2009 MAC Championship Game
Encyclopedia
The 2009 Marathon MAC Championship Game was a college football
game played by the Central Michigan Chippewas
and the Ohio Bobcats
. The game, sponsored by Marathon Oil
, was the final regular season contest of the 2009 college football season
for the Mid-American Conference
. The game was held at Ford Field
in Detroit, Michigan
, where it was moved to following the 2003 MAC Championship Game
.
The Ohio Bobcats were selected to represent the East Division by virtue of a tie-breaking head-to-head victory against the Temple Owls
in the final game prior to the championship game. They ended the season with a 9–3 record, including 7–1 in MAC play. The West Division is represented by Central Michigan, who had a 10–2 record prior to the game, including a perfect 8–0 in the MAC. This game was a rematch of the 2006 game
, where the Chippewas came out victorious in a 31–10 decision.
matches the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference
. The game began in the 1997 season
when the MAC added Northern Illinois
and Marshall
. This expanded the league to twelve teams, and therefore the conference was able to hold a conference championship game under National Collegiate Athletic Association
(NCAA) rules.
The divisional champions are selected through a lengthy tiebreaker scenario. However, the scenario wasn't required as only two teams were tied in the East Division. Temple
and Ohio
both ended the season with a 7–1 conference record. Ohio's win over the Temple Owls in the final game of the regular season allowed the Bobcats to advance to the Championship Game. In the West Division, only the Central Michigan Chippewas
finished the game with an 8–0 conference record, and would therefore be the team chosen to represent their division.
Although no longer a member, Marshall currently holds the record for most MAC Championship Games won with 6, followed by Toledo
with five wins. The inaugural 1997 game pitted these two teams against each other. This game was held on the campus of Marshall University
. Marshall was the victor in this game with a 34–14 decision. The Thundering Herd would go on to win four of their next five championship games, with Toledo prevailing in the 2001 game
. In 2004, the game was moved to Ford Field
, providing a neutral site.
after going 8–5 during the 2008 season
. Although that didn't earn them a bid into the 2008 MAC Championship Game
, they were able to go to the 2008 Motor City Bowl
, where they would lose to the Florida Atlantic Owls
in a 21–24 decision. In the MAC Preseason Media Poll, the Chippewas received 154 points, and was chosen to win the West Division of the conference.
Central Michigan began their 2009 season with a 6–19 loss to Arizona
. However, in their next game against Big Ten opponent Michigan State
, the Chippewas came out victorious, thanks to a game-ending field goal. In their home opener against the Braves of Alcorn State, the Chippewas had their way with a 48–0 victory, and they would end the first part of their out-of-conference season with a 2–1 record.
They began conference play with a 48–21 victory over Akron, with starting quarterback Dan LeFevour
having a hand in six of the seven Chippewa touchdowns. After that they traveled to Buffalo to post a 20–13 win over the Bulls. In the first quarter of the game, LeFevour broke Byron Leftwich
's previous MAC record of 939 completions in a career. After victories over Eastern Michigan
and Western Michigan
, the Chippewas were able to claim the Michigan MAC Trophy
for 2009. After a 24–10 victory over the Bowling Green Falcons
, Central Michigan held a 5–0 conference record before traveling to Boston College
for their final out-of-conference match-up.
Although Central Michigan scored the first points on a 34-yard field goal, Boston College was able to contain LeFevour and the Chippewas. CMU ended up losing the contest to a final score of 10–31. The final three games on the Chippewas' schedule were three straight MAC contests, two of them held in Kelly/Shorts Stadium
. The first of these three games was a high-scoring 56–28 victory over the Toledo Rockets
. They followed that with a 35–3 victory over Ball State
in Scheumann Stadium
, and then returned home to defeat Northern Illinois
in a 45–31 decision.
, who was selected to win their division, earning 155 points.
Along with the Chippewas, the Bobcats began their season with a loss, theirs coming 16–23 in the hands of UConn
. However, they were able to win their next two out-of-conference games. In a contest against North Texas
, the Bobcats were able come back to a 20–20 tie at the end of regulation. In the first overtime
, both teams managed to score field goals, putting the game at 23–23 before the second overtime. In the second overtime, North Texas was able to score first on a 7 yard Cam Montgomery touchdown. Ohio answered back on a 15 yard pass from Theo Scott, however instead of a tradition extra point attempt, Ohio went for two points, once again a pass from Scott to wide receiver Taylor Price
to seal the victory. In their next game, they faced Cal Poly
in Athens and came out with a 28–10 victory. The Bobcats finished their out-of-conference season against Tennessee
, losing that match 23–34.
