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The Central Michigan Chippewas were expected to take an 'L' in this one, but so far it isn't playing out to script. Either team is in a position to win, but they lead against the Western Michigan Broncos 28-24. RB Lew Nichols III has led the way so far for CMU, as he has rushed for one TD and 104 yards on ten carries.
The Chippewas have been led by Nichols III, who so far has rushed for one TD and 104 yards on ten carries. Nichols III's longest run so far was for 61 yards in the second quarter.
CMU has been a nightmare for Western Michigan's offensive line with three sacks already. We'll see how many sacks CMU can scare up the rest of the game.
Who's Playing
Central Michigan @ Western Michigan
Current Records: Central Michigan 4-4; Western Michigan 5-3
What to Know
The Western Michigan Broncos and the Central Michigan Chippewas will face off in a Mid-American clash at 7 p.m. ET Nov. 3 at Waldo Stadium. If the matchup is anything like WMU's 52-44 victory from their previous meeting in November of last year, the scorekeeper will be kept real busy.
The game between the Broncos and the Toledo Rockets two weeks ago was not a total blowout, but with WMU falling 34-15 on the road, it was darn close to turning into one. The losing side was boosted by QB Kaleb Eleby, who accumulated 232 passing yards in addition to punching in one rushing touchdown.
There was early excitement for CMU after they claimed the game's first points two weeks ago, but it was the Northern Illinois Huskies who ended up claiming the real prize. CMU and NIU were almost perfectly matched up, but the Chippewas suffered an agonizing 39-38 loss. That makes it the first time this season CMU has let down their home crowd. They might have lost, but man -- RB Lew Nichols III was a total machine. He rushed for two TDs and 192 yards on 22 carries. Nichols III put himself on the highlight reel with a 66-yard TD scramble in the first quarter. Nichols III's sharp performance set his single-game rushing touchdown high for the season.
The Broncos are the favorite in this one, with an expected 9-point margin of victory. Those burned by picking them against the spread two weeks ago might want to keep in mind that the squad has not yet dropped back-to-back games against the spread this season.
The losses put WMU at 5-3 and CMU at 4-4. A couple defensive numbers to keep in mind before kickoff: WMU is 232nd worst in the nation in passing touchdowns allowed, with 15 on the season. The Chippewas have had an even harder time: they are stumbling into the contest with the 214th most passing touchdowns allowed in the nation, having given up 13 on the season. It's possible one of these Achilles' heels will wind up tripping the losing team up.
How To Watch
- When: Wednesday at 7 p.m. ET
- Where: Waldo Stadium -- Kalamazoo, Michigan
- TV: ESPN University
- Online streaming: fuboTV (Try for free. Regional restrictions may apply.)
- Follow: CBS Sports App
- Ticket Cost: $28.00
Odds
The Broncos are a big 9-point favorite against the Chippewas, according to the latest college football odds.
The oddsmakers had a good feel for the line for this one, as the game opened with the Broncos as a 10-point favorite.
Over/Under: -110
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Series History
Western Michigan have won five out of their last six games against Central Michigan.
- Nov 18, 2020 - Western Michigan 52 vs. Central Michigan 44
- Sep 28, 2019 - Western Michigan 31 vs. Central Michigan 15
- Oct 20, 2018 - Western Michigan 35 vs. Central Michigan 10
- Nov 01, 2017 - Central Michigan 35 vs. Western Michigan 28
- Oct 01, 2016 - Western Michigan 49 vs. Central Michigan 10
- Oct 10, 2015 - Western Michigan 41 vs. Central Michigan 39
