Football
Jim McElwain
- Title:
- Head Coach
- Phone:
- (989) 774-3896
- Year at CMU:
- 6th year as Head Coach at CMU
- Hometown:
- Missoula, Montana
- Alma Mater/Year:
- Eastern Washington/1984
- Experience:
- 12th year as Head Coach/39th year in coaching
In his five seasons in charge of the Central Michigan Football program, Jim McElwain has delivered on his promise of building the Chippewas into a contender in the Mid-American Conference.
In four full seasons in charge of the program (CMU played just six games in 2020 due to COVID), the Chippewas have won or shared the MAC West Division championship two times and advanced to two bowl games in 2019 and 2021.
McElwain guided the 2021 Chippewas to a 9-4 finish including a 6-2 record in MAC games—earning CMU the MAC West co-championship—and a 24-21 victory over Pac-12 representative Washington State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
It marked the Chippewas’ first bowl win since 2012 and their first victory over a Power 5 opponent since 2017.
CMU’s 2021 ledger included wins over in-state rivals Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan, bringing the Michigan MAC Trophy back to Mount Pleasant for the first time since 2017. McElwain and Co. put that trophy on display alongside the Victory Cannon, which CMU reclaimed with a 42-30 win over Western.
Those two victories highlighted a season-ending five-game win streak and, in keeping with McElwain’s well-established blueprint for success, the Chippewas flexed their offensive prowess in averaging 37.6 points per game during that stretch and finished the season averaging 33.2 points per game, which ranked second in the MAC.
CMU’s potent offense was spearheaded by running back Lew Nichols III, the nation’s leading rusher, and receivers Kalil Pimpleton and JaCorey Sullivan. Nichols ran for 1,848 yards and scored 18 touchdowns, while Pimpleton and Sullivan combined for 111 catches, 1,647 yards, and 14 TDs through the air. The electrifying Pimpleton led the nation in punt-return average (19.1 yards) and punts returned for touchdowns (2).
McElwain’s offense, which averaged 449.6 yards per game, was led up front by a pair of outstanding bookend tackles in Bernhard Raimann (Third-Round NFL Draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts) and Luke Goedeke (Second-Round NFL Draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
The nine wins marked the most by a Chippewa squad since 2009 and the six MAC wins matched CMU’s best since that season. Four times since 2009 the Chippewas have registered six conference victories; two of those six-win seasons have come during McElwain’s four-year tenure.
There was no shortage of individual accolades for McElwain’s charges in 2021 as Raimann earned a nod on the Sporting News All-America Second Team and was named an All-American and the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus.
In addition, cornerback Donte Kent earned a berth on the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team, Nichols was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, and Pimpleton earned the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award. It marked the first time since 2009 that a Chippewa had garnered either award.
In all, 10 Chippewas earned All-MAC honors in 2021 and 13 were named All-MAC by Phil Steele.
In the abbreviated 2020 season, McElwain led CMU to a 3-3 finish both overall and in the MAC as 10 Chippewas earned all-conference honors, including defensive end Troy Hairston II, who earned the co-MAC Defensive Player of the Year Award; and Nichols, who was named the league Freshman of the Year.
Hairston became the first Chippewa since 2005 to earn the league’s top individual award for a player on the defensive side of the ball, and Nichols was the first Chippewa since 2007 to be named the conference’s top freshman.
In 2019, McElwain’s first season in Mount Pleasant, he led the Chippewas to a remarkable turnaround as they won the MAC West and earned a berth in the New Mexico Bowl.
McElwain inherited a program that won one game in 2018 and transformed it immediately into a winner, leading CMU to an 8-6 record and 6-2 MAC record.
The seven-win improvement was the best among Football Bowl Subdivision programs in 2019 and the Chippewas made their first appearance in the MAC Championship Game in more than a decade. McElwain earned the MAC Coach of the Year Award and with that honor, McElwain became just the fourth individual to earn COY honors in three NCAA Division I conferences. The other coaches are Brady Hoke, Gary Patterson, and Dennis Stolz.
McElwain lived up to his reputation as an offensive mastermind as the 2019 Chippewas nearly doubled their 2018 yardage total and scored 426 points, a 246-point improvement over the previous season.
