The Central Michigan Chippewas are a college football program in Division I FBS, representing Central Michigan University (CMU). CMU currently has the 27th highest overall winning percentage of programs currently playing in NCAA Division I.
The Chippewas have played in five bowl games in the last seven years, drawing 60,624 fans in the 2007 Motor City Bowl. CMU has played a total of eight post-season games (conference championships and bowl games), winning six. All have occurred in the past seven years. Recent Chippewa All-Americans include Antonio Brown and Eric Fisher. For the 2009-10 season, CMU finished in the Top 25 in the nation in the AP Poll and USA Today Coaches Poll..
The Central Michigan football program had two starters in the 2012 Pro Bowl, fifth most of any college football program in the nation and two starters selected in the 2014 Pro Bowl.
CMU had the first overall draft pick in the 2013 NFL Draft; left tackle, Eric Fisher who was chosen 1st by the Kansas City Chiefs, joining former CMU left tackle Joe Staley of the San Francisco 49ers as recent Chippewa 1st round draft choices. Central Michigan had four former players play in Super Bowl XLV. Chippewa players on recent Super Bowl rosters included Antonio Brown WR, Pittsburgh Steelers; Cullen Jenkins DE, Green Bay Packers; Josh Gordy CB, Green Bay Packers; Frank Zombo OLB, Green Bay Packers; Tory Humphrey TE, New Orleans Saints and Joe Staley OT, San Francisco 49ers.
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Traditions
Kelly/Shorts game day experience
Central Michigan has the largest on-campus stadium in the Mid-American Conference, seating 32,885 fans and has been playing home football games dating back to 1896. The Sporting News has named Kelly/Shorts Stadium "the finest football facility in the Mid-American Conference" and "the best game day atmosphere in the MAC".
The East End of the stadium (as of 2014) once again hosts the CMU Student section backing the football team. The Chippewa Marching Band, cheerleaders, and dance team add to the game day experience and has helped CMU become one of the nation's winningest schools at home with a .714 winning percentage all-time at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
CMU drew a capacity crowd of 35,127 fans for the Central Michigan-Michigan State game televised on ESPNU and has hosted schools from the ACC, Big Ten, and Big 12 conferences. Future opponents at home include schools from the Big Ten, ACC, Big 12, Pac-12 and Mountain West conferences.
In 2010, the CMU Board of Trustees designed and set course to construct a state of the art stadium expansion to integrate a hotel, restaurant, and conference center connected by a glass atrium to new stadium suites on the east side. This addition will be custom-built into Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Newer upgrades include a video scoreboard standing six stories and featuring two video replay boards--one facing into the stadium and a second board facing outside the stadium by tailgating areas. NFL-quality permanent lighting has been installed for television and future ESPN night games.
"Fire Up Chips!", "OO-Wah... Chip-OO-Wah" & "The Fighting Chippewa"
The traditional greeting of "FIRE UP CHIPS!" heard amongst Chippewa fans, students and alumni around the nation can also be heard on game day and throughout the stadium. The Chippewa nickname is used with the consent and support of the nearby Saginaw Chippewa Indian Tribe, who have a positive relationship with the university.
The CMU football helmet logo has evolved from a "Chippewa Indian spear and feather" to a "Flying C" representing the CMU Chippewas.
The CMU pre-game entrance signals the beginning of another great Chippewa football contest by filling the stadium with the name itself, loud and clear: "OO-WAH . . . CHIP-OO-WAH!"
The Fight Song, "The Fighting Chippewa" (Words and Music by Howard Loomis, Class of 1935), can be heard after a Chippewa score: " FIGHT, Central down the field, FIGHT for victory, FIGHT, fellows never yield; We're with you, oh varsity. Onward with banners bold, to our colors we'll be true, FIGHT for Maroon and Gold, Down the field for C. M. U."
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Recent seasons
Championships
Central Michigan has won sixteen conference championships including seven Mid-American Conference Championships, the most of any MAC team since entering the conference in 1975.
