Central Michigan Football

As a CMU Alum, I am proud to write this article.

If you asked me who is the best college football team in the state of Michigan, I would say hands down it is the Chippewas of Central Michigan. How often can we say that?

For most seasons, it would be a no-brainer in Michigan. Every now and then it may be Michigan State. Never would you think that the best team in Michigan is CMU.

If so, you would think that both the Wolverines and Spartans are really bad. That is not the case at all though. Michigan and Michigan State will both make bowl games.

Looking at these three teams, how can you look at the season and say that the Chippewas are not the best team? Dan LeFevour is easily the best quarterback very few have heard of in college football. Antonio Brown and Bryan Anderson have been his primary weapons for four years. This year the defense is also really good, unlike in past years.

After a lackluster performance in the first game against Arizona, the Chippewas responded by beating Michigan State. Since that time the Chippewas haven't slowed down and are now 7-1.

Central Michigan can already claim bragging rights over Michigan State. The only question is whether or not they are better than Michigan.

After a hot start that featured a classic thriller with Notre Dame, Michigan was 4-0. However, just three weeks after CMU's victory over the Spartans, Michigan State dominated Michigan for most of the game and overcame a late rally to beat the Wolverines in overtime.

Since that time, it appears as though reality may be setting in for the Wolverines. After losses to Iowa and Penn State, it is clear that although Michigan is much improved from a year ago, they still are not totally back.

To be fair, Michigan can say the level of competition they have faced has been much  tougher, and they are 5-3. However, the only two common opponents they faced were Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan. Central put up more points against both of those teams than Michigan did.

To be fair, Michigan only gave up seven points to Western and Central gave up 23. However, the Wolverines gave up 17 to Eastern and Central gave up only eight.

This is a fun thing to debate this year. Most years if you suggest the Chippewas are better than Michigan, you would get laughed at. It should also be noted that since Michigan State's victory over Michigan they have been rolling and nearly beat Iowa if not for a last second touchdown.

Ordinarily, Michigan would shoot for the Rose Bowl. I am a Michigan fan and usually want that. When the Rose Bowl appears out of reach, I like to shoot for the Capital One Bowl. That is looking more unlikely too. So what bowl game does Michigan turn to? Certainly the Outback or the Alamo would be possible.

However, if we really want to settle the debate on who the best team in Michigan is, their best bet would be the Motor City Bowl. The Motor City Bowl is designed to take one of the top teams in the MAC and an at-large selection. Central appears to be a lock—could Michigan get the at-large bid?

If Central were to win, they would have bragging rights hands down. They would have beaten State, Western, Eastern, and Michigan in the same year. However, if Michigan handles them and Michigan State wins either the Capital One or the Outback Bowl, they could almost make the claim.

Michigan would really have to beat the Chippewas convincingly and hope the Spartans get destroyed to make the claim.  

Central Mich (-8.5) 39 BOWLING GREEN 27

Central Michigan is the class of the Mid American Conference this year and Bowling Green is not likely to get in their way even with the situation being in the Falcons' favor. The Chippewas have won 6 consecutive games since losing at Arizona in their opener and their 6-1 ATS record suggests that they could still be overrated. Central Michigan's offense is led by dynamic quarterback Dan LeFevour, who is perhaps the nation's premier dual threat quarterback, and the Chippewas have been 0.9 yards per play better than average offensively this season (6.4 yppl against teams that would allow 5.5 yppl to an average team).

Bowling Green started the season looking pretty solid on defense but their best defensive player, SS P.J. Mahone, was suspended from the team after just 2 games and the defense has been horrible ever since. Mahone led the Falcons in tackles last season and was leading them again after 2 games with 21 stops, which is still good enough for 7th on the team despite missing 5 games. Without Mahone, the Falcons have allowed 7.1 yppl in 5 games against teams that would combine to average 5.1 yppl against an average team. Central Michigan has faced one other horrible defense and the Chippewas scored 56 points on 522 yards at 8.7 yppl in that game against Eastern Michigan.

