Next game: vs Eastern Michigan
Eastern Michigan’s best edge on Central Michigan is red zone
Each unit against the one it meets, by national percentile this season. A filled dot is the attack and a ring is the defense it meets; the first name is the attack. Further right is better for both.
Central Michigan offense against Eastern Michigan defense
Eastern Michigan offense against Central Michigan defense
Percentiles are against all FBS teams this season.
Key stats
Each bar is the team’s national rank as a percentile. A longer bar is better, for defense too.
All 98 stats
FBS rankings · 2026 season · all stats vs 136 FBS programs
| Player | # | G | Cmp/Att | Pct | Yds | Y/A | TD | INT | Rate | ZPR | QBR | Adj ANY/A | Sack% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scrambler · +0.02 EPA/play | 7 | 7 | 54 / 92 | 58.7 | 475 | 5.2 | 2 | 2 | 104.9 | 16 | 43.5 | 3.6 | 10.7 | |
Yards by week → ScramblerMakes plays with feet when the pocket collapses. Efficiency still on the rise. Starter — 128 carries and 92 pass attempts in 7 games, fewer passes and runs a game than most FBS quarterbacks who play every week. This week's matchup — QB Flores extends plays on the move until something opens up. Sharman is the one who operates within the system without forcing anything. Season receipt Rush usage58.2% 100th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Yards / attempt6.0 bottom 6th percentile · FBS QBs, min. 80 attempts Trait fingerprint Plays like View Angel H Flores's full player page | ||||||||||||||
| -0.08 EPA/play | 5 | 7 | 42 / 74 | 56.8 | 463 | 6.3 | 2 | 3 | 110.1 | 35 | 49.5 | 4.2 | 6.3 | |
Yards by week → | ||||||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Car | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | Stuff% | 10+% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Back · +0.26 EPA/play | 31 | 7 | 50 | 271 | 5.4 | 2 | 23 | 10 | 14.0 | |
Yards by week → Balanced backPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. 50 carries and 3 catches in 7 games. Fewer touches a game than most FBS running backs who play every week. The most common profile in its group this season — 134 of 278 classified this way. Played in 7 of 10 games this season · freshman View Jayden Clerveaux's full player page | ||||||||||
| Balanced Back · -0.06 EPA/play | 24 | 7 | 43 | 187 | 4.3 | 1 | 18 | — | — | |
Yards by week → Balanced backPlays within the scheme — consistent production without a dominant dimension. 43 carries and 5 catches in 7 games. Fewer touches a game than most FBS running backs who play every week. This week's matchup — RB Blue does a little of everything without one standout trait. Swinney is the one who just keeps getting the ball, series after series. Season receipt Yards / carry3.5 bottom 6th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Rush TD rate2.3% bottom 20th percentile · FBS RBs, min. 40 carries Trait fingerprint Plays like View Vaughn Blue's full player page | ||||||||||
| +0.19 EPA/play | 43 | 7 | 25 | 135 | 5.4 | 3 | 27 | — | — | |
Yards by week → | ||||||||||
| Player | # | G | Rec | Yds | Avg | TD | Long | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Possession Receiver · +0.40 EPA/play | 20 | 8 | 24 | 379 | 15.8 | 2 | 71 | |
Yards by week → Possession receiver· Boom-or-bustReliable target who converts on critical downs. Not flashy; consistently productive. his yards come in chunks — feast or famine 24 catches and 5 carries in 8 games. About as many catches a game as a typical FBS receiver who plays every week. This week's matchup — WR Lewis moves the chains on third down. Coleman is the one who wins underneath on volume and route precision. Season receipt Yards / reception14.3 58th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions EPA / play (adj)0.4 bottom 39th percentile · FBS WRs, min. 12 receptions Trait fingerprint View Langston Lewis's full player page | ||||||||
| -0.18 EPA/play | 17 | 5 | 10 | 96 | 9.6 | 0 | 33 | |
Yards by week → | ||||||||
| +0.64 EPA/play | 16 | 5 | 7 | 77 | 11 | 1 | 48 | |
Yards by week → | ||||||||
| -0.33 EPA/play | 9 | 7 | 11 | 68 | 6.2 | 0 | 18 | |
Yards by week → | ||||||||
| -0.19 EPA/play | 88 | 2 | 5 | 66 | 13.2 | 1 | 32 | |
Yards by week → | ||||||||
| -0.04 EPA/play | 3 | 6 | 8 | 60 | 7.5 | 0 | 11 | |
Yards by week → | ||||||||
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | TFL | Sack | Hur |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Two-Gap Base | 1 | 8 | 32 | 10 | 3 | 1 | 3 |
Two-gap baseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Impact starter — 32 tackles in 8 games, more tackles a game than most FBS defensive linemen who play every week. 276 of 606 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate9.4% bottom 31th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View JJ Douglas's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 92 | 8 | 27 | 7 | 4.5 | 3 | 2 |
Two-gap baseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. Starter — 27 tackles in 8 games, about as many tackles a game as a typical FBS defensive lineman who plays every week. 276 of 606 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate16.7% 55th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Jaxon Cherry's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 48 | 8 | 19 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 4 |
3-tech penetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 19 tackles in 8 games. Fewer tackles a game than most FBS defensive linemen who play every week. 200 of 606 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate21.1% 70th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Nathan Vantimmeren's full player page | |||||||
| Two-Gap Base | 5 | 7 | 18 | 8 | 3.5 | 1 | 2 |