CMU running backs Jonathan Ward and Kobe Lewis both surpassed 1,000 yards rushing, marking the first time in the long and illustrious history of Chippewa football that two players reached the 1,000-yard milestone in the same season.
Pimpleton led the league in both receptions (90) and receiving yardage (934) and earned First Team All-MAC honors as both a wide receiver and as a punt returner. Sullivan also earned first team all-conference honors. They were two of eight Chippewas to earn All-MAC honors in 2019.
McElwain was named to head the program on Dec. 2, 2018, arriving with an exceptional resumé that included successful runs in heading the programs at both Florida and Colorado State, along with membership on coaching staffs of national-championship teams.
• McElwain coached at Florida from 2015-17, compiling a 22-12 overall record, two SEC East titles and two SEC Championship Game appearances, and two bowl game appearances. He earned the SEC Coach of the Year Award in 2015.
• Those titles made him the first coach in league history to reach the SEC Championship Game in his first two seasons as head coach. Just two other coaches reached the title game in their first season.
• He led Colorado State to a 10-3 finish in 2014, earning the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year Award.
• He earned American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year awards in both 2014 and 2015.
• As the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2008-11, McElwain helped the Crimson Tide to two national titles and coached 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
• McElwain served as an assistant at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh in 2018, helping the Wolverines to a 10-2 regular-season finish and a top-10 ranking.
In 39 years of collegiate coaching, McElwain has consistently displayed an ability to build winning teams with a focus on academic success, an eagerness to engage fans and the community, and a determination to maintain integrity throughout the program.
A native of Missoula, Montana, McElwain played quarterback at Eastern Washington from 1980-83 and began his climb up the coaching ladder at his alma mater, first as a graduate assistant and then as the quarterbacks/wide receivers coach from 1987-94.
He moved on to Montana State in 1995, serving as the Bobcats’ offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, and special teams coordinator.
McElwain served as the wide receivers team/special teams coordinator at Louisville from 2000-02 and at Michigan State as the assistant head coach, wide receivers coach, and special teams coordinator from 2003-05.
In 2006, McElwain moved on to the NFL as the quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders. He returned to the collegiate level in 2007, helping lead Fresno State to a 9-4 finish while serving as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
In 2008, McElwain joined Saban’s staff at Alabama. The Crimson Tide amassed an incredible 48-6 combined record in McElwain’s four years on staff, winning national titles in 2009 and 2011.
In 2012-14, McElwain led Colorado State to a combined 22 victories including 10 in 2014. The 10 wins tied for the second most in program history. Colorado State had won just nine games in the combined three years prior to McElwain’s arrival.
McElwain and his wife, Karen, have three children: JoHanna, Elizabeth and Jerret.
THE McELWAIN FILE
Hometown: Missoula, Montana
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Education, Eastern Washington University, 1984
Graduate, Missoula Sentinel High School, 1980
Family
Wife Karen; Children JoHanna, Elizabeth, and Jerret
Coaching Career
Head Coach, Central Michigan University, 2019-current
Wide Receivers Coach, University of Michigan, 2018
Head Coach, University of Florida, 2015-17
Head Coach, Colorado State University, 2012-14
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, University of Alabama, 2008-11
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Fresno State University, 2007
Quarterbacks Coach, Oakland Raiders, 2006
Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers Coach, Special Teams Coordinator, Michigan State University, 2003-05
Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, University of Louisville, 2000-02
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, Montana State University, 1995-99
Quarterbacks Coach/Wide Receivers Coach, Eastern Washington University, 1987-94
Graduate Assistant, Eastern Washington University, 1985-86
Championships/Bowl Games as Head Coach
2013 New Mexico Bowl … 2014 Las Vegas Bowl … 2015 SEC Eastern Division title … 2015 Citrus Bowl … 2016 SEC Eastern Division title … 2016 Outback Bowl … 2019 MAC West Division title … 2019 New Mexico Bowl … 2021 MAC West Division title … 2021 Sun Bowl.
Honors/Awards
2014 Mountain West Coach of the Year … 2014 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year … 2015 SEC Coach of the Year … 2015 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year … 2019 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.