The Bobcats then began their MAC season against fellow East Division member Bowling Green
. With two passing touchdowns and another running touchdown from Scott, Ohio was able to come out victorious with a 44–37 final score. Ohio then traveled to InfoCision Stadium, to visit the Akron Zips
in their new home. They were able to upset the Zips, leaving with a 19–7 victory. After that game, they returned home to face the Miami RedHawks
at Peden Stadium
, and won 28–7. Their one conference loss came at the hands of Kent State
, where they lost at home. The only scoring that was allowed by the Flashes was a 22 yard field goal by Matt Weller and an 87 yard punt return for a touchdown.
The final four games of the season proved to be a launching pad for the Bobcats heading into the championship game. In a contest at Ball State
, the Bobcats scored a touchdown with three minutes remaining to put them ahead 20–17. They were also able to win on the road against Buffalo in a nationally televised contest on ESPN2
. The final two games of the Bobcats season were both played at home, where they defeated Northern Illinois
by a score of 38–31 and Temple
with a score of 35–17. That victory against Temple also became the tiebreaker which sent Ohio to the championship game.
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
game played by the Central Michigan Chippewas
Central Michigan Chippewas
The Central Michigan Chippewas are the sixteen men's and women's athletics teams of Central Michigan University. CMU was a member of the Illinois Intercollegiate Athletic Conference from 1950-1970. The school's athletics programs are affiliated with the NCAA and compete in the Mid-American...
and the Ohio Bobcats
Ohio Bobcats
Ohio University features 16 varsity sports teams called the Bobcats. The Bobcats compete in the Mid-American Conference in all sports. The Bobcats were a charter member of the Mid-American Conference in 1946 and are the only team still in the conference from the original 5 team league that...
. The game, sponsored by Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil
Marathon Oil Corporation is a United States-based oil and natural gas exploration and production company. Principal exploration activities are in the United States, Norway, Equatorial Guinea, Angola and Canada. Principal development activities are in the United States, the United Kingdom, Norway,...
, was the final regular season contest of the 2009 college football season
2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
for the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
. The game was held at Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
, where it was moved to following the 2003 MAC Championship Game
2003 MAC Championship Game
The 2003 Marathon MAC Championship Game was played on December 4, 2003 at Doyt Perry Stadium in Bowling Green, Ohio. The game featured the winner of each division of the Mid-American Conference. The game featured the Miami RedHawks, of the East Division, and the , of the West Division. The...
.
The Ohio Bobcats were selected to represent the East Division by virtue of a tie-breaking head-to-head victory against the Temple Owls
2009 Temple Owls football team
The 2009 Temple Owls football team represented Temple University in the college 2009 football season. They competed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision . Temple competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference East Division...
in the final game prior to the championship game. They ended the season with a 9–3 record, including 7–1 in MAC play. The West Division is represented by Central Michigan, who had a 10–2 record prior to the game, including a perfect 8–0 in the MAC. This game was a rematch of the 2006 game
2006 MAC Championship Game
The 2006 Marathon MAC Championship Game was played on November 30, 2006 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The game featured the winner of each division of the Mid-American Conference. The game featured the , of the East Division, and the , of the West Division. The Chippewas beat the Bobcats...
, where the Chippewas came out victorious in a 31–10 decision.
Selection process
The MAC Championship GameMAC Championship Game
The Marathon MAC Football Championship is a football game between the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference to determine the conference champion. The game has been played since 1997, when the conference was first divided into divisions and since 2003 has been...
matches the winners of the East and West divisions of the Mid-American Conference
Mid-American Conference
The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...
. The game began in the 1997 season
1997 NCAA Division I-A football season
The 1997 NCAA Division I-A football season, play of college football in the United States organized by the National Collegiate Athletic Association at the Division I-A level, began in late summer 1997 and culminated with the major bowl games in early January 1998. The national championship was...
when the MAC added Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois Huskies football
The Northern Illinois Huskies football team represents Northern Illinois University in the Mid-American Conference of the NCAA's Division I-Football Bowl Subdivision.-History:...
and Marshall
Marshall Thundering Herd football
The Marshall Thundering Herd football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Marshall University. The team represents the university as a member of the Conference USA Eastern division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision...
. This expanded the league to twelve teams, and therefore the conference was able to hold a conference championship game under National Collegiate Athletic Association
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
(NCAA) rules.
