Central Michigan University
10-4
Middle Tennessee
7-6
CMU Wins Motor City Bowl, 31-14
12/27/2006 12:00:00 AM | Football
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Final Stats
Postgame Notes
DETROIT - For the second time in a month, Central Michigan University made history at Ford Field.
Twenty-six days removed from their Mid-American Conference Championship Game victory, the Chippewas (10-4 overall) returned to downtown Detroit to defeat Middle Tennessee State, 31-14, in the 2006 Motor City Bowl and claim the first Division I-A bowl victory in school history. CMU reached the 10-win plateau for the fourth time in school history and first time since 1979, and became the first Division I-A program to win a conference championship game and bowl game in the same stadium.
Dan LeFevour, who threw for 162 yards and a score and ran for 69 yards and a touchdown, was named the game's Most Valuable Player. He finishes his freshman season with school records for passing yards (3,031), total offense (3,552) and touchdown passes (28).
The Chippewas followed a pattern in the Motor City Bowl that had proved successful throughout their championship season: score early, shut down the opponent's offensive strength, and mix in a touchdown on defense or special teams. Ontario Sneed scored on CMU's first two possessions, on a 1-yard run and 29-yard reception, to give the Chippewas a 14-0 edge just over nine minutes into the game. The defense, meanwhile, held MTSU (7-6) to just 61 rushing yards on 30 attempts and accounted for a score when Doug Kress returned a third-quarter interception 56 yards.
Kress and Red Keith shared game-high honors with nine tackles, while Daniel Bazuin was named the UAW Lineman of the Game after tallying eight tackles, including two sacks.
CMU covered 69 yards in nine plays with the opening kickoff, with Sneed scoring on a 1-yard run on first-and-goal. LeFevour converted a pair of third downs on the drive, hitting Justin Gardner for 26 yards on third-and-seven from the CMU 47-yard line and running for 12 yards on third-and-seven one play prior to Sneed's scoring run.
The Blue Raiders moved to the CMU 22-yard line on their initial possession, but a 39-yard field goal attempt missed wide left. Just 51 seconds later, LeFevour hooked up with Sneed for a 29-yard score that made it 14-0.
Middle Tennesse dented the scoreboard with a 12-play, 80-yard drive that culminated with a 3-yard Eugene Gross scoring run with 10:57 left in the first half. It took LeFevour just 35 seconds to answer for CMU, as he completed a 21-yard pass to Bryan Anderson on first down, took the brunt of a 15-yard roughing the passer penalty, hit Sneed for 6 yards and scored on a 9-yard run.
Kress put the game out of reach on the opening possession of the second half. Bazuin hit MTSU quarterback Clint Marks as he threw on third-and-11, and Kress picked off the pass in the middle of the field at the CMU 44-yard line. Kress broke to the sideline and scored untouched in front of the CMU bench and student cheering section.
DeMarco McNair scored on a 6-yard run early in the fourth quarter for the Blue Raiders, while Rick Albreski capped the victory with a 43-yard field goal in the closing minutes.
CMU posted just 311 yards of total offense, its lowest output since a 305-yard performance in a downpour against Western Michigan on Nov. 10, but still posted at least 31 points for the sixth time in the last seven games. Marks completed a season-high 25 passes for 251 yards for MTSU, spreading his completions around to nine different receivers.
CMU closes the season having won three straight and eight of its final nine games overall. The Chippewas have a closed the season with a win for three straight years.
Team Stats
MT 0, CMU 7
CMU - SNEED, Ontario 1 yd run (ALBRESKI, Rick kick), 9 plays, 69 yards, TOP 3:54
MT 0, CMU 14
CMU - SNEED, Ontario 29 yd pass from LeFEVOUR, Dan (ALBRESKI, Rick kick) 4 plays, 78 yards, TOP 0:51
MT 7, CMU 14
MT - Gross, Eugene 3 yd run (Smith, Colby kick), 12 plays, 80 yards, TOP 6:01
MT 7, CMU 21
CMU - LeFEVOUR, Dan 9 yd run (ALBRESKI, Rick kick), 3 plays, 51 yards, TOP 0:35
MT 7, CMU 28
CMU - KRESS, Doug 56 yd interception (ALBRESKI, Rick kick)
MT 14, CMU 28
MT - McNair, DeMarco 6 yd run (Smith, Colby kick), 4 plays, 14 yards, TOP 1:55
MT 14, CMU 31
CMU - ALBRESKI, Rick 43 yd field goal 4 plays, 4 yards, TOP 2:00