Central Michigan Football

With the start of the 2011 college football season less than 2 months away, let's take a brief look at Central Michigan's schedule and their chances of winning each contest.  We'll rate each game on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a near-certain victory and 1 being a likely defeat.

Thursday, September 1st vs. South Carolina State - These are the Bulldogs of South Carolina STATE, not the SEC's Gamecocks.  As such, CMU shouldn't struggle too much in their home opener.  The Bulldogs did go 9-3 last season, but that won't matter.  Chance of victory: 9.

Saturday, September 10th at Kentucky - This, on the other hand, IS an SEC opponent.  The Wildcats aren't in the upper echelon of the SEC, however.  Kentucky loses their starting quarterback to graduation and their best receiver to the NFL draft, two significant losses for a team that went 6-7 last year.  Considering CMU was 3-9 last year, it's tough to be overly optimistic about a road game against a SEC school.  But this could be an opportunity for the Chips to surprise some people.  Chances of victory: 4.

Saturday, September 17th at Western Michigan - Anyone close to the rivalry knows the recent history: CMU has won 5 in a row and 6 of the last 7.  Western's excruciating 26-22 loss to Central last year probably cost the Broncos a bowl bid.  They remember, they're angry, and if they don't get it done in Kalamazoo this year, when will it ever happen?  By the way, a lot of folks expect WMU to be pretty good this year.  Of course, we've heard that before.  Chances of victory: 5.

Saturday, September 24th at Michigan State - The last time CMU traveled to East Lansing, Dan Lefevour & friends left Spartan Stadium with a shocking 29-27 victory.  But Lefevour's eligibility is no more, and MSU remembers how it felt to see the Chips celebrating on their field.  The Spartans are also coming off an 11-win season and are loaded with talent, starting with senior QB Kirk Cousins.  Chances of victory: 3.

Saturday, October 1st vs. Northern Illinois - The Huskies pounded CMU 33-7 in last year's meeting, and NIU is expected to contend for the MAC title in 2011.  The rest of the conference had to be in awe watching NIU destroy Fresno State in the Humanitarian Bowl, and senior QB Chandler Harnisch is coming off of a fantastic 2010 campaign.  CMU will need their best effort if they want to defend their home turf in this one.  Chances of victory: 4.

Saturday, October 8 at North Carolina State - Like the Huskies, NC State capped a fine 2010 season by pummeling their opponent in a bowl game.  In beating West Virginia 23-7, the Wolfpack wrapped up their first 9-win season since 2002.  However, Russell Wilson will be playing quarterback for Wisconsin this year, meaning NCSU needs to find an answer under center.  Much like the game against Kentucky, there is reason to believe the Chips can compete here.  Problem is, CMU beat only Eastern Michigan on the road last season.  NCSU is in a different league, even without Wilson.  Chances of victory: 3.

The first half of the 2011 will present many challenges for head coach Dan Enos and the Chips.  Quite frankly, a record of 2-4 through the first 6 weeks would have to be considered a job well done.  The three road games against BCS foes are all tall tasks, and the two MAC games are against teams expected to contend for the league title. 

Uhh...the BORE - ange Bowl

Umm...Iowa bested Georgia Tech. The game wasn't as close as the score indicated. Is the Big Ten back? That's 4-3 in bowl games this year with two BCS wins.

Iowa won the game but what is up with the fake field goal call by Kirk Ferentz? Where are all these coaches getting these balls of steel from?

Bill Belichick opened the flood gates for weird ass calls when he pulled that shit in Indianapolis earlier this season.

Jim Zorn's wild ass call on Monday Night Football, Jim Caldwell, and most recently Kirk Ferentz's crazy call have been many of odd decisions by coaches this season. Pretty soon we won't have any more punters and kickers the way these daredevils play.

GMAC = BCS?

Why was the GMAC Bowl played the day before the National Championship game? It's like going to see a movie you've been waiting a long time to see and the movie trailer is a live abortion video.

You've paid your $9.25 for the movie ticket, you decided to splurge the $20 at the concession for you and your lady friend since this is a big-time flick, so walking out just because of a God-awful trailer isn't going to make you leave. Your mood will be definitely killed though.

This is how I felt last night watching Troy vs. Central Michigan. I mean it didn't get good until about midway through the third quarter.

That's like a movie not getting good until you've already made it up in your mind that it sucks. I mean for all those that watched, couldn't you tell? The announcers couldn't stop talking about the game that they wished they'd be calling tomorrow.

I just don't get it. Why play these games so late? You know good and well that the GMAC bowl was not going to contain any top 25 teams. So why is this game played so late?

I mean is this the reason why we preserve our bowl system for these precious GMAC bowl games to played right before the biggest bowl game of the year? A game that literally no one cared about and that included the people announcing and the network showing it.