Two-gap baseStout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number. 18 tackles in 7 games. Fewer tackles a game than most FBS defensive linemen who play every week. 276 of 606 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate19.4% 65th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View Korver Demma's full player page | |||||||
| 3-Tech Penetrator | 32 | 6 | 11 | 2 | 0.5 | 0.5 | 2 |
3-tech penetratorDisruptive interior rusher who lives in the backfield. 200 of 606 IDLs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt TFL rate4.5% bottom 18th percentile · FBS interior linemen, min. 10 tackles Plays like View James Reinbold's full player page | |||||||
| 96 | 5 | 9 | 1 | 0.5 | 0 | 0 | |
| 97 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | |
| 6 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | |
| — | 6 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | Solo | Ast | TFL | Sack | PD | INT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Balanced Linebacker | 35 | 8 | 62 | 17 | 45 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Balanced linebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Starter — 62 tackles in 8 games, more tackles a game than most FBS linebackers who play every week. 330 of 564 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume62 92th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate1.6% bottom 14th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Mayson Hitchens's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 40 | 8 | 56 | 23 | 33 | 2 | 1.5 | 2 | 1 |
Balanced linebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Starter — 56 tackles in 8 games, about as many tackles a game as a typical FBS linebacker who plays every week. 330 of 564 LBs we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume56 85th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles TFL rate3.6% bottom 21th percentile · FBS linebackers, min. 15 tackles Trait fingerprint Plays like View Brett McCalla's full player page | |||||||||
| Balanced Linebacker | 11 | 8 | 55 | 19 | 36 | 1 | 0.5 | 1 | 0 |
Balanced linebackerSolid in every phase without a signature dimension. Starter — 55 tackles in 8 games, about as many tackles a game as a typical FBS linebacker who plays every week. The most common profile in its group this season — 330 of 564 classified this way. Played in 8 of 10 games this season · freshman · 3-star, 2024 class View Xavier White's full player page | |||||||||
| 10 | 5 | 14 | 4 | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 34 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 30 | 5 | 13 | 2 | 11 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | Tot | PD | INT | TFL | Sack |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Box Safety | 19 | 8 | 50 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Box safetyLives near the line of scrimmage as a de facto extra linebacker. Impact starter — 50 tackles in 8 games, more tackles a game than most FBS defensive backs who play every week. 150 of 657 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt Tackle volume50 93th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Darrell Bryant Jr.'s full player page | |||||||
| Rover | 14 | 8 | 44 | 4 | 3 #16 FBS | 1.5 | 0 |
Rover· Takeaway threatHits like a linebacker and still takes the ball away. the kind of DB who takes it back the other way Starter — 44 tackles in 8 games, about as many tackles a game as a typical FBS defensive back who plays every week. 33 of 657 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate9.1% 57th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Justin Taylor's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 4 | 8 | 32 | 7 #20 FBS | 0 | 2 | 1.5 |
Hybrid nickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. 32 tackles in 8 games. About as many tackles a game as a typical FBS defensive back who plays every week. 358 of 657 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate21.9% 97th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Jaion Jackson's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 17 | 7 | 21 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 0 |
Hybrid nickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 358 of 657 classified this way. Played in 7 of 10 games this season · freshman · 3-star, 2026 class View Coen Ali's full player page | |||||||
| Hybrid Nickel | 12 | 8 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hybrid nickelMoves between deep coverage and the slot — the modern positionless DB. The most common profile in its group this season — 358 of 657 classified this way. Played in 8 of 10 games this season · freshman View Donavan Philord's full player page | |||||||
| Centerfielder | 26 | 7 | 17 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
CenterfielderSingle-high range who erases the deep middle of the field. 116 of 657 Ss we've classified this way this season. Season receipt PD rate17.6% 90th percentile · FBS safeties, min. 15 tackles Plays like View Matthew McKenzie's full player page | |||||||
| 20 | 6 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 24 | 4 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 27 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 37 | 3 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| Player | # | G | FG M/A | FG% | XP M/A | Pts | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 38 | 8 | 4/6 | 66.7 | 17/19 | 29 | 49 |
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | Long | In20 | TB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steady | 18 | 8 | 37 | 1620 | 43.8 | 66 | 10 | 4 |
Net average is unavailable — CFBD's punting feed carries gross yards only, with no return-yardage or touchback deduction.
