CollegeFootballDigestfrom CooperSearch

1996 Central Michigan

5–⁠6 (4–⁠4 Mid-American Conference), coached by Dick Flynn.

Schedule and results

Central Michigan in 1996, game by game: won at Boise State 42–21; lost at No. 23 Virginia 21–55; lost vs. Louisiana Tech 37–38; won vs. Western Michigan 38–28; lost at Bowling Green 27–31; lost at Miami (OH) 14–46; won vs. Akron 42–0; won vs. Eastern Michigan 41–36; lost vs. Ball State 17–24; won at Kent State 52–51; lost at Toledo 20–23+42−34Won 42–21 at Boise State+21Boise StateLost 21–55 at No. 23 Virginia-34No. 23 VirginiaLost 37–38 vs. Louisiana Tech-1Louisiana TechWon 38–28 vs. Western Michigan+10Western MichiganLost 27–31 at Bowling Green-4Bowling GreenLost 14–46 at Miami (OH)-32Miami (OH)Won 42–0 vs. Akron+42AkronWon 41–36 vs. Eastern Michigan+5Eastern MichiganLost 17–24 vs. Ball State-7Ball StateWon 52–51 at Kent State+1Kent StateLost 20–23 at Toledo-3Toledo
Each game’s margin, wins above the line and losses below.
DateOpponentResultElo
Aug 31atBoise StateW 42–⁠2158%
Sep 7at23VirginiaL 21–⁠5526%
Sep 14vsLouisiana TechL 37–⁠3867%
Sep 21vsWestern MichiganW 38–⁠2860%
Sep 28atBowling GreenL 27–⁠3139%
Oct 5atMiami (OH)L 14–⁠4634%
Oct 12vsAkronW 42–⁠077%
Oct 19vsEastern MichiganW 41–⁠3669%
Oct 26vsBall StateL 17–⁠2450%
Nov 2atKent StateW 52–⁠5168%
Nov 9atToledoL 20–⁠2335%

Elo: a pregame chance from scores alone.

How it ended: Lost to Toledo 23–⁠20; unranked in the final AP poll; 5th in the Mid-American Conference.

In program history: The 30th-best season in program history by end-of-season Elo (of 68 on file).

Record
5–⁠6
Conference
4–⁠4 5th in Mid-American Conference
AP final
Unranked
Points
351–⁠353
Coach
Dick Flynn
Elo
1443 −17 this season
SP+ rating
-11.7 No. 86 of 111; offense No. 48, defense No. 104
SRS
−14.1 No. 92 of 111 in Division I-A
Recruiting class
—
Offensive coordinator
Tom Kearly
Defensive coordinator
Jim Schulte
Most valuable player
Chad Darnell

Drafted in 1997

The 1997 draft
Rd 7Scott Rehberg OTNew England Patriots

1996 Mid-American Conference standings

Conference page
TeamConf.OverallAP final
Ball State7–⁠18–⁠4
Toledo6–⁠27–⁠4
Miami (OH)6–⁠26–⁠5
Ohio5–⁠36–⁠6
Central Michigan4–⁠45–⁠6
Akron3–⁠54–⁠7
Bowling Green3–⁠54–⁠7
Eastern Michigan3–⁠53–⁠8
Western Michigan2–⁠62–⁠9
Kent State1–⁠72–⁠9

Ordered by conference winning percentage, then conference wins. Division splits and tiebreakers aren’t applied.