I do not have 100 percent confirmation yet, but sources tell me CMU is going to the Motor City Bowl for the third consecutive year.
Obviously, we'll get confirmation in the coming hours. But as of right now, it's all but a certainty. That should make plenty of CMU fans happy, to be able to stay in the state to watch the team in a bowl game.
As for the opponent, no one is sure yet. The two biggest possibilities, as of right now, are San Jose State and Florida Atlantic. The former would certainly be an interesting matchup, since it is a rematch of the 1990 California Raisin Bowl. San Jose State won that 48-24.
Be sure to stay posted.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Muncie Star Press: Either Ball State or CMU for GMAC Bowl
If the Muncie Star Press is any indication, CMU is either going to the Motor City Bowl or the GMAC Bowl.
According to the article, GMAC Bowl President Jerry Silverstein says either Ball State or Central Michigan will play in the game, depending on which team Ken Hoffman and the Motor City Bowl executives decide on first.
I would read the entire article, though, because it goes into good detail on Ball State's perspective of the bowl picture. It sounds like they would enjoy either bowl game.
Expect updates on this blog and on cm-life.com throughout the day Sunday for news and analysis. We'll know for sure what the game is by the end of the night.
According to the article, GMAC Bowl President Jerry Silverstein says either Ball State or Central Michigan will play in the game, depending on which team Ken Hoffman and the Motor City Bowl executives decide on first.
I would read the entire article, though, because it goes into good detail on Ball State's perspective of the bowl picture. It sounds like they would enjoy either bowl game.
Expect updates on this blog and on cm-life.com throughout the day Sunday for news and analysis. We'll know for sure what the game is by the end of the night.
Saturday, December 6, 2008
Making sense of the bowl possibilities
The Mid-American Conference bowl picture just got a whole lot more interesting after last night.
Buffalo upsets No. 12 Ball State 42-24, winning the MAC Championship. Stunning, for sure, considering the Cardinals went all this way to not even win the conference. And of all things, they lost because of lack of discipline. Four fumbles, two of which led to returns for touchdowns. One of them was a premature shotgun snap, one quarterback Nate Davis clearly was not prepared for. This game is going to burn for a long time.
The loss may not change anything. But it is important to note that CMU still has a good chance at a Motor City Bowl bid now. Why, even with BSU at 12-1 and CMU at 8-4? Why, even with BSU beating CMU on the road on Nov. 19? Attendance.
A paltry 12,871 fans came to the MAC Championship last night. Even with Ball State treading on perfection, even with two new teams and a very interesting matchup, only 12,871 fans made their way to Ford Field in Detroit. Compare that to the 25,013 last year that came to watch CMU, then 7-5, beat a 6-6 Miami team 35-10. And that game was at 11 a.m. Friday, rather than at night when more people have a chance to attend!
In fact, CMU brought more than 25,000 fans to the MAC title game in each of the two years it went. And don't forget last year's Motor City Bowl record attendance as CMU lost 51-48 to Purdue - 60,224. And from being at that game, I can safely say at least half of that crowd was supporting CMU, if not more than half.
The fact is, CMU is guaranteed to bring a huge crowd to the Motor City Bowl, no matter who the opponent is (54,000-plus to play Middle Tennessee State in 2006). Ball State, even with its small four-hour drive to Detroit, is not.
Compound all of that with two struggling sponsors - GM and Ford - and Motor City Bowl executives are probably going to have to make a business decision. Ball State's obviously the more attractive option, simply because it's a new team and it's 12-1. Chances are, it could maintain a low ranking after the Buffalo loss - it's not like the Cardinals are not the best team in the MAC now.
BUT- CMU is an attractive business option because of its huge draw. Tens of thousands of fans will go to Detroit to watch the Chippewas play anybody. That is a certainty. And right now, I'm not buying the talk that CMU would rather go to a different bowl because they've already went to the MCB the last two years. It is guaranteed Central is going to play a different team, so we already have a completely different game to look forward to under the same bowl name. And I doubt the team wants to travel across the country just for the opportunity to play in a different bowl. What's the logic?
Plus, let's face it - Every CMU game is an interesting game. I can't remember the last time the Chippewas played in a FBS game that didn't come down to the final few minutes. I think the Georgia and Temple games are it.