Bowling Green, meanwhile, has faced just one good offense this season and the Falcons gave up 49 points at 9.2 yppl in that game to Boise State. Needless to say, Central Michigan should score a good number of points in this game.

Bowling Green is decent offensively, averaging 5.3 yppl against teams that would allow 5.3 yppl to an average team, and Central Michigan is just average defensively (5.2 yppl allowed to teams that would average 5.2 yppl), but average production isn't going to be enough for Bowling Green to keep up with what their defense allows. My math model gives Central Michigan a 57.6% chance of covering at -8 1/2 points in this game but the Chippewas apply to a negative 42-102-2 ATS situation that would give Bowling Green a 55% chance of covering at a fair line.

The line in this game, of course, isn't fair and I'll side with Central Michigan even with the negative situation.

Read more on my website www.drbobsports.com

I have 5 NCAA Best Bets and 6 NCAA Strong Opinions this week, and 2 NFL Best Bets and 3 NFL Strong Opinion!

Read an article about me in the Wall Street Journal

Follow me on Facebook and Twitter for updates on Best Bet releases

I'll be the first to admit it: I hated Dan LeFevour.

Graduating from rival Western Michigan University, it is easy to see why. He was the star quarterback at the opposing school and was a thorn in Western Michigan's side every season.

This is not to mention the enormous photo of him outside Ford Field and Comerica Park in Detroit that greeted me on my way to Tigers games.

However, after watching him defeat the Broncos the last three seasons and become one of the best players to ever play in the Mid-American Conference, I have grown a lot of respect for him.

LeFevour stepped in as a freshman and proved he was a star almost immediately.

He was named MAC Freshman of the Year and MVP of the Motor City Bowl as a redshirt freshman as he led CMU to victory. The following season, as a sophomore, he threw for 27 touchdowns and ran for another 19 in a Tim Tebow-like performance. He was just the second player in Division One FBS history to rush for 1,000 yards and pass for 3,000 (Vince Young being the first).

To everyone in the MAC, LeFevour is royalty. To the outside world, he is still a relative unknown. However, his play this season begs him to be included in the Heisman Trophy race.

A senior in 2009, LeFevour has already racked up stats and big wins to deserve being included in the race. He was instrumental in the upset win over Michigan State in East Lansing and has led the Chippewas to a 5-1 start.

The Downers Grove, Ill. native is completing passes at a 71.8 clip and has thrown 12 touchdowns against just four interceptions this season. He has also ran for 319 yards and eight scores through six games.

He is starting to generate momentum too in many of the national Heisman projections. On the ESPN.com Heisman watch list, he is ranked 13th as of Oct. 13.

A win against Boston College in their place on Halloween would also go a long way in improving his chances. That and he'll probably have to finish undefeated the rest of the season in conference contests, including picking up wins in the MAC Championship and bowl game.

As he's from the MAC and rarely plays top opponents, he'll have to put up serious stats and get Central Michigan at least into the top 25 before the season concludes.

It won't be easy as LeFevour faces rival Western Michigan for the final time this Saturday in Kalamazoo, Mich.

However, with the proven track record, consistency, and hunger to win, LeFevour should be considered as one of the contenders with the likes of Tim Tebow, Colt McCoy, and Jimmy Clausen.

Central Mich (-7.5) 30 BUFFALO 21

Central Michigan and star quarterback Dan LeFevour have been underwhelming on offense so far this season, averaging just 5.4 yards per play against a schedule of teams that would allow 5.6 yppl to an average attack. LeFevour is completing 70% of his passes, but for only 8.6 yard per completion and 5.5 yard per pass play.

Buffalo has a good pass defense (5.4 yards per pass play allowed to quarterbacks that would average 5.8 yppp against an average team), but the Bulls are horrible against the run (5.9 yards per rushing play allowed to teams that would average 4.4 yprp) and I expect the Chippewas to take advantage like they did in last week's 48-21 win over Akron in which they ran for 340 yards.

What has made the Chippewas a good team has been a defense that has surrendered just 4.7 yppl and just 16.8 points per game to an average schedule of offensive team. Buffalo is just average offensively overall, but they can move the ball through the air with Zack Maynard (6.9 yppp against teams that would allow 6.6 yppp) going up against a mediocre Central Michigan pass defense.