Coaches
Many notable coaches have contributed to CMU's culture. Some include legendary "Wild" Bill Kelly who won seven conference championships in sixteen years and whom Kelly/Shorts Stadium is named after; national championship winning coach Roy Kramer who had a 72% winning percentage and never had a losing season in more than a decade; College Football Hall of Fame coach Herb Deromedi who is the winningest coach in MAC history and Brian Kelly and Butch Jones who combined for three MAC Championships in four years, four consecutive bowl appearance and top 25 finish in the nation.
National Championships
The Chippewas won the 1974 NCAA Division II National Championship by defeating Delaware 54-14.
Conference Championships
* Jeff Quinn coached in 2006 Motor City Bowl and Steve Stripling coached in 2010 GMAC Bowl
Bowl games
Rivalries
Western Michigan Broncos
These archrivals first met in 1907 and have faced one another annually since 1943. WMU leads the series overall 47-37-2. Since CMU joined WMU in the MAC in 1974, the Chippewas lead the series 27-14-1 (as of 2015). Since the two schools are separated by a two-hour drive, the visiting team typically has a strong fan and student presence at the game. The winner of the game receives the Cannon Trophy. The outcome also helps determine the winner of the Michigan MAC Trophy, a trophy fought over between Michigan's three MAC football teams: the Chippewas, the Broncos, and the Eastern Michigan Eagles.
1975: Central Michigan 34, Western Michigan 0
In the Chippewas' first MAC game, they shutout the Broncos 34-0 at the then Perry Shorts Stadium.
2000: Central Michigan 21, Western Michigan 17
The Broncos entered this game with an 8-1 record, atop the conference standings, and on the brink of a top 25 ranking. Conversely, the Chippewas entered the game with a 1-8 record. However, the Chippewas shocked the Broncos, defeating them 21-17.
2004: Central Michigan 24, Western Michigan 21 (OT)
Trailing 21-7 with 2 minutes remaining, Chippewa quarterback Kent Smith rushed for a touchdown. The Broncos secured the ensuing kickoff, but would fumble to CMU. Several plays later, Smith threw a touchdown pass to tie the game and force overtime. The Chippewas went on to win the game 24-21 on a 25-yard field goal. After the kick, the CMU students rushed the field.
2007: Central Michigan 34, Western Michigan 31
Western Michigan scored 14 points within 33 seconds to take a 31-27 lead with less than two minutes remaining. But, on the Chippewas following drive, quarterback Dan LeFevour threw a 39-yard pass to Bryan Anderson at the 1-yard line. LeFevour then rushed for the winning touchdown.
2008: Central Michigan 38, Western Michigan 28
Senior quarterback Brian Brunner got the nod over injured Dan LeFevour in a matchup of two MAC undefeateds. It was also the first game that would be played for the newly minted "Cannon Trophy." The Chippewas, led by Brunner's 341 yards passing and freshman running back Bryan Schroeder's 141 yards rushing downed the Broncos.
2013: Central Michigan 27, Western Michigan 22
After 2 consecutive losses to the Broncos, the Chippewas won on the road. After jumping out to a 14-0 lead early on, CMU committed five turnovers that gave WMU a chance to win the game. The Chippewas led 27-22 with the Broncos driving down the field. CMU was able to stop WMU on fourth down from the CMU 26 yard line to seal the win.
Eastern Michigan Eagles
The Chippewas and Eagles maintain a less prominent, but steady rivalry. These opponents know each other well as they have faced each other 90 times.
CMU holds the series lead over EMU, leading 56-28-6.
Series against Michigan State Spartans
These two state universities began their intrastate series in 1991. The two campuses are geographically close, separated along the same road by just 61 miles (98 km) of U.S. Highway 127 (US 127). The proximity and familiarity of both student bodies has resulted in overcapacity turnouts and electric game day atmospheres. Former CMU head coach Dan Enos has experienced the competitively played series, coaching on both the MSU and CMU sidelines. As an assistant MSU coach, Enos and the Spartans lost three times to the Chippewas. As the CMU coach, the Chippewas lost twice to the Spartans. Games played at both Kelly/Shorts Stadium and Spartan Stadium have been sold out.