Playing Career
Played quarterback at Eastern Washington from 1980-83 … All-State quarterback at Sentinel High School in Missoula, Montana.
YEAR-BY-YEAR WITH JIM McELWAIN
*did not coach the 2014 Las Vegas Bowl
McELWAIN’S RECORD VS. ALL OPPONENTS AS A HEAD COACH
McELWAIN GAME-BY-GAME AS A HEAD COACH
2012 Colorado State
Record: 4-8; MWC: 3-5
+played in Denver, Colo.
2013 Colorado State
Record: 8-6; MWC: 5-3
+played in Denver, Colo.
#Gidan New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, N.M.
2014 Colorado State
Record: 10-3; MWC: 6-2
+played in Denver, Colo.
^#did not coach in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas, Nevada
2015 Florida
Record: 10-4; SEC: 7-1
+played in Jacksonville, Fla.
^SEC Championship Game, Atlanta, Ga.
#Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla.
2016 Florida
Record: 9-4; SEC: 6-2
+played in Jacksonville, Fla.
^SEC Championship Game, Atlanta, Ga.
#Outback Bowl, Tampa, Fla.
2017 Florida*
Record: 4-7; SEC: 3-5
&AdvoCare Classic, Arlington, Texas
+played in Jacksonville, Fla.
2019 Central Michigan
Record: 8-6; MAC: 6-2
%Mid-American Conference Championship, Detroit, Mich.
#New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, N.M.
2020 Central Michigan
Record: 3-3; MAC: 3-3
Note: season limited by COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Central Michigan
Record: 9-4; MAC: 6-2
#Sun Bowl, El Paso Texas
2022 Central Michigan
Record: 4-8; MAC: 3-5
2023 Central Michigan
Record: 5-7; MAC: 3-5
In four full seasons in charge of the program (CMU played just six games in 2020 due to COVID), the Chippewas have won or shared the MAC West Division championship two times and advanced to two bowl games in 2019 and 2021.
McElwain guided the 2021 Chippewas to a 9-4 finish including a 6-2 record in MAC games—earning CMU the MAC West co-championship—and a 24-21 victory over Pac-12 representative Washington State in the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl.
It marked the Chippewas’ first bowl win since 2012 and their first victory over a Power 5 opponent since 2017.
CMU’s 2021 ledger included wins over in-state rivals Western Michigan and Eastern Michigan, bringing the Michigan MAC Trophy back to Mount Pleasant for the first time since 2017. McElwain and Co. put that trophy on display alongside the Victory Cannon, which CMU reclaimed with a 42-30 win over Western.
Those two victories highlighted a season-ending five-game win streak and, in keeping with McElwain’s well-established blueprint for success, the Chippewas flexed their offensive prowess in averaging 37.6 points per game during that stretch and finished the season averaging 33.2 points per game, which ranked second in the MAC.
CMU’s potent offense was spearheaded by running back Lew Nichols III, the nation’s leading rusher, and receivers Kalil Pimpleton and JaCorey Sullivan. Nichols ran for 1,848 yards and scored 18 touchdowns, while Pimpleton and Sullivan combined for 111 catches, 1,647 yards, and 14 TDs through the air. The electrifying Pimpleton led the nation in punt-return average (19.1 yards) and punts returned for touchdowns (2).
McElwain’s offense, which averaged 449.6 yards per game, was led up front by a pair of outstanding bookend tackles in Bernhard Raimann (Third-Round NFL Draft pick by the Indianapolis Colts) and Luke Goedeke (Second-Round NFL Draft pick by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers).
The nine wins marked the most by a Chippewa squad since 2009 and the six MAC wins matched CMU’s best since that season. Four times since 2009 the Chippewas have registered six conference victories; two of those six-win seasons have come during McElwain’s four-year tenure.
There was no shortage of individual accolades for McElwain’s charges in 2021 as Raimann earned a nod on the Sporting News All-America Second Team and was named an All-American and the Mid-American Conference Offensive Player of the Year by Pro Football Focus.
In addition, cornerback Donte Kent earned a berth on the Football Writers Association of America Freshman All-America Team, Nichols was named the MAC Offensive Player of the Year, and Pimpleton earned the MAC Special Teams Player of the Year Award. It marked the first time since 2009 that a Chippewa had garnered either award.
