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CMU quarterback Dan LeFevour tries to ward off Ohio's Cody Wilson. Photos by Nate Thompson.

“That’s secondary,” LeFevour said of his personal achievements. “It’s all about winning as a team. Football is the greatest team game.”

MAC statistics show the Chippewas are, indeed, a formidable team. Central Michigan finished the regular season No. 1 in both scoring offense (33.2 ppg) and scoring defense (17.2 ppg).

LeFevour did pick up a huge record during the championship game as he threw two touchdown passes. His 148 career touchdowns (combined passing and running) is a new NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision record.

Still, it was a night where the Chippewas needed a strong defensive effort. They came through by holding Ohio to a field goal and one touchdown. The latter came on a first quarter trick play as Taylor Price broke off an end around to hit Terrence McCrae with a 29-yard touchdown pass.

The score was particularly important for the Bobcats, who struggled moving the ball during the first half and trailed 10-0 at the time.

Central Michigan shook off an early interception by Patrick Tafua at the goal line on the Chippewas first drive, and put together a scoring drive on the second possession. LeFevour completed four passes for 52 yards on the seven-play, 70-yard drive. He hit Cody Wilson for the final 14 yards. Andrew Aguila’s PAT kick gave CMU a 7-0 lead at 5:22 of the first quarter.

Central Michigan came right back on its next possession and picked up a first down at the Ohio eight-yard line. But after a four-yard pass to Antonio Brown, Ohio’s defense pulled LeFevour down for a four-yard loss. An incomplete pass on third down led to a Aquila’s 25-yard field goal at 1:26.

Chris Garrett’s 37-yard kickoff return gave Ohio good field position at the OU 40, and quarterback Theo Scott hit Terrence McCrae on a 28-yard pass two plays later. With a first down at the CMU 29, Ohio pulled out the end-around pass. It worked to perfection with McCrae scoring the touchdown. In addition, Central Michigan was flagged for roughing the passer. The Chippewas drew nine penalties for 90 yards on the evening.

“We made some mistakes tonight that we haven’t made all year, but we found a way to overcome those mistakes, and that shows the mark of a great football team,” Central Michigan coach Butch Jones said.

Despite two false start penalties, CMU drove 84 yards in 13 plays for one more score just before intermission. LeFevour hit Bryan Anderson from eight yards out for a touchdown with four seconds left. Aguila’s kick gave the Chippewas a 17-7 halftime advantage.

Central Michigan picked up 20 of its 28 total first downs before halftime. Ohio managed just six first downs on 149 yards with 18 yards rushing through two quarters.

‘In the first half, I think we just gave up too many yards and too many plays,” Ohio linebacker Noah Keller said. “We needed to start getting some (three-and-outs) in the first half and not wait until the second half.”

Central Michigan could post only one score after the break. That was a 19-yard Aguila field goal at 9:01 of the third quarter. Ohio, however, wasn’t having much luck with its offense, either.

“They had a good defense,” said McCrae, who led Ohio with seven catches for 141 yards. “Their secondary was one of the more physical ones I’ve seen all year.”

That was a statement considering what Ohio had faced in earning a spot in the championship game. Ohio picked up victories in a pair of must-win games against Northern Illinois and Temple – both very physical teams. However, the victories came at a price.

“We knew going in we would be playing with Theo (Scott) not at full speed,” Ohio coach Frank Solich said. “LaVon (Brazill) was going to receive limited playing time. We knew James Davis wasn’t going to be able to play, so these last two games … took a toll on us.”

He continued, “We were not healthy coming in, but that in no way, shape or form takes away from what Central Michigan is all about. I think they have an outstanding football team, and they can hurt you in so many ways.”

Ohio started to move the ball more effectively late in the contest as Scott began to scramble and “extend” plays. The senior’s 14-yard run set up a 36-yard Keller field goa,l which cut the deficit to 20-10 with 5:36 remaining in the third quarter. That, however, would be the game’s final score as both defenses took over.

Ohio made it to the Central Michigan 20 yard line midway through the fourth quarter, but Frank Zombo sacked Scott for a 14-yard loss. That forced a field goal attempt from 51-yards out, and Weller’s kick was wide left.
 
Scott, who sustained a leg injury against Temple last week, was hampered by leg cramps in the closing minutes. Freshman Tyler Tettleton came in for several plays, but did not complete a pass and was sacked once.

Central Michigan took over with 2:00 remaining and ran out the clock.

“I want to complement Ohio University. This was a great game, a hard fought game, and I have a lot of respect for their football program. They are very physical,” Jones said.

It was the third MAC championship game win for CMU’s seniors. The Chippewas also defeated Ohio in the 2006 title tilt. Central Michigan  missed getting to the championship last year but, according to LeFevour, quickly turned that shortfall into a mission for 2009.

“After falling short last year, we really appreciate this win,” said LeFevour, one of 13 seniorswho played a big part in almost doubling the schools MAC championships. The Chippewas now have seven MAC crowns.

“The senior class has brought so much leadership to our football family, and what they have accomplished this year – it’s legendary,” Central Michigan coach Butch Jones said.

NOTES:
- Lefevour completed 28-of-39 for 381 yards with one touchdown and one interception.

- Scott completed 10-of-23 for 138 yards with no touchdowns and no interceptions.

- Ohio junior linebacker Noah Keller set a new MAC Championship game record with 16 tackles. The previous record was 15 by Miami’s Matt Pusateri.

- Matt Berning led the CMU defense with 11 stops.

- LeFevour’s second quarter TD pass to Bryan Anderson gave LeFevour 101 passing touchdowns, moving him past Chad Pennington’s MAC record of 100.

- Central Michigan’s opening drive interception was the first red zone turnover committed by the Chippewas this season. The Chippewas failed to score points in the red zone only four times (50-for-54) during the regular season. Two of the non-scoring drives were knee-downs. 

- CMU also led Ohio 17-7at halftime of the 2006 MAC Championship.

- Price’s one-yard reception in the first quarter pushed him past Tom Compernole (144 catches) on the Ohio career receiving list.

- Weller’s 36-yard field goal in the third quarter gave him 20 field goals on the year, which ties the school record set by Matt Braunstein during the 2007 season.

- Wide receiver Taylor Price’s TD pass was the second of his career. He threw a 22-yard scoring strike to David Carter against Eastern Michigan in 1980.