That's all I got,

Ricky Writer

6Magazine

Publisher/CO-EIC

GMAC Bowl

Central Michigan vs. Troy

Tonight, 7 p.m. EST, ESPN

Prospects worth watching: Next level troubles? Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour will be playing his last collegiate game tonight, ending his career as one of the NCAA’s most productive quarterbacks. LeFevour is a coordinated athlete who showcases the ability to buy time in the pocket, create with his feet and get the football out on time in the pass game. However, the biggest knock on him in terms of NFL potential is his inability to be accurate when he’s asked to stick throws down the field.

He isn’t a real strong-armed kid and simply doesn’t exhibit much zip throwing outside the numbers. He does display good accuracy and timing in the underneath pass game and does a nice job allowing his receivers to run after the catch. But he doesn’t possess many NFL-caliber throws in his arsenal and looks more like a developmental guy in a west coast scheme. The MAC’s best talent? If there’s one prospect on the Central Michigan roster who is definitely worth a watch tonight, it’s wideout Antonio Brown. Brown is a 5-10, 182-pound target who’s electric in the open field and knows how to create with the ball in his hands. He’s the type of straight-line athlete who can consistently threaten defenses vertically and also doubles as a very talented return man. He isn’t real physical, and I don’t think he has the size/strength needed to beat press on the outside at the next level. But as an intriguing slot/special teams guy, he definitely has the athletic ability to make a roster and contribute to an NFL team. The edge game Troy defensive end Brandon Lang is the guy who consistently grabs most of the headlines on the Trojans’ defense, but I’m not so sure he’s even the best pass-rushing prospect on his own team. That distinction might go DE Cameron Sheffield. When evaluating both Lang and Sheffield this season, it was Sheffield who exhibited the more explosive first step and displayed better overall balance when turning the corner.

Lang, on the other hand, did generate a better initial pop as a bull-rusher but lacked the type of footwork and overall burst needed to threaten the edge. To make matters worse, Lang lacked awareness off the snap and struggled to change directions and side-step opposing tackles off his pass rush. Neither of them showcased an ability to use their hands well enough to disengage once an opposing lineman got into their frames, but at least Sheffield demonstrated the type of burst needed to be a factor off the edge as a possible 3-4 rush linebacker. Lang looks nothing more than a backup-type defensive end at the next level. His time is coming One prospect to remember as we move closer to draft season is Troy cornerback Jorrick Calvin. Calvin is a 5-10, 184-pound defender who possesses an impressive athletic skill set and displays the ability to develop into one of the nation’s better senior cornerback prospects. However, Calvin was ruled academically ineligible for the 2009 season and was forced to miss the entire year. Still, there’s enough good junior tape of him out there to draw interest from NFL scouts, and with a couple of strong postseason performances, I can see him moving up draft boards in April. Others worth watching: ILB Bear Woods, Troy (6-0, 245) Displays with a real passion for the game and knows how to sniff out the football and tackle in a phone booth. Is a limited size/speed athlete, but you hate to count out kids like this. WR Bryan Anderson, Central Michigan (6-5, 215) A big, coordinated wideout who knows how to go up and get the football. However, he displays simply no second gear and struggles to generate any kind of a burst out of his breaks. LB Boris Lee, Troy (6-0, 245) A natural leader who showcases good redirection skills in coverage. However, he gets washed out of plays too easily inside and struggles to stack and shed on contact. DE Frank Zombo, Central Michigan (6-3, 269) A blue-collar defensive end who isn’t real physical or explosive off the edge but works hard to fight his way through blocks and has found a way to be productive because of his motor. Follow me on Twitter: WesBunting

Cincinnati players responded to Brian Kelly's coaching move last week by mouthing off to the media.

Wide receiver Marcus Gilyard advised Kelly to "pack up his things and get to South Bend in a hurry."

Cincinnati fans in the community egged Kelly's house and posted obscene signs on the lawn.

Somehow, they feel entitled to act on their angry and stunned feelings without considering the void that their coaching vacancies have left in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

That's right. Not once, but twice in three years, the citizens in MAC country have awoke to the news that their head coach was on his way to Cincinnati.

Did they raid their refrigerator, grab all the eggs, and drive over to Brian Kelly's house in 2006 or drive over to Butch Jones' house today? Negative.

In fact, Jones might still coach CMU in the bowl game.

Cincinnati fans and players might argue that Kelly shouldn't have abandoned the school before it's "biggest" game in school history. Kelly left CMU before it won it's first bowl game ever and Jones made the announcement of his departure before CMU plays its' first bowl game as a top-25 program.