The divisional champions are selected through a lengthy tiebreaker scenario. However, the scenario wasn't required as only two teams were tied in the East Division. Temple
Temple Owls football
The Temple Owls football team participates in the NCAA's Division I Football Bowl Subdivision as a member of the East Division of the Mid-American Conference...
and Ohio
Ohio Bobcats football
The Ohio Bobcats football team is an intercollegiate varsity sports program of Ohio University. The team represents the university as a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, playing at the Division 1 Bowl Subdivision level...
both ended the season with a 7–1 conference record. Ohio's win over the Temple Owls in the final game of the regular season allowed the Bobcats to advance to the Championship Game. In the West Division, only the Central Michigan Chippewas
Central Michigan Chippewas football
The Central Michigan Chippewas football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing Central Michigan University. They are a top 25 program in terms of all-time winning percentage and top five amongst all teams from non-BCS automatic qualifying conferences...
finished the game with an 8–0 conference record, and would therefore be the team chosen to represent their division.
Although no longer a member, Marshall currently holds the record for most MAC Championship Games won with 6, followed by Toledo
Toledo Rockets football
The Toledo Rockets football team is a college football program in Division I FBS, representing the University of Toledo. The Rockets compete in the Mid-American Conference. Toledo began playing football in 1917, although it did not field teams in 1931, and 1943-1945. Since the inception of the AP...
with five wins. The inaugural 1997 game pitted these two teams against each other. This game was held on the campus of Marshall University
Marshall University
Marshall University is a coeducational public research university in Huntington, West Virginia, United States founded in 1837, and named after John Marshall, the fourth Chief Justice of the United States....
. Marshall was the victor in this game with a 34–14 decision. The Thundering Herd would go on to win four of their next five championship games, with Toledo prevailing in the 2001 game
2001 MAC Championship Game
The 2001 MAC Championship Game was played on November 30, 2001 at the Glass Bowl in Toledo, Ohio. The game featured the winner of each division of the Mid-American Conference. The game featured the Marshall Thundering Herd, of the East Division, and the , of the West Division. The Rockets beat the...
. In 2004, the game was moved to Ford Field
Ford Field
Ford Field is an indoor American football stadium located in Detroit, Michigan, USA, that is the current home field of the NFL's Detroit Lions. It is owned by the Detroit/Wayne County Stadium Authority. It regularly seats 65,000, though it is expandable up to 70,000 for football and 80,000 for...
, providing a neutral site.
Central Michigan
The Central Michigan Chippewas entered the 2009 college football season2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on September 2, 2009, progressed through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Pasadena, California on January 7, 2010, featuring the...
after going 8–5 during the 2008 season
2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season
The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...
. Although that didn't earn them a bid into the 2008 MAC Championship Game
2008 MAC Championship Game
The 2008 Marathon MAC Championship Game was played on December 5, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan. The game featured the winner of each division of the Mid-American Conference. The game featured the Ball State Cardinals, of the West Division, and the Buffalo Bulls, of the East Division...
, they were able to go to the 2008 Motor City Bowl
2008 Motor City Bowl
The 2008 Motor City Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association bowl game in which the Florida Atlantic Owls defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas 24–21. It was played on December 26, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and aired on ESPN. The underdog FAU team from the Sun Belt...
, where they would lose to the Florida Atlantic Owls
2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football team
The 2008 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2008 college football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL...
in a 21–24 decision. In the MAC Preseason Media Poll, the Chippewas received 154 points, and was chosen to win the West Division of the conference.
Central Michigan began their 2009 season with a 6–19 loss to Arizona
2009 Arizona Wildcats football team
The 2009 Arizona Wildcats football team represented the University of Arizona in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season. The Wildcats, led by sixth-year head coach Mike Stoops, played their home games at Arizona Stadium....
. However, in their next game against Big Ten opponent Michigan State
2009 Michigan State Spartans football team
The 2009 Michigan State Spartans football team competed on behalf of the Michigan State University in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Spartans were coached by Mark Dantonio, who was in his third season with the Spartans...
, the Chippewas came out victorious, thanks to a game-ending field goal. In their home opener against the Braves of Alcorn State, the Chippewas had their way with a 48–0 victory, and they would end the first part of their out-of-conference season with a 2–1 record.