In all, 10 Chippewas earned All-MAC honors in 2021 and 13 were named All-MAC by Phil Steele.
In the abbreviated 2020 season, McElwain led CMU to a 3-3 finish both overall and in the MAC as 10 Chippewas earned all-conference honors, including defensive end Troy Hairston II, who earned the co-MAC Defensive Player of the Year Award; and Nichols, who was named the league Freshman of the Year.
Hairston became the first Chippewa since 2005 to earn the league’s top individual award for a player on the defensive side of the ball, and Nichols was the first Chippewa since 2007 to be named the conference’s top freshman.
In 2019, McElwain’s first season in Mount Pleasant, he led the Chippewas to a remarkable turnaround as they won the MAC West and earned a berth in the New Mexico Bowl.
McElwain inherited a program that won one game in 2018 and transformed it immediately into a winner, leading CMU to an 8-6 record and 6-2 MAC record.
The seven-win improvement was the best among Football Bowl Subdivision programs in 2019 and the Chippewas made their first appearance in the MAC Championship Game in more than a decade. McElwain earned the MAC Coach of the Year Award and with that honor, McElwain became just the fourth individual to earn COY honors in three NCAA Division I conferences. The other coaches are Brady Hoke, Gary Patterson, and Dennis Stolz.
McElwain lived up to his reputation as an offensive mastermind as the 2019 Chippewas nearly doubled their 2018 yardage total and scored 426 points, a 246-point improvement over the previous season.
CMU running backs Jonathan Ward and Kobe Lewis both surpassed 1,000 yards rushing, marking the first time in the long and illustrious history of Chippewa football that two players reached the 1,000-yard milestone in the same season.
Pimpleton led the league in both receptions (90) and receiving yardage (934) and earned First Team All-MAC honors as both a wide receiver and as a punt returner. Sullivan also earned first team all-conference honors. They were two of eight Chippewas to earn All-MAC honors in 2019.
McElwain was named to head the program on Dec. 2, 2018, arriving with an exceptional resumé that included successful runs in heading the programs at both Florida and Colorado State, along with membership on coaching staffs of national-championship teams.
• McElwain coached at Florida from 2015-17, compiling a 22-12 overall record, two SEC East titles and two SEC Championship Game appearances, and two bowl game appearances. He earned the SEC Coach of the Year Award in 2015.
• Those titles made him the first coach in league history to reach the SEC Championship Game in his first two seasons as head coach. Just two other coaches reached the title game in their first season.
• He led Colorado State to a 10-3 finish in 2014, earning the Mountain West Conference Coach of the Year Award.
• He earned American Football Coaches Association Regional Coach of the Year awards in both 2014 and 2015.
• As the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach under Nick Saban at Alabama from 2008-11, McElwain helped the Crimson Tide to two national titles and coached 2009 Heisman Trophy winner Mark Ingram.
• McElwain served as an assistant at Michigan under Jim Harbaugh in 2018, helping the Wolverines to a 10-2 regular-season finish and a top-10 ranking.
In 39 years of collegiate coaching, McElwain has consistently displayed an ability to build winning teams with a focus on academic success, an eagerness to engage fans and the community, and a determination to maintain integrity throughout the program.
A native of Missoula, Montana, McElwain played quarterback at Eastern Washington from 1980-83 and began his climb up the coaching ladder at his alma mater, first as a graduate assistant and then as the quarterbacks/wide receivers coach from 1987-94.
He moved on to Montana State in 1995, serving as the Bobcats’ offensive coordinator, wide receivers coach, and special teams coordinator.
McElwain served as the wide receivers team/special teams coordinator at Louisville from 2000-02 and at Michigan State as the assistant head coach, wide receivers coach, and special teams coordinator from 2003-05.
In 2006, McElwain moved on to the NFL as the quarterbacks coach for the Oakland Raiders. He returned to the collegiate level in 2007, helping lead Fresno State to a 9-4 finish while serving as the offensive coordinator/quarterbacks coach.