Buffalo upsets No. 12 Ball State 42-24, winning the MAC Championship. Stunning, for sure, considering the Cardinals went all this way to not even win the conference. And of all things, they lost because of lack of discipline. Four fumbles, two of which led to returns for touchdowns. One of them was a premature shotgun snap, one quarterback Nate Davis clearly was not prepared for. This game is going to burn for a long time.
The loss may not change anything. But it is important to note that CMU still has a good chance at a Motor City Bowl bid now. Why, even with BSU at 12-1 and CMU at 8-4? Why, even with BSU beating CMU on the road on Nov. 19? Attendance.
A paltry 12,871 fans came to the MAC Championship last night. Even with Ball State treading on perfection, even with two new teams and a very interesting matchup, only 12,871 fans made their way to Ford Field in Detroit. Compare that to the 25,013 last year that came to watch CMU, then 7-5, beat a 6-6 Miami team 35-10. And that game was at 11 a.m. Friday, rather than at night when more people have a chance to attend!
In fact, CMU brought more than 25,000 fans to the MAC title game in each of the two years it went. And don't forget last year's Motor City Bowl record attendance as CMU lost 51-48 to Purdue - 60,224. And from being at that game, I can safely say at least half of that crowd was supporting CMU, if not more than half.
The fact is, CMU is guaranteed to bring a huge crowd to the Motor City Bowl, no matter who the opponent is (54,000-plus to play Middle Tennessee State in 2006). Ball State, even with its small four-hour drive to Detroit, is not.
Compound all of that with two struggling sponsors - GM and Ford - and Motor City Bowl executives are probably going to have to make a business decision. Ball State's obviously the more attractive option, simply because it's a new team and it's 12-1. Chances are, it could maintain a low ranking after the Buffalo loss - it's not like the Cardinals are not the best team in the MAC now.
BUT- CMU is an attractive business option because of its huge draw. Tens of thousands of fans will go to Detroit to watch the Chippewas play anybody. That is a certainty. And right now, I'm not buying the talk that CMU would rather go to a different bowl because they've already went to the MCB the last two years. It is guaranteed Central is going to play a different team, so we already have a completely different game to look forward to under the same bowl name. And I doubt the team wants to travel across the country just for the opportunity to play in a different bowl. What's the logic?
Plus, let's face it - Every CMU game is an interesting game. I can't remember the last time the Chippewas played in a FBS game that didn't come down to the final few minutes. I think the Georgia and Temple games are it.
Friday, December 5, 2008
Bowl information, plus MAC Championship
First of all, you probably have already seen this, but if not, Athletics Director Dave Heeke posted a message on CMUChippewas.com regarding bowl information for Central. It confirms that CMU is going to go to a bowl this year, which we already figured - the four possibilities, Heeke said, is the Motor City Bowl, GMAC Bowl, Texas Bowl and Independence Bowl.
The International Bowl is not part of the equation. I'm assuming that confirms Buffalo's appearance in that game even if they win tonight (as of right now, the Bulls are up 14-10 over No. 12 BSU in the third quarter. Catch it on ESPN2. But more on that in a second.). That would be a terrific move for a team that has never played in a bowl game to play just less than 100 miles away from home. That's also a great draw for the International Bowl that will take as many fans as it can muster.
Ball State's a best bet for a Motor City Bowl appearance, no matter if it wins or loses tonight. They could even get a bid tonight, much like CMU did last year following winning the conference. But we will see, of course. That would probably mean Central is going south - either to Mobile, Ala. (GMAC), Houston (Texas Bowl vs. Rice), or Shreveport, La. (Independence Bowl vs. Louisiana Tech). Sunday is the latest we will know.
As for the MAC Championship tonight, I have watched most of it thus far, and Buffalo definitely showed up to challenge the Cardinals. But I still think Ball State will come out with a win, and as I type, it took a 17-14 win on running back MiQuale Lewis' one-yard touchdown run. I'll type more on this later tonight or tomorrow... plus, on whether Ball State should have negotiated better for a bowl game with Boise State.