They began conference play with a 48–21 victory over Akron, with starting quarterback Dan LeFevour
Dan LeFevour
Dan LeFevour is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Central Michigan University...
having a hand in six of the seven Chippewa touchdowns. After that they traveled to Buffalo to post a 20–13 win over the Bulls. In the first quarter of the game, LeFevour broke Byron Leftwich
Byron Leftwich
Byron Antron Leftwich is an American football quarterback in the National Football League who currently plays for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Jacksonville Jaguars seventh overall in the 2003 NFL Draft. He played college football at Marshall University.Leftwich has also played...
's previous MAC record of 939 completions in a career. After victories over Eastern Michigan
2009 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team
The 2009 Eastern Michigan Eagles football team represented Eastern Michigan University in the college football season of 2009. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
and Western Michigan
2009 Western Michigan Broncos football team
The 2009 Western Michigan Broncos football team represented Western Michigan University in the 2009 NCAA football season. The WMU football team was coached by Bill Cubit and played their homes game in Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan...
, the Chippewas were able to claim the Michigan MAC Trophy
Michigan MAC Trophy
The Michigan MAC Trophy is given to the Michigan Mid-American Conference university – Central Michigan University , Eastern Michigan University and Western Michigan University – which defeats the other two schools in the same sport in the same regular season.There are two separate...
for 2009. After a 24–10 victory over the Bowling Green Falcons
2009 Bowling Green Falcons football team
The 2009 Bowling Green Falcons football team represented Bowling Green State University in its 57th season in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons played in the East Division of the conference, and compete each season against five to six divisional opponents, two to three West Division...
, Central Michigan held a 5–0 conference record before traveling to Boston College
2009 Boston College Eagles football team
The 2009 Boston College Eagles football team represented Boston College in the 2009 season as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference. The Eagles were led by first-year head coach Frank Spaziani. He replaced Jeff Jagodzinski who was fired after the 2008 season...
for their final out-of-conference match-up.
Although Central Michigan scored the first points on a 34-yard field goal, Boston College was able to contain LeFevour and the Chippewas. CMU ended up losing the contest to a final score of 10–31. The final three games on the Chippewas' schedule were three straight MAC contests, two of them held in Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Kelly/Shorts Stadium is a stadium in Mount Pleasant, Michigan. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Central Michigan University Chippewas. The stadium opened in 1972 and holds 30,255 spectators...
. The first of these three games was a high-scoring 56–28 victory over the Toledo Rockets
2009 Toledo Rockets football team
The 2009 Toledo Rockets football team represented The University of Toledo in the college football season of 2009. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season and as a member of the Mid-American...
. They followed that with a 35–3 victory over Ball State
2009 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 2009 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the 2009 college football season. Ball State competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference West Division. The team was coached by Stan Parrish and played their homes game at Scheumann Stadium...
in Scheumann Stadium
Scheumann Stadium
Scheumann Stadium , formerly known as Ball State Stadium, is in Muncie, Indiana. It is primarily used for football, and is the home field of the Ball State University Cardinals...
, and then returned home to defeat Northern Illinois
2009 Northern Illinois Huskies football team
The 2009 Northern Illinois Huskies football team represented Northern Illinois University in during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Northern Illinois competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference West Division. The team was coached by Jerry Kill and played their home games in...
in a 45–31 decision.
Ohio
After finishing the 2008 season with a dismal 4–8 record (including 3–5 in the conference), the Bobcats were able to make a comeback, finishing this season 9–3 with a 7–1 record in the conference. In the preseason media poll, the Bobcats were selected fourth in their division, receiving only 116 votes, in comparison to Buffalo2009 Buffalo Bulls football team
The 2009 Buffalo Bulls football team represented the University at Buffalo in the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS college football season.-Notable players:* Naaman Roosevelt, Wide Receiver, 2008 First Team all-MAC....
, who was selected to win their division, earning 155 points.
Along with the Chippewas, the Bobcats began their season with a loss, theirs coming 16–23 in the hands of UConn
2009 Connecticut Huskies football team
The 2009 Connecticut Huskies football team represented the University of Connecticut in the 2009 college football season as a member of the Big East Conference. The team was coached by Randy Edsall and played its home games at Rentschler Field in East Hartford, Connecticut...
. However, they were able to win their next two out-of-conference games. In a contest against North Texas
2009 North Texas Mean Green football team
The 2009 North Texas Mean Green football team represented the University of North Texas in the 2009 college football season. The 2009 season was the team's third under Head Coach Todd Dodge. The Mean Green played their home games on campus at Fouts Field in Denton, Texas. North Texas finished the...
