Chippewas Fall in Regular-Season Finale to Toledo

Saturday, November 29

Mount Pleasant, Mich.

Noon ET

Central Michigan University

7-5 , 5-3

Toledo

8-4 , 6-2

1st

2nd

3rd

4th

Toledo

Central Michigan

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Lauren Verellen '26 - @laurenverellen_photography

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Sydney Kline '26 - @sydney.kline.photography

Photo by: Kailey Hill '26 - @rahsignz

Photo by: Lauren Verellen

11/29/2025 4:58:00 PM | Football

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Central Michigan honors 27-member football senior class in a pre-game ceremony; bowl eligible Central Michigan will find out what bowl it will play in on Sunday, Dec. 7.

By: Andy Sneddon

MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – As solid as Central Michigan's defense has been throughout the season, it could hold the fort only for so long against one of the Mid-American Conference's best.

Toledo scored a touchdown with under 10 seconds left in the third quarter and then added a pair of fourth-quarter insurance scores in handing Central Michigan a 21-3 loss on the Chippewas' Senior Day on Saturday on Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.

It was the Chippewas' first loss at home this season as they finished 5-3 in Mid-American Conference play. They are 7-5 overall and will learn their bowl destination on Dec. 7.

CMU's win total is its highest since 2021 when it finished 9-4, 6-2. The Chippewas entered the final weekend of the season with an outside shot at making a MAC Championship Game appearance under first-year coach Matt Drinkall.

"If you'd have told me at the beginning of the season that we'd be sitting here, going to a bowl at seven wins, playing the last game of the regular season with a chance to go to the (league) title game, not too bad," Drinkall said. "I think that's a testament to our seniors and their leadership and how good they have been all year.

"I've been doing this long enough now, after 23 or 24 years, whatever it is, to really be able to appreciate what these guys have done. Because it's not just the games in the season, it is everything. They changed everything about how they do their business, and I can't give them enough credit. I'm a big one-word person … and for these guys, it's legacy."

The Rockets are 8-4, 6-2 and finished tied for second with Miami (Ohio) in the MAC. The RedHawks hold the tie-breaker over Toledo and will play Western Michigan in the MAC Championship Game at Ford Field in Detroit on Dec. 6.

The temperature at kickoff was 30 degrees and both offenses struggled to get on track. CMU got a 28-yard field goal from Cade Graham just before halftime for a 3-0 lead.

The Rockets broke through with 10 seconds left in the third quarter on a 57-yard touchdown on a screen pass from backup quarterback Kalieb Osborne to Chip Trayanum.

The Rockets then got a 9-yard TD run from Kenji Christian and a 42-yard score from Trayanum in the final 8-plus minutes.

Toledo entered the game sporting the MAC's No. 1 offense and its No. 1 defense. The Chippewas moved the ball effectively, at times, but failed to convert on four fourth-down chances – usually a staple of the CMU offense – and was forced to play from behind.

Toledo finished with 205 yards rushing to the Chippewas' 81.

"That is a very, very good football team that is not only talented and well coached, but that is a veteran group that knows how to play well in games like that," Drinkall said of the Rockets. "Looking at Toledo, that's where we have to get to. So we have a very, very clear picture of what that looks like now and a great direction on where to go.

"We battled. I'm so proud of how the kids fought and battled through all 60 minutes. And the reality is we just didn't play good enough football there in the last 16 minutes of the game to come out victorious. We fought like crazy until the bitter end. And what I told the kids after the game is we are not going to let a one game in a three-hour window cast a shadow on the beacon of light that these guys have provided for the entire season."

Quarterback Joe Labas, one of some two dozen Chippewa senior playing his final home game, finished with 242 yards on 19-of-30 passing. He was sacked four times and intercepted once.