| Player | # | G | No | Yds | Avg | TD | Long |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| -0.33 EPA/play | 9 | 7 | 5 | 29 | 5.8 | 0 | 11 |
Biggest plays from Central Michigan’s games
Official highlights with our numbers: the plays that moved the chance to win most in Central Michigan’s games this season, whoever made them.
Q2, 12:47 · Miami up 4Darian Mensah finds Daylyn Upshaw for an 11-yard touchdownCentral Michigan at Miami, week 4Q2, 12:47 · Miami 14, Central Michigan 314-3score after the play14-3score after the playDaylyn Upshaw 11 yd pass from Darian Mensah (Jake Weinberg Kick)▶Watch from this playACC Digital Network
Q2, 0:26 · Central Michigan down 20Xavier Slayton intercepts Angel H FloresCentral Michigan at New Mexico, week 1Q2, 0:26 · Central Michigan 0, New Mexico 203Central Michigan’s turnover led to a field goal3Central Michigan’s turnover led to a field goalCentral Michigan’s turnover led to a field goalA.Flores pass intercepted by X.Slayton at UNM43, End Of Play▶Watch from this play
Q4, 4:23 · Central Michigan down 38Nasir Williams runs 23 yards for a touchdownCentral Michigan at New Mexico, week 1Q4, 4:23 · Central Michigan 7, New Mexico 38Nasir Williams's first career rushing touchdownNasir Williams's first career rushing touchdownN.Williams rush right for 23 yards gain to the UNM00 touchdown, 1ST DOWN, kick good▶Watch from this play
Q1, 13:18 · Miami tiedJaxon Cherry sacks Darian Mensah for a 10-yard lossCentral Michigan at Miami, week 4Q1, 13:18 · Miami 0, Central Michigan 00-0score after the play0-0score after the playD.Mensah sacked for loss of 10 yards to the CANES25 (J.Cherry)▶Watch from this playACC Digital Network
Q1, 1:58 · Miami down 3, takes the leadJavian Mallory runs 4 yards for a touchdownCentral Michigan at Miami, week 4Q1, 1:58 · Miami 7, Central Michigan 3Miami took the lead in the first quarterMiami took the lead in the first quarterJ.Mallory rush middle for 4 yards gain to the CMU00 touchdown, kick good▶Watch from this playACC Digital Network
Q2, 9:45 · Miami up 11Darian Mensah finds Malachi Toney for an 8-yard touchdownCentral Michigan at Miami, week 4Q2, 9:45 · Miami 21, Central Michigan 321-3score after the play21-3score after the playD.Mensah pass complete short middle to M.Toney caught at CMU00, for 8 yards to the CMU00 touchdown, 1ST DOWN, kick good▶Watch from this playACC Digital Network
How scary each game got
Central Michigan lost to Miami (OH) after being 87% to win; the closest win was against Colgate, down to 16%
Tap a game for its score and win chances.
Each bar runs from the lowest to the highest chance our model gave Central Michigan during that game; the thick mark is where it started. Numbers are the game week.
