Senior quarterback Dan LeFevour has played arguably his best football in five career games at Ford Field.

He has thrown 11 touchdowns to four interceptions, averaged 325 yards of total offense and added five rushing touchdowns.

It is something coach Butch Jones said he expects out of his quarterback against Ohio in the 2009 Mid-American Conference Championship at 8 tonight at Ford Field in Detroit.

“The great players play their greatest when a championship’s on the line,” he said. “We’re going to need that again from Dan.”

But LeFevour and CMU will be up against one of the MAC’s most opportunistic defenses. Ohio leads the conference with a plus-14 turnover margin and has 19 interceptions and 16 fumble recoveries.

“They do a great job of stripping the ball from you on each and every snap,” Jones said. “You just try to educate your kids, and it’s going to take great discipline and great fundamentals to take care of the football.”

Ohio also has a tandem at the linebacker position that has garnered the Chippewas’ attention. Junior middle linebacker Noah Keller is second in the MAC with 122 tackles; senior weak-side linebacker Lee Renfro has 93.

“They’re definitely all over the field, and they’re definitely going to make their plays. That’s something you just got to accept,” LeFevour said. “They’re going to make their tackles, they’re going to make some plays, but how do you handle that when they do make plays? Can you bounce back or not?”

In the secondary, Ohio is led by freshman Gerald Moore, second in the MAC with six interceptions. Senior strong safety Patrick Tafua is questionable after hurting his shoulder last Friday against Temple.

Other injuries

While CMU has been aided by improved health in recent weeks — senior cornerback Josh Gordy returned last Friday against Northern Illinois after missing two games with an injured hamstring, and redshirt freshman offensive tackle Jake Olson is expected to return to the lineup tonight — Ohio has seen the negative side.

Senior quarterback Theo Scott and junior wide receiver LaVon Brazil, along with Tafua, are deemed questionable earlier in the week because of injuries sustained against Temple.

Scott (sprained ankle) told local media he will play, and Jones said he has prepared his team as if all three will play.

Junior linebacker Nick Bellore said Ohio’s offense is not based solely around those two players, but there are things only Scott can bring to the table.

“He’s a dynamic playmaker, whether he’s throwing the ball (or) running the ball,” Bellore said. “What stands out is he’s got an amazing deep ball … and he’s obviously an athlete.”

Familiar place

Since 2006, CMU has played at Ford Field in five games — two MAC Championships and three Motor City Bowls — going 3-2. The 2006 MAC Championship game saw CMU beat Ohio 31-10. It was LeFevour’s freshman season.

“I just remember being nervous, first time playing for a championship,” he said. “I just remember once I made that first drive and we went down and scored, everything kind of seemed to slow down for me.”

E-mail the author: Andrew Stover