Central Michigan University Athletics
Wednesday, November 19
Kent, Ohio/Dix Stadium
7:00 PM
Central Michigan University
at
Kent State
CMU's defense created five turnovers last week in a 38-19 win over Buffalo at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz
Football Preview: Plenty for Chippewas to Play for on Wednesday at Kent State
11/18/2025 3:37:00 PM | Football
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – There is an awful lot of incentive for the Central Michigan football team when it goes to Kent State on Wednesday (7 p.m. ESPNU) for a Mid-American Conference game.
The Chippewas are 6-4 and, at 4-2 in MAC play, in the hunt – along with many others – for a spot in the MAC Championship Game. And with six wins under its belt, CMU is bowl eligible and can strengthen its case for a higher profile postseason game with a win over the Golden Flashes.
The Chippewas are almost certainly headed to a bowl game; their league championship hopes are far more murky.
Mathematically, there are myriad scenarios under which CMU could finish among the top two in the MAC standings and play for the title on Dec. 6 at Ford Field in Detroit. Realistically, the Chippewas need to win their final two games – they play Toledo at home on Nov. 29 – and they need to have Miami (Ohio) and Ohio each lose one of their final two contests.
The Golden Flashes are 4-6, 3-3 and have their own MAC championship aspirations – no matter how dim they appear at this point – and bowl hopes.
"The scariest thing about Kent is they have a ton of explosive players and big play ability, but the other one is, they're playing desperate football right now, I mean, very desperate," CMU coach Matt Drinkall said.
The Chippewas are bowl eligible for the first time since 2021, when they won the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl and finished 9-4. CMU has already won more games (six) this season than it had in each of the previous three seasons.
Clearly, Drinkall has CMU headed in the right direction as he nears the end of his first season. The Chippewas have won three of their last four games – all three of those wins have come by at leas three touchdowns – and the lone blemish on their ledger since Oct. 4 was a 24-21 loss at Western Michigan, which leads the MAC at 5-1.
A glaring difference from last season is turnovers. The Chippewas have forced 18 turnovers in 2025 after creating just five a year ago. CMU has a plus-8 turnover ratio, ranking No. 1 in the MAC and No. 12 among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
CMU's defense forced five turnovers in last week's 38-19 home victory over Buffalo. The Chippewas turned two of those turnovers – one interception, one fumble – into six points.
"Your odds of winning when you score one defensive touchdown go up a lot," Drinkall said. "Two? I would imagine it's pretty high."
CMU's defense turned in perhaps its best performance of the season in the win over Buffalo. And a major factor in that performance was the turnovers.
Buffalo's offense produced two touchdowns, one of which came on a 55-yard play in the second quarter. Their final TD came in the fourth quarter long after the outcome had been decided.
Buffalo's final score of the game came in the fourth quarter after the outcome had long been decided.
Outside of the one play that they hit, where we had some poor angles and missed tackling, the defense played as tight and as constricting as you possibly can the entire night," Drinkall said.
Statistically, the Chippewas appear to have the advantage over the Golden Flashes in ever category. Kent State ranks 11th in the MAC in total offense and 13th (last) in total defense. CMU is seventh in both categories.
The Chippewas are 6-4 and, at 4-2 in MAC play, in the hunt – along with many others – for a spot in the MAC Championship Game. And with six wins under its belt, CMU is bowl eligible and can strengthen its case for a higher profile postseason game with a win over the Golden Flashes.
The Chippewas are almost certainly headed to a bowl game; their league championship hopes are far more murky.
Mathematically, there are myriad scenarios under which CMU could finish among the top two in the MAC standings and play for the title on Dec. 6 at Ford Field in Detroit. Realistically, the Chippewas need to win their final two games – they play Toledo at home on Nov. 29 – and they need to have Miami (Ohio) and Ohio each lose one of their final two contests.
The Golden Flashes are 4-6, 3-3 and have their own MAC championship aspirations – no matter how dim they appear at this point – and bowl hopes.
"The scariest thing about Kent is they have a ton of explosive players and big play ability, but the other one is, they're playing desperate football right now, I mean, very desperate," CMU coach Matt Drinkall said.
The Chippewas are bowl eligible for the first time since 2021, when they won the Tony the Tiger Sun Bowl and finished 9-4. CMU has already won more games (six) this season than it had in each of the previous three seasons.
Clearly, Drinkall has CMU headed in the right direction as he nears the end of his first season. The Chippewas have won three of their last four games – all three of those wins have come by at leas three touchdowns – and the lone blemish on their ledger since Oct. 4 was a 24-21 loss at Western Michigan, which leads the MAC at 5-1.
A glaring difference from last season is turnovers. The Chippewas have forced 18 turnovers in 2025 after creating just five a year ago. CMU has a plus-8 turnover ratio, ranking No. 1 in the MAC and No. 12 among all Football Bowl Subdivision teams.
CMU's defense forced five turnovers in last week's 38-19 home victory over Buffalo. The Chippewas turned two of those turnovers – one interception, one fumble – into six points.
"Your odds of winning when you score one defensive touchdown go up a lot," Drinkall said. "Two? I would imagine it's pretty high."
CMU's defense turned in perhaps its best performance of the season in the win over Buffalo. And a major factor in that performance was the turnovers.
Buffalo's offense produced two touchdowns, one of which came on a 55-yard play in the second quarter. Their final TD came in the fourth quarter long after the outcome had been decided.
Buffalo's final score of the game came in the fourth quarter after the outcome had long been decided.
Outside of the one play that they hit, where we had some poor angles and missed tackling, the defense played as tight and as constricting as you possibly can the entire night," Drinkall said.
Statistically, the Chippewas appear to have the advantage over the Golden Flashes in ever category. Kent State ranks 11th in the MAC in total offense and 13th (last) in total defense. CMU is seventh in both categories.
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