The Chippewas need a win to become bowl eligible — but might need some outside help to actually score a bowl bid.
Central Michigan is a win away from bowl eligibility.
Central Michigan enters its game with UMass on Friday needing just one more win to become bowl eligible. But bowl eligible doesn't always mean bowl bound in the MAC (just ask Ball State last season). Heading into this final week of the regular season for most leagues (the Big 12 and Big East wrap up their slates next week), there are 63 bowl eligible teams. There are 15 more that have a mathematical chance with five wins (or four, with two games to go), including the Chippewas.
Some of those teams are more likely to end up with six wins (West Virginia, for instance, has to beat either Iowa State or Kansas — their defense is bad, but not THAT bad, right?) than others (sorry, Missouri, but I don't see it happening on the road at Texas A&M this week), but quite a few have tossup games. Here are five games Dan Enos and the Chippewas will have their eyes on if they can get a victory over the Minutemen.
Troy (5-6) at Middle Tennessee State (7-3)
On paper this looks like a mismatch, with the Sun Belt title contending Blue Raiders hosting a Troy team that has been up and down this season, but the Trojans have lost by six points or less in five of their six losses, and it wasn't so long ago that Middle Tennessee was lamenting its week one loss at home to FCS McNeese State. Vegas has the Blue Raiders by 2.5, so Enos and Co. could be sweating this one out.
Virginia (4-7) at Virginia Tech (5-6)
Last season's eight wins and Chik-Fil-A Bowl appearance seem like a long time ago for Mike London's Cavaliers, but they still have a chance to redeem themselves by breaking their archrivals' streak of 19 straight bowl appearances. It's a long shot — Virginia Tech is favored by 10.5 — and it's in Blacksburg, but you have to throw the records out when these two get together but the Hokies have lost three of four and needed overtime to beat lowly Boston College last week, while Virginia has won two of its last three.
Michigan State (5-6) at Minnesota (6-5)
The Spartans were a top ten team at some point (according to me, as well, sadly enough), but have lost four of their last five by a total of 12 points. Mark Dantonio has yet to miss a bowl game in in his first five years at Michigan State. Standing in the way is a Minnesota team that is 2-5 in the Big Ten, so it's definitely doable if the Spartans can wash off the stink of their recent losses.
Indiana (4-7) at Purdue (5-6)
Speaking of washing off stink, Purdue has picked up back-to-back wins after losing five straight to open the Big Ten season. Pat Forde was reporting that third-party feelers were already out, and that Boilermakers coach Danny Hope was a goner, but perhaps winning the Old Oaken Bucket and reaching a bowl game could save him. Meanwhile, the Hoosiers, have been blown out back-to-back weeks by Wisconsin and Penn State.
Mississippi State (8-3) at Ole Miss (5-6)
The Grove will be rocking in Oxford as the Rebels host the Bulldogs in the Egg Bowl this week with quite a bit at stake. Ole Miss is coming off a near miss at LSU, while the Bulldogs snapped a three-game losing skid by beating Arkansas. Vegas says the Rebels are one-point favorites despite the fact that they haven't beaten a .500-plus team yet this season.