Central Michigan Chippewas vs Akron Zips Prediction and Picks - October 4th, 2025
Use Code WWWC Saturday afternoon on the College gridiron, and we have a Central Michigan vs Akron Prediction loaded up and ready to roll. The Chippewas are off to a 3-2 start, and they come in off a 24-13 home win over Eastern Michigan. The Zips are off to a 1-4 start, and they come in off a 45-3 road loss to Toledo. The Chippewas have won 9 of the last 10 games in this series. Can they keep that trend alive? Continue reading to see our Central Michigan vs Akron prediction.
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Defense Plays Well Against The Eagles
Central Michigan enters Week 6 with a 3–2 record and some momentum after a 24–13 win over Eastern Michigan. Quarterback Joey Labas was nearly flawless, completing 14 of 16 passes for 138 yards and a touchdown, while Angel Flores powered the ground game with 134 yards on 22 carries. The Chippewas dominated time of possession and ran 70 plays for 445 total yards, showcasing a balanced attack that leaned heavily on the run. Wideout Tommy McIntosh chipped in with two catches for 59 yards, helping stretch the field just enough to keep Eastern Michigan’s defense honest.
Under first-year head coach Matt Drinkall, CMU has leaned into a run-first identity, averaging 178.6 rushing yards per game—good for top 60 nationally. Their passing game remains conservative, ranking 123rd in FBS, but Labas has been efficient and turnover-free. Defensively, the Chippewas are allowing 374.8 yards and 29 points per game, with vulnerabilities against the run and occasional lapses in coverage. Still, they’ve been solid in MAC play and have covered the spread in three of five games, including a perfect mark as favorites of 7.5 or more.
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Against Akron, Central Michigan will look to control tempo and wear down a Zips defense that ranks near the bottom nationally in yards allowed. Flores should see another heavy workload, and Labas will be tasked with managing the game and avoiding mistakes. CMU’s defense will aim to pressure Akron’s struggling quarterback rotation and force third-and-long situations. If the Chippewas can replicate last week’s efficiency and stay disciplined, they’ll be in position to extend their win streak in the series, which they lead 19–10–1.
Zips Need To Find Their Offense
Akron comes into this matchup at 1–4 after a lopsided 45–3 loss to Toledo. The Zips managed just 145 total yards and averaged a paltry 2.4 yards per play. Quarterback Brayden Roggow completed 7 of 12 passes for 51 yards, while Jordan Gant was bottled up on the ground, gaining just 22 yards on 13 carries. Israel Polk led the receiving corps with two catches for 16 yards, but the offense never found rhythm and was overwhelmed by Toledo’s defensive front. It marked Akron’s fourth loss in five games and underscored their ongoing struggles in MAC play.
Head coach Joe Moorhead is in his fourth season and still searching for answers on both sides of the ball. Akron ranks 127th in scoring offense (16.4 PPG) and 129th in total defense (470 YPG allowed), with glaring issues in pass coverage and run containment. The Zips have rotated quarterbacks and struggled to generate explosive plays, while their third-down conversion rate sits at a dismal 23.9%—134th in the FBS. Despite the poor metrics, Akron has managed two ATS wins this season and one cover as a 7.5-point underdog.
To stay competitive against Central Michigan, Akron will need to find a spark offensively and tighten up defensively, especially against the run. Gant and Polk remain key pieces, but the Zips must get better quarterback play and avoid early deficits. Their red zone defense has been a relative strength (33rd nationally), and if they can force CMU into field goals instead of touchdowns, they could keep the game within reach. With homecoming festivities and Zippy’s Fall Fest adding energy to the stadium, Akron will hope to channel that into a sharper performance.
Central Michigan vs Akron Pick
Central Michigan vs Akron Spread Pick
- Central Michigan -7.5 (4 Units)
Central Michigan laying 7.5 points is a sharp angle against an Akron team that’s been overwhelmed in nearly every phase. The Chippewas are coming off a dominant win over Eastern Michigan where they controlled tempo, ran 70 plays, and leaned into their run-first identity with Angel Flores racking up 134 yards. Joey Labas has been efficient and turnover-free, and while CMU’s passing game is conservative, it’s been enough to complement their ground attack. Akron, meanwhile, ranks near the bottom nationally in total defense and allowed 45 points to Toledo last week while generating just 145 yards of offense. That kind of imbalance makes it hard to trust the Zips to stay within a touchdown.
The matchup also favors CMU schematically. Akron’s run defense has been gashed all season, and the Chippewas are averaging nearly 180 rushing yards per game. With Flores and Marion Lukes splitting carries and Labas managing the clock, CMU should be able to sustain long drives and wear down Akron’s front seven. On the other side, the Zips’ quarterback rotation has been ineffective, and their third-down conversion rate is among the worst in the country. Central Michigan’s defense isn’t elite, but it’s opportunistic enough to force mistakes and capitalize on short fields. With the Chippewas trending up and Akron struggling to generate any offensive rhythm, the number feels light for a team that’s covered consistently when favored.
Central Michigan vs Akron Over/Under Pick
- Under 45.5 (5 Units)
This game profiles as a grinder, making Under 45.5 a strong angle. Central Michigan’s offense is methodical and run-heavy, designed to chew clock and limit possessions, while Akron’s attack has been one of the least efficient in the FBS—averaging just 16.4 points per game and struggling to sustain drives. Neither team pushes tempo, and both rank outside the top 100 in explosive play rate. With CMU likely to lean on Angel Flores and control time of possession, and Akron’s red zone defense quietly solid, this matchup sets up for limited scoring chances and a slow, physical pace that favors the under.
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