Buffalo can't run and Central Michigan is very good against the run, so Buffalo would be wise to throw the ball 50 times today.

My math model favors Central Michigan by 10 points, but I can also see Buffalo staying close if they come up with a game plan that features more pass plays than normal.

Read more on my website www.drbobsports.com

I have 7 NCAA Best Bets and 4 NCAA Strong Opinions this week!

Read an article about me in the Wall Street Journal

Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour, who became the Mid-American Conference's all-time leader in total offense, threw an 11-yard touchdown pass to Paris Cotton with 32 seconds left to pull the Chippewas within 27-26.

Central Michigan went for the win, but on the 2-point conversion attempt, Antonio Brown caught LeFevour's high-arching pass out of bounds.

But the Chippewas (1-1) recovered an onside kick and drove into position for a 47-yard field goal. Aguila missed it, but Michigan State (1-1) was whistled for an offsides penalty, giving Aguila another shot at it from 42, and he nailed it.

When time expired, Central's players ran in all different directions, some piling on each other and others heading toward the maroon-and-gold section in one corner of the stadium. One player waved an oversized "C" flag as the Spartan faithful streamed out of the stadium.

The win is Central's second straight over a Big Ten opponent and fourth all-time against the conference. It also snapped the program's four-game losing streak to the Spartans.

LeFevour finished 33 of 46 for 328 yards with three TDs and an interception.

The suburban Chicago native surpassed Byron Leftwich's record of 12,084 yards on a 12-yard TD pass to Kito Poblah that tied the game 20-20 less than a minute into the fourth quarter. Leftwich, of Marshall, now is the starter for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Michigan State took the lead 27-20 on a 7-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to B.J. Cunningham with 7:33 remaining.

Cousins, who was 13 of 18 for 164 yards and the one TD, started and played the majority of the game. Fellow sophomore Keith Nichol played a handful of series and completed 3-of-8 passes for 51 yards and score.

Michigan State led 17-13 at halftime, thanks to a 16-yard pass from Nichol to Charlie Gantt that the tight end caught while falling down in the end zone with 4 minutes to go in the second quarter.

Earlier in the second, LeFevour called his own number on a fourth-and-1 play from Michigan State's 29-yard line. Down 10-6, Jones decided to go for it, and his QB bowled over a couple of State defenders for a 2-yard gain and a first down.

But two plays later, he missed an open receiver and was picked off by Jeremy Ware at the Michigan State 7-yard line.

Central then held the Spartans and drove 36 yards in three plays, the last being a 6-yard TD pass from LeFevour to Brown. The wide receiver found himself all alone in the corner of the end zone, and LeFevour sailed it right into his arms for a 13-10 lead with 5:49 to go in the first half.

Brown did a little bit of everything on Saturday, catching passes and returning punts and kicks. The junior from Miami even threw a 24-yard pass to LeFevour and ran twice from scrimmage. He finished with 248 all-purpose yards.

The Spartans executed a perfect drive to open the game, taking only 2 minutes to go 74 yards in five plays. Cousins connected with Blair White on a 39-yard pass that initially was ruled a 40-yard TD, but a video replay showed White's knee down just before the ball made it over the goal line. Caulton Ray barreled in on the next play.

If Michigan State were playing Tim Tebow on Saturday afternoon, it would be a big deal.

Okay, maybe not quite OSU-USC big—face it, some presidential elections have had less hype than the Buckeyes-Trojans showdown—but still a big deal.

After all, Tebow's a legend. Some are referring to him as the best college football player...ever. Let that sink in for a minute. 

Florida's star quarterback has two national championships, one Heisman trophy, and approximately 87,432 ESPN features. So if somebody with those gaudy numbers was coming to town, East Lansing would be juiced.

Make no mistake, Tebow does have impressive numbers. He's rushed for over 2,000 yards in his career. That would be a nice stat for any running back.

Coming into this season, Tebow had thrown for almost 6,400 yards. That's over three-and-a-half miles of aerial attack.

