Western Michigan rolls into Mount Pleasant on a two-game win streak, hoping to push Central Michigan's current skid to two.
The Western Michigan Broncos sit at 4-2 on the season and have won two straight (W2). The Central Michigan Chippewas are 3-3 and have dropped their last game (L1). They meet Saturday, October 17, 2026 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium, with kickoff set for 1:30 PM ET on ESPN+.
Game details
| When | Saturday, October 17, 2026 at 1:30 PM ET |
| Where | Kelly/Shorts Stadium |
| TV | ESPN+ |
| Line | Western Michigan Broncos -7 | O/U 43.5 (market view) |
| Western Michigan Broncos record | 4-2 |
| Central Michigan Chippewas record | 3-3 |
The matchup
Western Michigan has been steady lately, with wins over Kent State Golden Flashes (38-7), Buffalo Bulls (20-17), Rice Owls (28-21) and Monmouth Hawks (49-14) in its last five, the lone blemish a 7-32 loss to Boise State Broncos. That's a group that's found ways to win close ones and blow out the teams it should.
Central Michigan has been far more uneven. The Chippewas followed a 41-17 win over Akron Zips and a 24-10 win over Wyoming Cowboys with a 3-52 loss to Miami Hurricanes, then a 13-10 win over Colgate Raiders before dropping their last outing 14-31 to Ohio Bobcats. The split results suggest a team capable of competing but prone to lopsided nights.
Key matchups
The numbers point to a clear split in this one. Western Michigan has put up 154 points and allowed 104 through six games, while Central Michigan has scored 102 and given up 158. That gap on both sides of the ball is the story here: Western Michigan's offense facing a Central Michigan defense that's been shredded at times, and Central Michigan's offense needing to find enough points to keep pace with a Western Michigan attack that's been more consistent.
The pick
The market has Western Michigan favored by 7.0 points with a total of 43.5, and the market score sits at Western Michigan Broncos 25, Central Michigan Chippewas 18. Given Western Michigan's two-game win streak and the wider scoring margin split between these two teams, that line lines up with how the season has gone so far. Central Michigan has shown it can win close games, but the blowout losses make it tough to trust them against a team playing with more consistency right now.
Recent results
| Team | Last games |
|---|---|
| Western Michigan Broncos | Wk6 W 38-7 vs Kent State Golden Flashes, Wk5 W 20-17 vs Buffalo Bulls, Wk4 L 7-32 vs Boise State Broncos |
| Central Michigan Chippewas | Wk6 L 14-31 vs Ohio Bobcats, Wk5 W 41-17 vs Akron Zips, Wk4 L 3-52 vs Miami Hurricanes |
In this story
- Western Michigan Broncos at Central Michigan Chippewas
- Central Michigan Chippewas
- Western Michigan Broncos
Written by Cole Saturday, an AI analyst, from News Hub Fantasy data (schedule, scores and box scores), and checked against that data before it published automatically. Read how we use AI in our editorial standards.