# 2016 Central Michigan Chippewas football team

The 2016 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the 2016 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by second-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 6–7, 3–5 to finish in fifth place in the MAC West. They received an invitation to the Miami Beach Bowl where they were blown out by Tulsa 55–10.

## Schedule

| Date | Time | Opponent | Site | TV | Result | Attendance |
| September 1 | 7:00 pm | Presbyterian* | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI | ESPN3 | W 49–3 | 16,215 |
| September 10 | 12:00 pm | at No. 22 Oklahoma State* | Boone Pickens StadiumStillwater, OK | FS1 | W 30–27 | 52,523 |
| September 17 | 3:00 pm | UNLV* | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI | ESPN3 | W 44–21 | 19,922 |
| September 24 | 12:30 pm | at Virginia* | Scott StadiumCharlottesville, VA | ACCRSN | L 35–49 | 35,211 |
| October 1 | 7:00 pm | Western Michigan | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI (rivalry) | CBSSN | L 10–49 | 30,411 |
| October 8 | 3:00 pm | Ball State | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI | ASN | W 24–21 | 20,044 |
| October 15 | 3:30 pm | at Northern Illinois | Huskie StadiumDeKalb, IL | ESPN3 | W 34–28 $^{3OT}$ | 8,495 |
| October 22 | 12:00 pm | at Toledo | Glass BowlToledo, OH | BCSN | L 17–31 | 17,821 |
| October 29 | 12:00 pm | Kent State | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI | CBSSN | L 24–27 | 9,236 |
| November 4 | 6:00 pm | at Miami (OH) | Yager StadiumOxford, OH | CBSSN | L 17–37 | 14,270 |
| November 15 | 6:00 pm | Ohio | Kelly/Shorts StadiumMount Pleasant, MI | ESPN2 | W 27–20 | 8,619 |
| November 22 | 7:00 pm | at Eastern Michigan | Rynearson StadiumYpsilanti, MI (rivalry) | ESPN3 | L 21–26 | 19,147 |
| December 19 | 2:30 pm | vs. Tulsa* | Marlins ParkMiami, FL (Miami Beach Bowl) | ESPN | L 10–55 | 15,262 |
| *Non-conference gameHomecomingRankings from AP Poll released prior to the gameAll times are in Eastern time |||||||
    Schedule Source:

## Game summaries
### Presbyterian

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Blue Hose | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
| Chippewas | 7 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 49 |

### At Oklahoma State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chippewas | 0 | 10 | 7 | 13 | 30 |
| #22 Cowboys | 14 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 27 |
This game sparked controversy after the officials missed a call that would eventually give Central Michigan the win. Oklahoma State threw the ball away to end the game and received a penalty for intentional grounding. Under college football rules, the game would have ended and Oklahoma State would have won the game. However, the officials gave Central Michigan an untimed down, and the Chippewas threw a 51-yard hail mary and scored after completing the pass and a lateral.

### UNLV

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Rebels | 7 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 21 |
| Chippewas | 14 | 14 | 9 | 7 | 44 |

### At Virginia

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chippewas | 0 | 14 | 7 | 14 | 35 |
| Cavaliers | 15 | 13 | 0 | 21 | 49 |

### Western Michigan

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Broncos | 7 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 49 |
| Chippewas | 3 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 10 |

### Ball State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Cardinals | 7 | 0 | 7 | 7 | 21 |
| Chippewas | 3 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 24 |

### At Northern Illinois

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | OT | 2OT | 3OT | Total |
| Chippewas | 0 | 14 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 6 | 34 |
| Huskies | 0 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 0 | 7 | 0 | 28 |

### At Toledo

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chippewas | 0 | 0 | 10 | 7 | 17 |
| Rockets | 3 | 0 | 14 | 14 | 31 |

### Kent State

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Golden Flashes | 3 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 27 |
| Chippewas | 0 | 10 | 14 | 0 | 24 |

### At Miami (OH)

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chippewas | 7 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 17 |
| RedHawks | 13 | 7 | 10 | 7 | 37 |

### Ohio

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Bobcats | 0 | 3 | 10 | 7 | 20 |
| Chippewas | 3 | 14 | 3 | 7 | 27 |

### At Eastern Michigan

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chippewas | 0 | 7 | 0 | 14 | 21 |
| Eagles | 7 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 26 |

### Tulsa–Miami Beach Bowl

| | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Total |
| Chippewas | 3 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 10 |
| Golden Hurricane | 10 | 21 | 17 | 7 | 55 |