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Nick's Pick for the 2006 Motor City Bowl

Central Michigan (9-4) vs. Middle Tennessee (7-5)

Tuesday, December 26 @ 7:30 p.m. kickoff (EST) - Detroit, MI - ESPN

Notes:

• Jeff Quinn's coaching debut will come in what may be Central Michigan's biggest game in 12 years – CMU’s Quinn was an assistant with the program for three seasons and has been promoted to guide the Chippewas in their first bowl game since 1994 as interim coach. Quinn coached with Brian Kelly at Grand Valley State since the late 1980s - Quinn replaces Brian Kelly, who guided Central Michigan to a 9-4 record and its first conference title in 12 years before leaving to become Cincinnati's new coach
• Central Michigan went 7-1 in the Mid-American Conference claiming the West Division title and beating Ohio 31-10 in the league title game on November 30 at Detroit's Ford Field, site of the bowl game.
• This will be Central Michigan's first bowl appearance since losing 52-24 to UNLV in the 1994 Las Vegas Bowl - the Chippewas' only other bowl game as a Division I team came in the 1990 California Raisin Bowl, losing 48-24 to San Jose State
• Central Michigan has secured back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 1990-91.
• Quinn's offense was a big reason the Chippewas will be trying for their first 10-win season since going 10-0-1 in 1979 - the Chippewas led the MAC with 29.6 points per game while ranking second in total offense with 380.2 yards per game and passing offense (252.4 ypg)
• Central’s QB Dan LeFevour led the MAC with 3,514 total yards; completed 64% of his passes, throwing 25 touchdowns and 10 interceptions; he threw for 349 yards and three scores in the MAC title game
• CMU freshman WR Bryan Anderson led the team with 67 receptions for 816 yards and five touchdowns
• ‘Chip RB Ontario Sneed rushed for 1,065 yards as a freshman last season and averaged 8.0 yards per carry with 779 yards this season - he set a MAC title game record with his 96-yard touchdown run for the game's final score
• Despite allowing 22.9 points per game, the Chippewas defense -- led by All-MAC linebacker Red Keith (117 tackles) -- has held three opponents to 10 points or less - the team has forced 27 turnovers
• Central Michigan is the first team from the state to play in the 10-year history of the Detroit-based bowl.
• Middle Tennessee (7-5) will be making its first bowl appearance as a Division I-A school - a victory would give the Blue Raiders their Winningest season since 2001, the last time the team finished above .500
• Middle Tennessee's Rick Stockstill was the Sun Belt Conference coach of the year
• The Blue Raiders had an impressive turnaround after going 4-7 in 2005, they finished second in the Sun Belt with a school-record six league wins in 2006; their only conference loss came to eventual champion Troy, blowing a 13-point lead in the fourth quarter to lose 21-20 on November 25
• Middle Tennessee allowed the fewest points (271) among Sun Belt teams, but 179 of those came in losses to BCS conference opponents Maryland, Oklahoma, Louisville and South Carolina -- all bowl teams
• MTSU DB Damon Nickson ranks fifth in the nation with a 30-yard kickoff return average and led the Sun Belt with five interceptions; Erik Walden ranks 16 th nationally with 9 1/2 sacks and is the school's all-time leader with 18 ½; LB J.K. Sabb leads the team with 67 tackles and 14 1/2 for losses
• The Blue Raiders led the Sun Belt with 23.5 points per game and turned the ball over just four times in their last five games
• All-purpose freshman Desmond Gee looks to score a touchdown in his seventh straight game. Senior running back Eugene Gross, who led the Sun Belt with 10 TDs, needs 96 rushing yards to reach 1,000 for the first time in his career
• Middle Tennessee has never faced Central Michigan – this will be the first Sun Belt team to play in the Motor City Bowl

• Middle Tennessee State brings a 7-5 record into the Motor City Bowl, behind the Sun Belt Conference’s top scoring offense - the Blue Raiders are led by quarterback Clint Marks, with the Sun Belt Conference’s second highest passing efficiency rating; and running back Eugene Gross, who led the Sun Belt Conference in touchdowns
• MTSU also boasts the nation’s fourth highest rated kick returner, Damon Nickson – a safety who was named National Defensive Player of the Week during the year, following a four interception game.
• MTSU has produced NFL players such as Buffalo Bills quarterback Kelly Holcomb and Oakland Raiders running back ReShard Lee
• MTSU Head Coach Rick Stockstill is a former Florida State quarterback
• The Blue Raiders schedule included five teams in bowls this season, including two opponents ranked in the Top 10 (Louisville and Oklahoma), two other nationally-ranked teams (Maryland and South Carolina), and Sun Belt Conference Co-Champions (Troy).
• The 10th Annual Motor City Bowl will be played before a prime-time national television audience on ESPN, and is the only bowl game scheduled for that day

Nick’s Pick: Central Michigan 33 – Middle Tennessee State 20

Line: Central by 9

Comment: This game looked to be a blowout for Central Michigan after their performance at the MACC in early December but losing their head coach to Cincinnati since then could dampen the mood and make this game much closer. Central will clearly have the home-field advantage and has played two games in Detroit’s Ford Field so they are very familiar with the surroundings. MTSU did not beat a I-A team outside of their league this year and are making their first bowl appearance in their eight year I-A existence. MTSU lost to Akron last year at home 17-7 and this will be the first meeting between CMU and MTSU. If Central plays like they did in the MACC they will win by a large margin. Considering the roller coaster ride Brian Kelly has given this program over the past three weeks, look for this game to be a little closer now.

2006 MTSU Results
Thu, Aug 31 Florida International W 7-6
Sat, Sep 9 at Maryland L 10-24
Thu, Sep 14 Tennessee Tech W 44-0
Sat, Sep 23 at (17) Oklahoma L 0-59
Sat, Sep 30 at North Texas W 35-0
Fri, Oct 6 (8) Louisville L 17-44
Sat, Oct 21 at Louisiana-Monroe W 35-21
Sat, Oct 28 at Louisiana-Lafayette W 34-20
Sat, Nov 4 Florida Atlantic W 35-14
Sat, Nov 11 at Arkansas State W 38-10
Sat, Nov 18 at South Carolina L 7-52
Sat, Nov 25 Troy L 20-2

2006 Central Michigan Results
Thu, Aug 31 Boston College L 24-31
Sat, Sep 9 at (10) Michigan L 17-41
Sat, Sep 16 Akron W 24-21
Sat, Sep 23 at Eastern Michigan W 24-17
Sat, Sep 30 at Kentucky L 36-45
Sat, Oct 7 at Toledo W 42-20
Sat, Oct 14 Ball State W 18-7
Thu, Oct 19 Bowling Green W 31-14
Sat, Nov 4 at Temple W 42-26
Fri, Nov 10 Western Michigan W 31-7
Fri, Nov 17 at Northern Illinois L 10-31
Fri, Nov 24 at Buffalo W 55-28
Thu, Nov 30 at Ohio W 31-10 <MAC Championship Game>

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