2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football team

The 2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by fourth-year head coach John Bonamego and played their home games at Kelly/Shorts Stadium as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference. They finished the season 1–11, 0–8 in MAC play to finish in last place in the West Division.

2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
DivisionWest Division
Record1–11 (0–8 MAC)
Head coach
Offensive coordinatorChris Ostrowsky (2nd season)
Defensive coordinatorGreg Colby (4th season)
Home stadiumKelly/Shorts Stadium
Seasons
← 2017
2019 →
2018 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team   W   L     W   L  
East Division
Buffalo x   7 1     10 4  
Miami (OH)   6 2     6 6  
Ohio   6 2     9 4  
Akron   2 6     4 8  
Bowling Green   2 6     3 9  
Kent State   1 7     2 10  
West Division
Northern Illinois x$   6 2     8 6  
Western Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Eastern Michigan   5 3     7 6  
Toledo   5 3     7 6  
Ball State   3 5     4 8  
Central Michigan   0 8     1 11  
Championship: Northern Illinois 30, Buffalo 29
  • $ – Conference champion
  • x – Division champion/co-champions

On November 23, following a loss to Toledo, head coach John Bonamego was fired.[1] He finished at Central Michigan with a four-year record of 22–29. On December 2, the school hired Michigan wide receivers coach Jim McElwain, who previously served as head coach at Colorado State and Florida.[2]

Preseason

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Award watch lists

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Listed in the order that they were released

Award Player Position Year
Wuerffel Trophy[3] Mitch Stanitzek DL SR

Preseason media poll

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The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Chippewas predicted to finish in fifth place in the West Division.[4]

West Division
Predicted finish Team Votes (1st place)
1 Northern Illinois 133 (15)
2 Toledo 125 (7)
3 Western Michigan 87 (1)
4 Eastern Michigan 67
5 Central Michigan 58 (1)
6 Ball State 34

Schedule

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DateTimeOpponentSiteTVResultAttendance
September 13:30 p.m.at Kentucky*ESPNUL 20–3549,138
September 83:00 p.m.Kansas*ESPN+L 7–3118,127
September 153:30 p.m.at Northern IllinoisESPN+L 16–2412,354
September 223:00 p.m.No. 13 (FCS) Maine*
  • Kelly/Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
ESPN+W 17–516,474
September 2912:00 p.m.at No. 21 Michigan State*FS1L 20–3173,752
October 612:00 p.m.Buffalo 
  • Kelly/Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
CBSSNL 24–3414,044
October 133:00 p.m.Ball State
  • Kelly/Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
ESPN3L 23–2410,255
October 203:30 p.m.Western Michigan
ESPN+L 10–3510,097
October 2712:00 p.m.at AkronESPN3L 10–1717,582
November 312:00 p.m.at Eastern MichiganESPN3L 7–1713,468
November 103:00 p.m.Bowling Green
  • Kelly/Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
ESPN+L 13–248,041
November 2312:00 p.m.at ToledoESPN3L 13–5115,521
  • *Non-conference game
  •  Homecoming
  • Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game
  • All times are in Eastern time

[5]

Game summaries

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At Kentucky

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1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 3 17 0 0 20
Wildcats 7 14 7 7 35

Kansas

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1 2 3 4 Total
Jayhawks 0 7 14 10 31
Chippewas 0 0 7 0 7

At Northern Illinois

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1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 0 3 7 6 16
Huskies 0 14 7 3 24

Maine

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1 2 3 4 Total
No. 13 (FCS) Black Bears 0 0 3 2 5
Chippewas 0 10 0 7 17

At Michigan State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 3 0 0 17 20
No. 21 Spartans 0 17 14 0 31

Buffalo

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1 2 3 4 Total
Bulls 7 10 7 10 34
Chippewas 3 0 14 7 24

Ball State

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1 2 3 4 Total
Cardinals 0 7 0 17 24
Chippewas 3 17 0 3 23

Western Michigan

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1 2 3 4 Total
Broncos 7 14 0 14 35
Chippewas 0 0 10 0 10

At Akron

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1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 0 0 10 0 10
Zips 7 10 0 0 17

At Eastern Michigan

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1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 0 7 0 0 7
Eagles 7 0 0 10 17

Bowling Green

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1 2 3 4 Total
Falcons 0 0 17 7 24
Chippewas 7 6 0 0 13

Toledo

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1 2 3 4 Total
Chippewas 0 0 0 13 13
Rockets 14 10 13 14 51

Players drafted into the NFL

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Round Pick Player Position NFL Club
2 39 Sean Murphy-Bunting CB Tampa Bay Buccaneers
6 195 Xavier Crawford CB Houston Texans

References

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  1. ^ "Bonamego out as CMU coach after 1-11 season". November 24, 2018.
  2. ^ "Central Michigan hiring Jim McElwain as coach". ESPN.com. December 2, 2018. Retrieved December 26, 2018.
  3. ^ "Wuerffel Trophy Unveils 2018 Watch List". July 26, 2018. Archived from the original on July 26, 2018. Retrieved July 26, 2018.
  4. ^ "NIU & Ohio Picked as Divisional Winners in 2018 MAC Football Media Preseason Poll".
  5. ^ 2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football schedule 'FBSchedules.com'. Accessed April 11, 2018.