The 2021 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the 2021 NCAA Division I FBS football season. They were led by third-year head coach Jim McElwain and played their home games at Kelly/Shorts Stadium as members of the West Division of the Mid-American Conference.

Quick Facts Central Michigan Chippewas football, MAC West Division co-championSun Bowl champion ...

2021 Central Michigan Chippewas football
MAC West Division co-champion Sun Bowl champion
Sun Bowl, W 24–21 vs. Washington State
Conference	Mid-American Conference
Division	West Division
Record	9–4 (6–2 MAC)
Head coach	Jim McElwain (3rd season)
Offensive coordinator	Kevin Barbay (1st season)
Defensive coordinator	Robb Akey (3rd season)
Home stadium	Kelly/Shorts Stadium
Seasons ← 2020 2022 →

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The Chippewas completed their regular season with an 8–4 record and accepted a bid to the Arizona Bowl, where they were due to face the Boise State Broncos. On December 27, Barstool Sports (the title sponsor of the bowl) founder David Portnoy announced the withdrawal of the Broncos from the bowl due to COVID-19 issues within the program; organizers stated that they would attempt to secure a replacement team to face the Chippewas.^[1] Later in the day, the Arizona Bowl was canceled,^[2] and Central Michigan was named as a replacement team for the Sun Bowl to face the Washington State Cougars.^[3]

More information Date, Time ...

Date	Time	Opponent	Site	TV	Result	Attendance
September 4	4:00 p.m.	at Missouri*	Faurot Field Columbia, MO	SECN	L 24–34	46,327
September 11	3:00 p.m.	Robert Morris*	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	ESPN3	W 45–0	16,128
September 18	7:30 p.m.	at LSU*	Tiger Stadium Baton Rouge, LA	SECN	L 21–49	92,547
September 25	12:00 p.m.	FIU*	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	ESPN+	W 31–27	18,382
October 2	3:30 p.m.	at Miami (OH)	Yager Stadium Oxford, OH	ESPN+	L 17–28	15,065
October 9	3:30 p.m.	at Ohio	Peden Stadium Athens, OH	ESPN+	W 30–27	20,928
October 16	3:30 p.m.	Toledo	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	CBSSN	W 26–23 OT	20,112
October 23	12:00 p.m.	Northern Illinois	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	ESPNU	L 38–39	15,232
November 3	7:00 p.m.	at Western Michigan	Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo, MI (rivalry, Michigan MAC Trophy)	ESPNU	W 42–30	13,137
November 10	8:00 p.m.	Kent State	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI	ESPNU	W 54–30	9,213
November 17	7:00 p.m.	at Ball State	Scheumann Stadium Muncie, IN	ESPNU	W 37–17	5,602
November 26	12:00 p.m.	Eastern Michigan	Kelly/Shorts Stadium Mount Pleasant, MI (rivalry, Michigan MAC Trophy)	ESPNU	W 31–10	7,708
December 31	12:00 p.m.	vs. Washington State	Sun Bowl Stadium El Paso, TX (Sun Bowl)	CBS	W 24–21	34,540
*Non-conference game Homecoming Rankings from AP Poll released prior to the game All times are in Eastern time

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