What the folks in Cincinnati have to understand, like people in Mount Pleasant understand, is that the program is just a stepping stone. CMU's program has served that role twice now to Cincinnati. In turn, Cincinnati is a stepping stone to a major school like Notre Dame.

All you can do is thank your coach for leading the program into uncharted territory, wish him well at his next stop, and move on.

There might always be a successful coach waiting at Central Michigan.

The timing isn't always good and it isn't always handled in the best way. But a college football coach has the right to move up in the ranks, go undefeated, and play for a national championship, while earning $800,000 more.

He shouldn't have to worry about cleaning the egg yolk off the front lawn.  

If the Fiesta Bowl featuring Texas Christian and Boise State is the main event of non automatic qualifiers, the GMAC Bowl with Central Michigan and Troy is top under card bout.  Both teams went undefeated in their conference and feature Senior quarterbacks who have a future in the NFL.  While the more talented writers on Bleacher Report are breaking down the big games, I'll be previewing the best of the rest.  Dan Lefevour versus Levi Brown is one of the best quarterback matchups of the bowl season and reason enough to tune in for this little gem.

GMAC Bowl

Mobile, Alabama

January 6, 2010

#25 (AP) (#29 comp ave) Central Michigan Chippewas 11-2 (8-0) MAC Champions

The unquestioned leader of the Chippewas is Senior QB Dan Lefevour.  This season Lefevour has completed 285 passes on 401 attempts, 71.1% for 3043 yards with an impressive 27 to 6 td to int ratio.  Lefevour also lead the team in rushing, carrying the ball 174 times for 701 yards, 4.0 per carry and 14 tds.  His 41 combined touchdowns should garner him a few third place votes for the prestigious Heisman Trophy.

When #13 isn't throwing or running himself, he'll be handing off to Sophmore Brian Schroeder and Junior Carl Volny.  The tandem combined for 168 carries 874 yards (5.2 ypc) and 8 touchdowns.

Dan Lefevour's primary target is Junior WR Antonio Brown who caught 97 passes for 1020 yards and 9 touchdowns.  Opposite of Brown will be Senior Bryan Anderson who grabbed 57 passes for 700 yards and 6 scores and Junior Kito Poblah who had 50 receptions for 631 yards and 4 tds.

The offense ranks #17 of 120 scoring 33.2 points per game and #33 overall racking up 416.9 yards per game.  The offense is very balanced averaging 172.2 yards rushing (#42) and 244.8 through the air (#36).  The Chippewas do a great job protecting the ball, having only 14 turnovers (6 fumbles, 8 ints) in 13 games.

Central Michigan's defense is much better than I had anticipated giving up only 17.2 points per game which ranks #14 in the nation.  The Chippewas are #29 in total defense allowing only 326.7 yards per game, 119.3 rushing (#30) and 207.4 passing (#48).  They don't force a lot of turnovers but are a +5 in turnover ratio for the season.

# 49 (comp ave) Troy Trojans 9-3 (8-0) Sunbelt Champions

The Trojans are lead by Senior quarterback Levi Brown who passed for 3868 yards while completing 64.7% (290/448) of his passes.  He threw 22 touchdowns and 9 interceptions and a 149.4 quarterback rating.

The running game is lead by Freshman Shawn Southward and Junior DuJuan Harris.  The duo has combined for 1045 yards on 237 carries, an average of 4.4 yards per carry and 18 touchdowns.

Brown and the Trojans stretch the field in the passing game and the main target is Jerrel Jernigan who lead the team with 62 catches and 947 yards.  He was second on the team with 4 tds.  Tebiarus Gill lead the team with 6 touchdown grabs and was second on the team with 44 receptions and 553 yards.  Levi Brown will look to Senior Zack Marcum underneath.  For the season, he had 33 grabs for 315 yards and a score.  Senior Cornielius Williams and Sophmore Chip Reeves will also stretch the field combining for 40 receptions for 683 yards and 5 touchdowns, a healthy average of 17.1 yards per catch.

Troy's offense is explosive and ranks #3 of 120 in the nation racking up a whopping 478.5 yards per game, running for 147.5 yards per game (#61).  The bulk of the Trojans offense comes from the passing game where they rank #4 throwing for an impressive 331.0 yards per game.  Troy scores 33.1 points per game ranking them #18 in the nation.

The Trojan defense has taken its lumps this season giving up 28.6 points per game (#86) and 417.9 yards per game (#100), 140.2 on the ground (#54) but the weakness is the pass defense which ranks #117 of 120 allowing 277.8 yards per game.

Common Opponents:

There has been one common opponent this season, Bowling Green, who Troy visited to open the season and Central Michigan visited on October 24, game #8 for the Chippewas.  Troy lost 31-14 in Bowling Green while Central Michigan downed the Falcons 24-10. 