In 2008, McElwain joined Saban’s staff at Alabama. The Crimson Tide amassed an incredible 48-6 combined record in McElwain’s four years on staff, winning national titles in 2009 and 2011.
In 2012-14, McElwain led Colorado State to a combined 22 victories including 10 in 2014. The 10 wins tied for the second most in program history. Colorado State had won just nine games in the combined three years prior to McElwain’s arrival.
McElwain and his wife, Karen, have three children: JoHanna, Elizabeth and Jerret.
THE McELWAIN FILE
Hometown: Missoula, Montana
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Education, Eastern Washington University, 1984
Graduate, Missoula Sentinel High School, 1980
Family
Wife Karen; Children JoHanna, Elizabeth, and Jerret
Coaching Career
Head Coach, Central Michigan University, 2019-current
Wide Receivers Coach, University of Michigan, 2018
Head Coach, University of Florida, 2015-17
Head Coach, Colorado State University, 2012-14
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, University of Alabama, 2008-11
Offensive Coordinator/Quarterbacks Coach, Fresno State University, 2007
Quarterbacks Coach, Oakland Raiders, 2006
Assistant Head Coach/Wide Receivers Coach, Special Teams Coordinator, Michigan State University, 2003-05
Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, University of Louisville, 2000-02
Offensive Coordinator/Wide Receivers Coach/Special Teams Coordinator, Montana State University, 1995-99
Quarterbacks Coach/Wide Receivers Coach, Eastern Washington University, 1987-94
Graduate Assistant, Eastern Washington University, 1985-86
Championships/Bowl Games as Head Coach
2013 New Mexico Bowl … 2014 Las Vegas Bowl … 2015 SEC Eastern Division title … 2015 Citrus Bowl … 2016 SEC Eastern Division title … 2016 Outback Bowl … 2019 MAC West Division title … 2019 New Mexico Bowl … 2021 MAC West Division title … 2021 Sun Bowl.
Honors/Awards
2014 Mountain West Coach of the Year … 2014 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year … 2015 SEC Coach of the Year … 2015 AFCA Regional Coach of the Year … 2019 Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year.
Playing Career
Played quarterback at Eastern Washington from 1980-83 … All-State quarterback at Sentinel High School in Missoula, Montana.
YEAR-BY-YEAR WITH JIM McELWAIN
| Year | School | Overall | Conf. | Standing | Bowl Game |
| 2012 | Colorado State | 4-8 | 3-5 | T-6th place | -- |
| 2014 | Colorado State | 10-2 | 6-2 | T-2nd place | *Las Vegas Bowl |
| 2013 | Colorado State | 8-6 | 5-3 | 3rd place | New Mexico Bowl |
| Total at CSU | 22-15 | 14-10 | |||
| 2015 | Florida | 10-4 | 7-2 | 1st-Eastern | Citrus Bowl |
| 2016 | Florida | 9-4 | 6-3 | 1st-Eastern | Outback Bowl |
| 2017 | Florida | 3-4 | 3-3 | N/A | -- |
| Total at Florida | 22-12 | 16-8 | |||
| 2019 | Central Michigan | 8-6 | 6-2 | 1st-West | New Mexico Bowl |
| 2020 | Central Michigan | 3-3 | 3-3 | 4th-West | -- |
| 2021 | Central Michigan | 9-4 | 6-2 | T-1st West | Sun Bowl |
| 2022 | Central Michigan | 4-8 | 3-5 | T-4th West | -- |
