Central Michigan University Athletics
125 Years of CMU Football: Story of the 1974 National Champions
7/26/2026 10:26:00 PM | Football, General, Our Stories
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1974 Chippewas win 12 consecutive games en route to winning the NCAA Division II national championship.
In Central Michigan's first content piece to kick off its 125 Years of Central Michigan Football campaign, we begin with the Chippewas' greatest achievement: winning the 1974 national championship.
1974 CHIPPEWAS: THE STORY
A once-in-a-lifetime team that provided a lifetime of memories, led by a remarkable coach.
That was the 1974 Central Michigan football team, and that was its architect, its mentor, and its glue, head coach Roy Kramer.
"You can talk about the players, you can talk about everything else, but the whole key was Roy Kramer," says Herb Deromedi, who served as the defensive coordinator for that 1974 squad. "What he did and how he put that team together, how he coached that team, how he handled situations. There are stories within stories about that team. Nothing but great memories."
With Kramer calling the shots, the 1974 Chippewas finished 12-1, capping a remarkable and oh-so-memorable season with a 54-14 drubbing of Delaware in the NCAA Division II national title game in Sacramento, Calif.
That completed a three-game playoff run, during which CMU outscored its opponents, 109-34. For the season, the Chippewas rolled up 450 points while holding their foes to 127. CMU posted two shutouts, and seven times held an opponent to a touchdown or less.
Among the many blowouts was a 42-6 shellacking of Western Michigan, marking the first time CMU had beaten the Broncos during Kramer's tenure, which began in 1967.
Offensively, the Chippewas twice cracked the 50-point barrier, and four other times scored at least 40 points. Running back Walt Hodges rushed for 1,693 yards, a total that ranks third on the CMU all-time single-season list, and his 3,886 career yards rank second in school history.
Four members of that team, quarterback Mike Franckowiak, defensive linemen Rick Newsome and John Wunderlich, and defensive back Tom Ray, received All-America honors.
"It was a very special time and a very special team, a very exciting period of time," said Kramer, who went on to become commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. "We had some really good football players who really came together and seemed to fit together in a very positive way."
The Chippewas opened the 1974 season with a 21-14 loss to Kent State, then reeled off 12 consecutive wins culminating with the title. The bandwagon filled up as the season progressed.
"The unique part is every single member of that team was from the state of Michigan," Kramer says. "Neither Michigan nor Michigan State went to a bowl that year. We were sort of the flag bearer for the state of Michigan. The whole state of Michigan got excited during that period of time."
"It was amazing because the whole town sort of got involved with it. People in the community got together and raised the money for the band to go with us to Sacramento. It really did catch the imagination of the campus as well as the community."
"It was a football team that just got better and better every week," says Deromedi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. "We just had some outstanding players on defense and on the offensive side we were every bit as good.
"Not a lot of people scored much against us, but every once in a while, early in a ball game, we'd give up a score, and our guys would come to the sideline and before you could get to them, they'd walk right up to you and say `That's the last one they're going to get today.'"
1974: GAME-BY-GAME
Central Michigan entered the 1974 season determined to atone for the frustrations of the preceding year when it lost out on a chance to go to the NCAA Division II playoffs by dropping the final regular season game at Kent State.
The 1974 season didn't begin all that well when the Chippewas failed to hold a halftime lead and lost to Kent State again, 21-14. But that second half turned out to be the last time they were to trail in a game all season. The Chippewas slowly gained momentum, gradually developing the necessary depth and steadily reducing their mistakes. This time, the postseason invitation was their's.
Like a cold wind from the north, CMU roared past its three playoff opponents to earn the state's first NCAA sanctioned national football championship.Â
Game 1: Kent State 21, CMU 14
Sept. 7, 1974, Mount Pleasant
It looked like the Chippewas would avenge a 1973 season-ending defeat by KSU as they rallied for a 14-7 lead at the half. But Larry Poole scored a pair of third quarter touchdowns to give the preseason MAC title favorites a hard-earned victory.
Game 2: CMU 21, Ball State 17
Sept. 14, 1974, Muncie, Ind.
Central jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter on two Dick Dunham touchdown runs and a Mike Franckowiak field goal, but a third- quarter letdown compounded by fumbles enabled host Ball State to tie the game. Dunham scored his third touchdown to cap a 67-yard drive in 14 plays and six minutes to pull out the win. Dunham's 133 rushing yards marked his best of the campaign.