Stat leaders
2026 stat leaders · Central Michigan
through 8 gamesMayson Hitchens leads Central Michigan with 62 tackles through 8 games.
Roster
Roster
2026+17 more
Recruiting and the portal: top commits · who's gone and who's back
How they play
Central Michigan fields a struggling run-heavy offense behind a porous, bend-don't-break defense.
Percentile vs all FBS, based on this season's per-game production. Bar = where this team ranks — right is better.
Player percentiles
Central Michigan reads strongest in explosive plays allowed (top 10%) and passing EPA allowed (top 32%); the crux lives in passing EPA, where Central Michigan sits at the 4th percentile.
Offense · strengths lead
Defense · higher bar = harder to play against
Hidden math · special situations
Home-field advantage · 2018–present · FBS opponents
Central Michigan is worth +7.3 points more at home than on the road.
Top tenth of FBS, 95th percentile of 133 programs
55% at home, 27% away against FBS opponents since 2018 (22-18 home, 13-36 away). Interval ±3.7.
The stadium and how the home edge is measured
Our model gives every stadium the same flat 2.3-point home edge. The books use about 3. Per-team versions were tested and did not hold up (why). Against the closing line, Central Michigan has beaten the number by +2.7 more at home than away over 96 games. That is inside the ±5.8 that many games can resolve, so the results cannot tell this stadium from the flat number. That is the honest reading of nearly every FBS stadium.
Kelly/Shorts Stadium seats 30,255 and has averaged 56% full (16,957, 27 games reported). Visitors get here easily: a median 240 miles trip since 2018, the 15th-shortest of 135 FBS venues. Whatever the band above is picking up, it isn't the flight. 19% of the 2026 roster (20 of 103 located players) grew up inside 100 miles of the stadium.
Edge = half the gap between average home margin and average road margin, FBS opponents only, non-neutral games since 2018; the interval is 95%. Market line: closing spread, seasons with lines on file. Trip length is straight-line miles from the visiting team's campus to the venue, measured across all 48 home games since 2018.
More in this tab
How they play
Usage splits
How the players get used
From the 2025 season's play-by-play
- CloserTrey Cornist gets less work in the fourth quarter with a lead than his overall workload would predict: not the trusted closer raw carries might suggest.
Position battles
RB room
The carries are split. The job isn’t.
Jayden Clerveaux and Vaughn Blue split the carries (50/90 vs 40/90) -- but the job isn't split the same way. Vaughn Blue owns the receiving work.
WR/TE room
The targets are split. The job isn’t.
Langston Lewis (WR) and Myles Peters (TE) split the targets (37/47 vs 10/47) -- but the job isn't split the same way.
Scheme claims
Team identity · competitive snaps only
How Central Michigan actually scores
6th percentile quality, 96th percentile boom-dependency. Garbage time excluded from both axes — the same correction that changes the Q4 story below.
View all FBS teams as a table
| Team | Quality percentile | Boom-share percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 76th | 3rd |
| Akron | 9th | 90th |
| Alabama | 82nd | 22nd |
| App State | 41st | 48th |
| Arizona | 91st | 16th |
| Arizona State | 20th | 83rd |
| Arkansas | 7th | 93rd |
| Arkansas State | 60th | 32nd |
| Army | 95th | 10th |
| Auburn | 34th | 59th |
| BYU | 83rd | 17th |
| Ball State | 32nd | 72nd |
| Baylor | 36th | 63rd |
| Boise State | 96th | 4th |
| Boston College | 20th | 80th |
