LeFevour: Schedule tough, but favorable

Dan LeFevour said he expects a sold-out Kelly/Shorts Stadium when CMU hosts Ball State at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 19.

The game, which will be broadcast on ESPN2, highlights Central's Mid-American Conference schedule, released Tuesday.

"I like playing night games, I really do," said LeFevour, the redshirt sophomore starting quarterback. "I hope people can come out to a game like that. I like playing on national TV - I think everyone does. After the success of the last two seasons, I'm really hoping people can come out on a Wednesday night."

Central begins MAC play at Ohio on Sept. 13 during the first of its two three-game road streaks. The Ohio game falls between trips to Georgia and Purdue after the team opens at home against Eastern Illinois on Aug. 28.

"I think that might be a little bit tough because the only one that's kind of close is Purdue but that's still a 5.5 hour drive," LeFevour said. "I think having those early in the season will be beneficial, and having home games after that will help."

Dan LeFevour said he is looking forward to playing Georgia because of the game's national implications.

"They're going to be ranked really high, and that will be a gauge of where we're at," he said. "Coach Jones stated last year that teams make their biggest jump from week one to week two."

The Chippewas return home to play three straight games: on Sept. 27 against Buffalo, Oct. 11 against Temple and Oct. 18 against Western Michigan. They then have another three-game road trip. CMU plays at Toledo on Oct. 25, Indiana on Nov. 1 and Northern Illinois on Nov. 12.

"Those three away games at the end, those are all closer, so it's deceiving," LeFevour said. "But it's still quite a challenge."

CMU hosts four MAC games this season after hosting three last season. But head coach Butch Jones said it might be the most challenging schedule in the MAC. It closes its schedule at Eastern Michigan on Nov. 28.

"Our schedule last year was very demanding, but I believe this year's is even more so," Jones said in a press release. "It makes for as challenging of a schedule as you're going to find."

LeFevour said the schedule sets the team up for its third consecutive run at a MAC Championship.

"If it didn't set us up to win the MAC, then there's no point in playing," he said.

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