2025 Central Michigan Chippewas football team
The 2025 Central Michigan Chippewas football team represented Central Michigan University in the Mid-American Conference during the 2025 NCAA Division I FBS football season. The Chippewas were led by Matt Drinkall in his first year as the head coach. The Chippewas played their home games at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, located in Mount Pleasant, Michigan.
Preseason
The MAC Football Kickoff was held on Thursday, July 24, 2025, at the Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan from 9:00 am EDT to 1:30 pm EDT.
Preseason polls
Coaches Poll
On July 24 the MAC announced the preseason coaches' poll.
| Coaches poll | - | - |
| 1 | Toledo | 6 |
| 2 | Miami | 4 |
| 3 | Ohio | 3 |
Game summaries
| Statistics | CMU | SJSU |
| First downs | 20 | 19 |
| Total yards | 340 | 383 |
| Rushing yards | 225 | 75 |
| Passing yards | 115 | 308 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 8–13–0 | 24–45–2 |
| Time of possession | 33:45 | 26:15 |
at Pittsburgh
| Statistics | CMU | PITT |
| First downs | 13 | 22 |
| Total yards | 217 | 465 |
| Rushing yards | 40 | 124 |
| Passing yards | 177 | 340 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 27–20–0 | 32–24–1 |
| Time of possession | 36:43 | 23:17 |
at No. 23 Michigan
| Statistics | CMU | MICH |
| First downs | 8 | 35 |
| Total yards | 139 | 616 |
| Rushing yards | 79 | 381 |
| Passing yards | 60 | 235 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 11–20–1 | 16–25–1 |
| Time of possession | 26:53 | 33:07 |
Wagner (FCS)
| Statistics | WAG | CMU |
| First downs | 7 | 24 |
| Plays–yards | 55–113 | 66–506 |
| Rushes–yards | 35–72 | 48–233 |
| Passing yards | 41 | 273 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 12–20–1 | 14–18–0 |
| Turnovers | 2 | 2 |
| Time of possession | 27:37 | 32:23 |
Eastern Michigan (rivalry)
On September 27, 2025, Central Michigan University defeated Eastern Michigan University (EMU) 24–13 in their Mid-American Conference opener at Kramer/Deromedi Field at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, before 28,605 fans—the ninth-largest crowd in stadium history. CMU, led by first-year coach Matt Drinkall, improved to 3–2, while EMU fell to 1–4.
CMU jumped to a 21–3 lead with touchdowns on their first three possessions: a 1-yard pass from Joe Labas to Brock Townsend, a 49-yard run by Nahree Biggins, and a 2-yard pass from Angel Flores to Langston Lewis. EMU responded with two field goals and a 14-yard touchdown run by Noah Kim, narrowing the score to 21–13 in the third quarter. A crucial interception by CMU's Maddix Blackwell and a 14-play, 72-yard drive, capped by a 22-yard field goal from Cade Graham, sealed the 24–13 victory. CMU dominated possession, holding the ball for over 11 minutes in the fourth quarter.
Flores and Biggins led CMU with career-high rushing totals of 134 and 113 yards, respectively, contributing to a season-high 305 rushing yards. Labas completed 14 of 16 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown. For EMU, Noah Kim threw for 175 yards but had one interception.
| Statistics | EMU | CMU |
| First downs | 19 | 22 |
| Plays–yards | 52–298 | 66–451 |
| Rushes–yards | 24–123 | 50–313 |
| Passing yards | 175 | 138 |
| Passing: comp–att–int | 17–28–1 | 14–16–0 |
| Turnovers | 1 | 0 |
| Time of possession | 23:36 | 35:46 |
at Akron
| Statistics | CMU | AKR |
| First downs | 20 | 20 |
| Total yards | 374 | 417 |
| Rushing yards | 238 | 162 |
| Passing yards | 136 | 255 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14–25–0 | 20–31–1 |
| Time of possession | 27:42 | 32:18 |
at Bowling Green
| Statistics | CMU | BGSU |
| First downs | 14 | 14 |
| Total yards | 276 | 310 |
| Rushing yards | 203 | 157 |
| Passing yards | 73 | 153 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 3-5-0 | 17-25-2 |
| Time of possession | 31:20 | 28:40 |
UMass
| Statistics | MASS | CMU |
| First downs | 20 | 23 |
| Total yards | 292 | 502 |
| Rushing yards | 116 | 279 |
| Passing yards | 176 | 223 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 21-51-1 | 12-13-0 |
| Time of possession | 22:07 | 37:53 |
at Western Michigan (rivalry)
| Statistics | CMU | WMU |
| First downs | 13 | 23 |
| Total yards | 240 | 327 |
| Rushing yards | 55 | 177 |
| Passing yards | 185 | 150 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 9-12-1 | 17-24-0 |
| Time of possession | 26:18 | 33:42 |
Buffalo
| Statistics | BUFF | CMU |
| First downs | 19 | 17 |
| Total yards | 398 | 358 |
| Rushing yards | 136 | 111 |
| Passing yards | 262 | 247 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 22–42–2 | 18–25–2 |
| Time of possession | 28:54 | 31:06 |
at Kent State
| Statistics | CMU | KENT |
| First downs | 16 | 20 |
| Total yards | 297 | 274 |
| Rushing yards | 174 | 89 |
| Passing yards | 123 | 185 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 12-22-1 | 14-28-0 |
| Time of possession | 33:21 | 26:39 |
Toledo
| Statistics | TOL | CMU |
| First downs | 18 | 15 |
| Total yards | 411 | 323 |
| Rushing yards | 205 | 81 |
| Passing yards | 206 | 242 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 14-24-0 | 19-30-1 |
| Time of possession | 28:34 | 31:26 |
vs. Northwestern (GameAbove Sports Bowl)
| Statistics | CMU | NU |
| First downs | 15 | 18 |
| Total yards | 269 | 313 |
| Rushing yards | 91 | 77 |
| Passing yards | 178 | 236 |
| Passing: Comp–Att–Int | 21-26-1 | 20-35-1 |
| Time of possession | 32:42 | 27:18 |