Central Michigan Football Preview 2026: The Next Step for the Chippewas

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Central Michigan Football Preview 2026: The Next Step for the Chippewas

Pete Fiutak · College Football News

Wed, Jul 1, 2026 ·

8 min read

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There was a time in the mid-2010s when Central Michigan was expected to be in the MAC Championship mix every year.

There was also a time when Brian Kelly - yes, that one - and Butch Jones - also, yes, that one - went from 2004 to 2009 coaching up Chippewa teams no one wanted to deal with.

In his second season at the helm, Matt Drinkall appears to be getting the program back to being a consistent winner again.

Can Central Michigan Stay on the Rise?

Sep 6, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Central Michigan Chippewas tight end DeCorion Temple (8) reacts with wide receiver Langston Lewis (20) and tight end Nathan VanTimmeren (48) after scoring a touchdown against the Pittsburgh Panthers during the third quarter at Acrisure Stadium.

© Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Last season was the first winning campaign since 2021, and just the second since 2019.

It's been a lean run, but this year's team has a veteran offense that should be stronger, and there might be just enough in place to at least hold serve on defense.

It will take a few breaks, but it's the MAC, and it's Central Michigan. The team and coaching staff have the pieces in place to make some noise.

Central Michigan Quick Hits

Head Coach:Matt Drinkall (2nd year: 7-6, 7th year overall: 49-23)
Best Case / Worst Case:Play for the MAC Championship/A fourth losing season in five years.
Key Player:Quavion Bird, DT Soph.
2025 Record: 7-6
Biggest Question:How fast can the defense that lost so many veterans fill in the gaps?

Central Michigan Key 2025 Stats

1st Quarter Points Allowed: 37, 2nd Quarter Points Allowed: 109
Time of Possession: Central Michigan 32:03, Opponents 27:51
Points Per Game: Opponents 23.54, Central Michigan 22.54

Offense

The offense wasn't always consistent, but overall it was efficient, great at keeping in control of the tempo, and was great at not turning the ball over.

Enough talent is back to be even better and more dynamic as long as the points start to come.

What's Working

The offensive line is back.It's a minor miracle when a good MAC O line is able to stay relatively intact - and not be raided by the Power Four buzzards - but Central Michigan is not only set, but deep.

Four starters are back, the tackles are sound, and there's a chance this is the best line in the league if Georgetown center Losini Maka is great right away.

Quarterback Angel Flores is a baller.I don't have the official count, but I'm going to spitball and say the over/under on the number of teams that had zero quarterback activity in or out of the transfer portal probably stops at Central Michigan.

Joe Labas is done after a wonderful year, but Flores is a far more dangerous runner, finishing second on the team with 527 yards and leading the way with eight scores.

Almost all of the top receivers are back, too. Langston Lewis came up with a team-high 43 grabs, Tommy McIntosh is a 6-5 matchup problem down the field, and there's just enough depth and options to be okay.

What Needs Work

Can Flores be Labas throwing the ball?Flores might be a whale of a runner, but Labas completed over 70% of his passes and led the MAC in yards per attempt.

Flores should make up for it with his running, but he needs to keep the passing game effective.

Leading rusher Nahree Biggins is done,and Trey Cornist took off for UConn . Brock Townsend came on late last season and finished with over 400 yards - and he can catch. Jayden Clerveaux is coming in from Holy Cross - he's more of a big banger.

Consistency.To be fair, the running game didn't work against Michigan, Pitt, Western Michigan , Toledo, and in the bowl game against Northwestern - the five best teams on the slate.

Those were the only five times the Chippewas didn't run for 100 yards, and they lost all five. They went 7-1 against everyone else.

Player to Watch

Langston Lewis, WR Sr.
He didn't do much over his first two seasons, and then last year he took over as the team's leading receiver with 43 catches for close to 600 yards and three scores.

He's a decent deep threat who took over during a late-season stretch. This year, he has to be more consistent than dynamic.

Defense

The defense was good enough.

Defensive coordinator Sean Cronin didn't do anything special, but when the then-veteran group didn't get crushed, the Chippewas usually won.

This time around, there's work to do with just two starters back.

What's Working

There's turnover, but the style and overall talent level should remain about the same.Again, the team won when the defense wasn't being steamrolled over. It was 6-2 when allowing fewer than 400 yards of total offense, 0-4 when it did, and ...

Forcing takeaways was a big deal.There were a few wins when the turnovers weren't there, but they were against UMass, Kent State, and Eastern Michigan - three of the weaker teams on the slate.