The International Bowl is not part of the equation. I'm assuming that confirms Buffalo's appearance in that game even if they win tonight (as of right now, the Bulls are up 14-10 over No. 12 BSU in the third quarter. Catch it on ESPN2. But more on that in a second.). That would be a terrific move for a team that has never played in a bowl game to play just less than 100 miles away from home. That's also a great draw for the International Bowl that will take as many fans as it can muster.
Ball State's a best bet for a Motor City Bowl appearance, no matter if it wins or loses tonight. They could even get a bid tonight, much like CMU did last year following winning the conference. But we will see, of course. That would probably mean Central is going south - either to Mobile, Ala. (GMAC), Houston (Texas Bowl vs. Rice), or Shreveport, La. (Independence Bowl vs. Louisiana Tech). Sunday is the latest we will know.
As for the MAC Championship tonight, I have watched most of it thus far, and Buffalo definitely showed up to challenge the Cardinals. But I still think Ball State will come out with a win, and as I type, it took a 17-14 win on running back MiQuale Lewis' one-yard touchdown run. I'll type more on this later tonight or tomorrow... plus, on whether Ball State should have negotiated better for a bowl game with Boise State.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Around the MAC
Several news stories have popped up concerning the Mid-American Conference over the past few days, so I figured I would go over them in a nutshell:
- Ball State and Boise State will not meet in a bowl game. That's sad for those who were hoping for a battle of the non-BCS unbeatens, but the likelihood of it happening was just too small. There was no way the Cardinals were going to take their undefeated season all the way across the country to play a road game in a hostile environment, which they would have had to do if the game would go to the Humanitarian Bowl, located at Boise State. And I doubt Boise State would have done the same even at the Motor City Bowl, a neutral site but much closer to BSU. It just wasn't meant to be... which means BSU will likely go to the MCB.
- Toledo hires Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Tim Beckman to coach the team in place of "Toledo Tom" Amstutz. At first sight, this is a good move for the team, even though it's Beckman's first head coaching gig. The Rockets, known for their offensive firepower during the Amstutz era, are weak on defense and need a good defensive mind to lead them back to the top. And Oklahoma State looks good on his resume.
- Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly claims he is happy to be coaching the Bearcats despite being contacted by other teams. Wow, that sounds familiar, doesn't it?
- You heard it here first: Turner Gill will not be coaching Buffalo next season, whether he leaves after the MAC title or the bowl game. He is such an attractive option for BCS teams with coaching openings, which we know will come within the next month or two.
- You heard it here first: Brady Hoke will coach Ball State next year. Like Gill, he's a popular commodity since he turned the Cardinals from MAC bottom-feeders into BCS contenders, but I think it's going to take a really good offer for him to leave his alma mater.
- Also, the all-MAC teams were announced. Looks good, but I have a question: Why is WMU's Tim Hiller, statistically the best MAC quarterback, on the THIRD-team offense? I understand Ball State's Nate Davis deserves to be on the first-team. And no disrespect to Dan LeFevour (on the second team), it's moreso because of his injuries throughout the year, but Hiller did have a better year than him. And Western had a good year, too.
- There's finally a new poll. Pretty basic. Fire away.
- Ball State and Boise State will not meet in a bowl game. That's sad for those who were hoping for a battle of the non-BCS unbeatens, but the likelihood of it happening was just too small. There was no way the Cardinals were going to take their undefeated season all the way across the country to play a road game in a hostile environment, which they would have had to do if the game would go to the Humanitarian Bowl, located at Boise State. And I doubt Boise State would have done the same even at the Motor City Bowl, a neutral site but much closer to BSU. It just wasn't meant to be... which means BSU will likely go to the MCB.
- Toledo hires Oklahoma State defensive coordinator Tim Beckman to coach the team in place of "Toledo Tom" Amstutz. At first sight, this is a good move for the team, even though it's Beckman's first head coaching gig. The Rockets, known for their offensive firepower during the Amstutz era, are weak on defense and need a good defensive mind to lead them back to the top. And Oklahoma State looks good on his resume.
- Cincinnati coach Brian Kelly claims he is happy to be coaching the Bearcats despite being contacted by other teams. Wow, that sounds familiar, doesn't it?
