At least six bowls open to Mid-American Conference teams
The Central Michigan University football team will face Western Kentucky University in the inaugural Popeyes Bahamas Bowl at noon today. (Photo Courtesy CMU Athletics).
The Central Michigan football team beat Kent State 27-14 on Wednesday, becoming bowl eligible for the fourth year in a row and eighth time in 10 seasons.
Here are the bowls guaranteed to field a Mid-American Conference team this winter, along with CMU’s history with each bowl game. Other bowls may be added if conferences don't have enough bowl-eligible teams to fill all slots.
Raycom Media Camellia Bowl
Saturday, Dec. 19, 5:30 p.m.
ESPN
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Cramton Bowl, Montgomery, Alabama
The Chippewas played in the Camellia Bowl in 1974, which also was the Division II national championship game. CMU topped Delaware 54-14 en route to its second bowl win of 1974 (the semifinal game was also a bowl game) and second in program history, as well as CMU’s only national title.
The 1974 Camellia Bowl was in Sacramento, California. The bowl’s first season was in 1948 in Lafayette, Louisiana, but wasn’t reinstated until 1961 when it was picked up by Sacramento, which is considered “The Camellia City.”
The last Camellia Bowl in California was in 1980. The bowl was picked up once again in 2014 in Alabama, when Bowling Green beat South Alabama.
Famous Idaho Potato Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 22, 3:30 p.m.
ESPN
MAC vs. MWC
Albertson’s Stadium, Boise, Idaho
CMU has never played in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl, played on Boise State’s famous blue turf. The MAC has had a spot in the past six, winning in 2010 and 2011.
The bowl began in 1997 as the Humanitarian Bowl and has also been under the name MPC Computers Bowl. Western Michigan represented the MAC in the bowl game last season, falling to Air Force 38-24.
Boca Raton Bowl
Tuesday, Dec. 22, 7 p.m.
ESPN
MAC vs. American
FAU Stadium, Boca Raton, Florida
Just like the 2014 Bahamas Bowl, last year was the inaugural season for the Boca Raton Bowl. The game is played on the campus of Florida Atlantic University. Northern Illinois, last year’s MAC Champions, lost to Marshall 52-23 in the bowl last season.
San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 23, 4:30 p.m.
ESPN
MWC vs. MAC
Qualcomm Stadium, San Diego, California
This year’s matchup was supposed to pit a Mountain West team against Army, but the MAC earns the spot since Army is not bowl eligible. Northern Illinois is the only MAC team to play in the bowl, losing in 2006 and 2013. It will be the first afternoon start in the bowl's history and will follow with a fireworks show.
The game originated in 1952 as the military services championship game, which continued for four years. The bowl was brought back in 2005, with four of the 10 games including the Navy Midshipmen.
The bowl has featured most valuable offensive and defensive players like Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton and Detroit Lions linebacker Kyle Van Noy.
GoDaddy Bowl
Wednesday, Dec. 23, 8 p.m.
ESPN
MAC vs. Sun Belt
Ladd-Peebles Stadium, Mobile, Alabama
This season’s GoDaddy Bowl will be the 17th installment of the game and the first before New Year’s since 2005. CMU won the bowl in 2010 over Troy, back when the game was known as the GMAC Bowl.
The No. 25 Chippewas were led by senior quarterback Dan LeFevour in his final game for CMU to a double-overtime victory. Senior wide receiver Antonio Brown caught 13 passes for 178 yards, as CMU came back from a 12-point fourth-quarter deficit to win its only January football game in program history.
Popeyes Bahamas Bowl
Thursday, Dec. 24, Noon
ESPN
C-USA vs. MAC
Thomas Robinson Stadium, Nassau, Bahamas
CMU starred in the inaugural Popeyes Bahamas Bowl on Christmas Eve of 2014, coming an extra point shy of a 35-point fourth-quarter comeback. Cooper Rush’s seven touchdowns set a college football bowl record, with the final score coming on a 75-yard play that included multiple laterals and ended in wide receiver Titus Davis’ final touchdown as a Chippewa.