Here's the kicker, though.

The quarterback who IS coming to Spartan Stadium this weekend has better numbers.

Much better.

In the first three years of his career, Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour threw for 9,467 yards. In other words, that's 3,000 more than the "best college football player ever."

Oh, and LeFevour rushed for 2,235 yards—almost 200 more than Mr. Tebow (but who's counting?).

Total yardage? Tebow's on the short end of this discussion by 3,200 yards and change.

Here's one more stat that will make your head spin: The year Tim Tebow won the Heisman, LeFevour out-rushed him and out-passed him. Handily.

So why is no one talking about Dan LeFevour?

Or maybe the better question is, will Michigan State take the country's best statistical quarterback lightly because he doesn't play in the SEC, own a trophy, or perform overseas surgeries on spring break?  

Memo to Spartans: Overlook LeFevour at your own peril.

Hey, I understand it's easy to rip on MAC schools. Not to name any names, but Bleacher Report's own Kristofer Green referred to the MSU-CMU showdown on FirstandBigTen.com as a "clunker" and predicted a 21-point Spartan victory.

I beg to differ. Or as Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast, my friend."

Let's dispel a couple myths about the best college football player you've barely heard of.

1. LeFevour can't handle the big stage.

I don't even want to hear this argument. The Chippewas' star isn't going to be rattled by 75,000 fans in East Lansing. Any guesses where his first career start was? I'll save you the research...it came a few miles down the road in Ann Arbor. After playing in the Big House, it's all downhill as far as crowd size goes.

2. LeFevour can't compete with the Big Ten.

While I realize that there's a difference between playing Ohio and Ohio State, LeFevour has put up big numbers against Big Ten schools when he's had the opportunity, most notably in a trio of games against Purdue. 

The Chips faced off with the Boilermakers three times in 13 months during LeFevour's career, and Purdue could have (and maybe should have) lost two of the three contests.

In the 2007 Motor City Bowl, the Boilers needed a game-winning field goal on the last play to outlast CMU 51-48, and last September, Purdue overcame a 25-24 deficit in the final minute to survive yet another scare from Central Michigan.  

The gang from Mount Pleasant isn't a one-man show either. There's some Big Ten-level skill around LeFevour. In fact, the Chippewas knocked off Indiana a year ago without their star quarterback, who was nursing an ankle injury on the sidelines.

3. LeFevour's best days are behind him.

While it's true that the senior's numbers dipped from 2007 to 2008—hey, after one of the best seasons in college football history, they pretty much had to—expect LeFevour to have a monster senior season this fall. Central Michigan is predicted to win another MAC title, and the quarterback that makes them tick will undoubtedly continue his assault on the record books.

With those arguments out of the way, I admit to being a little surprised that LeFevour played so poorly in last week's season opener at Arizona, a 19-6 Chippewa loss. You'll never guess, though, who came to the quarterback's defense and made excuses for one of the worst games of LeFevour's career (only 108 passing yards, 18 rushing yards).

Correct answer: Michigan State coach Mark Dantonio.  

Dantonio told me Tuesday, "They had some lightning in the area down there [in Tucson], so they pushed the game back. The game was actually played at 11:00 [p.m.] Eastern time, which I think has to be a little bit unsettling for a football team trying to play at that point in time."

Spartan fans, is it too late to move kickoff to midnight instead of noon? Uh-oh.

More from Dantonio on Superman's kryptonite game in the desert: "You have to credit Arizona, they played very, very well—and at the same time, you knew that was not the same guy that you've been watching throughout the spring and in the summer on film. I'm sure that he'll get his game back together, and it's unfortunate he comes here to play to do that—I know he'll be excited about it."

Maybe we could get Dantonio a "Catch the LeFevour" fan club button or something. The coach kept gushing.

"He's a guy that's been to numerous bowl games...a very productive player. He has intangibles, he has toughness, he has experience—when you look for a guy as a freshman that's played all the way through, there's not too many, so he's pretty special."

No arguments here, Coach.  

Hope the Spartans are ready.

This article is also featured on FirstandBigTen.com, a Bleacher Report blog dedicated to Big Ten football.

