Athletics Director Dave Heeke is aware of the problem, but said television networks dictate the schedule.

“I’d like to play all of our games on Saturdays,” Heeke said. “I think that’s where college football belongs.

“Unfortunately, at times, because of television, that dictates our schedule, the Mid-American Conference dictates our schedule. We have very little control over that.”

Heeke said he is trying to bring back some of that Saturday culture, and suggested the MAC hold a “rivalry Saturday” game at meetings.

The rivalry Saturday would be a week where each MAC team faces its rival, on Saturday, sometime in October when the MAC title race is on the line. Some of the games would be on television and it would be during a traditional time slot, allowing a better opportunity for stadiums to fill.

“We could illustrate the great tradition and excitement that exists in this league, and we know that,” Heeke said. “We tend to minimize it when we schedule the way we do. “

The Chippewas played six Saturday road games in 2011. Heeke is pushing for a six-or-seven-game home schedule for years to come, but financial circumstances make it hard to do so.

On Aug. 31, 2006, Boston College made the trip to CMU. The Eagles beat the Chippewas 31-24 in front of 25,418 — a near sellout.

Heeke provided the university with a marquee matchup and it didn’t benefit as much as one would think.

“We had ESPN here and it was a great Thursday night atmosphere and we almost beat Boston College,” Heeke said. “Everything you could think would be right, except when we closed the doors and went home that night, it was a net loss of $75,000.”

Heeke said he understands the team needs home games to be competitive, but the stadium doesn’t have the revenue capacity to attract big teams and pay them. Annual game revenue averages between $200,000 and $300,000, he said.

When you remember the athletics department pays a team $200,00-$300,000 to play in Mount Pleasant, the net gain is at best zero, Heeke said.

However the team can travel to Michigan, Michigan State and other Bowl Championship Series teams, and make $800,000 to $1,000,000, he said.

“That’s the financial realities of that,” Heeke said. “And yes, we’re always trying to schedule attractive games for our schedule here at home, and I’d like to get at six (home) games … I’m not guaranteeing that because it’s very complicated to get to six, but we will have seven next year and several seasons after that we have six.”

On Saturday, the Chippewas will make $450,000 to play at North Carolina State. Athletics director Dave Heeke couldn’t say how much of overall revenue that is, but he says it’s “significant.”

Athletics needs that revenue to function and it’s not getting it from home games.

“On our best day where we sellout, we’re only making $300,000 at best and that’s just gross revenue, not net revenue,” Heeke said.

The Chippewas had to pay South Carolina State $300,000 to come to Mount Pleasant, according to Heeke, CMU lost money for the home opener.

That’s why CMU typically only plays one non-conference home game a year.

“You have to go on the road to generate revenue,” Heeke said. “Home games are important and good for our fan base, but in reality, we need to get revenue.”

Heeke tries to schedule non-conference games 5-10 year in advance.

The contract with Michigan for a 2013 game is still being ironed out and although it won’t be for $1 million, Heeke says it will bring in “significant revenue.”

“Large schools are able to pay more out,” Heeke said. “Michigan will make $5 million on an average football Saturday. That’s why they’re able to pay visiting teams that they’re favored to win. The more competitive the game, the lower the price.”

When CMU goes to closer schools, they don’t make as much money simply because they don’t have to pay as much to travel. A bus ride to East Lansing and plane trip to Clemson is a big difference.

Heeke said he’s having conversations with multiple schools to make $1 million deals to play road games. He couldn’t disclose those schools since talks are in early stages.

CMU has constructed 2-for-1 deals with N.C. State and Oklahoma State which will bring those schools to Kelly/Shorts Stadium for a game.

Even though CMU is making $450,000 Saturday at N.C. State, it will only make $250,000 on its next trip in 2013. That’s because CMU will pay back the $250,000 for the Wolfpack to play in Mount Pleasant in 2014.

Neither Michigan State nor CMU will pay each other when MSU comes to Mount Pleasant next year or when CMU goes there in 2015. The Spartans will make more off a single game with more seats, but Heeke still sees it as a win-win.

Heeke expects the MSU game next year to bring in the largest single-game revenue CMU has seen. The ticket prices will be raised significantly for that game as supply will be low and demand high.

If MSU didn’t come to Mount Pleasant for that game next year, instead of making $500,000 in two games with the Spartans, CMU could have made up toward $700,000 on a visit to MSU, according to Heeke.

The most revenue gained from an away game was in 2008 going to Georgia for $875,000, back when the Bulldogs were ranked No. 1 in the country.

“You got to generate revenue to run a program,” Heeke said. “It’s raising a significant piece of our revenue, there’s no doubt.”

However, it was short lived.

