The Central Michigan Chippewas (4-3, 1-1 MAC) are set to host the UMass Minutemen (0-7, 0-3 MAC) on Saturday night at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant. This Mid-American Conference (MAC) matchup features a winless UMass team searching for their first win of the season. Before kickoff from Mount Pleasant, continue reading to get my UMass vs Central Michigan prediction for Saturday afternoon.
Our UMass vs Central Michigan Pick
- Pick: Central Michigan -15.5
- Confidence: 4/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Central Michigan Chippewas vs UMass Minutemen
- Date & Time: Saturday, October 25, 2025, 3:30 p.m. EDT
- Venue: Kelly/Shorts Stadium, Mount Pleasant, MI
- Broadcast: ESPN+
Key Storylines
- Central Michigan’s Ground Game: The Chippewas have a strong rushing attack, averaging over 185 yards per game. This could be all they need against a UMass defense that has struggled to contain the run or the pass so far this season.
- UMass’s Offensive Challenges: The Minutemen have yet to secure a win this season, with their offense averaging under 20 points per game. They will need significant improvements on that side of the ball to compete effectively against the Chippewas.
- Homecoming Atmosphere: Central Michigan is celebrating Homecoming, which should mean more energy in the stands than usual. They may not need that energy to beat up on UMass, but it certainly can’t hurt.
Quarterback Play
- Central Michigan: Central Michigan threw the ball just five times in their win over Bowling Green last week. They will likely try to keep things on the ground again here to create separation from the Minutemen.
- UMass: Quarterback AJ Hairston threw a couple of touchdown passes last week against Buffalo. But his production has not been nearly enough to help the Minutemen get into the win column this season.
Betting Trends & H2H
- Central Michigan: The Chippewas have covered the spread in four of their seven games this season.
- UMass: The Minutemen have only covered the spread in two of their first seven games.
- Head-to-Head: In their last meeting, Central Michigan defeated UMass 38-10, covering the spread as 14-point favorites.
UMass vs Central Michigan Model Projection
Score Projection: Central Michigan 35 – UMass 14
Win Probability: Central Michigan 85%, UMass 15%
Final Thoughts
UMass has not won a game yet this season and I don’t think they are going to start here. We should see Central Michigan dominate this game early on and cover the spread along the way. UMass will drop to 0-8 for the year and the running game of the Chippewas will be a big reason for that.