At 6'5'', Bryan Anderson has several advantages over his competition.

The Central Michigan senior wideout is one of the first players to know when it is raining, and the crowd has an easy time recognizing him on the field.

Anderson may be able to stand out in a crowd, but the media must be looking for him at all the wrong places.

Heading into this season, Anderson needs only 379 receiving yards to become the all-time leader at CMU. He is already first in school history with 226 receptions and 21 touchdown receptions.

Anderson ranks 10th in receptions in Mid-American Conference history, and he currently owns the longest streak in the FBS with at least one catch in 40 consecutive games.

Since redshirting in 2005, Anderson has been a productive starter for the Chippewas. That is quite an accomplishment for a player who started out as a walk-on.

Anderson's best season to date occurred in 2007.

That year, Anderson caught 90 passes for 1,132 yards and a single-season school record 10 touchdowns. The 90 receptions rank Anderson second for most in one season at Central Michigan, and he caught at least 10 passes in a game three times.

For his efforts, Anderson was voted second-team All-MAC and the team's most valuable receiver.

Despite injuries to quarterback Dan LeFevour last season, Anderson still had a productive campaign. He caught 63 passes for 865 yards and six touchdowns. Anderson averaged 13.7 yards per catch while grabbing 15 receptions of 20 yards or more.

Although his statistics decreased, Anderson's status within the conference increased as he was named first-team All-MAC.

As a freshman, Anderson totaled 867 receiving yards on 73 receptions. Anderson caught eight passes in a game four times and had three consecutive games with at least 100 yards receiving.

Sporting News selected Anderson as a first-team Freshman All-America, and he was a first-team All-MAC honoree.

Extra film study and hard work have enabled Anderson to become a well-rounded player. He started his career at CMU as a slot receiver because he was a poor route runner.

After hours of film study and practice, Anderson now lines up primarily as an outside receiver. He also has developed some versatility. He can be a finesse guy if defensive backs play off of him, or a physical player if the defense plays bump-and-run. 

Anderson's strong work ethic extends beyond the football field. He is majoring in biomedical sciences and has a 3.31 GPA. He has twice been an Academic All-MAC selection.

Anderson is poised to have another excellent season for Central Michigan. The question is whether the media is ready to take notice of an individual who is hard to miss.

Tim Tebow, Sam Bradford, and Colt McCoy. Two Heisman Trophy winners between the three and three names that come to mind when talking about top quarterbacks in the nation.

But two other names that fly under the radar are two quarterbacks playing in the state of Michigan and neither attend Michigan or Michigan State. Western Michigan's Tim Hiller and Central Michigan's Dan LeFevour are among the tops of quarterbacks in the country.

Last season, Hiller completed 64.9 percent of his passes and led the Mid-American Conference with 3,725 yards and 36 touchdown passes. Hiller led a Bronco offense that was ranked 11th in the nation in passing offense. 

Hiller has already broken or is close to breaking many Western Michigan passing records. Last season, he broke WMU's single-season record for pass attempts, completions, yards, and touchdown passes, while leading the Broncos to the Texas Bowl, their second bowl game in three seasons.

Hiller can impress NFL scouts with his 6'5" 230 pound frame and scouts love his arm strength and decision making and some are even saying if he has a season like 2008, Hiller could be the first quarterback taken in the 2010 NFL Draft. Some scouts say his arm strength is better than Bradford's and McCoy's.

As for LeFevour, scouts rave about him as he's everything you look for in a NFL quarterback. LeFevour stands at 6'3" and weighs 226 pounds and is mobile at times. LeFevour came into the scene as a freshman in 2007 and has failed to disappoint Chippewa nation. 

Since LeFevour has taken over, he's led CMU to two MAC Championships and three-straight Motor City Bowl appearances. LeFevour was the Motor City Bowl MVP in 2006 when CMU beat Middle Tennessee State 31-14. 

LeFevour completed 251 of 376 passes (67 percent) last season for 2,784 yards with 21 touchdowns and being picked off only six times and he only played in only 10 games due to injury. He missed games against rival Western Michigan and Indiana. He also become only the second quarterback to pass for 3,000 yards and rush for 1,000 yards in 2007.

