After the Christmas presents have been opened and with the Christmas lights still on, college football will take center stage on Friday, Dec. 26. The Central Michigan Chippewas and Northwestern Wildcats will square off in the GameAbove Sports Bowl, which will take place at Ford Field in Detroit.
Central Michigan comes into this bowl game with a 7-5 mark, while Northwestern will have a 6-6 record when the game kicks off. These college teams will have the chance to play in the home of the NFL’s Detroit Lions, perhaps dreaming of future days when they can play on Sundays.
Central Michigan Chippewas Opt-Outs and Injury Report
For Central Michigan, only two players – defensive lineman Kade Kostus and punter David Chapeau – have opted out of playing. Both players are entering the transfer portal, so they will stay home for the holidays.
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Besides those two players not showing up, the Chippewas appear to be in pretty good shape health-wise. So, hopefully, Central Michigan can get through the GameAbove Sports Bowl healthy and in one piece.
Northwestern Wildcats Opt-Outs and Injury Report
Well, Northwestern is going to bring everyone to Detroit. The Wildcats have no players who are opting out of the bowl game. On Wednesday, there was no indication of any injuries affecting Northwestern.
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When the Wildcats hit the turf at Ford Field, they’ll be in pretty good shape as a team.
How To Watch the GameAbove Sports Bowl
The kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. ET, and the game will be broadcast on ESPN. Matt Schumacker will be the play-by-play announcer and Dustin Fox will offer commentary during the game. The game will be part of ESPN’s full Friday schedule of college football bowl games.
When watching Central Michigan go up against Northwestern, keep your eyes on some of these players on the field. For the Chippewas, their offense is run by quarterback Joe Labas and running back Nahree Biggins.
Northwestern will counter with quarterback Preston Stone, who has thrown for more than 2,100 yards this season. Running back Caleb Komolafe is trying to break the 1,000-yard rushing mark before this season comes to an end. Entering the bowl game, Komolafe has 886 yards rushing and has scored 10 touchdowns on the ground.
All in all, it shapes up to be a battle between two teams looking to end their seasons on a high note. They’ll get to take their shot at doing so in the city known as the home of Motown.
