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.
Video Central Michigan Chippewas football
History
Maps Central Michigan Chippewas football
Conference affiliations
Central Michigan has been a member of the following conferences.
- Independent (1896-1949)
- Interstate Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (1950-1969)
- Independent (1970-1974)
- Mid-American Conference (1975-present)
Head 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.
CMU head coaches through the 2017 season.
+ Interim
Championships
National Championships
The Chippewas won the 1974 NCAA Division II National Championship.
Conference Championships
Central Michigan has won 16 conference championships including seven Mid-American Conference Championships.
+ Co-champions
Jeff Quinn coached in 2006 Motor City Bowl and Steve Stripling coached in 2010 GMAC Bowl
Bowl games
Central Michigan holds a 3-8 record in bowl games.
Rivalries
Western Michigan Broncos
These archrivals first met in 1907 and have faced one another annually since 1943. 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. WMU leads the series overall 48-38-2.
Eastern Michigan Eagles
The Chippewas and Eagles maintain a less prominent, but steady rivalry. CMU holds the series lead over EMU, leading 56-28-6.
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."
College Football Hall of Fame
One former Central Michigan coach has been inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
Notable players
- Tory Humphrey - New Orleans Saints, Super Bowl champion, 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 a 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
- Jake Olson (gridiron football) - offensive tackle - played 3 CFL seasons
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 September 18, 2017
References
External links
- Official website
Source of article : Wikipedia
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