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1978 Central Michigan Chippewas football team

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American college football season

1978 Central Michigan Chippewas football
ConferenceMid-American Conference
Record9–2 (8–1 MAC)
Head coach
MVPBryan Gross
Home stadiumPerry Shorts Stadium
Seasons← 19771979 →
1978 Mid-American Conference football standings
Conf Overall
Team W   L   T W   L   T
Ball State $ 8 – 0 – 0 10 – 1 – 0
Central Michigan 8 – 1 – 0 9 – 2 – 0
Miami (OH) 5 – 2 – 0 8 – 2 – 1
Western Michigan 5 – 4 – 0 7 – 4 – 0
Bowling Green 3 – 5 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Ohio 3 – 5 – 0 3 – 8 – 0
Northern Illinois 2 – 4 – 0 5 – 6 – 0
Kent State 2 – 6 – 0 4 – 7 – 0
Toledo 2 – 7 – 0 2 – 9 – 0
Eastern Michigan 1 – 5 – 0 3 – 7 – 0
  • $ – Conference champion

The 1978 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) during the 1978 NCAA Division I-A football season. In their first season under head coach Herb Deromedi, the Chippewas compiled a 9–2 record (8–1 against MAC opponents), finished in second place in the MAC standings, held seven of eleven opponents to fewer than ten points, and outscored all opponents, 331 to 119. The season marked the beginning of a school record 23-game unbeaten streak that ran from October 7, 1978, to October 11, 1980. The team played its home games in Perry Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, with attendance of 98,011 in five home games.

The team's statistical leaders included quarterback Gary Hogeboom with 1,095 passing yards, Willie Todd with 746 rushing yards, and Brian Blank with 384 receiving yards. Linebacker Bryan Gross received the team's most valuable player award. Offensive guard Tim Sopha, placekicker Rade Savich, and defensive back Robert Jackson received first-team All-MAC honors. Savich broke the school record with 15 field goals in a season and tied a school record with 38 point after touchdown kicks in a season.

Herb Deromedi, a native of Royal Oak, Michigan, was hired as Central Michigan's head football coach in August 1978. He had previously been the Chippewas' defensive coordinator under head coach Roy Kramer. He replaced Kramer, who left the program to become the athletic director at Vanderbilt University. Deromedi remained the program's head football coach for 16 years, compiling a 110–55–10 record. He was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007.

Schedule

DateOpponentSiteResultAttendanceSource
September 9 Kent StateW 41–0
September 16at Miami (OH)W 37–1810,170
September 23at Alcorn State*L 16–24
September 30 Ball State
  • Perry Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
L 0–2720,216
October 7at OhioW 17–3
October 14 Illinois State*
  • Perry Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
W 45–7
October 21 Northern Illinois
  • Perry Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
W 34–723,380
October 28at Bowling GreenW 38–7
November 4 Toledo
  • Perry Shorts Stadium
  • Mount Pleasant, MI
W 27–317,895
November 11at Eastern MichiganW 41–9
November 18at Western MichiganW 35–14
  • *Non-conference game

References

  1. "1978 Central Michigan Chippewas Schedule and Results". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  2. "Central Michigan 2015 Football Media Guide" (PDF). Central Michigan University. 2015. pp. 100, 112. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 26, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  3. 2015 Media Guide, p. 85.
  4. "Football Facilities". Central Michigan University. Archived from the original on June 25, 2016. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  5. 2015 Media Guide, p. 87.
  6. "1978 Central Michigan Chippewas Stats". SR/College Football. Sports Reference LLC. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  7. 2015 Media Guide, p. 95.
  8. 2015 Media Guide, p. 92.
  9. 2015 Media Guide, p. 82.
  10. "CMU names Deromedi as new football coach". Detroit Free Press. August 8, 1978. p. 3D.
  11. Jack Saylor. "Deromedi takes charge: CMU football coach quits, becomes athletic director (part 2)". Detroit Free Press. pp. 2C.
  12. "Herb Deromedi". College Football Hall of Fame. National Football Foundation. Retrieved July 20, 2016.
  13. "Chippewas blank Kent State". The Kansas City Star. September 10, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  14. "Miami errors pave 37–18 loss to Central Michigan". The Cincinnati Enquirer. September 17, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  15. "Alcorn State surprises high-flying Chippewas, 24–16". Lansing State Journal. September 24, 1978. Retrieved August 18, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
  16. "Ball State gives Central a 27–0 whippin' in MAC". The Flint Journal. October 1, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  17. "Central Michigan's 'word' good enough to top Ohio". The Indianapolis Star. October 8, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  18. "Todd sparks Chippewas' 45–7". The Times Herald. October 15, 1978. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  19. "Central Michigan beats NIU, 34–7". The Pantagraph. October 22, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  20. "Central Michigan routs Bowling Green". The South Bend Tribune. October 29, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  21. "Chips notch 5th straight win". Lansing State Journal. November 5, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  22. "Central Michigan wins sixth straight". The Flint Journal. November 12, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
  23. "CMU rolls but Ball State wins title". The Times Herald. November 19, 1978. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Newspapers.com.
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