Central Michigan vs Northwestern Prediction and Pick GAMEABOVE SPORTS BOWL Picks, College Football Picks

It is anticipated that the Central Michigan Chippewas and the Northwestern Wildcats would compete against one another in a postseason game at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan, which is the location of the 2025 GameAbove Sports Bowl. The live broadcast of this game will take place on ESPN and is scheduled to take place on Friday, December 26, at 1:00 PM. The goal of both clubs is to finish their seasons with a fantastic performance in the postseason championship game.

Central Michigan comes into the bowl with a record of 7-5. They have exhibited strong performances at home, where they have a record of 4-1, but they have struggled on the road, where they have a record of 3-4. The most recent games of the season feature a defeat at the hands of Toledo, as well as victories over Kent State and Buffalo, which highlights the roller coaster nature of the season. It is anticipated that the Chippewas would make an effort to capitalize on their postseason berth in order to conclude their 2025 campaign on a positive note.

On the other hand, Northwestern concluded the regular season with a record of 6-6. They had a solid performance at home, with a record of 5-2, but they struggled on the road, with a record of 1-4. In their most recent games, they were defeated by Illinois, but they also achieved a significant victory over Minnesota, which demonstrates that they have the ability to perform well in high-pressure situations. The Wildcats are likely to experience a sense of relaxation as they attempt to earn a victory in the postseason because they will be playing in a dome atmosphere.

The offensive performance of the Northwestern Wildcats during the 2025 season included a total of 270 points scored, which placed them in the 84th position in terms of points for. The fact that they were 104th in passing yards with 2,181 yards indicates that there is potential for development in their passing attack. Their rushing game, on the other hand, was particularly productive, as they ranked 62nd with 2,024 yards.

With 238 first downs, the Wildcats are now ranked 53rd in the nation. First downs have been a very important factor for the Wildcats. In spite of the fact that their passing game has been struggling, this demonstrates that they are able to maintain drives. The strategic move toward ground domination is shown in the increase in rushing yards that occurred between the years 2024 and 2025.

Northwestern’s defensive performance is ranked 78th in terms of points allowed, with a total of 251 points allowed. The effectiveness of their defensive line has resulted in 18 sacks, which places them in the 24th position in this area. The team has been quite successful in terms of turnovers, as they have recovered eight fumbles and eight interceptions, placing them in the top ten for both of these measures.

The ability to generate turnovers is essential for Northwestern, as it enables the offense to take advantage of additional opportunities. It’s possible that their ability to consistently force turnovers will play a key influence in the games they have coming up.

Preston Stone has been the most successful quarterback for Northwestern, with 2,174 passing yards and 14 touchdowns over the course of 12 games to date. His 12 interceptions, on the other hand, emphasize areas that have room for possible improvement. Stone’s ability to lead the offensive is not something that should be overlooked, despite this fact.

The limited participation of Ryan Boe has not yet resulted in a substantial impact. He has appeared in six games but has only accumulated a little amount of passing yardage. Stone will play a significant role in guiding the Wildcats through crucial games, and they will rely significantly on his performance.

Because of his 886 yards and 10 touchdowns, Caleb Komolafe stands out as the major rusher. He is now ranked 52nd in terms of rushing yards. With 486 yards on the ground and significant contributions in the receiving game, Joseph Himon II provides more depth to the team.

Stone is able to consistently target Griffin Wilde, who leads the receiving corps with 783 yards and six touchdowns. Wilde is also the highest scoring receiver. In high-pressure situations, the synergy that exists between Stone and Wilde may prove to be quite important.

There are a number of players on the injury list for Northwestern, including Richie Hagarty and Cam Porter, who are both out for the season. This presents a number of issues for the school. When Porter is not available, the depth of the team will be put to the test, particularly in the rushing department.

Due to the fact that crucial players such as Caleb Komolafe and Drew Wagner are labeled as questionable, Northwestern needs to adjust its approach in order to account for the possibility of their absence occurring.

