CMU Football Headed to the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl
12/6/2015 12:00:00 AM | Football
Central Michigan Football announced today that it has accepted an invitation to play in the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl.
The Chippewas will take on Big Ten opponent Minnesota on Monday, Dec. 28, at 5 p.m. The game takes place at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and ESPN2 will televise the game to a national audience.
"I want to thank the organizers of the Quick Lane Bowl and the Detroit Lions for the opportunity to take part in this game," CMU Athletic Director Dave Heeke said. "We have a strong fan base in the metro Detroit area and they have always responded passionately when we have played at Ford Field in past bowl games. It is important to remember that the best way to support CMU Football during this experience is to purchase tickets through CMU directly and we will have an attractive plan that rewards our best supporters."
This is CMU's seventh bowl appearance in the past 10 years with five of those games taking part in Detroit. The Chippewas last appearance in Ford Field was in the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl, defeating Western Kentucky, 24-21. CMU's last bowl appearance was in the 2014 Popeyes Bahamas Bowl, falling to WKU in a thrilling contest, 49-48.
"Being able to play in Detroit against a quality opponent in Minnesota is a great opportunity for our program," head football coach John Bonamego said. "With so many Michigan natives on our roster, they take a lot of pride playing in Ford Field in front of their family and friends. We have a strong tradition of playing in Detroit and look forward to building on that on Dec. 28."
This is the second Quick Lane Bowl, replacing the Little Caesars Pizza/Motor City Bowl Bowl which ran from 1997-2013. The Chippewas took part in that game in 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2012, defeating Middle Tennessee State in 2006 and WKU in 2012. CMU lost to Purdue in 2007 and to Florida Atlantic in 2008.
This is the first meeting with Minnesota since Sept. 26, 1987, a game won by the Gophers, 30-10. That was CMU's first game against a Big Ten opponent.
Ticket and bowl activity information will be released in the near future.