Sophomore A.J. Westendorp relieved the starter five minutes into the second quarter and threw twice as many interceptions as he did completions.

Michigan State sophomore running back Le'Veon Bell slips a tackle from Central Michigan defensive back Jahleel Addae during the second quarter of Saturday's game at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Bell rushed for 81 yards and three touchdowns during the first half leading the Spartans to a 31-0 lead going into halftime. (Andrew Kuhn/Assistant Photo Editor)

Michigan State made good on both turnovers en route to a 45-7 obliteration of the Chippewas.

“We got thoroughly beat in all three phases by a very good football team,” Enos said. “We turned the ball over too much. Twenty-three first downs to eight just about says it all.”

Running back Le’Veon Bell got the Spartans on the board early with a one-yard touchdown run, which was set up by a 54-yard pass from Kirk Cousins to B.J. Cunningham.

Bell finished with three touchdowns on a game-best 81 yards.

Radcliff was replaced at quarterback for CMU after he started the game 5-of-10 for 31 yards and an interception. He finished the day as CMU’s signal caller, throwing for 77 yards and a touchdown.

Coming out of the locker room down 31-0, CMU showed life when redshirt freshman Kevin King blocked a MSU punt and freshman Cody Lopez recovered it on the Spartans 13-yard line.

Radcliff found his tight end David Blackburn wide open in the end zone on a play action pass for the only Chippewas score of the day.

Cousins answered back with a 71-yard drive, capped off by a 15-yard touchdown pass to junior Larry Caper. With a safe lead in the third, Cousins was replaced after throwing for 213 yards and a touchdown.

Defensively, the team started the game unexpectedly without two upperclassmen. Linebacker Armond Staten (illness) and nose guard John Williams (leg).

Filling the holes on defense were freshman Ryan Petro and red shirt freshman Leterrius Walton

Petro finished with six tackles and a quarterback hurry, while Walton had two tackles.

“We’re young,” Enos said. “At one point on defense today we had seven freshmen on the field at the same time. If you go into a stadium like that, against a team like that, with seven freshmen playing on defense, it’s not going to work out well for you.”

Safeties Avery Cunningham and Jahleel Addae each recorded 10 tackles and Addae intercepted a pass to lead the defense.

In an already depleted defensive depth chart, redshirt freshman Kyle Smith left the game in the third quarter with what looks to be a concussion.

MSU (3-1) had the obvious offensive advantage, recording 193 more yards of total offense, including a difference of 126 yards on the ground.

Westendorp led CMU’s run game with 15 yards.

Freshman Anthony Garland and sophomore Tim Phillips added a combined 17 yards on the ground, and senior Paris Cotton was no where to be seen.

“We’re trying to play the guys who we think give us the best chance to win and right now it’s the other guys,” Enos said.

CMU (1-3) plays host to Northern Illinois at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

“We have another very good team coming up in Northern Illinois,” Enos said. “They are a senior and junior-laden team and have a lot of guys back from a team that won 10 games last year.”

CMU head coach Dan Enos played and coached there. Five coaches on CMU’s staff have also connections.

Two years removed from MSU, Enos knows he has plenty to worry about Saturday.

“They’re deep in skill positions,” Enos said. “Quarterback can play in NFL, wide receivers play in NFL, tight ends can play in the NFL, running backs can play in the NFL. They’re deep in all those spots.”

Senior quarterback Kirk Cousins led the Spartans last year to a Big Ten co-championship, throwing for 2,825 yards, 20 touchdowns and 10 interceptions.

The only three-time captain at Michigan State isn’t a stranger to the Chippewas.

“Our dad’s are friends since his dad is a pastor and my dad is,” CMU wide receiver Cody Wilson said, who worked a camp with Cousins. “What he preaches at all those things he lives out. But I wouldn’t mind seeing him get jacked up a couple times either (on Saturday).”

The Spartans offensive line struggled protecting Cousins against Notre Dame last week. Cousins was constantly being hurried, being sacked twice and fumbling once.

Still three offensive lineman will be out this week against CMU.

Starting right tackle Skyler Burkland is done for the season with a fractured bone near his ankle. Starting center Blake Treadwell and backup tackle Jared McGaha are also out with sprained knees.

“MSU has a great program,” CMU safety Jahleel Addae said. “They have great skill positions, their quarterback is a NFL prospect. We have to play aggressive and let the chips fall were they may.”

While he once called Michigan State home, Saturday marks the first time he will stand on the visitor’s sideline, opposite an old friend: MSU coach Mark Dantonio.

“I owe so much to him,” Enos said. “It’s going to be different, but at the end of the day they’re grounding extra hard over there too. We’ve got to make plays and when momentum shifts, we need to step up and make a play.”