How I see it:

This is going to be a classic quarterback duel between two of the top Senior quarterbacks in the country.  Dan Lefevour and Levi Brown are the players that NFL scouts will be looking at.  The Trojans like to stretch the field with their passing game while the Chippewas like to use the passing game to control the ball.

I think this will be a high scoring game with two of the best offenses and quarterbacks in the country.  The Chippewas will get a few more stops out of their defense and stops and turnovers will be the difference.  Central Michigan protects the ball very well, and in the end, that will be the difference.

 Central Michigan Chippewas 41 Troy Trojans 27

Preview the Holiday Bowl here:

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/304735-bowl-season-is-here-the-pacific-life-holiday-bowl

Notre Dame should have been required a pep talk from "Dr. Lou" himself before being allowed to deny a bowl invite last week. Jack Swarbrick, ND Athletics Director, referred to his decision as being the result of "unique circumstances."

It's their own loss in so many ways. They sacrificed the 15 extra practice days before spring football, as well as missed out on the chance to give their seniors a final go as Navy and Gold.

Even more at a loss is a program to the north that is No. 25 in the nation. Tiny Central Michigan, in the underrated MAC, deserves a shot at the big boys this holiday season just as much as Boise State or TCU.

Not to take anything away from the Sun Belt champion, Troy, who CMU will face in the GMAC bowl, but they won't get the chance they deserve because of "unique circumstances." 

Ask the students and fans in South Bend to define "unique circumstances" and they will tell you some mumbo jumbo about Charlie Weiss. Either him not being around to call plays or that Clausen and Tate were too close to their head coach to be motivated to play. They'll tell you that a trip to Alabama or Detroit against a minor, less accomplished program such as Central Michigan would be a waste of time and money for Notre Dame. That it would just be a repeat of last year's Hawaii bowl blowout. 

Get over your pompous selves. A team that is out a head coach, the last I knew, could still play in a bowl game. Hawaii was 7-6 last year when you played them, Central Michigan is 11-2.

Up in Central Michigan, where there are plenty of fans of both Notre Dame and the Chippewas, they view these "unique circumstances" as a school sparing themselves from humiliation.

Let's face it. The decision was made to take the easy way out. A program that has been in the media spotlight all season, for all the wrong reasons, wanted to forgo the possibility of being embarrassed by one of the top five QBs in the nation, Dan LeFevour.

The Fighting Irish, once a football program of great pride, will be known as the Fleeing Irish for the time being.   

Since I just now found out this is allowed under B/R's rules, I'll test the live blog out with the MAC Championship game between the Ohio Bobcats and the Central Michigan Chippewas. The Chippewas are a fourteen point favorite in this game. The game is on ESPN2, for those who don't know.

First Quarter

7:03 PM CT: Game is about to start. Dan LeFevour looks beyond ready for his eleventh win of 2009 and a MAC Championship.

7:08 PM CT: Ohio picks up nine yards but not the ten they needed on their first drive, as it ends in a three and out for the Bobcats. The Chippewas take over at their own 43.

7:10 PM CT: Ohio picks off a deep Dan LeFevour pass, but the pick is taken away by a defensive pass interference penalty. With less than twelve minutes left in the first quarter, CMU has a third down and one at the Ohio 33, but Dan LeFevour picks up seven yards for the first.

7:16 PM CT: Six minutes elapsed here and CMU is at the Ohio 13, threatening to score.

7:17 PM CT: I spoke too soon - LeFevour throws an interception into the Ohio end zone after the Bobcats brought a huge blitz. Under nine minutes to play in the first quarter.

7:30 PM CT: Sorry for the lack of updates; my Internet went out for a few minutes. After an Ohio punt, Dan LeFevour leads the Chippewas right down the field for a CMU touchdown to give them a 7-0 lead with 5:22 left in the first quarter. With that touchdown, LeFevour is now the leader in NCAA history in total career touchdowns.

7:32 PM CT: ESPN still showing Jimmy V commercials. This is the only time all year where I feel like tearing up at something on ESPN. Something about that quote: "Don't give up. Don't ever give up."

7:35 PM CT: Ohio fumbles the ball on a horrible backwards pass and CMU takes over at the Ohio 37. 3:56 left in first quarter.

7:38 PM CT: CMU driving, ball at the Ohio eight, first and goal.

7:40 PM CT: A bad run by LeFevour and an incomplete pass on third down means that Central Michigan has to settle for a field goal. Still, they take a 10-0 lead with 1:25 left in the first quarter of play.

7:45 PM CT: Except for about one pass so far, Theo Scott, the Bobcats' QB, just doesn't look like he's got his game going tonight.

