Is CMU the best football team in Michigan?

I'd like to refer you to a column written by Gaylord Herald Times sports editor Jeremy Speer, a CMU alum and former CM Life sports journalist:

http://www.gaylordheraldtimes.com/articles/2008/08/05/staff_blogs/the_final_word/doc4898a97d3736e409595127.txt

Speer brings up an interesting point. Many are talking about the possibility of Rich Rodriguez's first season as coach at Michigan being a downer year. And Michigan State hasn't been all that special in recent years, but coach Mark Dantonio (they guy Brian Kelly replaced at Cincinnati) could have the Spartans heading in the right direction after a close loss to No. 14 Boston College in the Champs Sports Bowl last year.

The thought of the Chippewas as the best football team in Michigan certainly is a nice thought for CMU fans - and almost a realistic one. But for them to be muttered in the same breath as these two, not only do they have to breeze through their MAC schedule (one loss or less, probably to Ball State if anybody), they have to win at least one BCS game, if not two. They get two awfully good chances when they play at Purdue and Indiana.

Purdue is the toughest of the two for several reasons. They return quarterback Curtis Painter, who put up video game-like statistics against CMU in their two games last year and poses a real matchup problem for the Chippewas' secondary. Not only that, but it's Central's fourth game of the season, and in each of the past two years the team has had a tendency to struggle in its opening weeks (44-14 loss to North Dakota State, anyone?). I do think Central will do better than 45-22, but it's going to be awful tough to knock off the Boilermakers, even after playing them twice last year. (Remember, Purdue got to see CMU twice, too.)

Indiana's no cakewalk, either. They return quarterback Kellen Lewis, who has a bit of running ability of his own (700+ yards rushing, 9 TDs). And the Hoosiers went 3-0 against the MAC last year with wins over Western Michigan, Akron and Ball State, although none were blowouts.

It's certainly open for discussion. CMU has its best chance in awhile to be considered one of the elite Michigan teams if both Michigan and Michigan State struggle this year. But in order to do that, they need to perform in the national spotlight - as in, at least a win if not two at Purdue and Indiana and a respectable effort at No. 1 Georgia.