Chippe Who? Why Central Michigan Is the Best College Football Team in Michigan

Due to the downfall of teams like Michigan and Michigan State, it is time for a new team to rise and get respect in the state of Michigan.

Central Michigan (9-2) stepped into the spotlight and displayed Wednesday why it is the best college football team in Michigan.

I understand they beat an underperforming team in Ball State (1-10), 35-3, but they handled them like any good team does, outgaining the Cardinals 512 to 231 on the road at Scheumann Stadium.

The Chippewas already beat Michigan State in a field goal-winning game, 29-27, in East Lansing at Spartan Stadium, and Michigan has lost six of its last seven games. All the other cardinal directions in Eastern Michigan and Western Michigan were beaten up by Central Michigan.

The best team in Michigan also produces the best college football player in Michigan with Dan LeFevour. After his five-touchdown performance (four pass, one rush), LeFevour became the all-time leading passer in Mid-American Conference history with 12,000 yards passing, breaking the record of 11,903 from Byron Leftwich of Marshall.

On the season, LeFevour has 31 touchdowns (18 pass, 13 rush) and is coming into his own of late, completing better than 80 percent of his passes in his last two games. How is the Chippewa quarterback not a candidate for the Heisman?

It’s not like he just came on the scene. LeFevour has racked up in his career a total of 140 touchdowns, 10 more than Tim Tebow in his career and good enough for third all-time. This year, he has more touchdowns than both Tebow and Colt McCoy, but he plays in the Mid-American Conference, and for this he is overlooked.

While the best college team and best college player in Michigan remain overlooked, the Chippewas keep chipping away at one day being recognized without a doubt as the best team in Michigan.