| 2023 | Central Michigan | 5-7 | 3-5 | T-4th West | -- |
| Total at CMU | 29-28 | 21-17 | |||
| Career | 73-55 | 51-35 | -- | 6 bowl games (3-2 record) |
*did not coach the 2014 Las Vegas Bowl
McELWAIN’S RECORD VS. ALL OPPONENTS AS A HEAD COACH
| Opponent | W | L |
| Air Force | 1 | 2 |
| Akron | 3 | 0 |
| Alabama | 0 | 3 |
| Albany | 1 | 0 |
| UAB | 1 | 0 |
| Arkansas | 0 | 1 |
| Ball State | 2 | 3 |
| Boise State | 0 | 3 |
| Boston College | 1 | 0 |
| Bowling Green | 0 | 1 |
| Bucknell | 1 | 0 |
| Buffalo | 1 | 2 |
| Cal Poly | 1 | 0 |
| Colorado | 2 | 1 |
| East Carolina | 1 | 0 |
| Eastern Michigan | 4 | 1 |
| Florida Atlantic | 1 | 0 |
| Florida State | 0 | 3 |
| FIU | 1 | 0 |
| Fresno State | 0 | 1 |
| Georgia | 2 | 1 |
| Hawaii | 3 | 0 |
| Iowa | 1 | 0 |
| Kent State | 1 | 0 |
| Kentucky | 3 | 0 |
| LSU | 1 | 3 |
| Massachusetts | 1 | 0 |
| Miami (Fla.) | 0 | 1 |
| Miami (Ohio) | 0 | 2 |
| Michigan | 0 | 1 |
| Michigan State | 0 | 1 |
| Mississippi | 1 | 0 |
| Missouri | 2 | 2 |
| Nevada | 2 | 0 |
| New Hampshire | 1 | 0 |
| New Mexico | 3 | 0 |
| New Mexico State | 2 | 0 |
| North Dakota State | 0 | 1 |
| North Texas | 1 | 0 |
| Northern Illinois | 4 | 1 |
| Notre Dame | 0 | 1 |
| Ohio | 2 | 1 |
| Oklahoma State | 0 | 1 |
| Penn State | 0 | 1 |
| Robert Morris | 1 | 0 |
| San Diego State | 0 | 2 |
| San Jose State | 1 | 2 |
| South Alabama | 1 | 1 |
| South Carolina | 2 | 1 |
| Tennessee | 2 | 1 |
| Texas A&M | 0 | 1 |
| Toledo | 2 | 3 |
| Tulsa | 1 | 1 |
| UC Davis | 1 | 0 |
| UNLV | 1 | 0 |
| Utah | 0 | 1 |
| Utah State | 2 | 1 |
| UTEP | 1 | 0 |
| Vanderbilt | 2 | 0 |
| Washington State | 2 | 0 |
| Western Michigan | 1 | 4 |
| Wisconsin | 0 | 1 |
| Wyoming | 2 | 1 |
| Overall | 73 | 55 |
McELWAIN GAME-BY-GAME AS A HEAD COACH
2012 Colorado State
Record: 4-8; MWC: 3-5
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CSU | Opp. |
| S1 | vs. +Colorado | W | 22 | 17 |
| S8 | NORTH DAKOTA STATE | L | 7 | 22 |
| S15 | at *San Jose State | L | 20 | 40 |
| S22 | UTAH STATE | L | 19 | 31 |
| S29 | *AIR FORCE | L | 21 | 42 |
| O6 | *FRESNO STATE | L | 7 | 28 |
| O13 | at *San Diego State | L | 14 | 38 |
| O20 | *HAWAII | W | 42 | 27 |
| N3 | at *Wyoming | L | 31 | 45 |
| N10 | *UNLV | W | 33 | 11 |
| N17 | at *Boise State | L | 14 | 42 |
| N24 | *NEW MEXICO | W | 24 | 20 |
+played in Denver, Colo.
2013 Colorado State
Record: 8-6; MWC: 5-3
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CSU | Opp. |
| S1 | vs. +Colorado | L | 27 | 41 |
| S7 | at Tulsa | L | 27 | 30 |
| S14 | CAL POLY | W | 34 | 17 |
| S21 | at Alabama | L | 6 | 31 |
| S28 | UTEP | W | 59 | 42 |
| O12 | *SAN JOSE STATE | L | 27 | 34 |
| O19 | at *Wyoming | W | 59 | 22 |
| O26 | at *Hawaii | W | 35 | 28 |
| N2 | *BOISE STATE | L | 30 | 42 |
| N9 | *NEVADA | W | 38 | 17 |
| N16 | at *New Mexico | W | 66 | 42 |
| N23 | at *Utah State | L | 0 | 13 |
| N30 | *AIR FORCE | W | 58 | 13 |
| D21 | vs. #Washington State | W | 48 | 45 |
+played in Denver, Colo.
#Gidan New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, N.M.