Game 3: CMU 21, Northern Michigan 7
Sept. 21, 1974, Marquette, Mich.
Walter "Smoke" Hodges added some heat to a cold, damp day on the shores of Lake Superior as he rushed for 146 yards on 26 carries. His two touchdowns included a 49-yard tie-breaking run. Dick Dunham topped the 100-yard mark for the second game in a row.
Game 4: CMU 42, Dayton 8
Sept. 28, 1974, Mount Pleasant
Running the most plays (99) ever by a CMU team, the Chippewas erupted for 42 points after a scoreless first quarter. The Chippewas went up 21-0 at halftime on three rushing touchdowns. Dick Dunham and Walt Hodges each scored twice.
Game 5: CMU 21, Illinois State 14
Oct. 5, 1974, Normal, Ill.
Walt Hodges raced 66 yards to score on Central's third play of the game, but the Chippewas needed a 20-play, 80-yard drive early in the final quarter to break a 14-14 tie. Hodges finished with 186 yards.
Game 6: CMU 49, Indiana State 0
Oct. 12, 1974, Mount Pleasant
Indiana State came into the showdown unbeaten and nationally ranked, but left with one of its worst losses ever. Mike Franckowiak ran for two scores and passed for a pair as seven players scored.
Game 7: CMU 58, Western Illinois 7
Oct. 19, 1974, Mount Pleasant
Mike Franckowiak ran for three touchdowns, passed for another, kicked one field goal, and converted five extra points to pace the Chippewas to another surprisingly easy win. Walt Hodges' 81-yard touchdown run thrilled a record homecoming crowd of 18,907 and CMU topped 500 yards of total offense for the second straight game.
Game 8: CMU 28, Eastern Michigan 13
Nov. 2, Ypsilanti, Mich.
Two touchdowns within 14 seconds, the second one on a 31-yard interception by Jim Jones, broke open a tense duel with Eastern Michigan. Dick Dunham returned to action with a pair of touchdown plunges.
Game 9: CMU 42, Western Michigan 6
Nov. 9, 1974, Kalamazoo, Mich.
A 28-point first-quarter eruption keyed by Mike Franckowiak sent the stunned Broncos down to defeat before 24,235 fans in Kalamazoo. Walt Hodges had 178 yards, making it seven games in a row over 100. It was also the fifth straight game that Central had scored in the first five minutes of play. CMU led 42-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
Game 10: CMU 42, Southern Illinois 0
Nov. 16, 1974, Mount Pleasant
The Chippewas matched their best victory total ever by making the Salukies their ninth straight victim. Central set records for most yards rushing and most points in a season while becoming the first Central team to accumulate 4,000 yards of total offense. Matt Means caught touchdown passes of 26 and 34 yards from Mike Franckowiak as CMU went up 28-0 at halftime.
Game 11: CMU 20, Boise State 6 (NCAA Division II Playoff game)
Nov. 30, 1974, Mount Pleasant
On a bitterly cold day, two of the nation's best college division offenses were overshadowed by the defenses. CMU finally broke the scoring drought on a Dick Dunham plunge in the third period. He tallied again in the fourth quarter before Boise State All-American Jim Millan hit for the first touchdown pass against CMU all year. The win came in Central's first postseason football game ever.
Game 12: CMU 35, Louisiana Tech 14 (National Semifinal Game)
Dec. 7, 1974, Wichita Falls, Texas (Pioneer Bowl)
Central ended No. 1 ranked Louisiana Tech's 23-game win streak as Dick Dunham scored twice and Mike Franckowiak passed for one touchdown and ran for another. Franckowiak and middle guard Rick Newsome earned Player of the Game honors in the regionally televised Pioneer Bowl.
Game 13: CMU 54, Delaware 14 (National Championship Game)
Dec. 14, 1974, Sacramento, Calif. (Camellia Bowl)
The highly regarded Blue Hens were stunned when Dick Dunham rambled 68 yards for touchdown on the game's first play before a national television audience in the Camellia Bowl. It was his first of four touchdown runs, and Walt Hodges scored once while netting 100 yards rushing for the 11th straight game. Mike Franckowiak again took Offensive Player of the Game honors by hitting 11-13 passes for 186 yards, scoring 11 points on two field goals and five PATs, plus executing the option play to perfection in the national championship game. Steve Bograkos earned the defensive standout honors.
