Chippewas Play in Little Caesars Pizza Bowl on Dec. 26

 

 

• Winners of four of its last five regular season games, Central Michigan (6-6, 4-4 MAC) will look to keep that momentum going in the postseason when it takes on 

Western Kentucky (7-5, 4-4) of the Sun Belt Conference in the 2012 Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.

• The game, which will be played at Ford Field, the home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, is scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. kick on Wednesday, Dec. 26.

• Central Michigan has never played Western Kentucky on the gridiron in program history but has faced Sun Belt Conference opponents on four occasions, including three times in bowl games. 

• The first-ever meeting between the Chippewas and the Hilltoppers will be broadcast to a national television audience on ESPN with Mark Neely, Ray Bentley, and 

Jemele Hill calling the action.

 

• Central Michigan is making its fifth bowl appearance in the last seven years and seventh overall.

• CMU has played in three previous bowl games in the city of Detroit, appearing in the Motor City Bowl from 2006-08, posting a 1-2 record.

• The Chippewas defeated Middle Tennessee State, 31-14, in the 2006 Motor City Bowl and fell to Purdue in 2007 (51-48) and Florida Atlantic in 2008 (24-21).

• CMU also played the 2006 and 2007 MAC Championship games in Detroit, going 2-0. 

• CMU has faced Sun Belt Conference opponents three times in bowl games – Middle Tennessee State (2006 Motor City Bowl), Florida Atlantic (2008 Motor City 

Bowl), and Troy (2010 GMAC Bowl). 

• Since gaining Division I status, CMU has  previously appeared in a total of six bowl games – California Raisin Bowl (1990), Las Vegas Bowl (1994), Motor City Bowl (2006-08), and the GMAC Bowl (2010), posting a 2-4 record.

 

• Junior running back Zurlon Tipton is one rushing and two total touchdowns shy of tying the CMU single season mark, both set by Brian Pruitt in 1994.

• Tipton ranks seventh in the CMU single season rushing charts with 1,391 yards. If he attains his season average of 115.9 versus WKU, he would rise to No. 4. 

• Two Chippewas are in the midst of streaks - Zurlon Tipton has rushed for more than 100 yards in six consecutive games while senior receiver Cody Wilson 

has caught at least one pass in 41 consecutive games. 

• Sophomore receiver Titus Davis needs 11 receiving yards to break into the top 10 in the CMU single-season receiving charts.

• Davis ranks tied for fifth all-time in single season receiving touchdowns with eight. He is two touchdowns shy of tying the CMU single season receiving touchdowns mark.

• Senior quarterback Ryan Radcliff is positioned to potentially move up in the CMU single-season charts top 10 in five categories (passing yards, passing attempts, passes completed, touchdowns, and total offense).

• CMU has scored 30 or more points in six straight games and is averaging 35.1 points in its six wins.

• The CMU defense finished the regular season by recording at least one interception in six consecutive games, totaling 11 over that stretch.

 

• Five Chippewas earned All-MAC honors in 2012: senior offensive tackle Eric Fisher (first team), junior running back Zurlon Tipton (second team), senior safety Jahleel Addae (second team), sophomore receiver Titus Davis (second team), and senior receiver Cody Wilson (third team).

• Fisher, who was an all-conference third-team honoree in 2011, started all 12 games this season, helping CMU average 6.2 yards per play, second best in the MAC. 

• Tipton burst onto the scene in 2012, rushing for 1,391, the most by a CMU running back in 16 years, and 19 touchdowns.

• Addae, a three-time All-MAC honoree, is tied for the MAC lead with four interceptions.

• Davis, a Freshman All-American in 2011, leads CMU in receiving yards (860) and touchdowns (8) and ranks No. 1 in the nation in yards per reception (20.0) among receivers with more than 40 catches.

• Wilson, a four-time All-MAC honoree, leads CMU with 64 receptions and has caught at least one pass in 41 consecutive games.

• Fisher, who is widely considered to be the nation’s top senior left tackle and will likely be a first round draft choice in 2013, was also named Second Team AllAmerica by SI.com and Third Team All-America by the Associated Press.

• Phil Steele also honored four Chippewas on his AllMAC teams – Fisher (first team), Addae (second team), Tipton (second team), and Davis (third team).