This will be a game of who has the ball last.  Chips suffered through many season ending injuries this season, most in the secondary.  We're hoping that a couple of the initial season starters will heal before the bowl game.  Regardless, expect an offensive explosion.  Dan LeFevour will be healthy by game time, so his numbers can be expected to improve.  This team started the season with 10 seniors on roster, but only half were strong contributors.  Thus our very young team grew up as the year moved along.  We weren't expected to contend this year, but the team hung in to the matchup with Ball State.  Unforutunately, our injuries finally caught up with us as our 4th quarter lead evaporated when our 3rd team db's couldn't necessary plays.  Those are the breaks of D1 football.

Enjoy your trip to Ford Field, our second home.  We look forward to watching your offense as much as our own.  Good luck to the Owls.

a10koaksfed said

This will be a game of who has the ball last.  Chips suffered through many season ending injuries this season, most in the secondary.  We're hoping that a couple of the initial season starters will heal before the bowl game.  Regardless, expect an offensive explosion.  Dan LeFevour will be healthy by game time, so his numbers can be expected to improve.  This team started the season with 10 seniors on roster, but only half were strong contributors.  Thus our very young team grew up as the year moved along.  We weren't expected to contend this year, but the team hung in to the matchup with Ball State.  Unforutunately, our injuries finally caught up with us as our 4th quarter lead evaporated when our 3rd team db's couldn't necessary plays.  Those are the breaks of D1 football.

Enjoy your trip to Ford Field, our second home.  We look forward to watching your offense as much as our own.  Good luck to the Owls.

Thanks. Should be a good one. The FAU offense is hitting on all cylinders at the right time. This should be a fun game to watch. Lots of offense and not too much defense. Best of luck.

GO OWLS!!!

Although Ford Field will be heated for the game, anyone making the trip should definately invest in some winter attire.  It is currently 25 degrees and most of mid-southeast Michigan is in the midst of a snowstorm thats projected to drop at least 12-14 inches of snow.  Hope your ready for a Michigan winter!!!! ;D

NCowl said

I hate when writers write bowl previews like this crap:

"33. Motor City Bowl, Central Michigan (8-4) vs. Florida Atlantic (6-6), Dec. 26: This is Central Michigan's third consecutive appearance in this game. Excuse the Chippewas if they can't get too excited about the venue or the opponent."

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=886661

They are an 8-4 MAC team team, where and who do they think they should be playing. 

dusky256fc said

NCowl said

I hate when writers write bowl previews like this crap:

"33. Motor City Bowl, Central Michigan (8-4) vs. Florida Atlantic (6-6), Dec. 26: This is Central Michigan's third consecutive appearance in this game. Excuse the Chippewas if they can't get too excited about the venue or the opponent."

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=886661

They are an 8-4 MAC team team, where and who do they think they should be playing.

I think that comment is more in regards to the fact that this is our third straight time playing in the MCB.  I guess in the eyes of the media, it gets old after awhile.  i for one though am happy to go considering that Ford Field is only about 35 minutes from my house.

By the way, most chip fans do not take FAU lightly.  Most of our rivals are giving us crap about playing a "crappy" FAU team, but myself, amongst others know this should be a very competative game and that FAU would probably be able to compete with most MAC teams.  I say lets shut those media noobs up and give ESPN one hell of a game December 26!

chip61 said

dusky256fc said

NCowl said

I hate when writers write bowl previews like this crap:

"33. Motor City Bowl, Central Michigan (8-4) vs. Florida Atlantic (6-6), Dec. 26: This is Central Michigan's third consecutive appearance in this game. Excuse the Chippewas if they can't get too excited about the venue or the opponent."

http://collegefootball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=886661

They are an 8-4 MAC team team, where and who do they think they should be playing.

I think that comment is more in regards to the fact that this is our third straight time playing in the MCB.  I guess in the eyes of the media, it gets old after awhile.  i for one though am happy to go considering that Ford Field is only about 35 minutes from my house.

By the way, most chip fans do not take FAU lightly.  Most of our rivals are giving us crap about playing a "crappy" FAU team, but myself, amongst others know this should be a very competative game and that FAU would probably be able to compete with most MAC teams.  I say lets shut those media noobs up and give ESPN one hell of a game December 26!

Nothing wrong with going to the same bowl the last 3 years…you guys have achieved consistancy which is hard to achieve.  You tell any EMU fan right now that they will be going to the Motor City Bowl the next few years and tell me they aren't estatic.

BTW, in a nice way….you shouldn't be taking us lightly.  We could compete with any team in the MAC IMO.

I like to think we can compete with with any MAC team…and now we will get our chance to prove it.  I also don't expect most opposing school's fans to give us much respect.  All they see is the name FAU, which they probably have never heard much of, and the fact we are 6-6 and assume that we are just a "crappy" team.  What they don't realize is that we were preseason favorites for a reason.  We were 1 hail mary and a few special teams errors from being 7-5 or 8-4.  This team fought through a lot to get to this point this season, and we still haven't seen the best this team can play.  I hope they view this Bowl game as a chance at redemption.

Going to 3 straight bowl games shouldn't be taken lightly. We've had this discussion many times on this board but look at a team from your own conference in Buffalo. It's been like 50 something years between bowl games for them. For CMU to go to 3 straight MCB games is impressive. Going to any bowl game 3 straight years is impressive, especially for a mid major program. Hopefully next season will make it 3 straight for us as well

chip61 said

Most of our rivals are giving us crap about playing a "crappy" FAU team.

Great post…best of luck to your squad, and let's Hope for  great game!

On a side note:

Just curious what Bowls these teams are playing in for the post season??

I agree it is impressive and I am very pleased that my chips are going bowling for a 3rd straight year.  I just cant stand how these media fools base bowl game watchability solely on records.  We had a rematch against Purdue in last years MCB and media pundits were calling it noting more than a boring rematch that should result in a blowout.  That game ened up being one of the top 10 bowl games last year and recieved great reviews.  This goes to show that any bowl game can be made VERY interesting when you have the right teams.  I see this years MCB as one of those games.

Just for the record, I am by no means taking FAU lightly.  The chips have had too many bad experiences with taking teams lightly (a 30+ point drubbing at home last year by North Dakota St. and losing to EMU the past two years).  I meant no disrespect in saying that they could compete with most MAC teams.  I was just trying to point out that myself, amongst others, are not taking FAU lightly at all.  This comes more from WMU trolls on CMU boards who like to brag about how their playing 9-3 Rice while were playing 6-6 FAU.  WMU will say anyhing to try and make CMU look bad so any reassurance that FAU is a good team falls on deaf ears.