Enos’ connection to MSU dates back to 1987.

Following graduation from Edsel Ford High School, he played quarterback at MSU for all four years of his eligibility, earning the starting signal caller spot for two seasons.

He left his mark as a Spartan, setting top-10 records all-time in pass attempts (478), pass completions (297), completion percentage (.621), passing yards (3,837) and total yards (4,301).

Upon earning his bachelor’s degree, Enos spent time as a graduate assistant at MSU, eventually venturing to seven other universities.

He held different coaching positions between universities, including offensive coordinator, quarterbacks coach and wide receivers coach over a ten-year span, including two seasons working with Dantonio at Cincinnati.

In 2006, Dantonio was hired by MSU and Enos came along as the quarterbacks coach and running backs coach.

“He gave me a lot (of advice), I worked for him for five years,” Enos said. “He’s been a huge mentor for me and an unbelievable person. I appreciate all he’s done for me.”

Enos points to Dantonio’s mindset off the field as one of the teachings that sticks with him the most.

“He has his priorities in order,” Enos said. “I don’t feel like he ever let football consume him and he always keeps his faith and his family as his number one priority all the time. I learned to be more secure with myself, learning it’s just a game and that we’re here to help these young people get better on the field and off the field.”

Enos has experience coaching against friends and said the game has a different feel because you’re looking to prove yourself as a coach.

“When you coach against your friends, it’s kind of a weird situation because your competitive juices get flowing,” Enos said. “At the same time, you look over there and it’s bittersweet at times. I’ve been in games that I’ve played against friends and won and it’s awkward to come up to them after, and I’ve played in games when I’ve lost and it’s awkward for them.”

In the teams’ last meeting in 2009, Enos was the running backs coach at MSU when CMU upset the Spartans 29-27 in East Lansing.

Looking back at the game, he talked about how well CMU played, though the teams are much different today.

“I remember we had a very young football team and CMU had a very good team,” Enos said. “Right now, we’re a very fragile football team after the whipping we just took. We’re just concentrating on making our football team better. That game was a long time ago, there aren’t many guys on this team that were there at that game.”

It’s hard to imagine what’s going through the mind of an upperclassman on the Central Michigan football team.

Two seasons ago they came into CMU with high expectations and didn’t disappoint those who supported, especially in 2009.

The Chippewas didn’t let the opening 20-6 loss in 2009 at Arizona drag them down.

Instead, they drove south on I-127, went into Spartan Stadium in front of 76,221 and won, 29-27 in a thrilling finish.

CMU went on to win 12 games, winning all its rivalry games and eventually cracked the top-25.

Current players Paris Cotton, Cody Wilson, Jerry Harris, Tim Phillips and David Blackburn saw action in the Michigan State win.

Armond Staten, John Williams, Mike Petrucci, Jahleel Addae and Kashawn Fraser also made an impact.

Now, as upperclassmen it’s been a mess. They’ve endured a 3-9 season, and missed a bowl game for the first time in their collegiate careers.

Not to mention in-state rival Western Michigan just destroyed CMU 44-14 on Saturday, also a first for the upperclassmen.

This offense is a far cry from the spread offense from previous coaches.

The 2009 team put up 30+ points in eight of its 14 games.

Since 2009, it seems as if the Chippewas went to Cedar Point, hopped on the Top Thrill Dragster, hit their peak and currently are endeavoring the 420-foot fall.

The question is where are they on this ride?

Near the top of the drop or is this ride about to get worse?

Second year head coach Dan Enos has been scrutinized locally, but the debacle hit nationally against Kentucky on Sept. 10.

Foxsports.com writer Jason Whitlock tweeted four separate times in disgust over the fourth and inches decision by Enos.

One of Whitlock’s tweets soon after Enos’ decision: “Quite possibly the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen. Kentucky offense hasn’t done anything all day. Go for it on your own 35? Why?”

It’s over and done with now, just like the loss to WMU. The losses are piling and not just in the “L” column. Injuries to the team leave it depleted at multiple positions.

However, Athletic Director Dave Heeke scheduled Enos an opportunity to put on the biggest Band-Aid.

This Band-Aid soaks up the bleeding until the beginning of the 2012 season.

It’s the chance to defeat Michigan State at noon tomorrow in the same place that sparked the 2009 team and the underclassmen that are now upperclassmen.

The healing process can begin tomorrow.

A win won’t erase what happened to the upperclassmen or Enos, but it covers up the wounds and it will give them an opportunity to celebrate for one night in a season that hasn’t had many.

But just remember, 2009’s win is a far cry from now and another win and celebration against the Spartans only heals for so long. It’s only a Band-Aid, not a top-25 season.