2008 Michigan College Football Tracker

Track the Wolverines, Spartans, Chippewas, Broncos, Eagles, and to a lesser extent Grand Valley State right here.

The Rich Rodriguez era gets underway with a loss against Utah this Saturday. Sports Illustrated is predicting 5-7 for the first losing season at Michigan in over 40 years. Fire Rodriguez!

College Football Season is finally here

Central and Eastern Michigan both win their openers easily!

catbox_9 wrote:

Central and Eastern Michigan both win their openers easily!

What is neat is that these new ESPN widgets will automatically update. And if you click a link in them, it takes you to lots of info!

COLLEGE SCOREBOARD



BIG TEN CONFERENCE (OR CHOOSE YOUR CONFERENCE)

Yeah, I like them.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

What is neat is that these new ESPN widgets will automatically update. And if tou click a link in them, it takes tou to lots of info!

'

Fire Rodriguez

Week 7

Saturday, October 11, 2008
Final Minnesota « 7 0 7 13 27 Illinois 0 3 3 14 20 Preview | Log | Matchup | Wrap | Box	Final Toledo « 7 0 3 3 13 Michigan 7 3 0 0 10 Preview | Log | Matchup | Wrap | Box
Final Iowa « 10 7 14 14 45 Indiana 3 6 0 0 9 Preview | Log | Matchup | Wrap | Box	Final (20) Mich State « 17 7 10 3 37 Northwestern 0 7 10 3 20 Preview | Log | Matchup | Wrap | Box
Final Purdue 0 0 3 0 3 (12) Ohio State « 10 3 0 3 16 Preview | Log | Matchup | Wrap | Box	Final (3) Penn State « 3 21 17 7 48 Wisconsin 0 7 0 0 7 Preview | Log | Matchup | Wrap | Box

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Wolverines 17

Penn State 14


Halftime

U of M Crushed by #3 Penn State.

GoGetEmTigers wrote:

U of M Crushed by #3 Penn State.

Michigan ran out of gas in the 2nd half


And I predicted a U of M win

Fire Rodriguez

Bowl roundup: MSU, CMU, WMU accept invites
by MLive.com Staff
Sunday December 07, 2008, 10:00 PM
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MSU going to Capital One Bowl to face Georgia
by Steve Grinczel
Sunday December 07, 2008, 9:30 PM

EAST LANSING -- The benefits of Michigan State playing in the Capital One Bowl range from on-the-field during prosperous times for Spartan football program to off it in Michigan's lean economic climate.

The 19th-ranked Spartans will play No. 16 Georgia at 1 p.m. on Jan. 1 in Orlando, Fla. (ABC). Both teams will take 9-3 records into Florida Citrus Bowl Stadium. The Bulldogs, of the powerful Southeastern Conference, were ranked No. 1 in the preseason.

Michigan State's lopsided losses at home against Ohio State and at Penn State in the regular season finale cost it the Big Ten championship and Georgia represents another chance to measure up, according to senior defensive tackle and co-captain Justin Kershaw.

"I look back at this season and we didn't make the most of our opportunities when we had the chance to win big games," he said. "I really just want to get this taste out of my mouth in terms of beating a good opponent."

Michigan State is playing in its first New Year's Day bowl since it beat Florida, 37-34, in the former Florida Citrus Bowl at the same venue in 2000.

The Spartans and Bulldogs have played just one other time. Georgia beat Big Ten co-champ MSU, 34-27, in the 1989 Gator Bowl in Jacksonville, Fla.

Michigan State will spend the postseason in Orlando for the second straight season. The Spartans lost to Boston College, 24-21, in the Champs Sports Bowl, which is the sister bowl of the Capital One.

"Last year's seniors gave us a step in the right direction and this year's seniors boosted us up to a New Year's bowl and they did a great job of making this a memorable year," MSU coach Mark Dantonio said. "We're 9-3, have been in the top 20 for the last four or five weeks and had a third-place finish.

"We're a work in progress and this is the next step. I think we have a very strong foundation at this point and we will continue to move this program forward as we embark on the 2009 season."

The Capital One Bowl has the first choice of Big Ten teams after the BCS bowls make their selection. Co-champ Penn State was locked into the Rose Bowl and Ohio State is headed to the Fiesta.