The offense of Central Michigan has demonstrated a balanced approach during the course of this season, as evidenced by the 1,994 passing yards and 2,074 rushing yards. They have been more successful on the ground than they have been via the air, which is why they are ranked 57th in rushing. This puts the squad in 76th place in terms of scoring, as they have accumulated 286 points.

Although they have been successful on the ground, their passing game ranks 113th, which indicates that there is opportunity for growth. In terms of first downs, the Chippewas have 205, which places them tied for 76th place in the nation. This demonstrates the Chippewas’ ability to move the chains.

Central Michigan’s defensive performance has been ranked 91st, with a total of 272 points allowed. Their defensive line, on the other hand, has recorded 28 sacks, which has earned them the fourteenth slot in the national rankings.

As a result of the secondary’s opportunistic play, they have secured 12 interceptions, which is tied for thirteenth place. Because they have recovered eight fumbles, they are ranked seventh, which demonstrates their ability to capitalize on the mistakes made by their opponents.

A loss to Toledo by a score of 21-3 was the most recent game that Central Michigan played. Their 81 running yards were far lower than Toledo’s 205, which is proof that they had a difficult time finding an offensive rhythm.

Through the utilization of a well-rounded offensive assault, the Chippewas were able to achieve victory over Kent State and Buffalo in their previous contests. They had a solid defensive effort against Western Michigan, which resulted in a narrow loss. They were able to minimize the number of passing yards they obtained.

As the quarterback for the Chippewas, Joe Labas has been an integral part of the team’s attack, accumulating 1,676 passing yards and scoring 12 touchdowns. When it comes to the ground, Nahree Biggins is in first place with 540 yards rushing, while Langston Lewis is in first place with 513 yards receiving.

For the defense, the success of the squad in terms of sacks and interceptions will be quite important. They will attempt to keep up their aggressive play style in order to cause more disruption to the offense of their opponent.

As a result of numerous important players suffering from injuries, the depth of Central Michigan’s roster will be put to the test. It is unclear whether or not quarterback Angel Flores will be able to improve their passing game. A number of players on the offensive line have been ruled out for the season, which further depletes the offensive line.

As they continue to manage the hurdles that the season presents, the Chippewas will need to rely on their depth and their ability to bounce back from setbacks. It will be their next game that will put their ability to adapt and triumph over challenges to the test.

In games with totals set at 42 or lower, the Northwestern Wildcats have been hitting the over on a continuous basis, and they have achieved a perfect 5-0 record in their previous five efforts. This pattern indicates that Northwestern has a tendency to engage in higher-scoring competitions when they are competing against teams with lower totals. Furthermore, in the games that Northwestern has played after suffering a defeat, they have scored more than the point total ten out of twelve times, which is indicative of a tendency to recover offensively.

The defense of Central Michigan has been relatively weak, as evidenced by the fact that they have allowed 272 points thus far this season, which places them 91st in the nation. Taking into consideration Northwestern’s offensive techniques, this vulnerability indicates that there is a possibility of an increase in scoring by Northwestern. In addition, Central Michigan’s offense, which is rated 76th, has the potential to capitalize on opportunities against Northwestern’s defense, which has registered 251 points allowed so far this season.

Taking into account the offensive talents and defensive weaknesses of both sides, in addition to the fact that this game is being played in a controlled setting at Ford Field, which is an indoor stadium, the conditions are perfect for offenses to flourish. The sum of 43.5 indicates that the game will have a higher total score than what is suggested by these indicators collectively.

When these evaluations are taken into consideration, the forecast for this GameAbove Sports Bowl is that the total score will be higher than 43.5. The ultimate score may be anticipated to be 28 points for Northwestern and 24 points for Central Michigan, which would result in a combined total of 52 points.

✅ Our Central Michigan vs Northwestern Prediction: Northwestern

 

Central Michigan vs Northwestern Prediction and Pick GAMEABOVE SPORTS BOWL Picks, College Football Picks, by YouWager.lv.