Central Michigan was 4-0 when forcing multiple turnovers, and this year's defense will keep attacking.

There are still a few good players around.Linebacker Korber Demma was one of the team's best playmakers in the backfield - with 3.5 sacks and 8.5 tackles for loss - and corner Jaion Jackson is a great tackler for his size and broke up seven passes.

Yes, it's a young defense overall, but there weren't a ton of transfers, partly for a reason. The program is building from within.

What Needs Work

The defense was gutted, and not by the portal.This was a senior-laden group last year, and nine of them are gone.

Again, there's youth that will replace most of the stats, but losing so much experience and age is a problem.

There's not a ton of bulk on the inside.Injuries and departures hurt the interior of the 3-4 alignment, and it all relies on 300-pound Quavion Bird and 310-pound Dominique Maiava as the only two big bodies.

The transfer portal took a few of those seniors.Brenden Deasfernandes led the team with eight broken-up passes, and now he's a Northwestern Wildcat.

Kalen Carroll worked behind Jaion Jackson, but he still made 52 tackles with seven broken-up passes - now he's at TCU.

Player to Watch

Jaion Jackson, CB Jr.
The veteran corner beefed up this offseason - he's now up to 170 pounds.

He's an ultra-quick pound-for-pound tough guy who made 87 tackles with two sacks, 12 broken passes, 6.5 tackles for loss, and an interception in his two seasons.

Now he's a veteran who'll be an All-MAC level defender on the outside.

Keys to the Season

Get a big season out of quarterback Angel Flores.
Restock the shelves in a hurry on defense.
Score more and get more pop out of the offense.

Player Who Needs To Shine

Angel Flores, QB, Sr.
The 6-1, 210-pound transfer from Northern Arizona was a spark of life at times, taking off for 134 yards in the win over Eastern Michigan, running for three scores in the win over Bowling Green, and he threw a little bit, too.

However, he only had one game with more than three pass attempts, and that was in a garbage-time blowout against Michigan. It's his ship to sail now.

Biggest Concern

Scoring.
The defense has more issues when it comes to personnel, but its life will be made far easier if the offense can put points on the board.

The team won when the offense was able to light up the scoreboard, going 6-0 when putting up 24 or more, and was 1-6 when it didn't.

The program is 2-25 in its last 27 games when it doesn't score 24.

Biggest Game

Western Michigan, October 17
It's a rivalry game that should be a big deal for Central Michigan in the MAC title race.

With home games against the Broncos and Miami University in back-to-back weeks - and, okay, throw in the road date at Ohio the week before - the Chippewas can make-or-break their conference title hopes in this midseason stretch.

But Western Michigan should be the best team of those three.

Transfer Portal

There wasn't a ton happening through the portal.

The Chippewas lost a few parts who matter - part of the deal for a successful MAC team - but not enough to be crippling.

On the positive side, the staff brought in a slew of FCS school players who can step in right away with the depth being built up.

Best Signing

Jayden Clerveaux, RB (Holy Cross)
The backfield is one of the few areas on the offense that needs a little bit of help, and that's where the 5-11, 220-pound all-star from Holy Cross comes in.

He ran for 762 yards and five touchdowns last year, and he'll be a key part of the Chippewa rotation right away.

Biggest Loss

Brenden Deasfernandes, CB (Northwestern)
A Big Ten talent, he started out at Iowa , but didn't see much time. Over the last two years, he grew into a role as a key corner for Central Michigan, and now the fifth-year senior will make a push in the Northwestern secondary.

Other Names to Know

Hunter Zirkle, TE (Cumberlands)
Matthew McKenzie, CB (Bethune-Cookman)
Donavan Philord, CB (Campbell)

CFN Season Prediction

This season should be a lot like last season for Central Michigan.

It wasn't always pretty, but it did a great job of winning the games it was supposed to take down. It wasn't expected to do anything in paycheck games against Michigan or Pitt, and it didn't.

The key will be to avoid the stubbed toe losses like the Akron defeat in the middle of last year. The seven wins all came against teams that finished with losing records.

CFN Prediction: 6-6

It'll take something amazing not to lose the opener at New Mexico , and just enjoy the experience of going to Miami - the Florida version - and move on.

But Colgate, Akron, at Eastern Michigan, Sacramento State, at Buffalo, at Ball State .

Win four of those, try to sneak one past the goalie at home against a Western Michigan or Miami - the Ohio version - and battle to get bowling again.

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