| Buffalo | 8th | 88th |
| Central Michigan | 6th | 96th |
| Cincinnati | 88th | 15th |
| Clemson | 10th | 92nd |
| Coastal Carolina | 49th | 57th |
| Colorado | 15th | 86th |
| Colorado State | 88th | 30th |
| Delaware | 63rd | 40th |
| Duke | 74th | 8th |
| East Carolina | 24th | 77th |
| Eastern Michigan | 14th | 80th |
| Florida | 75th | 37th |
| Florida Atlantic | 72nd | 25th |
| Florida International | 2nd | 98th |
| Florida State | 64th | 44th |
| Fresno State | 56th | 52nd |
| Georgia | 92nd | 11th |
| Georgia Southern | 52nd | 40th |
| Georgia State | 77th | 36th |
| Georgia Tech | 30th | 70th |
| Hawai'i | 12th | 88th |
| Houston | 89th | 2nd |
| Illinois | 70th | 38th |
| Indiana | 85th | 18th |
| Iowa | 52nd | 53rd |
| Iowa State | 43rd | 62nd |
| Jacksonville State | 62nd | 41st |
| James Madison | 58th | 35th |
| Kansas | 28th | 66th |
| Kansas State | 48th | 44th |
| Kennesaw State | 23rd | 79th |
| Kentucky | 71st | 21st |
| LSU | 86th | 9th |
| Liberty | 78th | 29th |
| Louisiana | 27th | 69th |
| Louisiana Tech | 60th | 47th |
| Louisville | 94th | 19th |
| Marshall | 36th | 61st |
| Maryland | 17th | 85th |
| Massachusetts | 38th | 60th |
| Memphis | 87th | 20th |
| Miami | 100th | 0th |
| Miami (OH) | 68th | 31st |
| Michigan | 25th | 71st |
| Middle Tennessee | 37th | 60th |
| Minnesota | 4th | 95th |
| Mississippi State | 35th | 65th |
| Missouri | 54th | 49th |
| Missouri State | 40th | 64th |
| NC State | 69th | 28th |
| Navy | 57th | 51st |
| Nebraska | 59th | 32nd |
| Nevada | 1st | 99th |
| New Mexico | 39th | 68th |
| North Carolina | 48th | 45th |
| North Dakota State | 31st | 64th |
| North Texas | 99th | 1st |
| Northern Illinois | 12th | 89th |
| Northwestern | 93rd | 6th |
| Notre Dame | 97th | 5th |
| Ohio | 67th | 43rd |
| Ohio State | 79th | 23rd |
| Oklahoma State | 76th | 14th |
| Ole Miss | 80th | 8th |
| Oregon | 28th | 72nd |
| Oregon State | 92nd | 13th |
| Penn State | 47th | 48th |
| Pittsburgh | 44th | 50th |
| Purdue | 65th | 34th |
| Rice | 18th | 87th |
| Rutgers | 32nd | 76th |
| SMU | 81st | 16th |
| San Diego State | 5th | 94th |
| San José State | 13th | 84th |
| South Alabama | 64th | 27th |
| South Carolina | 55th | 54th |
| South Florida | 42nd | 56th |
| Southern Miss | 3rd | 97th |
| Stanford | 53rd | 55th |
| Syracuse | 24th | 74th |
| TCU | 21st | 75th |
| Temple | 56th | 56th |
| Tennessee | 45th | 42nd |
| Texas | 11th | 91st |
| Texas A&M | 16th | 78th |
| Texas State | 90th | 12th |
| Texas Tech | 50th | 46th |
| Toledo | 84th | 24th |
| Troy | 8th | 92nd |
| Tulane | 33rd | 73rd |
| Tulsa | 68th | 28th |
| UAB | 16th | 81st |
| UCF | 19th | 82nd |
| UCLA | 61st | 36th |
| UConn | 84th | 26th |
| UNLV | 44th | 67th |
| USC | 80th | 12th |
| UTSA | 72nd | 20th |
| Utah | 96th | 7th |
| Utah State | 0th | 100th |
| Vanderbilt | 26th | 76th |
| Virginia | 51st | 39th |
| Virginia Tech | 66th | 33rd |
| Wake Forest | 98th | 4th |
| Washington | 40th | 58th |
| West Virginia | 73rd | 24th |
| Western Kentucky | 4th | 96th |
| Western Michigan | 29th | 68th |
| Wisconsin | 22nd | 84th |
| Wyoming | 46th | 52nd |
Central Michigan’s 4th-quarter offense, before and after garbage time
Raw Q4 EPA/play ranks 38th percentile in FBS. Strip out snaps taken with a blowout margin and it drops to the 14th — the correction is the finding, not a footnote.
Standard downs vs. passing downs
Does Central Michigan hold up once the down-and-distance turns against them?
36th percentile success on standard downs, 9th on passing downs — a 27-point gap between the two.
