But if the Central Michigan football team can survive two games and get a little help from friends along the way, the Chippewas will be crowned Mid-American Conference West Division champions.

As long as first-year coach Jim McElwain's team finishes the regular season without blemish, the Chippewas (6-4, 4-2 MAC) would put themselves at 6-2 in the MAC, ahead of Ball State (due to the tiebreaker), Toledo (would have at least three losses), Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan.

Assuming Western Michigan wins out, the Broncos would finish 6-2, as well. They hold the tiebreaker in the West Division over Central Michigan due to a 31-15 victory back on Sept. 28 at Waldo Stadium.

Western Michigan still has three games to play; Central Michigan has just two. The Broncos are tasked with Ball State on Nov. 5, Ohio on Nov. 12 and Northern Illinois on Nov. 26.

One loss from Western Michigan would put the Chippewas' MAC title destiny back into their own hands.

A team that was 1-11 in the 2018 season under John Bonamego being named MAC West champs in the 2019 season under Jim McElwain?

You better believe it.

Central Michigan was 1-11 last season, picked to finish last in the MAC West Division in the preseason media poll and had the lowest point total in the conference preseason poll.

Nobody expected the Chippewas to flourish – except the Chippewas.

“I really couldn’t care less about it,” said senior safety Da’Quaun Jamison at MAC Media Day in late July. “Pickers pick, players play and coaches coach. Picks are just picks, they can’t win games for you.”

Even McElwain – Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year (2014) and SEC Coach of the Year (2015) – understood the situation.

“It’s not a lot of fun to be picked last, but I guess you got to start somewhere, right?" McElwain said.

Just over three months later, McElwain referred back to the preseason poll as an evaluation for his team's performance thus far.

"That team in the locker room at the beginning of the season was picked dead last in this conference," McElwain said. "You know what, I think we proved we are getting a little better."

And it's not like the Chippewas are getting lucky or don't deserve it.

Isaac Ritchey

Central Michigan defensive back Rolliann Sturkey celebrates a win against Northern Illinois Nov. 2 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Central Michigan has won four of its last five games by an overall score of 190-117, an average of 38 points per game in that stretch. The team is also 5-0 at home.

Led by senior graduate transfer quarterback Quinten Dormady, senior running back Jonathan Ward and sophomore receiver Kalil Pimpleton, the team places well in multiple MAC statistical categories – 30 points per game (fourth), 439.1 yards (fourth), 249.1 passing yards (third), 38 offensive touchdowns (second), 354.5 yards allowed (second), 110.6 rushing yards allowed (second), 24 sacks (third), 11 interceptions (second) and 22.1 yards per return (third).

The list goes on and on.

Oh yeah, Ward is the fourth-best running back in the MAC at 107.9 yards per game and 10 touchdowns on the ground. He also has 24 receptions for 254 yards and a touchdown.

Pimpleton leads the conference in receptions with 62. The next on the list is Bowling Green's Quintin Morris. He has 44 catches.

Going beyond Pimpleton's 65.3 receiving yards per game (second) and conference-best six touchdowns receptions, junior receiver JaCorey Sullivan is fourth-best at 60.4 yards per contest.

Since Dormady has only played in six games, he doesn't qualify for conference rankings. He's 111 of 170 for 1,310 yards, 11 touchdowns and four interceptions.

Not bad for a guy who hadn't been the starter for a college team since the early stages of 2017.

With all the positivity, there was also a failure to capitalize just a week ago.

The Chippewas had a chance to decide their own fate after a 38-20 victory over Bowling Green on Oct. 19 at Doyt L. Perry Stadium.

The next week was a loss to Buffalo, 43-20, at UB Stadium.

McElwain's group blew an opportunity to win out and take the MAC West crown on its own terms.

"After that loss, there were some guys hurting, and that's not a bad thing," McElwain said. "It's actually a good thing. It shows we have guys that care."

But like Central Michigan has so many times this season, it bounced back with a convincing 48-10 win against Northern Illinois on Nov. 2 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. The team scored 38 points in the first half, totaled 615 yards (288 passing, 327 rushing), logged 24 first downs and didn't turn the ball over.

Bowl eligibility was also clinched with the 38-point victory.

"It's pretty awesome," McElwain said. "I really can't tell you how happy I am and how happy I am for that locker room. There were things that we wanted to accomplish in this game, and I think we did."

Even though winning the final two games doesn't automatically secure a spot in the MAC title game, the Chippewas still have a shot.

Plain and simple, the only way to make it happen is to win down the stretch and hope for the best from other teams in the conference.

It's all in the hands of McElwain, and the opportunity is right in front of him.

All he has to do is execute and stay optimistic for a loss from the Broncos.