Good article from the Freep. Always interesting to explore different angles like this...
Bowl preparation has been a lot different for Cooper Rush and the other seniors on the Central Michigan team this time.
The Chippewas had almost all of December to prepare for the Bahamas Bowl in 2014 and the Quick Lane Bowl in 2015. The same goes for the fifth-year seniors who were a part of the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl team in 2012.
But this year, CMU (6-6) will play almost two weeks earlier when it takes on Tulsa (9-3) in the Miami Beach Bowl on Monday at Marlins Park (2:30 p.m., ESPN).
“We’re (preparing) a little bit earlier than we have in the past,” said Rush, CMU’s quarterback, during a bowl game news conference Dec. 4. “With the exams, it’ll be a little bit different. You get to spend Christmas at home. I haven’t been able to do that in a few years.”
The Chippewas’ three previous appearances in bowl games have taken place Dec. 24 or later, and that has cost players time with their families during the holidays.
But this time, CMU did a bulk of its game-plan installation during final exams week. The Chippewas also weren’t able to fully utilize their 15 practices the NCAA grants bowl teams because there weren’t enough dates on the calendar.
►Related: How to watch CMU vs. Tulsa in Miami Beach Bowl
“You got a lot of things going on, but your bowl preparation is what is,” coach John Bonamego said. “(Less) time doesn’t necessarily mean you can do more things. You got to hone in on the things you do well.
“When you get an earlier jump on the process (when playing in late December and early January bowl games), I think it affords you the time to teach, review and reteach.”
So the Chippewas will take on the Golden Hurricane with fewer practices than normal and immediately after final exams.
But CMU couldn’t be more excited for the opportunity.
The Chippewas enter the postseason after an up-and-down year. They started 3-0 but lost four of their last five games and dropped matchups with Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan.
The Broncos, who finished the regular season ranked No. 15 in the College Football Playoff and earned a trip to play in the Goodyear Cotton Bowl against Wisconson, blew out the Chippewas, 49-10, during a nationally televised game Oct. 1 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
What’s more, they dropped a game to EMU, 26-20, on Nov. 22 after the Eagles scored on a game-winning TD pass with under a minute left.
The end of the regular season all but erased the goodwill the Chippewas built with their fanbase after starting the year 3-0.
They blew out Presbyterian and UNLV in Weeks 1 and 3, and then upset then-No. 22 ranked Oklahoma State, 30-27, on Sept. 10 with a Hail Mary and lateral on an untimed down on the game’s final play.
Winning the Miami Beach Bowl would send out their seniors with their first bowl victory. They lost the 2014 Bahamas Bowl to Western Kentucky, 49-48, and the 2015 Quick Lane Bowl to Minnesota, 21-14.
“We’ve got to win,” Rush said. “Our seniors have to go out with a win, and everyone else has to have a good taste in their mouth coming into the off-season next year. We want to leave with a win, get a bowl ring and get to hold a trophy, which is something we haven’t been able to do. That’s definitely on our mind.”
Stopping Tulsa is key.
Running back James Flanders enters ninth in rushing in the Football Bowl Subdivision. He has carried 241 times for 1,527 yards and 17 TDs and averaged 6.3 yards per rush. Quarterback Dane Evans threw for 3,044 yards and 27 TDs.
