Mtsu Vs. Central Michigan

[emmitt01]

nm

[NT80]

Blog on the game from the Bama board......

Motor City Bowl Preview

By Todd Section: News

Posted on Sun Dec 17, 2006 at 03:36:26 PM EST

Full name: The Motor City Bowl

Match up: MAC #1 vs Big Ten (but since the Big Ten placed two teams in the BCS, Sun Belt Co-Champs MTSU takes their place)

Teams: Central Michigan vs Middle Tennessee State

Location: Detroit, MI

Date/Time: Tuesday, December 26, 2006 - 7:30 p.m. (central) on ESPN

Venue: Ford Field

Years in existence: This is the tenth playing of the Motor City Bowl

Per Team Payout: $750,000

Endorsements:

Todd: The Blue Raiders wound up in Detroit after going 7-5 and sharing the Sun Belt title with Troy. This isn't much of a post season blessing for them, since Detroit sucks (even in summer), and they now have to face the MAC champion Chippewas. Central Michigan is a hot mid-major, going 9-4 with only one conference loss and three losses to BCS schools with only one being a "bad" loss. They also topped another hot mid-major, a similarly 9-4 Ohio, in the MAC championship game to take the conference. While I want to root for MTSU since they are a southern team and I really, really hated my Central Michigan dynasty in NCAA 2007 (the only one where I've ever wound up with a WORSE record than the real life team's), I don't think the Blue Raiders have a chance.

Nico: I've got to go with Middle Tennessee State on this one. Since they occasionally turn up as one of Alabama's opening weekend punching bags, I want them to win this one. Plus, I'm going to side with a Southern team if I don't have a strong opinion either way.

Irrational Bama Fan: Bama is 2-0 against MTSU and has never played Central Michigan, so this one is tricky. Gut instinct, YANKEES SUX!!!!11, but MTSU has that pesky "Tennessee" thing going for it. Still, southern folks is southern folks whether they bathe regular or not. Go Blue Raiders.

[EagleD]

It doesn't look good early for the Blue Raiders. Hopefully their D can figure it out.

GO MTSU!

GO MEAN GREEN !!!!!!!!!!!

[NT03]

Muts down 21-7 w/ 5:00 to go till half.

[gksmith]

I just hope MTSU was able to sell their tickets. Last I heard they were not selling well.

Strange...MTSU doesn't get to go to the NOB and gets a bowl that pays better.... Hope they can live up to thier billing.

[MeanGreengdub]

This game is lame.

[NT80]

I just hope MTSU was able to sell their tickets. Last I heard they were not selling well.

Strange...MTSU doesn't get to go to the NOB and gets a bowl that pays better.... Hope they can live up to thier billing.

It looks like a great crowd overall for that Bowl, the lower tier is almost full including endzones. Most of it is all CMU fans as you can see just a small couple sections of Blue behind the Muts bench.

[FirefightnRick]

MTSU has been able to stop CMU on a couple of drives now, maybe they have them figured out and will make the right adjustments at half. The ball on both sides has been moving up and down the field. IF MTSU could close in this could be a very etertaining game. Gutsy call to go for the on side by MTSU. CMU ended up recovering and having the short field.

I like MTSU's commercial.

MTSU's crowd doesn't look nearly as bad as I had thought it would.

Rick

[Harry]

Muts doesn't seem to have the spark I saw when they spanked us in Denton. CMU looks pretty solid tho.

[VideoEagle]

Strange...MTSU doesn't get to go to the NOB and gets a bowl that pays better.... Hope they can live up to thier billing.

The large print giveth and the small print taketh away. While the Motor City Bowl says it "pays out $750000" per team, the way a team gets the money is by selling $750000 worth of tickets! Many of the bowls officially pay out large sums, but require the schools to either sell or just buy enough tickets to equal the pay out. The New Orleans bowls pays out what it actually says it is paying, in a combination of hotel rooms, meals and cash.

[DeepGreen]

Maybe it just me, but the MUTS defense seems slow. Not much team speed.

[emmitt01]

CMU returns a pick for a touchdown. Nail in the coffin.

[FirefightnRick]

Well Crap, that would be game right there.

Rick

[NorthTexasFan]

Turn the lights out.

[NT80]

Too many penalties and turnovers for the Muts. But it was a Record attendance for the Motor City Bowl, almost 55,000. Unfortunately about 52,000 were CMU fans.

[MeanGreenBuzz]

That was more or less a home game for them. That would be like us playing in the Fort Worth Bowl against Akron. The MUTS played well and represented the Sun Belt well against the MAC champion. Had Troy played in this game I think the outcome would have been different. I also believe the MUTS could have beaten Rice.

[Charlie NT 73]

I thought the CM offensive line and defensive line were big and strong- took control of the game.

Marks did not have alot of time to pass with the Chippewas pass rush-same for the running game-

seems like the "holes" were closing to fast. I thought the CM Chippewas looked more like a Big 10

team. I though MTSU did put up a good fight and represent the Sunbelt well. Looked like there

were alot of muts fans that made the trip.

[BlueRaiderPride]

We looked like junk in every facet of this game. I'm sure you could tell just by watching. CMU would waste anyone in our league for sure. NIU as well.

It should interest you to know that the 54,113 in attendance for the Motor City Bowl was more than DOUBLE the number of people in attendance for Central Michigan's game against Ohio University on that same field for the MAC title game.

[NT80]

It should interest you to know that the 54,113 in attendance for the Motor City Bowl was more than DOUBLE the number of people in attendance for Central Michigan's game against Ohio University on that same field for the MAC title game.

At least one school's fans were excited to be in the Bowl.

[BlueRaiderPride]

At least one school's fans were excited to be in the Bowl.

After being told that hardly anyone would attend this game even though Central Michigan was in it.

By the way, there were about 3K of us, 20K CMU fans, and 31K wood be fans of CMU who were there to support and instate team. Question is, why did this game draw more than a more significant MAC title game that featured this same Central Michigan team and a closer Ohio University team. By the way, CMU is 5 hours from Detroit. There are several MAC Ohio schools that are closer including the Akron team that went to last year's game.

[Harry]

Dude you guys got to a bowl and have a terrific head coach and AD. Things will only get better!