7:46 PM CT: Ohio gets on the board with a beautiful play call - the reverse wide receiver pass! Taylor Price throws a beauty to Terrence McCrae for 29 yards and a touchdown. 10-7 CMU with four seconds left in the first quarter.

7:51 PM CT: Stats at the end of the first quarter:

Ohio QB Theo Scott: 4-7, 42 yards
Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour: 9-13, 91 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, six rushes, 23 yards
Central Michigan RB Brian Schroeder: 3 rushes, 18 yards
Ohio WR Terrence McCrae: 3 receptions, 69 yards, 1 TD

Ohio Bobcats: 13 plays, 82 yards, 7 points, 3 first downs, 1 turnover (fumble)
Central Michigan Chippewas: 23 plays, 134 yards, 10 points, 10 first downs, 1 turnover (interception)

Second Quarter

7:52 PM CT: A Snoop Dogg song coming back from commercial? Come on, ESPN.

7:55 PM CT: Central Michigan driving to the Ohio 43. 2nd and 5 with 13:04 left in second quarter.

7:58 PM CT: Ohio just can't stop CMU right now. Even after forcing a third down, CMU picks up thirteen yards to convert. Close to eleven minutes left in the second quarter.

7:59 PM CT: Not so fast - thanks to a high snap on first down and a false start on second, it's now 2nd and 27 for CMU.

8:00 PM CT: Frank Solich must be furious - his Bobcats commit a 15 yard face mask penalty on said 2nd and 27 and the Chippewas will take the first down inside the twenty.

8:02 PM CT: LeFevour overthrows a receiver in the end zone and the Chippewas have to settle for a field goal - or do they? Andrew Aguila hooks it and CMU's lead stays at 10-7 with 9:21 left in the first half.

8:08 PM CT: Theo Scott somehow avoids a certain sack and picks up the first down with a beautiful throw to LaVon Brazil for a first down.

8:12 PM CT: The Chippewas pick up a great third down stop of Ohio and force a fourth down and three at the CMU 49. The Chippewas take over at their own 16 with exactly six minutes to go in the first half.

8:17 PM CT: Another third down conversion for CMU. 4:08 left in the first half and they're at midfield.

8:21 PM CT: CMU driving with the ball at the 24 yard line of Ohio and under a minute left. Central Michigan takes a timeout.

8:26 PM CT: What looks to be a Central Michigan touchdown is taken back by a false start...a full minute later. Step your game up, referees.

8:29 PM CT: Central Michigan gets their touchdown on a nine yard pass from Dan LeFevour to Brian Anderson to give them a 17-7 lead with 17 seconds left in the first half. That now makes 140 total touchdowns for LeFevour in his career.

8:32 PM CT: Central Michigan leads at halftime over Ohio, 17-7. Team stats at the half:

Ohio: 6 first downs, 149 yards (131 passing, 18 rushing), 9:29 time of possession, 7 points, 1 turnover (fumble)
Central Michigan: 20 first downs, 278 yards (192 passing, 86 rushing), 20:14 time of possession, 17 points, 1 turnover (interception)

8:41 PM CT: Player stats at halftime:

Passing:

Ohio: Theo Scott 7-13, 102 yards
Central Michigan: Dan LeFevour 19-27, 192 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT

Rushing:

Ohio: Chris Garrett 4 carries, 19 yards, Vince Davidson 3 carries, 4 yards
Central Michigan: Brian Schroeder 8 carries, 42 yards, Dan LeFevour 12 carries, 38 yards

Receiving:

Ohio: Terrence McCrae 5 receptions, 110 yards, 1 TD, LaVon Brazil 1 reception, 19 yards
Central Michigan: Antonio Brown 6 receptions, 70 yards, Bryan Schroeder 3 receptions, 42 yards, Kito Poblah 3 receptions, 39 yards, Bryan Anderson 4 receptions, 27 yards, 1 TD, Cody Wilson 3 receptions, 27 yards, 1 TD

Second Half

8:55 PM CT: Let's get ready for the third quarter to start. 17-7, CMU.

8:58 PM CT: The more you watch Dan LeFevour, the more impressed you are with him. It's been like this for three years. He just had a 20 yard run to the Ohio 39 after escaping from a sack.

9:03 PM CT: Ohio puts up a goal line stand against the Chippewas and they force a field goal. CMU still takes the 20-7 lead with 9:01 remaining in the third quarter.

9:11 PM CT: Ohio has a good drive going. With under seven minutes remaining in the third, they're past the CMU 35 with a first down.

9:15 PM CT: Ohio gets the opportunity to cut down the CMU lead and they do, hitting a 36 yard field goal to make the score 20-10, Central Michigan, with 5:36 left in the third quarter.

