the time the third quarter was coming to a close, the Chippewas were ahead 31-14.
In CMU’S first drive of the fourth, Dormady fumbled as he was sacked by linebacker Eli Mencer, who scooped up the ball and returned it for a touchdown, trimming the Ualbany deficit to 10 points, 31-21. The Chippewas jumped right back, as Ward scored for a 38-21 lead.
For the Chippewas, Dormady completed 27 of 37 passes for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Ward added 158 yards on the ground.