Northwestern was back to its vintage self in 2025.
The Wildcats finished 6-6 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten, but they were a pesky bunch with a terrific defense that gave some better teams absolute fits this season.
The problem was that the offense was tepid, which severely limited Northwestern’s ceiling.
The tale of the tape isn’t that different for Central Michigan.
The Chippewas hung around in the MAC for most of the season thanks to a strong defense, but they couldn’t overcome their issues with the ball.
These two very stoppable forces will meet in the GameAbove Sports Bowl at Ford Field in Detroit on Friday.
Central Michigan vs. Northwestern odds, prediction
It’s no surprise that bookmakers have saddled a pretty hefty price on Northwestern for this game.
The Wildcats are the better team and their defense should have no issues slowing down the Chips, who finished 103rd in scoring, 85th in yards per play and 111th in yards per game.
Central Michigan’s ground game was especially ineffective, which is not a good thing because the Chippewas ran the ball more than any non-triple-option offense in FBS.
They handed the ball off on 66.5 percent of snaps in 2025, racking up 4.0 yards per rush (91st) along the way.
What’s bizarre about that is that the Chippewas showed some promise throwing the ball this season, ranking 14th in completion percentage and 23rd in yards per pass.
Betting on College Football?
Northwestern’s offense wasn’t as toothless as Central Michigan’s, but the Wildcats didn’t do anything particularly well, causing them to finish the regular season as the 99th-best offense in the country, per SP+.
If you’re a fan of field-position battles, punting and low-event football, this is the game for you.
Look to the under in this tilt, and don’t be afraid to bet some props like the first quarter to finish scoreless or neither team to score a touchdown in the first half.
The Play: Under 43.5 (-113, FanDuel)
Why Trust New York Post Betting
Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.
