TONIGHT

MOTOR CITY BOWL

MIDDLE TENNESSEE (6-5) VS. CENTRAL MICHIGAN (9-4)

at Ford Field, Detroit, 4:30 p.m., ESPN

Line: Central Michigan by 8 1/2.

Story line: Central Michigan is playing its first bowl game since 1994, but will do so without the coach who guided the Chippewas to their first conference title in 12 years. Brian Kelly left after the regular season to become coach at Cincinnati. Assistant Jeff Quinn will be at the helm. Middle Tennessee, which was 4-7 a year ago, gave up only 91 points in seven Sun Belt Conference games (13.9 points a game) and finished second to Troy. This is the team’s first bowl appearance as a Division I-A team.

--PETER YOON