Middle Tennessee (7-5) vs. Central Michigan (9-4)
Dec. 26th,
7:30 pm, ESPN
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2006 Motor City Bowl Preview
By
Richard Cirminiello
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Motor City Bowl History
| 2005 |
Memphis 38, Akron 31 |
| 2004 |
Connecticut 39, Toledo
10 |
| 2003 |
Bo. Green 28,
Northwestern 24 |
| 2002 |
Boston College 51,
Toledo 25 |
| 2001 |
Toledo 23, Cincinnati 16 |
| 2000 |
Marshall 25, Cincinnati
14 |
| 1999 |
Marshall 21, Brigham
Young 3 |
| 1998 |
Marshall 48, Louisville
29 |
| 1997 |
Mississippi 34, Marshall
31 |
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Motor City Bowl Player Profile
DE Dan Bazuin, Central
Michigan – If the Motor City
Bowl needs a spokesman for this
year’s game, the only logical
choice is Bazuin, whose own
motor runs hotter and longer
than anything coming off a
Detroit assembly line. He’s
your basic understated farm boy
from rural McBain, Mich. with a
Spartan work ethic in practice,
on game day and in the weight
room that dwarfs all other
Chippewas, despite being one of
the most decorated players in
school history. A four-year
starter and Academic
All-American, Bazuin has spent
his college years in opposing
backfields, racking up a
whopping 60 tackles for loss,
33½ sacks and countless
post-season honors. In terms of
NFL potential, pro scouts are
still mining for a glaring
weakness in his game. He’s a
solid 6-3, 270 pounds with 4.68
speed and exceptional
pass-rushing skills. Oh, and
don’t forget those
hard-to-quantify intangibles,
which have helped propel him in
five years from a
lightly-recruited teen to one of
the most respected ends in the
country. In an era when
character seems to matter more
than ever before to NFL types,
Bazuin is nicely positioned to
spend the next decade revving up
his engine on Sundays for a
hefty paycheck.
Best Chippewa Bowl Moment
– Central Michigan has never won
a bowl game, losing badly in the
1990 California Bowl and the
1994 Las Vegas Bowl, so a win
next Tuesday at Ford Field would
easily establish a new
postseason standard for future
generations of Chippewa
players.
Best Blue Raider Bowl Moment
– Since Middle Tennessee State
has never participated in a
major bowl game, it would have
to be when the program
officially accepted an offer to
play in this game earlier in the
month. The Blue Raiders have
played in the post-season during
the pre-Division I-A days, but
playing in the 1956 Refrigerator
Bowl or beating Muskingum in the
1964 Grantland Rice Bowl won’t
end up in the school time
capsule.
Central Michigan's best win ...
MAC Championship,
Central Michigan 31 .... Ohio 10
Central Michigan held Ohio State 224 yards and forced three
key turnovers on the way to the MAC Championship. Damien Linson set
a MAC title game record with 191 yards helped by a 71-yard
touchdown, helping get the Chippewas off to a 17-7 halftime lead.
Ohio stayed in the hunt by starting off the second half with a 16
play, 76-yard drive culminating in a 33-yard Matt Lasher field goal
to pull within seven, but Central Michigan controlled the rest of
the game with Ontario Sneed catching a four-yard touchdown pass and
ending the game with a 96-yard scoring dash.
Central Michigan's worst loss ...
Northern Illinois 31 ... Central Michigan 10
Garrett Wolfe ran for three touchdowns scoring from ten, two
and 13 yards out and Dan Nicholson threw a 20-yard scoring pass as
Northern Illinois blew past the MAC West champions. The Chippewas
managed a one-yard Ontario Sneed touchdown catch and a 25-yard field
goal from Rick Albreski, but the defense couldn't handle Wolfe and a NIU
running game that helped the Huskies
hold on to the ball for 33:42.
Middle Tennessee's best win ...
Arkansas State 38 ... Middle Tennessee 10
A 88-yard Brandon Robinson interception return for a touchdown
and short touchdown runs from Desmond Gee and DeMarco McNair helped
Middle Tennessee pull away in the second half to a 31-3 lead. Arkansas
State moved the ball well all game long, but only managed a 14-yard Levi
Dejohnette touchdown late in the fourth quarter. McNair scored again on
the first play following the unsuccessful onside kick attempt with a
48-yard run.
Middle Tennessee's worst loss ...
Oklahoma 59 ... Middle Tennessee 0
Oklahoma dominated from start to finish outgaining Middle
Tennessee 462 yards to 95 and blowing out to a 45-0 halftime lead
highlighted by a 22-yard interception return for a touchdown from Zach
Lattimore and three Adrian Peterson touchdown runs. Paul Thompson was
brilliant throwing three touchdown passes to three different receivers
including an 18-yard play to Malcolm Kelly in the first quarter to start
off the touchdowns. Reggie Smith capped things off with a 61-yard punt
return for a score. Middle Tennessee gained 22 rushing yards and seven
first downs.
2005
Motor City Bowl
Memphis 38 ... Akron 31
DeAngelo Williams set the NCAA record for most career 100-yard
rushing games with his 34th, and ran for three touchdowns and Stephen
Gostkowski nailed field goals from 32, 35 and 50 yards out as Memphis
cranked out a 38-17 lead with just over three minutes to go. But Akron
was able to come back with a 14-yard touchdown pass to Domenik Hixon, a
recovered onside kick, and a 19-yard touchdown pass to Jamari Arthur.
Memphis, despite a disputed fumble, was able to run out the clock. Akron
QB Luke Getsy threw for 455 yards and four scores in the loss.
Player of the game: Memphis RB DeAngelo
Williams ran 30 times for 233 yards and three touchdowns and caught one
pass for 42 yards.
Stat Leaders: Memphis - Passing:
Maurice Avery, 7-13, 170 yds
Rushing: DeAngelo Williams, 30-233, 3 TD. Receiving:
Ryan Scott, 3-103
Akron - Passing: Luke Getsy, 34-59, 455
yds, 4 TD
Rushing: Brett Biggs, 14-46. Receiving:
Jabari Arthur, 8-180, 2 TD
Middle Tennessee Bowl History (2-2)
|
1964 |
Grantland Rice |
Middle Tennessee 20,
Muskingum 0 |
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1961 |
Tangerine |
Lamar Tech 21, Middle
Tennessee 14 |
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1960 |
Tangerine |
Middle Tennessee 21,
Presbyterian 12 |
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1956 |
Refrigerator |
Sam Houston State 27,
Middle Tennessee 13 |
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Central Mich.
Bowl History (0-2)
|
1994 |
Las Vegas |
UNLV 52, Central Mich 24 |
|
1990 |
California |
SJSU 48, Central Mich 24 |
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2006 Motor City Bowl Preview