9:20 PM CT: Has Ohio finally figured out how to slow down the potent CMU offense? The Chippewas are forced to punt and Ohio takes over at its own 18 after a great roll on the punt for Central Michigan.

9:28 PM CT: After a sack on second down, Theo Scott makes an incredible run for a first down while tightroping the sideline on third and 13. Ohio now has the ball at their own 43.

9:30 PM CT: The third quarter has now come to a close with the score at CMU 20, Ohio 10. Team stats up in a minute.

9:31 PM CT: Team stats for the game:

Ohio: 11 first downs, 224 yards (138 passing, 86 rushing), 10 points, 1 turnover (fumble), 4 penalties for 50 yards, 17:07 time of possession
Central Michigan: 24 first downs, 353 yards (234 passing, 119 rushing), 20 points, 1 turnover (interception), 7 penalties for 55 yards, 27:53 time of possession

Fourth Quarter:

9:34 PM CT: Central Michigan thought they had a drive-killing interception of Ohio quarterback Theo Scott, but it's wiped out by a defensive holding penalty.

9:39 PM CT: Theo Scott, Ohio quarterback, comes out of a play injured. They fail to convert a third down and twelve at the CMU 41 and the Chips start at their own 7 with 13:35 left in the game.

9:40 PM CT: On a non-football related note, the 0-18 New Jersey Nets have finally won their first game of the 2009-10 season, defeating the Charlotte Bobcats 97-91.

9:46 PM CT: Ohio forces a punt from CMU and they'll get the ball back at their own 43 yard line with 11:49 to play in the game.

9:48 PM CT: After CMU was nearly unstoppable in the first half, Ohio has been much the same on this drive. With ten minutes to play, they're at the CMU 20 with a second down and nine yards to go.

9:50 PM CT: Theo Scott needs to learn to just go down and take the sack. By not doing so, he lost an additional five yards and Ohio will now have to attempt a 51 yard field goal down by ten.

9:52 PM CT: And that's why you need to just go down. He misses the kick wide left and the Bobcats blow a huge chance to cut into the CMU lead. They still trail 20-10 with 9:14 to play.

9:57 PM CT: CMU looks to be on a mission to close out this game. In the span of two plays they've moved from their own 34 to the Ohio 42.

10:00 PM CT: The Chips just lost 11 yards on a screen pass because their receiver ran backwards. Has anyone taught them which way to run after you catch a pass? CMU punts and Ohio takes over at their own 17 with just over four minutes left.

10:03 PM CT: Attention, KFC: it's Kentucky Fried Chicken, not Kentucky Grilled and Fried Chicken.

10:08 PM CT: Ohio somehow converts a fourth down and fourteen from their own 13 with three minutes to play.

10:12 PM CT: CMU stops Ohio on fourth down and eleven as Ohio's last-ditch pass falls incomplete. But, thanks to a pass interference call, that didn't really happen. Ohio stays alive with 2:39 to play.

10:16 PM CT: Ohio's leading receiver for the game, Terrence McCrae, appears to have a lower leg injury.

10:18 PM CT: CMU finally shuts the door on Ohio, stopping Theo Scott four yards short on a fourth and five scramble. It looks like the Chippewas will kneel down for the final two minutes of this game and win their third MAC championship in four years.

10:20 PM CT: The 2009 MAC Championship is now awarded to the Central Michigan Chippewas, who have defeated the Ohio Bobcats, 20-10, in a well-fought game at Ford Field in Detroit. Final stats up in a few minutes.

10:36 PM CT: Final team and player stats:

Ohio:
16 first downs, 275 total yards (167 passing, 108 rushing), 6 penalties for 60 yards, 1 turnover (fumble), 10 points, 23:18 time of possession

Central Michigan:
28 first downs, 381 total yards (255 passing, 126 rushing), 9 penalties for 80 yards, 1 turnover (interception), 20 points, 36:42 time of possession

Passing:
Ohio: Theo Scott 10-23, 138 yards, Taylor Price 1-1, 29 yards, 1 TD, Tyler Tettleton 0-3, 0 yards
Central Michigan: Dan LeFevour 28-39, 255 yards, 2 TD, 1 INT

Rushing:
Ohio: Chris Garrett 8 rushes, 42 yards, Theo Scott 9 rushes, 36 yards, Donte Harden 4 rushes, 17 yards, Taylor Price 3 rushes, 10 yards, Vince Davidson 3 rushes, 4 yards, Tyler Tettleton 2 rushes, -1 yards
Central Michigan: Brian Schroeder 16 rushes, 72 yards, Dan LeFevour 17 rushes, 51 yards, Carl Volny 3 rushes, 12 yards, Antonio Brown 2 rushes, 0 yards

