Central Michigan quarterback Daniel Richardson, right, throws a pass against Washington State during the first half of the Sun Bowl in El Paso, Texas, on Friday. (AP photo)

EL PASO, Texas (AP) — Central Michigan came to the desert southwest to play in one bowl game and ended up in another.

The Chippewas still found a way to end their five-game bowl losing streak.

Lew Nichols III ran for 130 yards and a touchdown, leading late replacement Central Michigan to a 24-21 victory over Washington State in the Sun Bowl on Friday.

When Boise State opted out of the Arizona Bowl because of COVID-19 issues, Central Michigan switched about 300 miles east from Tucson, Arizona, to the Texas border city of El Paso.

Miami skipped the Sun Bowl for COVID-19 reasons as well. Central Michigan stayed in Arizona before busing to El Paso the day before the game.

The Chippewas (9-4) won their fifth consecutive game this season in their first bowl victory since beating Western Kentucky in the 2012 Little Caesars Bowl.

“They played their tails off,” Central Michigan coach Jim McElwain said of a defense that held the Cougars to 53 yards before halftime to help the Chippewas to a 21-0 lead. “They might have been missing some guys, but let me tell you something else, we were missing guys. And you know what? We didn’t care. We just went out and played.”

Washington State, which dropped to 8-9 all-time in bowls, rallied in the second half behind backup quarterback Victor Gabalis, scoring three times to make it close.