It's hard to know what day it is between Dec. 25 and Dec. 31, but if you're a Northwestern fan, there's one important date to remember. Friday, the day after Christmas, the 'Cats will take on Central Michigan in Detroit at the GameAbove Sports Bowl.

Northwestern is currently 10.5 point favorites, according to ESPNBET, but it's also been almost a month since we've seen the Wildcats in action. Here are three keys for Northwestern to shake off the rust and end the season on a high note.

Be prepared for the rushing attack

Joe Labas, Central Michigan's quarterback, didn't throw the ball at a particularly effective clip this season -- he finished with 1,676 yards and 12 touchdowns to six interceptions. What Northwestern's opponent may lack in the passing game, though, it makes up for on the ground.

As a team, Central Michigan rushed for 2,034 yards on the season. For reference, Northwestern's highly praised rushing attack only combined for 2,005 yards.

The other unique element of Central Michigan's ground game is that it can utilize a lot of different threats in the backfield. Nahree Biggins was the team's leading rusher with just 540 yards on 105 carries.

Behind him, listed quarterback Angel Flores also had 519 yards on the ground. Trey Cornist and Brock Townsend weren't far behind with 404 and 394 yards, respectively.

Pounce early

Central Michigan has more natural motivation. David Braun always has his players ready to go, but Northwestern's opponent is the underdog coming into this game with something to prove.

If the 'Cats can start strong, I think it will go a long way towards winning the football game. Northwestern is coming off an extended stretch of inactivity (as is Central Michigan), and it needs to avoid a rusty-looking start.

If Northwestern is controlling the scoreboard from the beginning, it becomes much easier for it to play the game it's comfortably playing -- pounding the rock and running out the clock. If it has to fight harder, it risks turnovers and momentum swings that would put Central Michigan in a much better situation.

Good Preston Stone shows up

Northwestern's starting quarterback has had a season that can only be described as inconsistent. At all times, he's been a high-quality leader of men. That's not what I'm worried about. But, occasionally, he's had an undeniable turnover problem that has lost the 'Cats games.

The last time we saw him against Illinois, for example, he threw three picks, and the Wildcats lost 20-13. I want to adhere to the old football-isms of "it's a team sport" or "you can't pin a loss on one play." But, in this case, I think you can blame the loss on three plays.

If the Wildcats get the good version of Preston Stone on Friday, it's hard to imagine they lose this game. They have the talent advantage, and they have a coach who I'm confident kept this team engaged over the past few weeks. If they have the quarterback, too, it's going to be a tough fight for Central Michigan.

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