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Jim McElwain, Central Michigan adjust and adapt following bowl switch

FILE Jim McElwain
Posted at 8:34 PM, Dec 29, 2021
and last updated 2021-12-29 20:34:20-05

(WXYZ) — To say it's been an eventful week for Central Michigan and coach Jim McElwain would be an understatement.

"I'm gonna tell you, there hasn't been a lot of days of sleep, so I don't even know what day we're in right now," McElwain joked with reporters during Wednesday's press conference.

The Chippewas will face Washington State in the Sun Bowl on Friday, after Boise State was forced to withdraw from the Arizona Bowl over COVID-19 issues.

"We practiced on Monday for Boise," said McElwain. "Got the word sometime that day when everything started to break - and of course you guys probably knew it before we did, you know the world of social media - so we got back from practice and said 'by the way, does anyone have a way to get some Washington State film? We're gonna play them.'"

"We've just got a great staff, and the guys didn't even blink, and said 'well, let's go figure it out.'"

Even after the bowl change, Central Michigan continued practicing in Tucson, Arizona, and will eventually travel to El Paso, Texas for the Sun Bowl.

"Don't know how looking forward we are to the five and a half hour bus trip down there, but that's a normal MAC road game for us, so I guess we're used to it," said McElwain.