There was an outside chance the Capital One could have bypassed the Spartans for Iowa. That didn't happen, however. The Hawkeyes will play South Carolina in the Outback Bowl and MSU athletic director Mark Hollis couldn't be happier.

Michigan State will receive a $4.25 million payout from the Capital One. MSU gets $1.65 million of that amount to cover expenses for its travel party.

The remainder goes to the Big Ten, which will distribute it, along with monies from the other bowl games, amongst the 11 schools.

Unlike most other bowls, however, the Capital One Bowl provides 100 hotel rooms for the football team and 75 for the marching band free of charge. That amounts to around $200,000 that MSU won't have to spend.

"Playing in this bowl gives you a little bit of an edge," Hollis said. "The Big Ten gives you an allocation that supposed to pay for everything you do at the bowl but it's always a challenge to get everything into that mix.

"But our aim is that we don't take anything out of operational dollars whatsoever to off-set any of the costs associated with playing in this bowl. It's going to be all on our own (out of the bowl money)."

Getting into the Capital One Bowl should pay dividends down the road with regard to future season ticket sales and recruiting.

"Any time you play on New Year's Day it has a longer-term effect," Hollis said. "You'll see almost a year jump when you really start experiencing a return from a Final Four in basketball or a New Year's Day bowl game."

Spartans leading rusher Javon Ringer is looking forward more to short-term gains.

He and Georgia's Knowshon Moreno will be featured in a duel of two of the nation's top running backs. Both are among the three finalists for the Doak Walker Award, which will be handed out Thursday night in Orlando.

"It's going to be a big step because he is a tremendous running back, so I'll definitely look at that matchup," Ringer said. "That's the competitive side of me. Anything he does I'm going to try to make sure I do better to help the team."

Spartans quarterback Brian Hoyer also is looking forward to a better result than he had last year against Boston College's Matt Ryan. Hoyer threw four interceptions and fumbled once.

Like Ryan, Bulldogs junior quarterback Matthew Stafford is highly rated by NFL scouts going into the game.

"I think it could be redemption for me to play in that same stadium, have a good performance and help my team win," Hoyer said. "At least I'm not alone this year because I've got Javon going against Mareno.

"I won't be on the field at the same time, but it does drive you a little bit more going against a guy like Stafford, who is projected to be a high NFL draft choice if he were to leave (early)."

The Spartans will leave for Florida on Christmas Day.

Tickets available
Hollis is encouraging MSU fans to purchase their Capital One Bowl tickets from the school's allotment of 12,000 through the Spartan Ticket Office because it helps the school meet its obligation and enhances its profile for traveling.

Tickets cost $80 each and can be purchased online at msuspartans.com (click on tickets), or by calling the ticket office at (800) GO-STATE or (517) 355-1610. Tickets are also available through the Capital One Bowl Web site.

Information on the MSU Alumni Association Official Bowl Tour can be obtained at www.msusportstravel.com/ or by calling (877) MSU-TRIP.

Big Ten on a roll
The Big Ten has won the last four Capital One Bowl games against the SEC, and the series is tied at 8-8. Michigan defeated Florida in last season's game.

WMU football team accepts invite to Texas Bowl
by Graham Couch | Kalamazoo Gazette
Sunday December 07, 2008, 7:30 PM

KALAMAZOO -- Western Michigan University's football team will play Rice in the Texas Bowl, Dec. 30 in Houston, WMU director of athletics Kathy Beauregard announced moments ago at the team's banquet, less than an hour after making the decision.

The 8 p.m. kickoff is televised by NFL Network. Rice, like the Broncos, finished the regular season at 9-3.

It's the fourth bowl game in the history of WMU's football program and the second in head coach Bill Cubit's tenure.

Western Michigan also received an invitation to the Independence Bowl.

Check back here for more later and read Monday's Gazette for complete coverage.

Chippewas excited about another Motor City trip
by Jeff Chaney | The Grand Rapids Press
Tuesday December 09, 2008, 9:00 AM

The Central Michigan football team was hoping for a third consecutive trip to Ford Field to start the month of December.

The Chippewas will have to settle for a third consecutive visit to end the month.

Central Michigan missed out on the opportunity to play for the program's third MAC Championship game in as many years at Ford Field. That honor went to the University of Buffalo, which beat Ball State on Friday to win its first league title.

