CMU’s spring football game will kick off at 6 p.m. this Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

Let’s hope students don’t see it like any other Saturday game day in past football seasons – as an opportunity to get drunk and skip the game.

The hype surrounding CMU football hasn’t been this big since after the 1994 season, when the Chippewas won the Mid-American Conference and played in the Las Vegas Bowl.

Thirteen years later, CMU again is coming off a MAC title win, as well as a win at the Motor City Bowl. And it is starting to gain some national attention.

Talk, albeit very small, has the Chippewas as a possible threat to break into the nation’s Top 25 teams in 2007.

ESPN’s college football page recently featured a cover story on sophomore quarterback Dan LeFevour. A recent poll question on the same page asked the nation if CMU would make a Bowl Championship Series bowl game this year.

While more than 90 percent of respondents voted ‘no,’ it’s good to see CMU mentioned in a positive way.

For years, students have watched dismal teams play uninspired football. The only time CMU was mentioned on a national scale was when the topic of worst Div. 1-A teams was brought forward.

But things could now be different. And students shouldn’t waste a great opportunity to take notice.

We’re not saying students shouldn’t tailgate on Saturday. Tailgating has become a tradition at CMU, with crowds getting larger every season. And Saturday’s tailgate crowd most likely will be the largest for a spring game in recent memory, possibly ever.

But please, go to the game as well.

A lot of intriguing position battles will play out Saturday. The much-contested tailback spot most likely will lead the way. Students will get the chance to see two-year starter Ontario Sneed challenged by a corps of young talent in Carl Volny, Marcel Archer and Justin Hoskins.

Students will get to see the development of LeFevour on Saturday. There was a reason why he dominated the ‘06 freshman quarterbacking class. So far this spring, he’s showed nothing resembling a slump.

Students also will see some of the more talented linebackers in the MAC in Ike Brown and Red Keith. These seniors are primed for a first-team all-MAC selection this year.

But most importantly, students can get a glimpse of first-year coach Butch Jones. It ultimately will be up to him to continue what former coach Brian Kelly started, and students can get initial impressions of Jones on Saturday.

Hopefully, come Saturday, CMU’s tailgate lot is packed at 3 p.m. And hopefully that same crowd makes its way into the stadium three hours later.

These players did something special for you last season.

Return the favor.

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