CMU Wins MAC Title, 31-10 Over Ohio

Thursday, November 30

Detroit, Mich./Ford Field

TBA

Central Michigan University

9-4 , 7-1

Ohio

9-4 , 7-1

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Central Michigan

Ohio

12/1/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football

Box Score

Final Stats

Postgame Notes

Postgame Quotes

Click here for 2006 CMU MAC Championship Gear!

DETROIT Three years ago, at his introductory press conference, head coach Brian Kelly vowed to “awaken a sleeping giant” at Central Michigan University.

Consider the giant awakened.

Damien Linson caught seven passes for a Mid-American Conference Championship Game-record 191 yards and a touchdown as the Chippewas (9-4 overall) claimed their first conference title since 1994 with a 31-10 win over Ohio University (9-4) on Thursday at Ford Field.

Linson made five catches of at least 22 yards, including a 71-yard touchdown in the second quarter that put CMU in front for good. He was named CMU’s Most Valuable Player for the contest.

The win is CMU’s first in a Division I-A postseason game and delivers the school its first MAC title in football since 1994. CMU has now claimed five MAC championships overall and has secured its first nine-win season since 1994.

Ohio entered the championship game allowing just 16.2 points per game and 291.6 yards of total offense per contest, first and second, respectively, in the MAC. The Chippewas posted 31 points and 457 yards of offense in the win, season-highs against the Bobcat defense.

Dan LeFevour, who finished 22-of-30 passing for 314 yards and three scores, completed all five of his attempts as the Chippewas dented the end zone on their second possession. On second-and-five from the 6-yard line, Obed Cetoute out-leaped a defender in the back corner of the end zone to haul in LeFevour’s 23^rd touchdown pass of the season, a new CMU record.

Ohio needed to drive just 32 yards for its lone touchdown of the game. Kalvin McRae scored on a 2-yard run to momentarily even the score with 11:10 remaining in the first half.

Just two snaps later, LeFevour hit Linson in stride on a post route for a 71-yard score. Linson beat his defender down the middle of the field and scored untouched to put CMU in front for good.

Rick Albreski’s 27-yard field goal gave the Chippewas a 10-point cushion (17-7) at halftime.

The Bobcats drove 76 yards in 16 plays with the second half kickoff, erasing 7:24 off the third-quarter clock, but had to settle for a 33-yard Matt Lasher field goal to pull within 17-10. LeFevour was intercepted in the end zone on the ensuing possession, but the CMU defense forced a pair of three-and-outs to preserve the lead.

Ontario Sneed capped the win for CMU with touchdowns on the next two possessions, scoring on a screen pass on third-and-goal from the 4-yard line, then busting an off-tackle run for a championship-game record 96-yard touchdown run on the first play following an OU punt midway through the final quarter. Sneed finished with 130 yards on nine attempts and caught a pair of passes in the win.

The Chippewa defense forced three turnovers and held

Ohio to 224 yards of offense. Casey Droscha recorded a career-high 10 tackles, including three for a loss of yardage, and forced a fumble in the win. Mike Ogle made eight stops and intercepted a pass, while David Lawrence collected his first career interception on

Ohio’s final possession.

McRae finished with 76 yards rushing on 20 carries, while three

Ohio quarterbacks combined to complete 17-of-27 passes for 137 yards.

CMU returns to Ford Field on Dec. 26 to face a yet-to-be-determined opponent in the Motor City Bowl, the program’s first bowl game appearance since the 1994 Las Vegas Bowl.