Sports Editor Andrew Stover breaks down the 2009 Mid-American Conference Championship game between CMU and Ohio at 8 tonight at Ford Field in Detroit.

Quarterbacks

Ohio senior quarterback Theo Scott sprained his ankle in the second half of the Bobcats’ game against Temple last Friday. He is listed as questionable by his coach, but he is expected to play. However, a sprained ankle will definitely limit his mobility and make him completely one-dimensional. Scott has progressed as a passer this year since senior Boo Jackson was deemed inactive for the remainder of the season back in September. However, his athleticism will suffer.

Advantage: CMU. Even if Scott was 100 percent healthy, it would not matter. Ohio coach Frank Solich said it best during Monday’s MAC teleconference. CMU senior quarterback Dan LeFevour is tough to bring down below the waist because of his thick lower body. He is equally difficult — near impossible — to bring down with arm tackles.
LeFevour is CMU’s most dangerous rusher out of the spread offense, but he also possesses the MAC’s best passer efficiency rating (155.72). He totals a conference-high 39 touchdowns (25 passing, 14 rushing).

Running backs

The Bobcats possess one of the truest forms of “running back-by-committee” in the MAC. With senior Chris Garrett leading the way with 129 carries and 549 yards, Ohio has two other running backs with more than 50 carries (junior Vince Davidson — 63 carries, 255 yards; sophomore Donte Harden — 57 carries, 220 yards). Scott also has 61 carries from the quarterback position, but he will be limited with sprained ankle.

In similar fashion, CMU’s stable of backs — sophomores Bryan Schroeder and Paris Cotton and junior Carl Volny — have picked up steam as the season has progressed. Schroeder leads the way with 414 yards, including a career-best 128-yard performance last week against Northern Illinois.

Advantage: CMU. The Chippewas’ three backs combine for 1,369 rushing and receiving yards. Ohio’s three combine for 1,170 rushing and receiving yards. And CMU also has 969 rushing yards from LeFevour (650) and junior wide receiver Antonio Brown (319).

CMU offensive line vs. Ohio defensive front seven

Ohio has been a middle-of-the-pack team in the MAC at getting sacks (18), but the defense’s strength lies in linebackers Noah Keller and Lee Renfro (the latter having his face and some somewhat cocky quotables plastered along the walls of CMU’s practice facility, used as motivation). But he may have a reason to be cocky — the two linebackers combined for 27 tackles last week against Temple.

Advantage: Even. For as good as Ohio’s front seven has been, CMU welcomes back redshirt freshman left tackle Jake Olson to the lineup, which gives the unit a boost. The veteran-led interior line has meshed with the two young tackles (Olson and Rocky Weaver) to form one of the conference’s best lines.

Ohio offensive line vs. CMU defensive front seven

With two seniors at the defensive end positions — Frank Zombo and Larry Knight — and an interior that features an active Sean Murnane and a load-of-a-man John Williams, the defensive line has done its job to free up one of the top linebacker duos in the conference. Juniors Nick Bellore and Matt Berning combine for more than 200 tackles, 17 tackles for loss, five sacks and two interceptions.

Advantage: CMU. Even with just 20 sacks, this is a dominating front seven that has quietly taken away pressure from the offense and the secondary.

CMU wide receivers vs. Ohio secondary

Juniors Antonio Brown and Kito Poblah, along with senior Bryan Anderson, will all have opportunities to get yardage. LeFevour will likely put up gaudy passing numbers and find the end zone.

But what Ohio does to keep things close is live and die off the turnover. Ohio has a plus-14 turnover margin, eight better than any team in the MAC. Freshman safety Gerald Moore leads the defense with six of the team’s 19 interceptions.

Advantage: CMU. The Chippewas have the advantage, but it is up to LeFevour to make smart decisions and limit big defensive plays from an opportunistic secondary.

Ohio wide receivers vs. CMU secondary

Even with senior Taylor Price leading the group, Ohio is awaiting the health status of junior wide receiver LaVon Brazil. Brazil averages 60.9 receiving yards per game, compared to Price’s 61.1 per game. If he is not good to go, fellow junior Terrence McCrae will see an extended role in the offense.

CMU starting cornerback Josh Gordy played last Friday against Northern Illinois for the first time since getting hurt against Boston College on Oct. 31.

Advantage: CMU. With Gordy being out and Fraser getting banged up against Toledo, CMU has allowed its depth to get playing time. Now, with everyone healthy, the unit is probably better than it was prior to November. Brazil will give Ohio a formidable one-two punch if he plays. If he does not play, CMU can focus on Price completely.

Coaching

CMU’s Butch Jones has orchestrated what might be CMU’s best season in program history. But this one is tougher than it seems. Ohio’s Frank Solich has pushed his team forward despite serious injury concerns all season, starting with the loss of Jackson.

Advantage: CMU. An undefeated MAC schedule and an upset win over Michigan State, there is no wonder why Jones is generating hype for other job openings.

Prediction

Ohio is battle-tested after beating a one-loss Northern Illinois team and an undefeated Temple team in back-to-back weeks. But judging by what CMU has done to nearly every team in the MAC, it seems the only one able to beat the team is itself. With shades of 2006 …

CMU 31, Ohio 10

E-mail the author: Andrew Stover