- You heard it here first: Turner Gill will not be coaching Buffalo next season, whether he leaves after the MAC title or the bowl game. He is such an attractive option for BCS teams with coaching openings, which we know will come within the next month or two.
- You heard it here first: Brady Hoke will coach Ball State next year. Like Gill, he's a popular commodity since he turned the Cardinals from MAC bottom-feeders into BCS contenders, but I think it's going to take a really good offer for him to leave his alma mater.
- Also, the all-MAC teams were announced. Looks good, but I have a question: Why is WMU's Tim Hiller, statistically the best MAC quarterback, on the THIRD-team offense? I understand Ball State's Nate Davis deserves to be on the first-team. And no disrespect to Dan LeFevour (on the second team), it's moreso because of his injuries throughout the year, but Hiller did have a better year than him. And Western had a good year, too.
- There's finally a new poll. Pretty basic. Fire away.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
CMU: Overlooking the regular season that was
We're still a few days away from finding out which bowl game CMU will attend. But for now, the regular season is over and we know the team's fate in the Mid-American Conference. No, it will not go to a MAC Championship game and more than likely will not make the Motor City Bowl. But at 8-4, it was still a very good year for the team with its fair share of highs and lows.
Here's to the 2008 season:
BEST WIN: CMU 37, Indiana 34 on Nov. 1. This is a milestone in the sense that Central Michigan finally overcame a Big Ten opponent after 16 seasons of failed opportunities. Although the Hoosiers are by no means a powerhouse in the BCS, it was the "monkey off the back" game that CMU needed for the program to head into the right direction. This really was the high point of the team's season. (Honorable mention: CMU 38, WMU 28 on Oct. 18. This is easily the best MAC win of the year, especially since neither quarterback Dan LeFevour nor senior tailback Ontario Sneed were available. But more on that later.)
WORST LOSS: Eastern Michigan 56, CMU 52. There really is not a loss that was more disappointing this year, for several reasons. For one thing, the Eagles entered the game 1-9 against Football Bowl Subdivision competition. Their coach, Jeff Genyk, was fired earlier in the week. It had one thing to play for - defense of the Michigan MAC Championship, which, if you think about it, is nothing more than a novelty trophy supporting the rivalry between each Michigan MAC team. Sure, the Chippewas scored 52 points, but that was because quarterback Dan LeFevour and the offense kept having to play catch-up all game. The defense could not stop quarterback Andy Schmitt. An NCAA-record 58 completions? Really?
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Antonio Brown, sophomore wide receiver. While as of right now, his numbers do not quite compare to last season, Brown has been a stud from game one. He consistently ranked among the nation's best in punt return yardage and is a staple in the short passing game because of his acceleration and moves. There were some times where he had trouble running into his own blockers, especially on returns, but his impact is nonetheless noticeable. Teams had to kick away from him on kickoffs and single him out in the offense. That's a good thing for the other 10 guys on the field.
MOST VALUABLE BACKUP: Brian Brunner, senior quarterback. It was great to finally see Brunner get another shot as a starter this season. If you think about it, he had probably the most profound impact on this football team when he played. He took over for Dan LeFevour against Temple on Homecoming and finished out with a win - then he went 2-0 in his next two starts in two of the team's most critical games: Against a very very good Western Michigan team and against Indiana to earn the team's first BCS win. Not only that, but he was dominant in both games, throwing for 346 yards vs. WMU and 485 vs. Indiana. Interesting statistic: Brunner was 3-0 when he finishes the game for CMU; LeFevour was 5-4.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Bryan Schroeder, running back. For the few times Schroeder has stepped in, he contributed immensely. He became CMU's first 100-yard rusher not named LeFevour when he compiled 106 yards against Western Michigan, which was critical in the win. With both Sneed and Justin Hoskins on their way out, Schroeder should get more carries next season. But he does face stiff competition from freshman Paris Cotton (that is, if he holds onto the ball) and redshirt Jahleel Addae.
