The 2008 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University

Central Michigan University

Central Michigan University is a public research university located in Mount Pleasant in the U.S. state of Michigan...

 in National Collegiate Athletic Association

National Collegiate Athletic Association

The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...

 (NCAA) Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) college football

College football

College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...

 during the 2008 season

2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season

The 2008 NCAA Division I FBS football season, or the college football season, began on August 28, 2008, progressing through the regular season and bowl season, and concluded with the Bowl Championship Series National Championship Game in Miami Gardens, Florida on January 8, 2009, where the #2...

. Central Michigan competed as a member of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference

Mid-American Conference

The Mid-American Conference is a National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I college athletic conference with a membership base in the Great Lakes region that stretches from Western New York to Illinois. Nine of the twelve full member schools are in Ohio and Michigan, with single members...

 (MAC). The Chippewas were led by second-year head coach Butch Jones

Butch Jones

-External links:*...

.

Central Michigan finished the regular season with an 8–4 overall record and 6–2 in conference play, which was good enough for second place in the MAC West. The team received a bid to the 2008 Motor City Bowl

2008 Motor City Bowl

The 2008 Motor City Bowl was a National Collegiate Athletic Association bowl game in which the Florida Atlantic Owls defeated the Central Michigan Chippewas 24–21. It was played on December 26, 2008 at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and aired on ESPN. The underdog FAU team from the Sun Belt...

, where they faced the Florida Atlantic Owls

2008 Florida Atlantic Owls football team

The 2008 Florida Atlantic University Owls football team represented Florida Atlantic University in the 2008 college football season. The team was coached by Howard Schnellenberger and played their home games at Lockhart Stadium in Ft. Lauderdale, FL...

 led by head coach Howard Schnellenberger

Howard Schnellenberger

Howard Schnellenberger is an American football coach at both the professional and college level. He is currently in his final season as head coach of Florida Atlantic University, having announced his retirement on August 11, 2011, effective at the end of the 2011 season...

. The two teams were tied throughout the third quarter until the Owls pulled away. Central Michigan quarterback Dan LeFevour

Dan LeFevour

Dan LeFevour is an American football quarterback for the Jacksonville Jaguars of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the sixth round of the 2010 NFL Draft. He played college football at Central Michigan University...

 led a touchdown drive in the final three minutes, but an onside kick

Onside kick

In American and Canadian football, an onside kick is a type of kick used at a kickoff or other free kick, or scrimmage kick or other kick during play, in which the ball is kicked favorably for the kicking team to avoid giving away the ball...

 attempt failed, and the Chippewas lost, 24–21.

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