Courtesy: Robert Barclay/CMU Bryan Anderson matched a career high with 10 receptions and caught a touchdown pass in the win at Kent State.

KENT, Ohio – The Central Michigan University offense put 31 points on the scoreboard in the first 21:05, and the defense made a pair of key fourth-quarter stops as the Chippewas claimed a 41-32 Mid-American Conference win at Kent State on Saturday.

CMU (5-4 overall, 4-0 MAC, 3-0 MAC West) retained sole possession of first place in the West Division with the win.

The two teams combined to put points on the scoreboard on nine straight offensive possessions to open the game. CMU scored touchdowns the first four times it had the football before Andrew Aguila tacked on a 25-yard field goal midway through the second quarter.

Special teams miscues by the Golden Flashes (3-6, 1-4 MAC, 1-3 MAC East) and a pair of three-and-outs by the KSU offense, however, served as a key moments in a game that featured a combined 73 points and 963 yards of offense.

After drilling field goals of 47 and a school-record 52 yards on Kent State’s first two possessions, Nate Reed had a point-after attempt blocked, missed a PAT in the third quarter and missed a field goal in each of the final three quarters.

CMU led by as many as 19 points early in the third quarter, but Kent State would pull within six points later in the period and squandered three potential scoring opportunities in the second half.

Justin Hoskins, who ran for a career-high 151 yards, scored on a 7-yard scamper to cap the game’s opening possession. Dan LeFevour then threw touchdowns to Antonio Brown, Bryan Anderson and Joe Bockheim on CMU’s next three possessions as the Chippewas built a 28-13 lead just one play into the second quarter.

LeFevour threaded a pass between two defenders that hit Anderson in stride at the goal line and stretched CMU’s lead to 21-6. After Giorgio Morgan threw the first of his three touchdown passes for Kent State, LeFevour hit Bockheim over the middle for 23 yards and a score. Bockheim’s catch came on third-and-6 and the first play of the second quarter.

Morgan, a true freshman making his first career start for Kent State, tossed a 23-yard scoring pass to Phil Garner on the next possession. Aguila then converted a 25-yard field goal to send the Chippewas into the locker room ahead 31-19.

Kent State botched a punt attempt to open the second half, and CMU drove 19 yards in three plays to stretch its lead to 38-19. Hoskins scored on a 4-yard run to finish the short drive.

The Golden Flashes returned the kickoff to the 45-yard line, and Morgan completed all three of his pass attempts in a four-play drive that pulled KSU within two touchdowns. Morgan finished the drive with a 33-yard touchdown pass to Shawn Bayes, a play in which Bayes out-jumped a CMU defender in the end zone. The score cut CMU’s lead to 38-26 with 10:58 left in the third quarter.

From there, however, the Golden Flashes would take advantage of just one of four potential scoring opportunities down the stretch.

LeFevour was intercepted on CMU’s next possession and Kent State took over on its own 44-yard line, but Reed missed a 48-yard field goal attempt. The CMU offense then went three-and-out, but on fourth down the snap sailed over punter Tony Mikulec’s head to set up the KSU offense in the red zone. Eugene Jarvis eventually scored on a 14-yard run that cut the CMU lead to 38-32. Reed missed the extra point attempt.

CMU moved inside the Kent State 10-yard line on its next possession, but Aguila missed a 25-yard field goal attempt. The Chippewa defense responded by forcing its first three-and-out of the game on the ensuing possession. Aguila converted a 26-yard field goal to stretch the lead to 41-32, and the defense forced Kent State into another three-and-out to give the offense the ball back with 7:33 left.

The Chippewas picked up one first down before being forced to punt. Kent State drove to the CMU 14-yard line before Reed missed a 32-yard attempt with two minutes left. Five straight running plays and kneel-down by LeFevour erased the clock.

LeFevour finished 33-of-43 for 359 yards and three touchdowns. He also ran 12 times for 75 yards. Bryan Anderson matched a career high with 10 receptions for 142 yards.

Defensively, Chaz West and Ike Brown were credited with nine tackles apiece.

Morgan completed 18-of-28 throws for 247 yards and three touchdowns. Jarvis, the nation’s fifth-leading rusher, ran for 156 yards and a score. Jack Williams made 19 tackles, including 11 solo, for the Kent State defense.

CMU is back in action on Tuesday, Nov. 6 when it visits Western Michigan. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ESPN2 will televise the contest to a national audience.