2014 Colorado State
Record: 10-3; MWC: 6-2
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CSU | Opp. |
| A29 | vs. +Colorado | W | 31 | 17 |
| S6 | at *Boise State | L | 24 | 37 |
| S13 | UC DAVIS | W | 49 | 21 |
| S27 | at Boston College | W | 24 | 21 |
| O4 | TULSA | W | 42 | 17 |
| O11 | at *Nevada | W | 31 | 24 |
| O18 | *UTAH STATE | W | 16 | 13 |
| O25 | at *Wyoming | W | 45 | 31 |
| N1 | at *San Jose State | W | 38 | 31 |
| N8 | *HAWAII | W | 49 | 22 |
| N22 | *NEW MEXICO | W | 58 | 20 |
| N28 | at *Air Force | L | 24 | 27 |
| D20 | vs. ^#Utah | L | 10 | 45 |
+played in Denver, Colo.
^#did not coach in the Royal Purple Las Vegas Bowl, Las Vegas, Nevada
2015 Florida
Record: 10-4; SEC: 7-1
| Date | Opponent | W/L | UF | Opp. |
| S5 | NEW MEXICO STATE | W | 61 | 13 |
| S12 | EAST CAROLINA | W | 31 | 24 |
| S19 | at *Kentucky | W | 14 | 9 |
| S26 | *TENNESSEE | W | 28 | 27 |
| O3 | *MISSISSIPPI | W | 38 | 10 |
| O10 | at *Missouri | W | 21 | 3 |
| O17 | at *LSU | L | 28 | 25 |
| O31 | vs. *+Georgia | W | 27 | 3 |
| N7 | *VANDERBILT | W | 9 | 7 |
| N14 | at *South Carolina | W | 24 | 14 |
| N21 | FLORIDA ATLANTIC | W-OT | 20 | 14 |
| N28 | FLORIDA STATE | L | 2 | 27 |
| D5 | vs. ^Alabama | L | 15 | 29 |
+played in Jacksonville, Fla.
^SEC Championship Game, Atlanta, Ga.
#Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl, Orlando, Fla.
2016 Florida
Record: 9-4; SEC: 6-2
| Date | Opponent | W/L | UF | Opp. |
| S3 | UMASS | W | 24 | 7 |
| S10 | *KENTUCKY | W | 45 | 7 |
| S17 | NORTH TEXAS | W | 32 | 0 |
| S24 | at *Tennessee | L | 28 | 38 |
| O1 | at *Vanderbilt | W | 13 | 6 |
| O15 | *MISSOURI | W | 40 | 14 |
| O29 | vs. *+Georgia | W | 24 | 10 |
| N5 | at *Arkansas | L | 10 | 31 |
| N12 | *SOUTH CAROLINA | W | 20 | 7 |
| N19 | at *LSU | W | 16 | 10 |
| N26 | at Florida State | L | 13 | 31 |
| D3 | vs. ^Alabama | L | 16 | 54 |
| J2 | vs. #Iowa | W | 30 | 3 |
+played in Jacksonville, Fla.
^SEC Championship Game, Atlanta, Ga.
#Outback Bowl, Tampa, Fla.
2017 Florida*
Record: 4-7; SEC: 3-5
| Date | Opponent | W/L | UF | Opp. |
| S2 | &MICHIGAN | L | 17 | 33 |
| S9 | NORTHERN COLORADO | Canc. | -- | -- |
| S16 | *TENNESSEE | W | 26 | 20 |
| S23 | at *Kentucky | W | 28 | 27 |
| S30 | *VANDERBILT | W | 38 | 24 |
| O7 | *LSU | L | 16 | 17 |
| O14 | *TEXAS A&M | L | 17 | 19 |
| O28 | vs. *+Georgia | L | 7 | 42 |
| N4 | at *Missouri | L | 16 | 45 |
| N11 | at *South Carolina | L | 20 | 28 |
| N18 | UAB | W | 36 | 7 |
| N25 | FLORIDA STATE | L | 22 | 38 |
&AdvoCare Classic, Arlington, Texas
+played in Jacksonville, Fla.
