The Central Michigan University Chippewas and Middle Tennessee State University Blue Raiders are two programs seeking their first victory in a NCAA Division 1-A bowl game when they square off at 7:30 p.m. (EST) in the Motor City Bowl, Tuesday Dec. 26 from Ford Field in Detroit.
CMU returns to the site of its Mid-American Conference Championship Game victory on Nov. 30, while Middle Tennessee State University enters the bowl game having lost two straight. Both teams boast the top scoring offenses in their respective conferences, with CMU averaging a MAC-best 29.6 points per game and MTSU averaging a Sun Belt-leading 23.5 points per game.
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CMU enters the Motor City Bowl ranking first in the MAC and 24th nationally, in scoring offense (29.6 ppg) despite ranking last in Division I-A in time of possession (26:52). Of the Chippewas’ 56 offensive scoring drives in regulation this season, 27 have lasted less than two minutes. The CMU offense is led by true-freshman quarterback Dan LeFevour, the first freshman quarterback to lead his team to a MAC title since 1982.
LeFevour enters the bowl season with 231 completions and 2,869 passing yards, the most of any freshman quarterback in Division 1-A. His 25 touchdown passes are the third-most of any freshman quarterback in the country entering the bowl season.
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MTSU senior quarterback Clint Marks is one of the best signal-callers all-time for the Blue Raiders. Marks will end his career second in passing yards, second in completions, second in passing attempts, third in touchdowns and either first or second in completion percentage. Marks will also end his career tied for first or second in 200-yard games. Marks enters the Motor City Bowl with 17, 200-yard games for his career.
CMU is favored over Middle Tennessee by a minus 8 ½ point chalk offshore and minus 9.0 at most Las Vegas Sports books with a total of 52. The Chippewa are solid favorites with the betting public drawing 71% of the action. The total public action is almost dead even with the over a slight favorite at 51%.
CMU has been cashing ATS for backers better than any Division 1A team all season. Counting the MAC championship game, the Chippewa played 13 games in 2006 and covered ATS in 11 of them. Not even the Ohio State Buckeyes covered at a pace the Chippewa have.
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CMU cashed ATS all three games while going head to head with teams from BCS leagues including a +27-point cover against Michigan in the “Big House” at Ann Arbor. The Michigan game cover came on the heels of the Chippewa’s cashing +11 at home to ACC contender Boston College in the season opener on Aug. 31. On Sept. 30 CMU covered +10 at SEC member Kentucky in Lexington. All three BCS foes are bowl bound this bowl season.
The Blue Raiders failed to cash ATS in their last two games, Nov 18 as +15 ½ at South Carolina and to Troy at home as a minus-7 home favorite to Sun Belt co-champ Troy. Prior to these two losses, the Blue Raiders had a six-game run cashing ATS. On the season, Middle Tennessee covered in 7-of-11 games ATS. The over was the prominent winner in Blue Raider’s games also cashing in 7-of-11 games.