View all FBS teams as a table
| Team | Standard-downs percentile | Passing-downs percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Air Force | 98th | 23rd |
| Akron | 58th | 34th |
| Alabama | 77th | 57th |
| App State | 33rd | 49th |
| Arizona | 76th | 94th |
| Arizona State | 38th | 61st |
| Arkansas | 71st | 24th |
| Arkansas State | 85th | 59th |
| Army | 93rd | 58th |
| Auburn | 14th | 69th |
| BYU | 86th | 35th |
| Ball State | 31st | 52nd |
| Baylor | 15th | 46th |
| Boise State | 77th | 92nd |
| Boston College | 63rd | 28th |
| Bowling Green | 43rd | 21st |
| Buffalo | 9th | 11th |
| California | 11th | 20th |
| Central Michigan | 36th | 9th |
| Charlotte | 18th | 41st |
| Cincinnati | 68th | 83rd |
| Clemson | 7th | 39th |
| Coastal Carolina | 23rd | 64th |
| Colorado | 16th | 65th |
| Colorado State | 66th | 95th |
| Delaware | 59th | 64th |
| Duke | 21st | 67th |
| East Carolina | 37th | 19th |
| Eastern Michigan | 16th | 30th |
| Florida | 61st | 70th |
| Florida Atlantic | 67th | 87th |
| Florida International | 20th | 53rd |
| Florida State | 30th | 90th |
| Fresno State | 25th | 84th |
| Gardner-Webb | 5th | 23rd |
| Georgia | 98th | 89th |
| Georgia Southern | 60th | 71st |
| Georgia State | 68th | 66th |
| Georgia Tech | 53rd | 40th |
| Hawai'i | 48th | 29th |
| Houston | 87th | 99th |
| Illinois | 73rd | 91st |
| Indiana | 55th | 44th |
| Iowa | 79th | 13th |
| Iowa State | 18th | 31st |
| Jacksonville State | 82nd | 80th |
| James Madison | 45th | 77th |
| Kansas | 52nd | 18th |
| Kansas State | 64th | 68th |
| Kennesaw State | 61st | 16th |
| Kent State | 5th | 21st |
| Kentucky | 90th | 51st |
| LSU | 86th | 98th |
| Liberty | 93rd | 78th |
| Louisiana | 36th | 66th |
| Louisiana Tech | 26th | 79th |
| Louisville | 95th | 72nd |
| Maine | 0th | 86th |
| Marshall | 69th | 32nd |
| Maryland | 34th | 26th |
| Massachusetts | 35th | 38th |
| Memphis | 92nd | 93rd |
| Mercyhurst | 2nd | 34th |
| Miami | 99th | 95th |
| Miami (OH) | 50th | 43rd |
| Michigan | 10th | 89th |
| Michigan State | 23rd | 55th |
| Middle Tennessee | 27th | 64th |
| Minnesota | 32nd | 4th |
| Mississippi State | 66th | 59th |
| Missouri | 34th | 41st |
| Missouri State | 52nd | 30th |
| NC State | 62nd | 77th |
| Navy | 89th | 17th |
| Nebraska | 46th | 85th |
| Nevada | 28th | 27th |
| New Mexico | 55th | 48th |
| New Mexico State | 14th | 36th |
| Norfolk State | 7th | 0th |
| North Carolina | 89th | 73rd |
| North Dakota State | 30th | 45th |
| North Texas | 95th | 84th |
| Northern Illinois | 51st | 14th |
| Northwestern | 88th | 88th |
| Notre Dame | 100th | 43rd |
| Ohio | 82nd | 42nd |
| Ohio State | 84th | 80th |
| Oklahoma | 4th | 50th |
| Oklahoma State | 96th | 86th |
| Old Dominion | 1st | 36th |
| Ole Miss | 81st | 94th |
| Oregon | 39th | 26th |
| Oregon State | 97th | 70th |
| Penn State | 20th | 47th |
| Pittsburgh | 65th | 50th |
| Purdue | 57th | 82nd |
| Rice | 59th | 14th |
| Robert Morris | 2nd | 5th |
| Rutgers | 42nd | 81st |
| SMU | 91st | 82nd |
| Sacramento State | 13th | 6th |
| Sam Houston | 11th | 37th |
| San Diego State | 8th | 54th |
| San José State | 17th | 2nd |
| South Alabama | 44th | 74th |
| South Carolina | 70th | 56th |
| South Florida | 84th | 57th |
| Southern Miss | 48th | 7th |
| Stanford | 40th | 9th |
| Syracuse | 57th | 39th |
| TCU | 70th | 10th |
| Temple | 50th | 68th |
| Tennessee | 75th | 12th |
| Texas | 27th | 61st |
| Texas A&M | 46th | 55th |
| Texas State | 74th | 100th |
| Texas Tech | 64th | 76th |
| Toledo | 73rd | 52nd |