MSU leads the series, 7-3.
1991: Central Michigan 20, Michigan State 3
The defending Big Ten co-champion Spartans entered the game ranked 18th in the nation. Early in the game, MSU drove down the field with ease and appeared set to take a commanding lead. But on fourth and goal, CMU linebacker Doug Adler stuffed MSU running back Tico Duckett at the goalline. The stop sparked the Chippewas and the underdogs never trailed, beating the Spartans by a score of 20-3 and controlling all facets of the game. CMU outgained MSU, 346-281, led by tailback Billy Smith's 162 yards and a fierce pass rush that sacked MSU quarterbacks multiple times led by Smith's high school classmate at Detroit Henry Ford, Lamar Sally, who registered three of those sacks.
1992: Central Michigan 24, Michigan State 20
CMU went back down US 127 into Spartan Stadium a year later and won another hard fought battle to stun the Spartans led by MSU quarterback Jim Miller. After the loss to CMU, MSU would finish the year 3rd in the Big Ten behind Michigan and Ohio State. After beating the Spartans two consecutive years, the rivalry along US 127 was born.
2009: Central Michigan 29, Michigan State 27
Before a national ESPN audience, CMU went into Spartan Stadium and beat MSU who was led by its all time passing yardage leader, Kirk Cousins. MSU would go on to a bowl game in 2009-10, while CMU earned its fourth consecutive bowl game and finished 2009-10 in the top 25 in the nation in the final polls. With 32 seconds remaining in the CMU-MSU game, Chippewa quarterback Dan LeFevour with 420 yards of total offense, threw a touchdown pass to Paris Cotton to put the Chippewas within one point. Head coach Butch Jones chose to go for the win with a two-point conversion pass attempt to All-American Antonio Brown who had ten receptions and a touchdown, but LeFevour overthrew Brown. On the ensuing kick off Bryan Anderson recovered an on side kick to set up the winning 42 yard field goal by Andrew Aguila.
Chippewas currently playing professional football
As of 2017, there were 19 former Chippewas on team rosters in the NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL), the most well-known currently being Antonio Brown, Pro Bowl wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Central Michigan has produced 18 National Football League (NFL) offensive linemen / NFL Draft choices along the offensive line including many who have gone on to productive careers like CMU teammates and ten-year NFL veterans Brock Gutierrez, Detroit Lions and Scott Rehberg, New England Patriots and in recent years Joe Staley and Eric Fisher were selected in the first round of the NFL Draft, Fisher being the 1st overall selection.
The most prolific CMU roster of recent Chippewa offensive linemen featured six future players on a NFL roster: Joe Staley, San Francisco 49ers (NFL 1st round draft choice); Eric Ghiaciuc, Cincinnati Bengals (NFL 4th round draft choice); Andrew Hartline, Miami Dolphins; Drew Mormino, Miami Dolphins (NFL 6th round draft choice); Adam Kieft, Cincinnati Bengals (NFL 5th round draft choice); Tory Humphrey, New Orleans Saints.
Current NFL players
- Jahleel Addae - Safety, Los Angeles Chargers, helped lead the Chargers defense into the 2013 NFL divisional playoffs.
