Central Michigan Chippewas at Ball State Cardinals

Two MAC programs headed in opposite directions after 2025 close out the regular season in Muncie, and one side has a lot more to feel good about than the other.

Bush’s Picks

CMUBALL

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Best BetCentral Michigan

Central Michigan enters with the better résumé — a bowl season and real offensive-line continuity beat Ball State's 4-8 finish and defensive rebuild on paper. The Chippewas' own quarterback picture is unsettled, but that's true on both sidelines, and CMU's is still the more battle-tested program. Lean Chippewas to get the win here.

Central Michigan

• +Bowl-eligible in year one under Matt Drinkall
• +Returns 5 starting offensive linemen
• +Secondary reloaded with experienced transfers
• −Quarterback room totally unproven after Labas departure
• −Lost top defensive lineman and two starters
• −Tough non-conference slate could bruise confidence

Ball State

• +Year 2 continuity in Uremovich's offensive system
• +Brought in 29 transfers to upgrade roster
• +Players openly talking bowl game, MAC title
• −Finished 4-8 with MAC losses by ~24 points
• −Defense returns just 2 starters from leaky unit
• −Quarterback battle unresolved between two portal newcomers

Both sidelines walk into this one with brand-new quarterback rooms. Ball State's answer is a portal duo — Tyler Mizzell, who's jumping up from Division II Concord, and Texas State transfer Keldric Luster, with Mizzell currently projected to win the job. Central Michigan lost Joe Labas and hands the keys to some combination of Angel Flores, Jadyn Glasser and Marcus Beamon, with Glasser the closest thing to a known commodity after going 48-of-85 for 517 yards and 4 interceptions in spot duty back in 2024. Neither team is walking in with a proven starter, which says plenty about where both programs are.

Central Michigan has the better recent track record to lean on. Matt Drinkall's first season in Mount Pleasant ended at 7-6 with the program's first bowl trip since 2021, and 5 starting offensive linemen are back to keep building on it. Ball State's floor looked a lot shakier in year one under Mike Uremovich — a 4-8 finish where the 5 MAC losses came by an average of 24.2 points. The Cardinals leaned hard into the portal this offseason, bringing in 29 transfers, and Uremovich's staff is selling a program with something to prove.

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Records aside, this is a rivalry-week type environment for two teams jockeying for MAC positioning, and the roster overhauls on both sides make it a tougher projection than the 2025 results alone would suggest.

Central Michigan Chippewas

Nov 17?@ Buffalo—

Nov 10?vs Sacramento State—

Nov 3?@ Eastern Michigan—

Oct 16?vs Western Michigan—

Oct 9?@ Ohio—

Oct 2?vs Akron—

Sep 26?@ Miami—

Sep 19?vs Wyoming—

Sep 12?vs Colgate—

Sep 5?@ New Mexico—

Ball State Cardinals

Nov 17?@ Ohio—

Nov 10?vs Buffalo—

Nov 3?@ Massachusetts—

Oct 16?@ Bowling Green—

Oct 9?@ Northwestern—

Oct 2?vs Toledo—

Sep 25?@ Kent State—

Sep 19?@ Liberty—

Sep 12?vs Stony Brook—

Sep 5?@ Ohio State—

Central Michigan's defense has its own questions after losing NFL-caliber lineman Michael Heldman along with Jordan Kwiatkowski and Dakota Cochran up front, though coordinator Sean Cronin restocked the secondary with experienced transfers from Wyoming and Northern Colorado that looked sharp this spring. Ball State's defense is the bigger concern of the two — just 2 starters return from a unit that gave up 30 points a game in 2025, even with the offensive side of the ball taking a step forward in year two of Uremovich's system.

Central Michigan Chippewas

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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report

Ball State Cardinals

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Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report

Ball State's locker room is selling belief — linebacker Justin Thomas said this group feels "primed to be in position for a bowl game and even a MAC title," and teammate Joey Stemler talked about playing with an extra chip on the shoulder. Talk is cheap in July, but continuity on offense and a defense that can only take a step forward gives Muncie a reason for actual optimism heading toward this one.