The Central Michigan–Western Michigan football rivalry is an annual
college football
College football is gridiron football that is played by teams of amateur Student athlete, student-athletes at universities and colleges. It was through collegiate competition that gridiron football American football in the United States, firs ...
game between
Central Michigan University
Central Michigan University (CMU) is a Public university, public research university in Mount Pleasant, Michigan, United States. It was established in 1892 as a private normal school and became a state institution in 1895. CMU is one of the eigh ...
(CMU) and
Western Michigan University (WMU). The winner receives the Victory Cannon. In its first appearance, it was awarded to CMU after the October 18, 2008, game.
History
The teams first played each other in 1907, and Western held the title until 1910.
They did not meet again for another 15 years until 1925, when they met in Kalamazoo, and the game ended in a tie.
Central picked up its first win in 1927, but Western dominated the rivalry from 1928 to 1952, taking victory in 20 of 21 games.
Starting in 1975, Central Michigan held a 27-16-1 edge against Western. Central Michigan kept its winning record until 1994, losing only twice to the Broncos, in 1988 and 1992.
Western Michigan earned back a series of consecutive wins from 2001-2003.
Victory Cannon
A cannon, which represents the cannons fired at both CMU's
Kelly/Shorts Stadium and WMU's
Waldo Stadium
Waldo Stadium is a stadium in Kalamazoo, Michigan. It is primarily used for football, and has been the home of Western Michigan University Broncos football in rudimentary form since 1914, and as a complete stadium since 1939. It currently has ...
, sits atop the trophy, and each of the schools' wins are noted on both sides. The trophy was first awarded in 2008.
Western Michigan ended the Chippewas five year winning streak with a 30-point win in 2011, and backed it up with a win in 2012, the Broncos' first win in
Mount Pleasant since 2002.
Although the Broncos lead the all-time series 53–40–2, since both teams began competing together in the
NCAA Division I
NCAA Division I (D-I) is the highest division of intercollegiate athletics sanctioned by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) in the United States, which accepts players globally. D-I schools include the major collegiate athlet ...
in 1975, Central Michigan leads the series 29–19–1. However, since the adoption of the Victory Cannon trophy, Western Michigan leads the series 10–7.
Game results
See also
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List of NCAA college football rivalry games
This is a list of List of sports rivalries, rivalry games in college football. The list also shows any trophy awarded to the winner of the rivalry between the teams.
NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision
...
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Michigan MAC Trophy
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Central Michigan-Western Michigan football rivalry
College football rivalries in the United States
Central Michigan Chippewas football
Western Michigan Broncos football
1907 establishments in Michigan