No. 6 Miami returns home to face Central Michigan in the Hurricanes' first Saturday game of the season.
How to watch Miami vs. Central Michigan
- Date: Saturday, Sept. 26
- Time: 6:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens, Fla.
- TV: The CW
- Streaming: ESPN App with ESPN Unlimited, local CW affiliates, FuboTV
- Miami radio: 104.3 WQAM
- Central Michigan radio: CMU Chippewas Sports Network
Announcers for Miami vs. Central Michigan
The game airs on The CW as part of the network's ACC package. Thom Brennaman will be on play-by-play, Jason Cabinda is the analyst, and Wes Bryant will be on the sideline.
Odds for Miami vs. Central Michigan
- Spread: Miami -41.5
- Moneyline: Miami -15000, Central Michigan +15000
- Total: 53.5 points
Miami is 2-1 against the spread this season, while Central Michigan is 1-2.
Weather forecast
Forecasts call for a high in the mid-to-upper 80s, a low in the low-to-mid 70s, and only a 15 to 30% chance of showers.
Kickoff should be warm and humid with a light north breeze. Afternoon pop-up rain is possible.
All-time series
The only previous meeting was Sept. 21, 2019, when the Hurricanes won 17-12 at Hard Rock Stadium in a game that stayed tight into the fourth quarter. Miami led 7-2 at halftime and both teams scored 10 points after the break.
Injury report snapshot
Miami Hurricanes
- RB CharMar Brown: out for the season (right knee, Wake Forest)
- WR Josh Moore: out for the season (upper body, Wake Forest)
- LB Ezekiel Marcelin Jr.: out several weeks
- CB OJ Frederique Jr.: out most of the season (shoulder, Stanford)
- CB Xavier Lucas: out multiple games (roughly a month timeline after Stanford)
- CB Ja'Boree Antoine: out until the latter part of the season
- TE Luka Gilbert: out for the season (preseason)
- RB Mark Fletcher Jr.: expected to play after getting banged up at Wake Forest
- WR Malachi Toney: expected to play after leaving Wake Forest game for a moment
- RB Jordan Lyle: in position to make his season debut
Cristobal said Monday that "everything looks favorable" for Toney and Fletcher this week.
Central Michigan Chippewas
- WR Tommy McIntosh: out for the season (ACL)
- FB Rusty VanWetzinga IV: out (knee/MCL)
- TE Jaden Allen: questionable (finger)
Miami vs. Central Michigan: Keys storylines
1. Miami has to replace CharMar Brown and Joshua Moore
Brown is done for the season after a 32-yard run wrecked his right knee and Moore, who scored the first touchdown on Friday, is out for the year as well.
It seems like the entire roster is banged up but with Fletcher and Toney expected to be ready to go, the pressure falls on the depth to step into their new roles. Lyle may debut alongside Javian Mallory and Pringle who have been good backups so far this season. This is the first game where Miami's depth will be asked to really produce and make sure this game doesn't turn into an upset of massive proportions.
2. The Chippewas will try to get the run game going
Central Michigan loves to run the ball and that's really what their offense is based on. The Chippewas beat Wyoming 24-10 by rushing for 339 yards and quarterback Angel Flores threw only seven times for 32 yards in that game. Flores produced 163 rushing yards and two scores, and on the season he has 312 rushing yards and three touchdowns.
The Chippewas rank 33rd nationally in rushing and last in FBS passing (46.0 yards per game). Miami is tied for third in rush defense at 45.7 yards allowed per game, but this is probably the best rushing team they have faced all season.
3. Miami's secondary is still short-handed
Miami is still without Frederique, Lucas, and Antoine as Damari Brown, Bryce Fitzgerald, Ethan O'Connor, and younger corners have been covering the snaps. Central Michigan won't be able to stress the Canes secondary like Wake Forest did last week, but with Clemson up next after this week, it would be nice to see some improvement in that department.
Players to watch in Miami vs. Central Michigan
Miami Hurricanes
- QB Darian Mensah: 71 of 79 passing for the season (89.9%), 873 yards, 11 touchdowns, 0 interceptions, completed his first 24 passes at Wake Forest.
- WR Malachi Toney: 28 catches, 444 yards, five touchdowns (12 catches for 114 yards and a score against Wake Forest).
- RB Mark Fletcher Jr.: 36 carries, 230 yards, three touchdowns (scored from a yard out after Brown's long run Friday).
- RB Javian Mallory and RB Jordan Lyle are in line for the snaps that used to belong to Brown.
- DE Marquise Lightfoot: team-high two sacks and 13 tackles. Had the first sack of the Wake Forest game.
- DE Damon Wilson II: first sack as a Hurricane came Friday. He also generated the pressure that turned into a holding call and a safety.
- DT Ahmad Moten Sr. and DE Armondo Blount: Blount has nine tackles and 1.5 sacks. Moten shared a sack at Wake Forest and is expected to play after leaving and returning in that game.
- CB Ethan O'Connor: eight tackles and Miami's only interception this season.
- S Zechariah Poyser: nine tackles and two pass breakups.
- DB JJ Dunnigan: Dunnigan leads the team with 14 tackles.
Central Michigan Chippewas
- QB Angel Flores: 103 passing yards, 0 passing touchdowns, two interceptions, 312 rushing yards, three rushing touchdowns.
- The CMU run game: 219.3 rushing yards per game and 339 on the ground against Wyoming.
- RB Vaughn Blue: team's leading receiver with four catches for 28 yards.
- LB Xavier White: team tackle leader with 28. He had 11 tackles and a forced fumble against Wyoming.
- S Justin Taylor: 16 tackles and an interception returned 18 yards in the Wyoming win.
- DB Jaion Jackson: 11 tackles and three pass breakups.
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