Former Texas and current Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young was the first to accomplish that feat.

Both Hiller and LeFevour are ranked very high as Hiller is ranked No. 5 top senior quarterback by NFL.com and LeFevour is No. 3 on that same list. LeFevour is also ranked No. 2 on Mel Kiper's best quarterbacks, just behind Bradford and many have hinted him as a Heisman candidate.

Hiller and LeFevour will have an interesting 2009 as they'll both led their respective teams to fight for a MAC Championship. They also will see some great competition as WMU faces three Big Ten teams (Michigan, Michigan State, and Indiana) and CMU will face the likes of Arizona, Michigan State, and Boston College. Western Michigan and Central Michigan will do battle on Oct. 17 in Kalamazoo. 

Tebow, Bradford, and McCoy will be among the top quarterbacks this season, but some might want to look at two rival quarterbacks in Michigan as well.

The college football season hasn't even started yet, and I am already tired of hearing about the Three Amigos, otherwise known at Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy, and Tim Tebow.

By the end of the season, I will know Bradford's favorite color, what McCoy eats for breakfast, and what songs are on Tebow's iPod.

There is no questioning the talent of these three quarterbacks, but their nickname makes no sense.

All three are in the chase again this year for the Heisman Trophy. Last season, Tebow and Bradford competed against each other for a national championship. Bradford and McCoy play for teams that are members of the Big 12 South.

It appears to me that is very unlikely that the Three Amigos are actually friends.

In addition, the nickname is probably one of the most overused in sports today. Ever since the movie The Three Amigos, featuring the talents of Steve Martin, Chevy Chase, and Steve Martin, hit theaters in 1986, sportswriters with no imagination tag unsuspecting victims with the label.

The Denver Broncos had their version of the Three Amigos in wide receivers Ricky Nattiel, Mark Jackson, and Vance Johnson. When Patrice Evra, Ji-Sung Park, and Carlos Tevez played together for Manchester United, they were referred to as the Three Amigos.

The late wrestler Eddie Guerrero had his signature move, three consecutive vertical suplexes, called the Three Amigos. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen of the Boston Celtics referred to themselves as the Three Amigos in a commercial for ESPN.

I decided that other college football quarterbacks should to be publicized this season, and their nicknames need to be creative and logical.

Most casual college football fans believe that the Big 12 possesses the greatest collection of quarterbacks. However, most don't realize the conference with the next-best signal callers is the Mid-American Conference.

To give the MAC some much needed publicity, I have decided to refer to Andy Schmitt, Tim Hiller, and Dan LeFevour as the Michigan Three.

Schmitt is a senior quarterback at Eastern Michigan. He holds the NCAA record for most passes completed in a single game with 58.

Schmitt enters 2009 as one the hottest quarterbacks in the FBS. In his last two games, Schmitt passed for 1,000 yards. The closest member of the Three Amigos to that number is McCoy with 725 yards.

At 6'4", 238 lbs, Schmitt has the ability to sit in the pocket and fend off pass rushers as he looks for open receivers. Schmitt has shown some mobility by running for 171 yards and five touchdowns last year.

From his sophomore to his junior year, Schmitt increased his passing yardage by over 1,000 yards. Now that new coach Ron English is implementing a pro-style offense at Eastern Michigan, expect another year of improvement from Schmitt.

Hiller is a 6'5'', 228 lbs senior at Western Michigan. Hiller is only the second quarterback from WMU to throw for at 3,000 yards in a season. Hiller has an excellent opportunity to pass for at least 10,000 yards and 100 touchdowns in his career.

Known to possess a stronger arm than any member of the Three Amigos, Hiller also receives high marks for his touch and trajectory on his passes—consistently putting the ball over the receiver's correct shoulder.

Hiller has already earned a degree in sales and marketing while maintaining a 4.0 GPA.

Although Hiller is recovering from a MCL injury to his left knee, expect him to have another great season running Western Michigan's West Coast offense.

