American college football season
The 2018 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the 2018 NCAA Division I FBS football season . They were led by fourth-year head coach John Bonamego and played their home games at Kelly/Shorts Stadium as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference . They finished the season 1–11, 0–8 in MAC play to finish in last place in the West Division.
On November 23, following a loss to Toledo, head coach John Bonamego was fired.[1] He finished at Central Michigan with a four-year record of 22–29. On December 2, the school hired Michigan wide receivers coach Jim McElwain , who previously served as head coach at Colorado State and Florida .[2]
Previous season [ ]
The Chippewas finished the 2017 season 8–5, 6–2 in MAC play to finish in a tie for second place in the West Division. They received an invitation to the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl where they lost to Wyoming .
Preseason [ ]
Award watch lists [ ]
Listed in the order that they were released
Preseason media poll [ ]
The MAC released their preseason media poll on July 24, 2018, with the Chippewas predicted to finish in fifth place in the West Division.[4]
West Division
Predicted finish
Team
Votes (1st place)
1
Northern Illinois
133 (15)
2
Toledo
125 (7)
3
Western Michigan
87 (1)
4
Eastern Michigan
67
5
Central Michigan
58 (1)
6
Ball State
34
Schedule [ ]
Date Time Opponent Site TV Result Attendance September 1 3:30 p.m. at Kentucky * ESPNU L 20–3549,138
September 8 3:00 p.m. Kansas * ESPN+ L 7–3118,127
September 15 3:30 p.m. at Northern Illinois ESPN+ L 16–2412,354
September 22 3:00 p.m. No. 13 (FCS) Maine * Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI ESPN+ W 17–516,474
September 29 12:00 p.m. at No. 21 Michigan State * FS1 L 20–3173,752
October 6 12:00 p.m. Buffalo Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI CBSSN L 24–3414,044
October 13 3:00 p.m. Ball State Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI ESPN3 L 23–2410,255
October 20 3:30 p.m. Western Michigan ESPN+ L 10–3510,097
October 27 12:00 p.m. at Akron ESPN3 L 10–1717,582
November 3 12:00 p.m. at Eastern Michigan ESPN3 L 7–1713,468
November 10 3:00 p.m. Bowling Green Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI ESPN+ L 13–248,041
12:00 p.m. at Toledo ESPN3 L 13–5115,521
*Non-conference game HomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time
[5]
Game summaries [ ]
at Kentucky [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
3
17
0
0
20
Wildcats
7
14
7
7
35
Kansas [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Jayhawks
0
7
14
10
31
Chippewas
0
0
7
0
7
at Northern Illinois [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
0
3
7
6
16
Huskies
0
14
7
3
24
Maine [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
No. 13 (FCS) Black Bears
0
0
3
2
5
Chippewas
0
10
0
7
17
at Michigan State [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
3
0
0
17
20
No. 21 Spartans
0
17
14
0
31
Buffalo [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Bulls
7
10
7
10
34
Chippewas
3
0
14
7
24
Ball State [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Cardinals
0
7
0
17
24
Chippewas
3
17
0
3
23
Western Michigan [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Broncos
7
14
0
14
35
Chippewas
0
0
10
0
10
at Akron [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
0
0
10
0
10
Zips
7
10
0
0
17
at Eastern Michigan [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
0
7
0
0
7
Eagles
7
0
0
10
17
Bowling Green [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Falcons
0
0
17
7
24
Chippewas
7
6
0
0
13
Toledo [ ]
1
2
3
4
Total
Chippewas
0
0
0
13
13
Rockets
14
10
13
14
51
Players drafted into the NFL [ ]
References [ ]
Venues Bowls & rivalries Culture & lore People National championship seasons in bold