Central Michigan University Athletics
CMU Football Game Notes
10/18/2007 12:00:00 AM | Football
Game No. 8: Central Michigan University Chippewas (4-3 overall) at Clemson University Tigers (4-2 overall)
Date: Saturday, October 20, 2007
Kickoff: 12:01 p.m.
Site: Clemson Memorial Stadium; Clemson, South Carolina; 81,473 capacity; FieldTurf
Radio: CMU Sports Network with Kurt Wilson (play-by-play), Stan Shingles (color analyst) and Bryan Wieferich
Television: ESPNU with Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Larry Coker (color analyst)
With a Win, CMU Would...
1. ... claim its first win over an Atlantic Coast Conference opponent.
2. ... extend its winning streak to four games.
3. ... defeat an opponent from a BCS conference for the first time since 1992.
4. ... post its 11th consecutive victory in games played during the month of October.
The Matchup
CMU and Clemson meet for the first time this weekend. It is just the fourth game in school history for CMU against an ACC opponent, while Clemson is facing a MAC opponent for the first time since 2002. CMU’s offense has put a total of 140 points on the scoreboard the past three games, but Clemson brings the nation’s top-ranked passing defense and eighth-ranked total defense into this week’s matchup.
The Coaches
Butch Jones is in his first season as the head coach at CMU. A former assistant at CMU (1998-2004), Jones spent the 2005 and 2006 seasons as an assistant under Rich Rodriguez at West Virginia. He is one of 11 current head coaches in the MAC who is a first-time head coach.
Tommy Bowden is in his ninth year as the head coach at Clemson. The two-time ACC Coach of the Year is 64-40 overall and has led the Tigers to wins in three bowl games: the 2001 Humanitarian Bowl, 2004 Peach Bowl and 2005 Champs Sports Bowl.
The Series
This weekend’s game marks the first meeting between CMU and Clemson. The Chippewas are 0-3 all-time against current members of the Atlantic Coast Conference, including a 31-24 loss at home to Boston College in the 2006 season opener. CMU is 0-2 all-time against BC and dropped a 55-21 decision at Virginia in 1996.
LeFevour Sets Career TD Pass Mark
Sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour became CMU’s all-time leader in touchdown passes last weekend against Army. His 15-yard touchdown pass to Justin Hoskins in the second quarter was the 39th of his career, breaking Jeff Bender’s record of 38 touchdown passes from 1988-91.
Gordy, LeFevour Collect MAC Honors
Josh Gordy and Dan LeFevour earned MAC West Division Player of the Week honors for their efforts against Army. Gordy tied a school record with three interceptions, including one he returned for a touchdown, and made a career-high 10 tackles. LeFevour threw for 251 yards and two touchdowns and ran for 100 yards and four scores. LeFevour was also named USA Today’s National Player of the Week for his efforts against the Black Knights.
LeFevour Carries the Offense
Dan LeFevour has orchestrated the most productive back-to-back games of his career over the last two weekends. In wins over Ball State and Army, LeFevour has completed 60-of-77 passes (77.9 percent) for 611 yards and seven touchdowns, and rushed 30 times for 246 yards (8.2 yards per carry) and five scores. LeFevour averaged 8.01 yards per play (857 yards on 107 plays) against Ball State and Army. Both interceptions that LeFevour has thrown in the past two games were deflected at the line of scrimmage.
LeFevour Legs It Out
Dan LeFevour’s eight rushing touchdowns are tied for the second-most of any quarterback in the Football Bowl Subdivision ... The sophomore signal-caller ranks ninth among Football Bowl Subdivision quarterbacks in rushing. He is averaging 62.9 ypg on the ground. La.-Lafayette’s Michael Desormeaux leads all FBS quarterbacks averaging 105.4 ypg rushing ... LeFevour is the first quarterback in school history to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back games. The last CMU quarterback to rush for 100 yards twice in the same season was Ron Fillmore in 1983.
Gordy Matches Interception Record
Josh Gordy became the second player in CMU history to intercept three passes in a game last weekend against Army. His first two interceptions came on consecutive offensive snaps by Armythe Black Knights’ final play of the first quarter and first offensive snap in the second quarter. He returned his third interception 15 yards for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was his second career interception return for a score; he ran an interception back 100 yards for a touchdown against Akron in 2006.
Half-and-Half
After trailing at halftime in each of the first four games of the season, CMU has held a lead at intermission in each of the last three games ... The Chippewas have scored at least 30 points in a half in three straight games35 in the first half against Northern Illinois, 30 in the second half at Ball State and 33 in the first half against Army.
Talkin’ About Turf
Saturday’s game at Clemson is the second of just two games CMU will play on natural grass in 2007. The only other game on grass was at Purdue (Sept. 15). This marks just the fifth game in the last three seasons CMU has played on natural grass.
Chippewas Eye Fourth Straight Win
CMU enters Saturday’s game seeking its fourth straight win. This would mark the third straight year in which CMU has posted a winning streak of at least four games during a season. CMU last achieved that feat in the 1983-85 seasons.
Heading South
The trip to Clemson marks the furthest south CMU has traveled for a game since visiting Central Florida in 2003. This is the first time CMU has played a game in the state of South Carolina.
The Big Crowd is Here
Clemson is averaging 80,304 fans per home game in 2007. CMU has played in front of crowds in excess of 80,000 just four times in school history.
Turnover Turnaround
Through the first four games of the season, CMU was -1 in turnover ratio. Over the last three games, however, the Chippewas are +11 in turnovers. CMU’s +10 turnover margin for the season ranks tied for fifth nationally ... CMU forced six turnovers against Northern Illinois (Sept. 29) and seven last weekend against Army. The seven turnovers (five interceptions, two fumble recoveries) against Army represent the most since the Chippewas forced eight turnovers (six interceptions, two fumble recoveries) in a 34-6 win at Western Michigan in 1989. CMU’s five interceptions against Army are the most since the Chippewas picked off six passes in a 31-7 win over Miami in 1990.
Count ’em Up
CMU’s 58 points at Ball State on Oct. 6 were tied for the most scored by a Football Bowl Subdivision team that weekend ... The Chippewas have scored 140 points the last three games, the most in a three-game span for CMU since 1946 ... CMU has scored 235 points in its first seven games, the most since the 1994 Chippewas scored 241 points in their first seven games ... CMU has broken the 50-point barrier twice this season, becoming the first CMU team since 1974 to score at least 50 points twice in a season. CMU has never broken the 50-point plateau three times in the same season.
Flip the Calendar
The Chippewas have won 10 straight games played during the month of October dating back to the 2004 season. CMU’s last October loss was at Toledo, 27-22, on Oct. 23, 2004.
Unbeaten Opponents
CMU’s three losses this season are to teams with a combined record of 17-2: Kansas (6-0), Purdue (5-2) and North Dakota State (6-0). Kansas is ranked 15th in this week’s Associated Press top 25, while North Dakota State is ranked first in the nation in the Football Championship Subdivision coaches poll.
Complete game notes release available in .pdf format below.
