12/01/07
Ford Field, the home of the Detroit Lions, was dominated by fans of
the Western Michigan Chippewas.
REDHAWKS FACE LONG TRIP HOME FROM MICHIGAN
The Miami RedHawks ended their season Saturday, after losing to the Central Michigan Chippewas 35-10 in the Mid-American Conference Championship.
Miami University (6-7) and Central Michigan University (8-5) battled in the Mid-American Conference Championship, after winning their respective divisions and tiebreakers. The Championship was at Ford Field in Detroit, home of the Detroit Lions of the NFL.
The RedHawks and Chippewas last met in September 2005, in Oxford. Central Michigan won the game, 38-37, on a 60-yard rush by then-freshman running back Ontario Sneed with 1:44 to play.
On Saturday, Miami allowed only seven points to Central Michigan in the first half, on a short pass by Chippewa quarterback Dan LeFevour capping a 63-yard drive.
LeFevour completed the half with one touchdown and two interceptions, for a total of 199 yards rushing and passing.
The RedHawks were able to stop him for the most part, however, by grabbing two interceptions in the second quarter.
But Miami’s defense worked, their offense struggled.
Miami was not able to capitalize on the turnovers in the first half, unable gain ground on offense against the statistically worst pass defense in the league.
Miami quarterback Daniel Raudabaugh had difficulty finding receivers among the unexpectedly tenacious defense.
“They really didn't do anything we weren't expecting. We didn't execute,” said Raudabaugh.
Running backs Austin Sykes and Cory Jones were only able to gain 21 yards on 11 attempts, far below their season yards-per-carry.
The RedHawks, though they had 36 offensive plays, only gained 107 yards in the half.
In the second half, Miami’s defense came out swinging and stopping, holding Central Michigan to 10 yards total on its first two drives.
The RedHawks turned a bad Chippewa punt from the end zone and a good return by true freshman Jamal Rogers into a 38-yard field goal to get on the scoreboard with 6:23 to go in the third quarter.
Central Michigan responded on its next two drives with two touchdowns.
Miami was able respond, down 21-3, with a touchdown of their own—wide receiver Armand Robinson caught a 12-yard pass from Raudabaugh with 9:09 to go in the game. The score was the last for Miami this season.
Central Michigan widened the gap with two more rushing touchdowns, one each by the junior Sneed and LeFevour.
“We are very disappointed in our performance today. We did not play well enough to win,” said Miami coach Shane Montgomery.
The loss in Detroit leaves the RedHawks out in the cold. Winning the East division and making the championship game did not guarantee one of the three bowl spots offered to the MAC this season.
The RedHawks finished the season with six wins and seven losses, automatically disqualifying them from a post-season bowl game. To be eligible to play in a bowl game, a team must have a .500-or-better record.
“We are very disappointed in our performance today. We did not play well enough to win.,” said Miami coach Shane Montgomery.
Central Michigan is the first team to win back-to-back MAC Championships since Marshall University, no longer in the MAC, won three in a row in 1997-1999 under quarterback Chad Pennington.
“I told our team all year that the hardest thing to do in sports is to repeat,” said Central Michigan’s first-year coach Butch Jones.
I’VE GOT LeFEVOUR
Sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour from Central Michigan won the MAC Offensive Player of the Year on Tuesday. In 2006 LeFevour was named MAC Freshman of the Year, as well as making the 2006 All-MAC first team.
In the MAC Championship, he ran for 170 yards before sacks and passed for 185, for three touchdowns total. LeFevour has 41 touchdowns on the season.
“You have to play hard, play fast, run downhill, and slow him down. We weren't doing that,” said Miami linebacker Clayton Mullins.
LeFevour had 1,004 yards rushing and 3,360 passing, including the MAC Championship. Vince Young, from the University of Texas, is the only other Division I-A player to have recorded 1,000 yards rushing and 3,000 yards passing in a single season.
“I don't know if you can stop him altogether,” coach Montgomery said of LeFevour. “He's going to get his yards. He's big enough, he broke some tackles. I thought our defense probably defended him as well as we could through two and a half quarters.”
CHIPPEWAS “MOTOR” ON
The Chippewas will be invited to the Motor City Bowl, a position given to the MAC champion.
Central Michigan beat Middle Tennessee State in the Motor City Bowl in 2006, 31-14.
The Motor City Bowl is played at Ford Field, the same location as the MAC Championship. And, like the MAC Championship, Central Michigan will enjoy a more local crowd.
Purdue University, their opponent in 2007, is five hours away from Detroit, while Central Michigan is only 2.5 hours away.
Miami, like Purdue, is over four hours away.
MULLINS PERFORMS AGAIN
Miami linebacker Clayton Mullins, last week named All-MAC Defensive Player of the Year, looked visibly shaken by the loss in the post-game conference.
Mullins was named the Miami Valuable Player of the game, with 14 tackles and one quarterback hurry in the game.
After playing well for three quarters against a productive offense, “Our defense just wore down at the end after carrying us all day,” said Montgomery.
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