Miami's national championship hangover isn't fully gone, but Central Michigan is exactly the kind of get-right game built to shake it off.
Bush’s Picks
CMUMIA
CMUMIA
OverUnder
Best BetMiami
Miami's talent gap here is about as wide as it gets on paper: a national-title-caliber roster with 2 returning 1,000-yard skill players against a MAC team still building. There's no realistic path where Central Michigan's ceiling matches Miami's floor in this one, so backing the Hurricanes to win outright is close to a formality.
Central Michigan
+first bowl trip in four years under Drinkall
+Angel Flores a legit dual-threat weapon
+went 7-3 vs non-Power 4 foes in 2025
−massive step up in competition here
−far outgunned in talent and depth
−road trip into a title contender's home building
Miami
+returns two 1,000-yard skill players plus a 1,000-yard back
+added proven pass rusher Damon Wilson II
+national title expectations, deep talented roster
−breaking in transfer QB Mensah in a new system
−classic early-season trap spot vs an overmatched foe
−backups could see extended run, capping the margin
The story under center is the real intrigue here. Darian Mensah takes over Miami's huddle after transferring in from Duke, where he threw 34 touchdowns against just 6 interceptions and helped lead the Blue Devils to an ACC title in 2025. On the other sideline, Central Michigan counts on Angel Flores, a dual-threat QB who scored 8 times on the ground at 4.9 yards a carry last season. One of these two is auditioning for a title contender, the other is just trying to keep his team competitive against one.
Miami's defense isn't just leaning on last year's group either. The Hurricanes return 6 starters and added Missouri transfer Damon Wilson II, who racked up 9 sacks in 2025, to a front that already includes Marquise Lightfoot, Armondo Blount, Ahmad Moten Sr. and Justin Scott. Central Michigan, meanwhile, is still riding the high of its first bowl trip in 4 years under second-year coach Matt Drinkall, who got the Chippewas to 7-6 in his debut season. This game hasn't even hit the board with a number yet, which tells you how far off most books think it is.
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MIA Miami
It also happens to be a rematch of sorts with heartbreak, sort of. Miami's home turf, Hard Rock Stadium, is the same building where the Hurricanes lost the CFP National Championship to Indiana 27-21 back in January. Playing a MAC team there in Week 4 of a redemption season is about as low-stakes as a Saturday in that stadium gets.
Central Michigan Chippewas
Sep 19?vs Wyoming—
Sep 12?vs Colgate—
Sep 5?@ New Mexico—
Miami Hurricanes
Sep 18?@ Wake Forest—
Sep 10?vs Florida A&M—
Sep 4?@ Stanford—
Recent form.
Central Michigan isn't walking in empty-handed. The Chippewas went 7-3 against non-Power 4 competition a year ago and return Langston Lewis, who caught 3 touchdowns and profiles as Flores' top target again. One analyst has them pegged for an 8-4 improvement in 2026 and a run at the MAC title. None of that changes the fact that this is the single biggest jump in competition on their schedule.
Central Michigan Chippewas
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Miami Hurricanes
(0)
Fully healthy — no injuries on ESPN's report
Injury report — info via ESPN.
For Miami, the bigger question isn't whether they win, it's how the new-look pieces look doing it. Mensah, Cooper Barkate, Malachi Toney and Mark Fletcher give Cristobal one of the most loaded skill groups in the country, and this is the first real look at how fast that offense gets in rhythm before ACC play starts to matter.