| Troy | 39th | 15th |
| Tulane | 12th | 8th |
| Tulsa | 49th | 7th |
| UAB | 24th | 62nd |
| UCF | 29th | 45th |
| UCLA | 80th | 60th |
| UConn | 72nd | 73rd |
| UL Monroe | 47th | 11th |
| UNLV | 41st | 19th |
| USC | 79th | 97th |
| UT Martin | 6th | 3rd |
| UTEP | 9th | 1st |
| UTSA | 91st | 33rd |
| Utah | 94th | 98th |
| Utah State | 3rd | 76th |
| Vanderbilt | 41st | 32nd |
| Virginia | 83rd | 2nd |
| Virginia Tech | 43rd | 91st |
| Wake Forest | 75th | 96th |
| Washington | 56th | 16th |
| Washington State | 19th | 5th |
| West Virginia | 54th | 75th |
| Western Kentucky | 22nd | 25th |
| Western Michigan | 32nd | 27th |
| Wisconsin | 25th | 22nd |
| Wyoming | 78th | 48th |
Central Michigan by half
1st-half offense ranks 4th percentile in FBS; 2nd-half, 38th — competitive snaps only, garbage time excluded from both halves.
How much of Central Michigan’s number is the schedule?
Raw EPA/play through week 10 is 0.06; 24th percentile once opponent strength is stripped out, it's 0.01. The widest gap came in week 6: 0.10 raw vs. 0.03 adjusted.
Pass defense by zone
What this team throws, and gives up, by depth.
On short throws (≤19 air yards), Central Michigan’s passing game completes a completion rate above the FBS mean (67.0% vs 67.0% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 146-play sample) — mid-pack, 61 of 136 qualifying offenses.
On short throws (≤19 air yards), Central Michigan’s defense allows a completion rate below the FBS mean (65.7% vs 66.3% league-wide, shrunk toward the mean for its 142-play sample) — mid-pack, 55 of 137 qualifying defenses.
We won’t show a deep-ball (20+ air yards) leaderboard here, on either side of the ball: even a full season of charted plays gives most teams well under 30 deep attempts — too thin to tell a real tendency from noise, so we won’t guess. Same refusal for yards-after-catch allowed and where a team’s attempts land by zone: both measured and both came back statistically indistinguishable from season-to-season noise.
Havoc & trenches
Disruption, run-blocking, and down-and-distance efficiency.
Turnover luck
The bounces haven't gone their way on their own fumbles: 14% recovered, vs. ~52% expected.
1 of 7 own fumbles recovered themselves; 5 of 10 forced fumbles recovered, 2026 only.
Takeaways
Cashing in more than most: 26% of disrupted passes intercepted, vs. ~18% league-wide.
9 interceptions of 34 disrupted passes (25 deflected, 9 intercepted), 2026 only.
Penalties
The flags haven't favored them: 52 penalties committed vs. 50 drawn on opponents, 59 yards behind.
480 penalty yards committed vs. 421 drawn on opponents, 2026 season total.
Ratings and comparisons
Ratings
Comparable teams
Most similar programs · Central Michigan
Reads like
Matched on how the programs are built — tier, prestige band, kind of fanbase, conference, voice and roster size — not on this season's stats. A calibration, not a prediction.
Weather
Kelly/Shorts Stadium, Mount Pleasant, MI
Usual during the game around Nov 11: 43°, between 31° and 59° in about 7 in 10 games (27 games since 2016).
Road games since 2016: the middle game was 59°, and 8 in 10 ran between 37° and 80° (56 of 59 road games, at stadiums we cover).
What a usual Saturday feels like here, by kickoff time
Airport readings near each stadium during the game, not on the field. How we measure
Weather observations: National Weather Service, through the Iowa Environmental Mesonet at Iowa State University. Rain: NOAA MRMS radar and CoCoRaHS volunteer gauges (CC BY 4.0). Game data: CollegeFootballData.com.