Nick Bellore was among the 25,413 in attendance as a recruit for CMU’s season-opener against Boston College last season.

He watched as the Chippewas competed with the Eagles until the end, coming up just short on a potential game-tying drive and losing 31-24.

Despite the loss, the game had plenty of meaning to Bellore, who later committed to Central and played in the team’s spring practice.

“They could’ve easily won that game,” he said. “It showed me that this team can compete with just about anybody.”

A similar performance against Purdue in the Motor City Bowl – especially a win – would have a similar impact on other prospective recruits, Bellore said.

“I think it would be a big selling point for many high-level recruits,” he said.

CMU also came close to beating a major conference opponent later last season against Kentucky, when it fell 45-36 in Lexington, Ky. It has not beaten a Bowl Championship Series team since 1992, when it beat Michigan State 24-20.

Coach Butch Jones said a hypothetical win on Dec. 26 at Ford Field would not have an immediate impact on recruiting, but could affect it in the future, especially the year after.

“It might help you with one or two kids, but usually by Christmas, most of your recruiting for your incoming class is done,” he said. “What it does is help you the following year.”

CMU could use a valiant performance after its first three games this season against Bowl Championship Series opponents. It lost 52-7 to Kansas on Sept. 1, 45-22 to Purdue on Sept. 15 and 70-14 to Clemson on Oct. 20.

However, all three games were on the road in hostile environments, rather than on a neutral field, making a Motor City Bowl upset more conceivable to many.

“It’d be huge to move this program in the right direction,” Bellore said. “It puts us up there, beating a big-time BCS team like that. It’s what we need to get more respect around the country.”

A Motor City Bowl win also could have big implications for the university and for the Mid-American Conference. Senior linebacker Red Keith said it could have a lasting impact on college football fans everywhere.

“People will remember those forever,” Keith said. “People still talk about when Central beat Michigan State in the early ’90s, and it’s 2007. That’s the kind of impact it has.”

bmanzullo@cm-life.com

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