Central Michigan (8-4) will travel to Ford Field on Dec. 26 to face Florida Atlantic (6-6) in the Motor City Bowl.

"We're very excited to be heading back to Detroit and the Motor City Bowl," Central Michigan coach Butch Jones said after bids were announced Sunday. "Ford Field is a great venue for college football. To be back in Detroit is exciting for our fans, alumni and student body and our football program."

The Central Michigan fan base showed its support of the Chippewas at last year's Motor City Bowl. A record 60,624 fans came to Ford Field for the game, which Purdue won 51-48. It was a game that had more than 1,000 total yards of offense.

The Chippewas beat Middle Tennessee State 31-14 two years ago in the Motor City Bowl.

Offense may be in store again this year. Florida Atlantic scored more than 40 points in four of its six wins.

"Florida Atlantic is a physical football team and very skilled," Jones said. "They are very explosive offensively. It's going to be a privilege to be on the same field as a coaching icon like (Florida Atlantic coach Howard Schnellenberger)."

Like Central Michigan, the Owls have played a pretty tough schedule, including games against Texas, Michigan State and Minnesota.

Florida Atlantic lost to Michigan State, 17-0, on Sept. 13 in a driving rain storm.

The Motor City Bowl matchup was made possible for Central Michigan when Buffalo accepted a bid to play in the International Bowl in Toronto on Jan. 3 and MAC runner-up Ball State accepted the GMAC Bowl to play Tulsa on Jan. 6.

Western Michigan will play play Rice in the Texas Bowl on Dec. 30 and Northern Illinois will play Louisiana Tech in the Independence Bowl on Dec. 28.

"I think going back to the Motor City Bowl is a great opportunity for our school, first and foremost, because a lot of students that go to school here are from the area, and we have a lot of alumni that live in the Detroit area," Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour said.

Wednesday, December 17, 2008
MSU's Ringer is honored
He's first Spartans running back to be named AP All-America since White.
Eric Lacy / The Detroit News

EAST LANSING -- For the 90th time in school history, Michigan State has a consensus All-American.

Javon Ringer was named to the Associated Press All-America first team Tuesday, less than a week after he was named a Walter Camp All-American in Orlando, Fla., the site of the Spartans' Capital One Bowl game against Georgia.

The senior captain from Dayton, Ohio, accounted for 96 percent of his team's rushing yards this season (1,590 of 1,661), and led the nation with 370 carries (of his team's 477).

"By playing for Michigan State, I've been fortunate enough to have an opportunity to perform on a national stage," Ringer said in a statement released Tuesday night by the school. "I've taken my share of hard hits, but I've been fortunate to play the entire season with just some bumps and bruises."

Ringer is the first MSU player since receiver Charles Rogers in 2002 to be named All-America at an offensive or defensive position. Brandon Fields, a punter, was the school's last All-American, in 2004.

When informed Tuesday night by The Detroit News of Ringer's accomplishment, mentor Lorenzo White, a two-time All-America tailback for the Spartans, gushed with pride about his prized pupil.

"Everybody knows what kind of work he put in this year," White said. "It shows his durability and qualities that will make pro scouts look at him and say, 'He's tough, a team player and among the top at his position.' "

The two running backs talk often and share stories about the demands often placed on the job.

Regular season practices typically gave Ringer enough work, but not to the point of exhaustion. Bowl practices, however, at least the seven since Tuesday, have been a different animal, Ringer said.

"I've done a lot," said Ringer, who mentioned 50- and 60-yard sprints in recent sessions. "I want to hit, I like hitting. I don't want to go the whole month without being tackled and then get hit for the first time against Georgia."

Durability is one of Ringer's strongest qualities.

He overcame several health issues this season, including a stomach virus that caused him to lose at least 10 pounds before a Nov. 1 game against Wisconsin.

On Oct. 25, Ringer overcame a hamstring injury to blast Michigan for 197 yards and two scores.

Team officials said after the 35-21 win in Ann Arbor that Ringer could barely walk off the field when he injured the hamstring two days before the game.

Coach Mark Dantonio has repeatedly called Ringer a "true Spartan warrior" willing to make any kind of sacrifice for the team's benefit.

"Since arriving at Michigan State, my focus has been on becoming a complete back; someone willing to do whatever it takes to win," Ringer said.

You can reach Eric Lacy at eric.lacy@detnews.com