Central Michigan Chippewas at Miami Hurricanes

Injuries noted

Miami Hurricanes: CharMar Brown (out for season) — Coach Mario Cristobal reported a season-ending right knee injury.; Joshua Moore (out for season) — Cristobal reported that the wide receiver's upper-body injury is season-ending.; Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. (out) — The linebacker is expected to miss multiple weeks with a lower-body injury.; Xavier Lucas (out) — Current-week reporting says Miami played without the injured cornerback and that the secondary remains reconfigured because of his absence.; Ja'Boree Antoine (out) — Current-week reporting says Miami played without the injured defensive back and that the secondary remains reconfigured because of his absence.; Malachi Toney (probable) — Toney was described as day-to-day on September 22; Cristobal subsequently said he expected Toney to be available, although the latest AP preview still identified his status as a concern.; Mark Fletcher Jr. (probable) — Fletcher was described as day-to-day on September 22; Cristobal subsequently said he expected the starting running back to be available, although the latest AP preview still identified his status as a concern.; Ahmad Moten Sr. (probable) — Moten dealt with an apparent shoulder issue at Wake Forest, but September 22 reporting said he was expected to be okay.

QUARTERBACK

• Angel Flores is CMU's projected starter

  3.96 Y/A

  Angel Flores is CMU's projected starting quarterback. Current-week reporting says Flores took all 66 quarterback snaps against Wyoming after sharing time during the first two games, and Matt Drinkall praised his command of the offense. No current-week source explicitly announced the Miami starter, so he is projected rather than confirmed. 2026 line: 103 passing yards, 53.8% completions, 3.96 yards per attempt, 0-2 TD-INT over 3 games.

• Darian Mensah is MIA's confirmed starter

  11.19 Y/A

  Darian Mensah is MIA's confirmed starting quarterback. Miami's official Central Michigan game notes state that Mensah will make his fourth start under center against Central Michigan. 2026 line: 884 passing yards, 89.9% completions, 11.19 yards per attempt, 11-0 TD-INT over 3 games.

TRENCHES

• MIA: 45.7 rushing yards allowed per game to CMU's 154

  108.3 YPG

  Miami has allowed just 45.7 rushing yards a game over 3 games, and Central Michigan has allowed 154. That's a very stingy run defense so far, though the sheet doesn't say how many times opponents actually ran on Miami. Central Michigan will likely find it hard to run in this spot, which puts the burden on its passing game.

PACE & SCRIPT

• MIA: 51.7 points per game to CMU's 14.7

  37 PPG

  Miami is putting up 51.7 a game through three games, far above last season's 30.9, while CMU has dropped to 14.7 from 22.5. Early schedules can pad these numbers, so Miami's pace may cool. The gap in style is real though: a ball-control CMU offense trying to keep Miami's scoring off the field shapes how totals and margins play out.

• CMU: 30:20 time of possession per game to MIA's 22:03

  8:17 TOP

  CMU is at 30:20 time of possession per game over 3 games; MIA is at 22:03 over 3 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 25. Last season CMU was at 32:09 over 13 games and MIA at 33:04 over 16 games.

• MIA: 11 points allowed per game to CMU's 19.3

  8.3 PPG

  CMU is at 19.3 points allowed per game over 3 games; MIA is at 11 over 3 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 25. Last season CMU was at 23.5 over 13 games and MIA at 14.8 over 16 games.

TURNOVERS

• CMU: 2 takeaways per game to MIA's 0.33

  1.67 TO

  Central Michigan's defense has forced 2 takeaways a game over 3 games, while Miami's is at 0.33. Takeaways are noisy, and forcing turnovers against Miami is a much harder ask than against Central Michigan's early opponents. Don't expect the underdog to rely on that rate carrying over to this game.

• MIA: 0.67 turnovers committed per game to CMU's 1.67

  1 TO

  CMU is at 1.67 turnovers committed per game over 3 games; MIA is at 0.67 over 3 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 25. Last season CMU was at 1.23 over 13 games and MIA at 0.94 over 16 games.