, the Bobcats were able come back to a 20–20 tie at the end of regulation. In the first overtime
Overtime (sports)
Overtime or extra time is an additional period of play specified under the rules of a sport to bring a game to a decision and avoid declaring the match a tie or draw. In most sports, this extra period is only played if the game is required to have a clear winner, as in single-elimination...
, both teams managed to score field goals, putting the game at 23–23 before the second overtime. In the second overtime, North Texas was able to score first on a 7 yard Cam Montgomery touchdown. Ohio answered back on a 15 yard pass from Theo Scott, however instead of a tradition extra point attempt, Ohio went for two points, once again a pass from Scott to wide receiver Taylor Price
Taylor Price
-New England Patriots:Price was drafted by the New England Patriots in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft. On May 25, 2010, he signed a four-year deal with the Patriots. Price was inactive for the first 15 games of his rookie regular season before making his NFL debut in the Week 17 finale...
to seal the victory. In their next game, they faced Cal Poly
Cal Poly Mustangs football
The Mustang football team is the college football team of California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, California. The team plays its home games in Alex G. Spanos Stadium. The current head coach is Tim Walsh, who began his tenure in 2009....
in Athens and came out with a 28–10 victory. The Bobcats finished their out-of-conference season against Tennessee
2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team
The 2009 Tennessee Volunteers football team represented the University of Tennessee in the 2009 college football season. The team was coached by Lane Kiffin. The 2009 season would be his 1st and only at Tennessee – leaving to take the head coaching job at the University of Southern Cal on January...
, losing that match 23–34.
The Bobcats then began their MAC season against fellow East Division member Bowling Green
2009 Bowling Green Falcons football team
The 2009 Bowling Green Falcons football team represented Bowling Green State University in its 57th season in the Mid-American Conference. The Falcons played in the East Division of the conference, and compete each season against five to six divisional opponents, two to three West Division...
. With two passing touchdowns and another running touchdown from Scott, Ohio was able to come out victorious with a 44–37 final score. Ohio then traveled to InfoCision Stadium, to visit the Akron Zips
2009 Akron Zips football team
The 2009 University of Akron Zips football team represented The University of Akron in the college football season of 2009. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season. Akron competed as a member of...
in their new home. They were able to upset the Zips, leaving with a 19–7 victory. After that game, they returned home to face the Miami RedHawks
2009 Miami RedHawks football team
The 2009 Miami RedHawks football team represented Miami University in the college football season of 2009. They competed in the Mid-American Conference East Division of the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season...
at Peden Stadium
Peden Stadium
Peden Stadium is a American football stadium on the banks of the Hocking River in Athens, Ohio. It has been the home of the Ohio Bobcats football team since 1929, and today has a capacity of 24,000...
, and won 28–7. Their one conference loss came at the hands of Kent State
2009 Kent State Golden Flashes football team
The 2009 Kent State Golden Flashes football team represented Kent State University in the 2009 college football season. They competed in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision college football during the football season. Kent State competed as a member of...
, where they lost at home. The only scoring that was allowed by the Flashes was a 22 yard field goal by Matt Weller and an 87 yard punt return for a touchdown.
The final four games of the season proved to be a launching pad for the Bobcats heading into the championship game. In a contest at Ball State
2009 Ball State Cardinals football team
The 2009 Ball State Cardinals football team represented Ball State University in the 2009 college football season. Ball State competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference West Division. The team was coached by Stan Parrish and played their homes game at Scheumann Stadium...
, the Bobcats scored a touchdown with three minutes remaining to put them ahead 20–17. They were also able to win on the road against Buffalo in a nationally televised contest on ESPN2
ESPN2
ESPN2 is an American sports cable television network owned by ESPN. The channel debuted on October 1, 1993.Originally nicknamed "the deuce," ESPN2 was initially branded as a network for a younger generation of sports fans featuring edgier graphics as well as extreme sports like motocross,...
. The final two games of the Bobcats season were both played at home, where they defeated Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois
Northern Illinois is a region generally covering the northern third of the U.S. state of Illinois.-Economics:Northern Illinois is dominated by the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Rockford, and the Quad Cities, which contain a majority of Illinois' population and economic activity, including...
by a score of 38–31 and Temple
2009 Temple Owls football team
The 2009 Temple Owls football team represented Temple University in the college 2009 football season. They competed in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Bowl Subdivision . Temple competed as a member of the Mid-American Conference East Division...
with a score of 35–17. That victory against Temple also became the tiebreaker which sent Ohio to the championship game.