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1974 CHIPPEWAS: THE STORY
A once-in-a-lifetime team that provided a lifetime of memories, led by a remarkable coach.
That was the 1974 Central Michigan football team, and that was its architect, its mentor, and its glue, head coach Roy Kramer.
"You can talk about the players, you can talk about everything else, but the whole key was Roy Kramer," says Herb Deromedi, who served as the defensive coordinator for that 1974 squad. "What he did and how he put that team together, how he coached that team, how he handled situations. There are stories within stories about that team. Nothing but great memories."
With Kramer calling the shots, the 1974 Chippewas finished 12-1, capping a remarkable and oh-so-memorable season with a 54-14 drubbing of Delaware in the NCAA Division II national title game in Sacramento, Calif.
That completed a three-game playoff run, during which CMU outscored its opponents, 109-34. For the season, the Chippewas rolled up 450 points while holding their foes to 127. CMU posted two shutouts, and seven times held an opponent to a touchdown or less.
Among the many blowouts was a 42-6 shellacking of Western Michigan, marking the first time CMU had beaten the Broncos during Kramer's tenure, which began in 1967.
Offensively, the Chippewas twice cracked the 50-point barrier, and four other times scored at least 40 points. Running back Walt Hodges rushed for 1,693 yards, a total that ranks third on the CMU all-time single-season list, and his 3,886 career yards rank second in school history.
Four members of that team, quarterback Mike Franckowiak, defensive linemen Rick Newsome and John Wunderlich, and defensive back Tom Ray, received All-America honors.
"It was a very special time and a very special team, a very exciting period of time," said Kramer, who went on to become commissioner of the Southeastern Conference. "We had some really good football players who really came together and seemed to fit together in a very positive way."
The Chippewas opened the 1974 season with a 21-14 loss to Kent State, then reeled off 12 consecutive wins culminating with the title. The bandwagon filled up as the season progressed.
"The unique part is every single member of that team was from the state of Michigan," Kramer says. "Neither Michigan nor Michigan State went to a bowl that year. We were sort of the flag bearer for the state of Michigan. The whole state of Michigan got excited during that period of time."
"It was amazing because the whole town sort of got involved with it. People in the community got together and raised the money for the band to go with us to Sacramento. It really did catch the imagination of the campus as well as the community."
"It was a football team that just got better and better every week," says Deromedi, a member of the College Football Hall of Fame. "We just had some outstanding players on defense and on the offensive side we were every bit as good.
"Not a lot of people scored much against us, but every once in a while, early in a ball game, we'd give up a score, and our guys would come to the sideline and before you could get to them, they'd walk right up to you and say `That's the last one they're going to get today.'"
1974: GAME-BY-GAME
Central Michigan entered the 1974 season determined to atone for the frustrations of the preceding year when it lost out on a chance to go to the NCAA Division II playoffs by dropping the final regular season game at Kent State.
The 1974 season didn't begin all that well when the Chippewas failed to hold a halftime lead and lost to Kent State again, 21-14. But that second half turned out to be the last time they were to trail in a game all season. The Chippewas slowly gained momentum, gradually developing the necessary depth and steadily reducing their mistakes. This time, the postseason invitation was their's.
Like a cold wind from the north, CMU roared past its three playoff opponents to earn the state's first NCAA sanctioned national football championship.Â
Game 1: Kent State 21, CMU 14
Sept. 7, 1974, Mount Pleasant
It looked like the Chippewas would avenge a 1973 season-ending defeat by KSU as they rallied for a 14-7 lead at the half. But Larry Poole scored a pair of third quarter touchdowns to give the preseason MAC title favorites a hard-earned victory.
Game 2: CMU 21, Ball State 17
Sept. 14, 1974, Muncie, Ind.
Central jumped out to a 17-0 lead in the second quarter on two Dick Dunham touchdown runs and a Mike Franckowiak field goal, but a third- quarter letdown compounded by fumbles enabled host Ball State to tie the game. Dunham scored his third touchdown to cap a 67-yard drive in 14 plays and six minutes to pull out the win. Dunham's 133 rushing yards marked his best of the campaign.
Game 3: CMU 21, Northern Michigan 7
Sept. 21, 1974, Marquette, Mich.