PLAYCALL OF THE YEAR: Two-point conversion Sept. 22 at Purdue. With the score 24-23 in Purdue's favor, coach Butch Jones could have secured a tie and give the team a shot at a win in overtime. Instead, he went for the two-pointer and the win. Jones made a good call no matter what the result was; the Chippewas surely were sick of losing to the Boilermakers and took a gamble. LeFevour ended up connecting with a diving Antonio Brown to take a 25-24 lead. Yeah, Purdue got the last laugh 18 seconds later with a 46-yard touchdown run by Kory Sheets, but this was still a heck of a call. Jones believed in his players and they delivered.
CLOSE CALL OF THE YEAR: Buffalo's game-winning field goal off the right goalpost on Sept. 27. The Bulls had just scored a touchdown and recovered an onside kick to set up this field goal try, down 27-25. What was a sure win just moments ago was in the balance for CMU. The Bulls' A.J. Principe's 46-yard try, however, hit the right goal post, much to the delight of the CMU sideline. That was the difference between an 8-4 season and a 7-5 season, but what could have compounded that to a 6-6 season was Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson's fumble in the end zone with just 2 minutes remaining on Sept. 13. Had he held onto the ball, the Bobcats could have taken a 35-31 lead. It was close, but the important thing was the result: A CMU win.
THE TURNING POINT OF THE YEAR: Many will point to Ball State's 31-24 win on Nov. 19, which began the two-game losing streak to end the year, but the third quarter of CMU's 33-30 overtime win over NIU, to me, is where things took a turn. The Chippewas held a 30-6 lead midway through that quarter before the Huskies opened up 24 unanswered points to end the game and force the extra period. CMU squeaked by before losing its next two games.
BY THE NUMBERS: CMU averaged 22,659 fans at each of its five home games, by far the highest average of any other MAC school. No other MAC school topped 20,000. Antonio Brown averaged 20.7 yards per punt, best in the nation. The Chippewas outscored their opponents 129-99 in the second quarter. It has been 28 seasons since the team had three consecutive seasons with eight wins or more, the last time being 1978-80.
Here's to the 2008 season:
BEST WIN: CMU 37, Indiana 34 on Nov. 1. This is a milestone in the sense that Central Michigan finally overcame a Big Ten opponent after 16 seasons of failed opportunities. Although the Hoosiers are by no means a powerhouse in the BCS, it was the "monkey off the back" game that CMU needed for the program to head into the right direction. This really was the high point of the team's season. (Honorable mention: CMU 38, WMU 28 on Oct. 18. This is easily the best MAC win of the year, especially since neither quarterback Dan LeFevour nor senior tailback Ontario Sneed were available. But more on that later.)
WORST LOSS: Eastern Michigan 56, CMU 52. There really is not a loss that was more disappointing this year, for several reasons. For one thing, the Eagles entered the game 1-9 against Football Bowl Subdivision competition. Their coach, Jeff Genyk, was fired earlier in the week. It had one thing to play for - defense of the Michigan MAC Championship, which, if you think about it, is nothing more than a novelty trophy supporting the rivalry between each Michigan MAC team. Sure, the Chippewas scored 52 points, but that was because quarterback Dan LeFevour and the offense kept having to play catch-up all game. The defense could not stop quarterback Andy Schmitt. An NCAA-record 58 completions? Really?
MOST VALUABLE PLAYER: Antonio Brown, sophomore wide receiver. While as of right now, his numbers do not quite compare to last season, Brown has been a stud from game one. He consistently ranked among the nation's best in punt return yardage and is a staple in the short passing game because of his acceleration and moves. There were some times where he had trouble running into his own blockers, especially on returns, but his impact is nonetheless noticeable. Teams had to kick away from him on kickoffs and single him out in the offense. That's a good thing for the other 10 guys on the field.
MOST VALUABLE BACKUP: Brian Brunner, senior quarterback. It was great to finally see Brunner get another shot as a starter this season. If you think about it, he had probably the most profound impact on this football team when he played. He took over for Dan LeFevour against Temple on Homecoming and finished out with a win - then he went 2-0 in his next two starts in two of the team's most critical games: Against a very very good Western Michigan team and against Indiana to earn the team's first BCS win. Not only that, but he was dominant in both games, throwing for 346 yards vs. WMU and 485 vs. Indiana. Interesting statistic: Brunner was 3-0 when he finishes the game for CMU; LeFevour was 5-4.
FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR: Bryan Schroeder, running back. For the few times Schroeder has stepped in, he contributed immensely. He became CMU's first 100-yard rusher not named LeFevour when he compiled 106 yards against Western Michigan, which was critical in the win. With both Sneed and Justin Hoskins on their way out, Schroeder should get more carries next season. But he does face stiff competition from freshman Paris Cotton (that is, if he holds onto the ball) and redshirt Jahleel Addae.
PLAYCALL OF THE YEAR: Two-point conversion Sept. 22 at Purdue. With the score 24-23 in Purdue's favor, coach Butch Jones could have secured a tie and give the team a shot at a win in overtime. Instead, he went for the two-pointer and the win. Jones made a good call no matter what the result was; the Chippewas surely were sick of losing to the Boilermakers and took a gamble. LeFevour ended up connecting with a diving Antonio Brown to take a 25-24 lead. Yeah, Purdue got the last laugh 18 seconds later with a 46-yard touchdown run by Kory Sheets, but this was still a heck of a call. Jones believed in his players and they delivered.
CLOSE CALL OF THE YEAR: Buffalo's game-winning field goal off the right goalpost on Sept. 27. The Bulls had just scored a touchdown and recovered an onside kick to set up this field goal try, down 27-25. What was a sure win just moments ago was in the balance for CMU. The Bulls' A.J. Principe's 46-yard try, however, hit the right goal post, much to the delight of the CMU sideline. That was the difference between an 8-4 season and a 7-5 season, but what could have compounded that to a 6-6 season was Ohio quarterback Boo Jackson's fumble in the end zone with just 2 minutes remaining on Sept. 13. Had he held onto the ball, the Bobcats could have taken a 35-31 lead. It was close, but the important thing was the result: A CMU win.
THE TURNING POINT OF THE YEAR: Many will point to Ball State's 31-24 win on Nov. 19, which began the two-game losing streak to end the year, but the third quarter of CMU's 33-30 overtime win over NIU, to me, is where things took a turn. The Chippewas held a 30-6 lead midway through that quarter before the Huskies opened up 24 unanswered points to end the game and force the extra period. CMU squeaked by before losing its next two games.
BY THE NUMBERS: CMU averaged 22,659 fans at each of its five home games, by far the highest average of any other MAC school. No other MAC school topped 20,000. Antonio Brown averaged 20.7 yards per punt, best in the nation. The Chippewas outscored their opponents 129-99 in the second quarter. It has been 28 seasons since the team had three consecutive seasons with eight wins or more, the last time being 1978-80.
Monday, December 1, 2008
The waiting game
I'm sure CMU fans aren't too familiar as of late with the topic of this blog entry. Usually, it's this football team that decides its own fate and takes itself as far as it can go in the Mid-American Conference. Now, with the 2008 regular season at a close, CMU has to wait one week to see if it even makes a bowl game.
But like I've said many times before, it is very likely the Chippewas are going to a bowl. For one thing, every prognostication I've seen around the major media outlets has at least four MAC teams going, some even have five (with Northern Illinois at 6-6). Enough at-large bids are opening up to accept that fourth team, which at worst would have an 8-4 record. (Buffalo will automatically go by virtue of being the only bowl-eligible team in the MAC East).
The most likely scenario, according to these outlets, is CMU and East Carolina in the GMAC Bowl on Jan. 6, even with Western Michigan at a better overall record. The biggest disadvantage to playing in this game, obviously, is the fan following - Mobile, Ala., is a tad further away than Detroit. You can expect many Central fans from Georgia and Florida (pipeline states) to show up, but not quite the crowd we saw at the Motor City Bowl last year.
The next game to watch, obviously, is Buffalo and Ball State in the MAC Championship on Friday. If Buffalo wins, we could see the Bulls in the Motor City Bowl instead of the Cardinals, but I still think they want the International Bowl regardless because of its proximity. Both teams have huge draws to those bowls for that reason, especially since Buffalo is going bowling for the first time since it joined the MAC and Ball State wants fans to attend the final game of its perfect season.
That leaves CMU and WMU for the GMAC, and both have strong cases. CMU may win out by virtue of head-to-head, but WMU's 9-3 record has a say, too. We'll see, I suppose - that's the point of the waiting game.
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