MOUNT PLEASANT – Central Michigan University has finalized the nonconference portion of its 2009 football schedule.
The Chippewas’ first two games of the season will be on the road: at Arizona on Sept. 5 and at Michigan State on Sept. 12. CMU hosts Alcorn State on Sept. 19, then closes the nonconference schedule at Boston College on Oct. 31.
This schedule is very demanding and will take a great effort from everyone involved in our football program,
said CMU head coach Butch Jones. We are looking forward to again competing on the national stage in 2009 and continuing to elevate the Central Michigan University football program.
All three of CMU’s Bowl Subdivision (formerly Division I-A) opponents competed in bowl games following the 2008 campaign. The 2009 season will mark the 12th straight year the Chippewas have faced at least one Big Ten Conference opponent. The trip to Arizona marks CMU’s farthest trip west since playing at Boise State in 2001.
The opener at Arizona marks the first time CMU has faced a Pac-10 Conference opponent. Arizona finished 8-5 in 2008, including a 31-21 victory over BYU in the Las Vegas Bowl.
The Chippewas and Spartans will square off for the first time since 2004 on Sept. 12. Michigan State leads the all-time series, 4-2, including a 24-7 win in East Lansing in the last meeting. CMU posted back-to-back victories over the Spartans in 1991 and 1992. Michigan State was ranked as high as No. 17 in the Associated Press poll in 2008, eventually finishing 9-4 including a 24-12 loss to Georgia in the Capital One Bowl.
CMU and Alcorn State will meet on the gridiron for the third time. The Chippewas defeated Alcorn State, 39-7, in Mount Pleasant in 1977 and lost at Alcorn, 24-16, in 1978. The Braves were 2-10 overall last season.
CMU’s trip to Boston College marks the schools’ third matchup since 2002. The Eagles have won both prior meetings: 43-0 at Boston College in 2002 and 31-24 at CMU in 2006. Boston College was 9-5 overall in 2008. The Eagles lost to Virginia Tech in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship Game for the second straight year and had their streak of eight consecutive bowl victories snapped by Vanderbilt in the Music City Bowl.
CMU was 8-5 overall and made its third consecutive appearance in the Motor City Bowl in 2008. The Chippewas are just the fourth team in Mid-American Conference history to compete in three consecutive bowl games.