MISMATCH

• MIA: 356.3 pass yards a game to CMU's 46

  356.3 VS 46

  Miami is throwing for 356.3 yards a game, up from 253.2 last season, while Central Michigan is at 46, down from 167.1. Central Michigan is barely using the pass through three games, so its offense runs almost entirely on the ground. At Miami, a run-only team has to sustain long drives to keep pace, and falling behind would force it into the passing game it has not shown.

COVERAGE

• MIA: 24.4% third downs allowed to CMU's 45%

  20.6 PP

  CMU is at 45% third downs allowed over 3 games; MIA is at 24.4% over 3 games. Those are what each defense has allowed in this season's games through Sep 25.

REPLACEMENT

• CharMar Brown (RB) is out for the season for MIA

  OUT FOR SEASON

  Coach Mario Cristobal reported a season-ending right knee injury. No. 6 Miami brings prolific offense into Central Michigan matchup (2026-09-23) No. 6 Miami, dealing with injuries, set to take on an excited Central Michigan team on Saturday (2026-09-24) THE PULSE: Miami Hurricanes QB Darian Mensah Has More TDs Than Incompletions (2026-09-24) THE PULSE: Great First Half Offense, 44 Pressures On Defense, Things To Improve — And Now Injuries To Overcome (2026-09-22)

• Joshua Moore (WR) is out for the season for MIA

  OUT FOR SEASON

  Cristobal reported that the wide receiver's upper-body injury is season-ending. No. 6 Miami brings prolific offense into Central Michigan matchup (2026-09-23) No. 6 Miami, dealing with injuries, set to take on an excited Central Michigan team on Saturday (2026-09-24) THE PULSE: Miami Hurricanes QB Darian Mensah Has More TDs Than Incompletions (2026-09-24) THE PULSE: Great First Half Offense, 44 Pressures On Defense, Things To Improve — And Now Injuries To Overcome (2026-09-22)

• Ezekiel Marcelin Jr. (LB) is out for MIA

  OUT

  The linebacker is expected to miss multiple weeks with a lower-body injury. No. 6 Miami brings prolific offense into Central Michigan matchup (2026-09-23) THE PULSE: Great First Half Offense, 44 Pressures On Defense, Things To Improve — And Now Injuries To Overcome (2026-09-22)

• Xavier Lucas (DB) is out for MIA

  OUT

  Current-week reporting says Miami played without the injured cornerback and that the secondary remains reconfigured because of his absence. No. 6 Miami brings prolific offense into Central Michigan matchup (2026-09-23) THE PULSE: Miami Hurricanes QB Darian Mensah Has More TDs Than Incompletions (2026-09-24)

• Ja'Boree Antoine (DB) is out for MIA

  OUT

  Current-week reporting says Miami played without the injured defensive back and that the secondary remains reconfigured because of his absence. No. 6 Miami brings prolific offense into Central Michigan matchup (2026-09-23) THE PULSE: Miami Hurricanes QB Darian Mensah Has More TDs Than Incompletions (2026-09-24)

SITUATIONAL

• CMU: 88.9% fourth-down conversion rate to MIA's 0%

  88.9 PP

  CMU has converted 88.9% of fourth downs over three games, well above last season's 57.7%, while Miami is at 0%. Fourth-down rates run on very few attempts, so both numbers will move. The takeaway is behavior: CMU is willing to go for it, which fits a run-heavy offense trying to extend drives, and that aggression can lengthen games or hand over short fields.

• CMU: 3 fourth-down attempts per game to MIA's 0.33

  2.67 ATT/G

  CMU is at 3 fourth-down attempts per game over 3 games; MIA is at 0.33 over 3 games. Those are this season's games through Sep 25. Last season CMU was at 2 over 13 games and MIA at 1.44 over 16 games.