Receiving:
Ohio: Terrence McCrae 7 receptions, 141 yards, 1 TD, LaVon Brazill 1 reception, 19 yards, Steven Goulet 1 reception, 5 yards, Taylor Price 1 reception, 2 yards, Chris Garrett 1 reception, 0 yards
Central Michigan: Antonio Brown 8 receptions, 66 yards, Brian Anderson 7 receptions, 54 yards, 1 TD, Brian Schroeder 5 receptions, 53 yards, Kito Poblah 4 receptions, 44 yards, Cody Wilson 3 receptions, 27 yards, 1 TD, David Blackburn 1 reception, 11 yards

With that, I'll close out this live blog and I thank everyone who checked it out. Leave your comments, questions, or suggestions below and feel free to do so.

MAC championship game
Central Michigan vs. Ohio
(Tonight, 8 p.m. EST, ESPN 2)

Prospects to keep an eye on:

Central Michigan

Dan LeFevour: No. 13, QB, 6-3, 238

One of the nation’s most overrated quarterback prospects, LeFevour has been awfully productive throughout his career but isn’t asked to make many NFL-type throws and lacks the ideal arm strength and accuracy to try to get the ball down the field.

Antonio Brown: No. 27, WR, 5-10, 182

A dynamic playmaker with the ball in his hands who has the ability to consistently get down the field vertically and separate on all levels. Also doubles as a very gifted return man and is one of the MAC’s top NFL prospects.

Bryan Anderson: No. 7, WR, 6-5, 215

A king-sized receiving threat who possesses impressive body control for a guy his size. However, he plays at one speed and lacks the burst to separate vs. NFL-caliber corners at the next level.

Frank Zombo: No. 98, DE, 6-3, 269

Plays with a good motor and works hard to disengage but doesn’t display the type of athleticism to reach the corner and be much of a threat off the edge in the NFL.

Ohio

Taylor Price: No. 23, WR, 6-1, 212

Possesses an intriguing blend of size and speed and has the ability to consistently threaten defenses vertically. However, he isn’t real shifty off the line and struggles to beat press coverage and get into his routes quickly vs. physical corners.

Thad Turner: No. 12, CB, 5-11, 183

A corner who really caught my eye a couple weeks ago and possesses the length and speed to efficiently play press coverage. It will be interesting to see how he handles the talent of the Central Michigan receiving corps.

Others worth watching:

Ernie Hodge: No. 95, DT, 6-2, 295

APCentral Michigan WR Bryan Anderson

Scout’s key matchup

Central Michigan WR Bryan Anderson vs. Ohio CB Thad Turner

Coming into the year, Central Michigan’s Bryan Anderson was considered one of the nations top wide receiver prospects. His 6-5 frame paired with his ball skills and body control simply made him too much for most MAC corners to handle down the field.

However, after watching him on tape last summer and repeatedly this year, he doesn’t strike me as a guy who can separate vs. athletic corners at the next level, as he struggles to generate any kind of a burst out of his breaks. Anderson has still caught 50 passes this season for 646 yards and will go down as one of the most productive receivers in the history of the MAC. But his inability to consistently escape press coverage and separate vs. man will definitely be a big concern tonight, especially going against the likes of Ohio cornerback Thad Turner.

Turner is a thinly built corner at 5-11, 183, but he showcases impressive length and does a great job getting his hands inside receivers initially off the snap and disrupting their timing in the pass game. Now, he possesses only average balance when asked to open up his hips and change directions, but he’s a gifted straight-line athlete who has the ability to consistently turn and run down the field and does a great job closing quickly on throws underneath.

I really can’t see Anderson creating much separation tonight vs. Turner on any area of the field. So the key will be Turner’s ability to get his head around in coverage, find the football and make a play on it. Because as we’ve seen in the past, Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour isn’t afraid to throw the ball up to Anderson when covered, knowing his big target will likely come down with it.

Key to the game

APExpect too much LeFevour for Ohio to handle tonight.

As a potential NFL prospect, I’m not very high on the overall skill set of Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour. However, from a college standpoint, he does a great job quickly distributing the football underneath and allowing his receivers to create for him after the catch. But what makes LeFevour so difficult to stop on a week-to-week basis is his ability to keep drives alive with his feet and beat you once he breaks containment outside the pocket.

LeFevour has rushed for 650 yards with 14 touchdowns and forces defensive coordinators to either play nearly exclusively zone coverage to keep an eye on him if/when he decides to take off, or consistently use a defender to spy him underneath. Either way, he’s done a great job making sound decisions with the football all year and consistently is able to feel pressure around him and take off when needed.

Ohio needs to be sure to keep LeFevour in the pocket, especially in third-and-long situations and tackle in space when given the opportunity. If not, the Bobcats are going to have a tough time getting the Central Michigan offense off the field and keeping points off the board.