Dan LeFevour is already the leading passer at Central Michigan University and could become the MAC leader in several categories.

He needs 27 touchdown passes to top Chad Pennington as the all-time conference leader. LeFevour is 383 total yards and 2,437 passing yards away from setting two more MAC records.

At 6'3'', 226 lbs, LeFevour is known for intelligence and poise in the pocket. Despite playing with a bad ankle last year, LeFevour still passed for 2,784 yards and 21 touchdowns in 2008.

In 2007, LeFevour achieved a feat none of the Three Amigos have yet accomplished. During that season, LeFevour became only the second quarterback ever to pass for 3,000 yards and run for 1,000 yards in the same year.

With two great wide receivers at his disposal, LeFevour is ready to regain the form he had two seasons ago.

As you can see, the Michigan Three can hold their own against the Three Amigos. Plus, the line to join the bandwagon of the Three Amigos is longer than the line to use the restroom at a NFL stadium at halftime.

If one supports the Michigan Three, he can stand out among the crowd of college football fans. Anyone with business experience can see the marketing opportunities associated with the Michigan Three.

Selling tee shirts of the Michigan Three would make you a "MAC Daddy".

Throw away the past three years. Sure, it got him to where he is now, but this year will linger with Dan LeFevour.

CMU's quarterback has created quite the legacy during his stay in Mount Pleasant, Mich.

It was first created on Aug. 31, 2006. In the season opener against Boston College of the Atlantic Coast Conference — a Bowl Championship Series opponent — sophomore quarterback Brian Brunner went down to injury three plays into the game.

Enter the redshirt freshman quarterback from Downers Grove, Ill.

LeFevour almost led a fourth quarter comeback against BC that fell just a touchdown short. But his mark was already left. He completed 22-of-37 passes for 221 yards and a touchdown, while also running for 72 yards and two touchdowns.

And this week, after LeFevour already has led CMU to two Mid-American Conference championships and one Motor City Bowl win in his career, the aura around the now senior star quarterback thickened. LeFevour was put on the cover of USA Today's College Football Preview '09 edition.

He headlined a group of six quarterbacks that included two-time national champion and Heisman winner, Tim Tebow of Florida, along with Colt McCoy of Texas, Todd Reesing of Kansas, Daryll Clark of Penn State and Max Hall of Brigham Young.

McCoy was the Associated Press's pick last year for Big 12 Offensive Player of the Year honors and besides LeFevour, BYU's Hall is the only other quarterback from a non-BCS school.

On the surface, the hype created by the cover shot creates a lot of positive energy around LeFevour and the entire football team. But with expectations comes pressure. And LeFevour, put in the same category as the nation's elite — specifically Tebow and McCoy — has a lot of pressure to perform.

Sure, he is 2-0 against rival Western Michigan. Over three years, he's won two MAC titles. But last year, CMU failed to reach the title game and lost its second consecutive Motor City Bowl. The loss to lowly Florida Atlantic, a team that came in with as many wins as losses, dropped LeFevour's bowl game record to 1-2.

Worse yet, LeFevour is 0-9 against teams from BCS conferences (Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Big East, PAC 10, SEC). Statistically speaking, his performances have been adequate.

In the nine games, he's completed 55.7 percent of his throws, averaged more than 303 total yards from scrimmage and scored 25 touchdowns — 20 through the air — with just five interceptions. The deficiencies of the defense has been a burden to his winless streak.

Now a seasoned veteran of collegiate ball, the 6'3", 229-pound senior has to find a way. He already has the measurables, mobility and arm to play on Sundays. Now he has a chance to shine through pressure.

Forced to miss three games and most of another because of injuries last season, his last year at CMU has to be a year of redemption. Only a MAC championship would do justice to the amount of hype he has created. Winning a bowl game and upsetting one of the three BCS schools the Chippewas play would put a fitting ending to his legacy at CMU.

Playing Arizona, Michigan State, Boston College and rival Western Michigan all on the road will not be easy.

But like it or not, with the weight of an entire university on his shoulders, this season will likely define his collegiate career.

As published in 6/24 edition of Central Michigan Life.