- Nick Bellore - All-American linebacker, Sporting News Pro Bowl special teams Detroit Lions
- Antonio Brown - All-American, Pro Bowl, Super Bowl, wide receiver, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Eric Fisher - All-American, NFL (first overall pick), offensive tackle, Kansas City Chiefs
- Cullen Jenkins - defensive end, Super Bowl ring, Washington Redskins
- Thomas Rawls - running back, Seattle Seahawks
- Joe Staley - 1st round draft choice, Pro Bowl, Super Bowl, offensive tackle, San Francisco 49ers
- Leterrius Walton - 6th round draft choice, defensive tackle, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Frank Zombo - outside linebacker, Super Bowl ring, Super Bowl XLV sack and tackles for losses, Kansas City Chiefs
- Kavon Frazier - free safety, Dallas Cowboys
- Cooper Rush - quarterback, Dallas Cowboys
- Titus Davis - wide receiver, Chicago Bears
Current CFL players
- Vince Agnew - defensive back, Toronto Argonauts
- Avery Cunningham - safety, Montreal Alouettes
- Eric Fraser - safety, BC Lions
- Kashawn Fraser - defensive end, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Kito Poblah - wide receiver, British Columbia Lions
- Dan LeFevour - quarterback, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Carl Volny - running back, Winnipeg Blue Bombers
- Greg Wojt - All-CFL team, guard, Hamilton Tiger-Cats
Indoor Football League
- Paris Cotton - running back, Colorado Crush
Notable Chippewas in the NFL and NFL draft choices
- Tory Humphrey - New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl Ring, tight end.
- Curtis Adams - AP All-American, San Diego Chargers running back, NFL draft choice
- Ron Bartell - cornerback, Detroit Lions, 2nd round NFL draft choice
- Dan Bazuin - All-American, Chicago Bears defensive end, 2007 NFL 2nd round draft choice
- Walter Beach - AP All-American, Cleveland Browns safety, NFL draft choice of the New York Giants
- Ray Bentley - Buffalo Bills linebacker, started two Super Bowl games, recent sports radio personality, ABC College Football and NFL on Fox broadcaster
- Novo Bojovic - St. Louis Cardinals kicker
- John Bonamego - Detroit Lions special teams coordinator and coordinator for four different NFL teams
- Jim Bowman - AP All-American, New England Patriots free safety, played in Super Bowl, NFL 2nd round draft choice
- Tony Elliott - Green Bay Packers nickel back and safety
- Eric Ghiaciuc - Cincinnati Bengals center, 2005 NFL 4th round draft choice
- Brock Gutierrez - ten-year NFL veteran at center finishing career with the Detroit Lions
- Andrew Hartline - Miami Dolphins offensive lineman
- Brett Hartmann - Houston Texans punter. Suffered recent career-ending injury
- Gary Hogeboom - NFL quarterback 11 seasons, primarily a backup with the Dallas Cowboys and the Indianapolis Colts; NFL 5th round draft choice; Notable Survivor reality T.V. contestant.
- Robert Jackson - Cincinnati Bengals safety, eight seasons and NFL draft choice
- Adam Kieft - Cincinnati Bengals offensive tackle, 2005 NFL 5th round draft choice
- Drew Mormino - Miami Dolphins center, 2007 NFL 6th round draft choice
- Jim Podoley - AP All-American, Washington Redskins running back, Pro Bowl player, NFL 4th round draft choice
- Scott Rehberg - New England Patriots offensive lineman and NFL 7th round draft choice
- Vince Agnew - NFL and CFL player
- Josh Gordy - Defensive Back - played for several NFL teams.
- Titus Davis - Wide Receiver
Media
Radio
The CMU Sports Network broadcasts all games live throughout Michigan and online for free.
CMU Sports Network Affiliates:
- 1270 AM WXYT, Detroit
- 1340 AM WJRW, Grand Rapids
- 98.5 FM WUPS, Houghton Lake
- 730 AM WVFN, Lansing
- 95.3 FM WCFX, Mount Pleasant
- 97.5 FM WWSN, Muskegon
- 1110 AM WJML, Petoskey
Television
The ESPN family of channels and Fox Sports affiliates have provided national and local television coverage.
CMU Sports Zone provides live and archive Internet video-feed of games, gameday coverage, and coaches shows.
Future non-conference opponents
Announced schedules as of July 31, 2017
Source of the article : Wikipedia
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