2019 Central Michigan
Record: 8-6; MAC: 6-2
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CMU | Opp. |
| A29 | ALBANY | W | 38 | 21 |
| S7 | at Wisconsin | L | 0 | 61 |
| S14 | *AKRON | W | 45 | 24 |
| S21 | at Miami (Fla.) | L | 12 | 17 |
| S28 | at *Western Michigan | L | 15 | 31 |
| O5 | *EASTERN MICHIGAN | W | 42 | 16 |
| O12 | NEW MEXICO STATE (HC) | W | 42 | 28 |
| O26 | at *Buffalo | L | 20 | 43 |
| N2 | *NORTHERN ILLINOIS | W | 48 | 10 |
| N16 | at *Ball State | W | 45 | 44 |
| N29 | *TOLEDO | W | 49 | 7 |
| D7 | vs. %Miami (Ohio) | L | 21 | 26 |
| D21 | vs. #San Diego State | L | 11 | 48 |
%Mid-American Conference Championship, Detroit, Mich.
#New Mexico Bowl, Albuquerque, N.M.
2020 Central Michigan
Record: 3-3; MAC: 3-3
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CMU | Opp. |
| N4 | *OHIO | W | 30 | 27 |
| N11 | at *Northern Illinois | W | 40 | 10 |
| N18 | *WESTERN MICHIGAN | L | 44 | 52 |
| N27 | at Eastern Michigan | W | 31 | 23 |
| D5 | *BALL STATE | L | 20 | 45 |
| D12 | at *Toledo | L | 23 | 24 |
Note: season limited by COVID-19 pandemic
2021 Central Michigan
Record: 9-4; MAC: 6-2
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CMU | Opp. |
| S4 | at Missouri | L | 24 | 34 |
| S11 | ROBERT MORRIS | W | 45 | 0 |
| S18 | at LSU | L | 21 | 49 |
| S25 | FIU | W | 31 | 27 |
| O2 | at *Miami (Ohio) | L | 17 | 28 |
| O9 | at *Ohio | W | 30 | 27 |
| O16 | *TOLEDO | W-OT | 26 | 23 |
| O23 | *NORTHERN ILLINOIS | L | 38 | 39 |
| N3 | at *Western Michigan | W | 42 | 30 |
| N10 | *KENT STATE | W | 54 | 30 |
| N17 | at *Ball State | W | 37 | 17 |
| N26 | *EASTERN MICHIGAN | W | 31 | 10 |
| D31 | vs. #Washington State | W | 24 | 21 |
#Sun Bowl, El Paso Texas
2022 Central Michigan
Record: 4-8; MAC: 3-5
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CMU | Opp. |
| S1 | at Oklahoma State | L | 44 | 58 |
| S10 | SOUTH ALABAMA | L | 24 | 38 |
| S17 | BUCKNELL | W | 41 | 0 |
| S24 | at Penn State | L | 14 | 33 |
| O1 | at *Toledo | L | 17 | 38 |
| O8 | *BALL STATE (HC) | L | 16 | 17 |
| O15 | at *Akron | W | 28 | 21 |
| O22 | *BOWLING GREEN | L | 18 | 34 |
| N2 | at *Northern Illinois | W | 35 | 22 |
| N9 | *BUFFALO | W | 31 | 27 |
| N16 | *WESTERN MICHIGAN | L | 10 | 12 |
| N25 | at *Eastern Michigan | L | 19 | 38 |
2023 Central Michigan
Record: 5-7; MAC: 3-5
| Date | Opponent | W/L | CMU | Opp. |
| S1 | at Michigan State | L | 7 | 31 |
| S9 | NEW HAMPSHIRE | W | 45 | 42 |
| S16 | at Notre Dame | L | 17 | 41 |
| S23 | at South Alabama | W | 34 | 30 |
| S30 | *EASTERN MICHIGAN | W | 26 | 23 |
| O7 | at *Buffalo | L | 13 | 37 |
| O14 | *AKRON (HC) | W | 17 | 10 |
| O21 | at *Ball State | L | 17 | 24 |
| O31 | *NORTHERN ILLINOIS | W | 37 | 31 |
| N7 | at *Western Michigan | L | 28 | 38 |
| N15 | at *Ohio | L | 20 | 34 |
| N23 | *TOLEDO | L | 17 | 32 |