Walter "Smoke" Hodges added some heat to a cold, damp day on the shores of Lake Superior as he rushed for 146 yards on 26 carries. His two touchdowns included a 49-yard tie-breaking run. Dick Dunham topped the 100-yard mark for the second game in a row.
Game 4: CMU 42, Dayton 8
Sept. 28, 1974, Mount Pleasant
Running the most plays (99) ever by a CMU team, the Chippewas erupted for 42 points after a scoreless first quarter. The Chippewas went up 21-0 at halftime on three rushing touchdowns. Dick Dunham and Walt Hodges each scored twice.
Game 5: CMU 21, Illinois State 14
Oct. 5, 1974, Normal, Ill.
Walt Hodges raced 66 yards to score on Central's third play of the game, but the Chippewas needed a 20-play, 80-yard drive early in the final quarter to break a 14-14 tie. Hodges finished with 186 yards.
Game 6: CMU 49, Indiana State 0
Oct. 12, 1974, Mount Pleasant
Indiana State came into the showdown unbeaten and nationally ranked, but left with one of its worst losses ever. Mike Franckowiak ran for two scores and passed for a pair as seven players scored.
Game 7: CMU 58, Western Illinois 7
Oct. 19, 1974, Mount Pleasant
Mike Franckowiak ran for three touchdowns, passed for another, kicked one field goal, and converted five extra points to pace the Chippewas to another surprisingly easy win. Walt Hodges' 81-yard touchdown run thrilled a record homecoming crowd of 18,907 and CMU topped 500 yards of total offense for the second straight game.
Game 8: CMU 28, Eastern Michigan 13
Nov. 2, Ypsilanti, Mich.
Two touchdowns within 14 seconds, the second one on a 31-yard interception by Jim Jones, broke open a tense duel with Eastern Michigan. Dick Dunham returned to action with a pair of touchdown plunges.
Game 9: CMU 42, Western Michigan 6
Nov. 9, 1974, Kalamazoo, Mich.
A 28-point first-quarter eruption keyed by Mike Franckowiak sent the stunned Broncos down to defeat before 24,235 fans in Kalamazoo. Walt Hodges had 178 yards, making it seven games in a row over 100. It was also the fifth straight game that Central had scored in the first five minutes of play. CMU led 42-0 heading into the fourth quarter.
Game 10: CMU 42, Southern Illinois 0
Nov. 16, 1974, Mount Pleasant
The Chippewas matched their best victory total ever by making the Salukies their ninth straight victim. Central set records for most yards rushing and most points in a season while becoming the first Central team to accumulate 4,000 yards of total offense. Matt Means caught touchdown passes of 26 and 34 yards from Mike Franckowiak as CMU went up 28-0 at halftime.
Game 11: CMU 20, Boise State 6 (NCAA Division II Playoff game)
Nov. 30, 1974, Mount Pleasant
On a bitterly cold day, two of the nation's best college division offenses were overshadowed by the defenses. CMU finally broke the scoring drought on a Dick Dunham plunge in the third period. He tallied again in the fourth quarter before Boise State All-American Jim Millan hit for the first touchdown pass against CMU all year. The win came in Central's first postseason football game ever.
Game 12: CMU 35, Louisiana Tech 14 (National Semifinal Game)
Dec. 7, 1974, Wichita Falls, Texas (Pioneer Bowl)
Central ended No. 1 ranked Louisiana Tech's 23-game win streak as Dick Dunham scored twice and Mike Franckowiak passed for one touchdown and ran for another. Franckowiak and middle guard Rick Newsome earned Player of the Game honors in the regionally televised Pioneer Bowl.
Game 13: CMU 54, Delaware 14 (National Championship Game)
Dec. 14, 1974, Sacramento, Calif. (Camellia Bowl)
The highly regarded Blue Hens were stunned when Dick Dunham rambled 68 yards for touchdown on the game's first play before a national television audience in the Camellia Bowl. It was his first of four touchdown runs, and Walt Hodges scored once while netting 100 yards rushing for the 11th straight game. Mike Franckowiak again took Offensive Player of the Game honors by hitting 11-13 passes for 186 yards, scoring 11 points on two field goals and five PATs, plus executing the option play to perfection in the national championship game. Steve Bograkos earned the defensive standout honors.
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