But New Mexico's biggest question mark is at the most important position on the field. Starting QB Jack Layne dealt with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow and didn't throw in spring practice, leaving the job unsettled between Layne, Oregon transfer Luke Moga, and redshirt freshman Toa Fa'avae. Two other quarterbacks left via the portal this offseason, so whoever wins that competition will be doing it with limited depth behind him.
Central Michigan, meanwhile, is a program in transition. The Chippewas went 7-6 in 2025, a solid bounce-back, but one preview flagged that the offense cratered late in the year — not the kind of trend you want carrying into a coaching change. Drinkall inherits a roster that saw 16 players leave through the portal, with only a handful landing at Power 4 programs, and CMU's incoming class is thin on high-level transfer additions.
There's a silver lining for CMU at quarterback: Jadyn Glasser, who flashed in a brief 2025 look before a season-ending injury, is reportedly healthy again and working through spring practice. If he wins the job outright, the Chippewas at least have some continuity of their own at the position — even if the surrounding cast is unproven.
Both quarterback situations remain fluid this far from kickoff, which makes this opener harder to forecast than the talent gap suggests. New Mexico's ceiling is a Mountain West title run; Central Michigan's floor is a rebuilding year under a first-time head coach. Somewhere between those two realities, on Saturday, September 5, this one gets decided.