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No. 6 Miami Hurricanes vs. Central Michigan: TV info, odds, keys
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- No. 6 Miami Hurricanes vs. Central Michigan: TV info, odds, keys
When:Saturday, 6:30 p.m.
Where:Hard Rock Stadium, Miami Gardens
TV:The CW
Coaches:Mario Cristobal is 38-19 at UM, 100-79 overall; Central Michigan's Matt Drinkall is 9-7 at Central Michigan, 51-24 overall.
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Line:Miami is favored by 41.5 points
Weather:83 degrees, 34 percent chance of rain
Quick slant:After cruising through their first two and a half games, the Hurricanes ran into some trouble in the second half against Wake Forest. For the first time all season, a defense was able to slow down UM's potent offense. Despite the offensive stall, Miami won the game by 13 points.
About No. 6 Miami (3-0, 2-0 ACC):The Hurricanes are dealing with injuries this week. Cristobal announced two key offensive players, Marty Brown and Josh Moore, are out for the season. Key players like Mark Fletcher Jr., Ahmad Moten Sr. and Malachi Toney were banged up, as well.
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About Central Michigan (2-1):The Chippewas come down to South Florida for the first time since UM beat them 17-12 in 2019. Central Michigan has won back-to-back games against Colgate and Wyoming after losing to New Mexico to start the season.
Three things to watch
1. Cristobal said "everything looks favorable" for Fletcher and Toney to play against Central Michigan. But with Miami being a massive favorite, the two UM stars may play a limited amount. The pair of American Heritage alumni are two of the key cogs in the Hurricanes' offense, so Miami's staff may deem it wise to let them play early and then take them out if UM establishes a large lead. Keeping those two players healthy is crucial for the Hurricanes as they look ahead to a tougher part of the schedule in October.
2. Drinkall spent seven years at Army before taking the Central Michigan head coaching job before the 2025 season. Under Drinkall, the Chippewas have moved to an option-style offense. Central Michigan has passed the ball just 44 times in three games, which is the sixth-fewest attempts among FBS schools. Miami's defense will need to be disciplined when covering Central Michigan's option plays, which is a challenge they won't see again this season.
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3. With Moore and Brown out for the year, the Hurricanes will need to find players to step into their roles. Brown was an important running back, playing behind Fletcher. Miami could turn to freshman Javian Mallory to take on Brown's role. They could also use Jordan Lyle, a junior running back who has not yet played this season. At wide receiver, the Hurricanes have transfer Vandrevius Jacobs, sophomore Daylyn Upshaw and freshman Somourian Wingo who could take over as the third starting wide receiver. The Hurricanes will likely use all three for the near future.