The outcome

Central Michigan simply has too much talent on the offensive side of the ball for Ohio to keep pace with and is led by an experienced quarterback who knows how to beat opposing defenses through the air or on the ground. I like Central Michigan to coast to a big win and claim the MAC championship.

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Central Michigan (10-2, 8-0) looks to run the table in the Mid-American Conference with a win against East Division Champions Ohio (9-3, 7-1) in the MAC Championship game.

Both the Chippewas and Bobcats have been streaking of late, each winning their last three games, all against conference opponents.

Ohio won the East Division defeating Temple (9-3, 7-1) last week to win the MAC East title for the first time since 2006. Quarterback Theo Scott’s five touchdowns (3 pass, 2 rush) were all the Bobcats needed in the 35-17 victory.

Central Michigan won their last two MAC Championship games (2006 and 2007) and senior quarterback Dan LeFevour was the catalyst in both Chippewa victories.

I’m sure winning a third MAC Conference title would be nice, but when LeFevour looks back on his career as a Chippewa no feat would be more greater than breaking the Football Bowl Subdivision record for most total touchdowns.

Currently tied with Graham Harrell (Texas Tech) and Colt Brennan (Hawaii) with 146 touchdowns (99 passing, 46 rushing, 1 receiving), LeFevour needs one touchdown to become the all-time leader in total touchdowns.

With that being said, the winner of the 2009 MAC Championship game will be decided by which teams quarterback out plays the other.

Coming off his five touchdown performance against Temple, junior quarterback Theo Scott looks to improve on his 324 yard passing day against corner Josh Gordy and the MAC’s seventh-ranked pass defense.

There is no quarterback in the Mid-American Conference I would take over Scott other than the 2009 Vern Smith Leadership Award winner, an award presented to the conference’s top football player, and MAC Offensive Player of the Year Dan LeFevour.

LeFevour is the conference career leader in total offensive yards (15,140), attempts (1,669), completions (1,110), passing yards (12,255) and is tied for second in touchdown passes (99).

As the most underrated quarterback in college football, LeFevour will have to prove one more time why he should have been at least considered for the Heisman.

LeFevour with 39 touchdowns this season leads the most potent offense in the MAC scoring a conference best 34 points per game against the fifth-best overall defense in the conference.

In order for Scott and the Bobcats to pull out a victory Friday night they must score touchdowns when they reach the red zone. The Bobcats are eighth in the MAC in the red zone scoring on 29-of-the-40 attempts (17 TD, 12 FG) and facing the conferences second-best red zone defense will prove to be tough.

It will also be more difficult for Scott in the red zone due to an ankle injury, which could hamper his mobility, but Ohio needs him to play as well as he has in the past two weeks to pull off the upset.

While the Bobcats struggle in the red zone, the Chippewas take advantage of their red zone opportunities scoring on 50-of-the-54 attempts (43 TD, 7 FG) and they will face the second-worst red zone defense in the MAC.

It’s hard to go against the experience of LeFevour and all the gaudy stats he has produced in his career, but Theo Scott is an electrifying player and if he has time to operate he will frustrate defenses.

When it comes down to it Central Michigan’s defense is better than Ohio’s and their offense is better as well. This along with the experience of LeFevour in MAC Championship Games has me going Chippewa.

Key Stat- Ohio is 9-0 this season when quarterback Theo Scott scores multiple touchdowns.  

Injury Update-

CENTRAL MICH (-17.0) 38 Toledo 27

This game depends a lot of how healthy Toledo quarterback Aaron Opelt is. Opelt injured his throwing shoulder a month ago against Western Michigan, missed 2 1/2 games and tried to play in week 9 against Miami-Ohio. Opelt struggled throwing the ball and was taken out, then later took himself out after reentering the game in the second half.

Opelt has had a week and a half to improve and he should be better, but he's not likely to be as good as was before the injury. Opelt has averaged a stellar 7.7 yards per pass play against teams that would allow 5.9 yppp to an average quarterback, which are better numbers than Central Michigan star Dan LeFevour. Toledo's backup quarterbacks have been horrible, so having Opelt operating at even mediocre levels is a must in this game since the Rockets' defense isn't good enough to keep the Chippewas good attack from scoring a lot of points.

If Opelt were to play at his pre-injury level then I'd only favor Central Michigan by 8 points in this game. If Opelt plays at the level of an average quarterback then I'd favor the Chippewas by 15 1/2 points, but with the extra time off it's likely that Opelt will be more than just average and I'll lean with Toledo based on that assumption. Then again, if Opelt lands on that shoulder again and is taken out then a Central Michigan blowout could ensue.

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