Next Meal: Central Michigan Chipewas

September 6 - 6:00 PM SWAMP TIME

TV Information: PPV

fsuSUCKS Prediction: UF 59 CMU 3

Vegas Odds: Gators favorite by 52

fsuSUCKS Outlook

Look for the Gators to come out strong. This Central Michigan team is weak and like many other of our initial games... its just a patsy and big payoff for the opposing team. I predict that we will see another one of these 50+ point margins where the entire team gets a chance to play (which is good... maybe we get to see Jesse Palmer). The game is on pay-per-view so unless you have a BOD (Big Old Dish) you can't get the game unless your cable system picks it up. If you are like me.... you do not watch any sports until 11 PM ET when the replay is on Sunshine Network. Lets hope the Gators can stay healthy and come out with a strong performance (yeah yeah against a crappy team), but its good preparation for the next game against the Volunteers.

Coaching Information - Central Michigan

Head Coach: Dick Flynn

Career Record at Present Institution: 18-16 (3 years)

Overall Coaching Record: 18-16 (3 years)

Team Information - Central Michigan

Basic Offense: Multiple I

Basic Defense: Multiple 5-2

Letter-winners Returning: 46 (17 Offense, 26 Defense, 3 Specialists)

Letter-winners Lost 15 (8 Offense, 7 Defense)

Starters Returning: 16 (7 Offense, 7 Defense, 2 Specialists)

Starters Lost 8 (4 Offense, 4 Defense)

Final l996 Team Record: 5-6

Final 1996 Conference Record & Finish: 4-4 (tied for 5th)

Final 1996 National Ranking: N/A

1996 Bowl Appearance: N/A

Series Games and Notes - Central Michigan

Florida and Central Michigan will meet on the football field for the first time ever this season. The game marks the first time in their history that the Gators will face a team from the state of Michigan.

The Gators are facing a team from the Mid-American Conference for the first time since 1986, when they defeated Kent State, 52-9, in Gainesville. Florida has played three games in the 1990's against current MAC teams, but the schools were not members of the conference at the time of the game. Florida defeated Northem Illinois in both 1991 (41-10) and 1995 (58-20), as well as Akron m 1990 (59 -0).

Florida has also faced a Mid-American Conference team in a bowl game, falling to Miami of Ohio, 16-7, in the 1973 Tangerine Bowl. The game had to be played at Florida Field due to stadium construction in Orlando.

The Chippewas also have ties to the SEC as league commissioner Roy Kramer was head coach at Central Michigan from 1967-1977 before becoming athletic director at Vanderbilt from 1978- 1990. He took over his current post at the SEC in 1990. Kramer led Central Michigan to a 83-32-2 mark in 11 seasons, including capturing the 1974 Division II National Championship.

Central Michigan will be an easy victory for the Gators as this will prove to be just a tune-up and proving grounds for the Gator offense and defense as they prepare for the tough SEC schedule and the first game against Tennessee.

 

Media Information

Last Updated November 19, 2006