No. 6 Miami Hosts Central Michigan as Hurricanes Navigate Injuries and Seek 4-0 Start

No. 6 Miami Looks to Stay Unbeaten Against Central Michigan

No. 6 Miami will put its unbeaten record on the line Saturday when the Hurricanes host Central Michigan in a matchup that brings together a 3-0 Power Four program and a 2-1 Chippewas team eager to produce one of the biggest upsets of the college football season.

Central Michigan coach Matt Drinkall has every intention of pulling off the gargantuan upset, even though he has plenty of admiration for the Hurricanes. Drinkall counts members of Miami’s coaching staff among his friends and mentors and praised the opportunity his team will have when the Chippewas travel to Miami.

That admiration, however, will be put aside once the game begins. Central Michigan enters the matchup looking to challenge a Miami team that has opened the season with three straight victories and climbed to No. 6 in the national rankings.

Miami’s Injury Situation

Miami’s biggest challenge heading into Saturday may be managing a growing list of injuries. The Hurricanes were already short-handed in the secondary, and now have concerns involving two of their most important offensive players after last week’s 33-20 victory over Wake Forest.

Wide receiver Malachi Toney and running back Mark Fletcher Jr. were both injured against Wake Forest, creating uncertainty surrounding their availability and forcing Miami to potentially adjust its personnel groupings against Central Michigan.

The Hurricanes also lost running back Marty Brown to a knee injury and wide receiver Joshua Moore to an upper-body injury for the remainder of the season. Defensive lineman Ahmad Moten also appeared to be dealing with a shoulder issue during last week’s victory.

Those injuries could force Miami to rely on different personnel combinations and give younger players or less experienced contributors larger roles. The Hurricanes will need to adjust quickly while trying to maintain the offensive and defensive consistency that has helped them reach 3-0.

Mensah Has Been Nearly Perfect Through Three Games

Despite the injuries around him, Miami quarterback Darian Mensah has been one of the biggest reasons for the Hurricanes’ fast start. Mensah has thrown 11 touchdown passes without an interception through Miami’s first three games. The last quarterback to record at least 11 touchdown passes with zero interceptions through three games was Southern California’s Caleb Williams in 2023.

Mensah has also been exceptionally accurate. He enters Saturday completing 89.9% of his passes, continuing a recent Miami trend of having its starting quarterback lead the nation in completion percentage through three games. Last season, Carson Beck held that distinction at this point in the schedule with a 79.3% completion rate.

Mensah’s efficiency reached another level against Wake Forest. He completed 24 consecutive passes, setting a Miami and Atlantic Coast Conference record while extending his overall streak to 35 straight completions dating back to the end of Miami’s Week 2 game against Florida A&M. That level of accuracy has allowed Miami to consistently move the football while limiting opportunities for opposing defenses to create turnovers.

Chippewas Looking to Shock the Hurricanes

Central Michigan enters the game with a 2-1 record and little to lose against one of the nation’s top-ranked teams. The Chippewas understand the challenge ahead, but Drinkall’s comments this week made it clear that his team is excited about the opportunity.

Miami’s injuries could provide Central Michigan with additional openings, particularly if the Hurricanes are forced to use unfamiliar combinations on offense or defense. Still, the Chippewas will have to execute at a high level to take advantage of those opportunities. For Miami, the goal is straightforward: continue the undefeated start, protect against an upset and navigate a difficult injury situation without allowing it to derail the team’s momentum.

What to Watch Saturday

The availability of Toney and Fletcher will be one of the central storylines heading into kickoff, while Miami’s ability to replace Brown and Moore will also be important. The Hurricanes could have to lean more heavily on their remaining playmakers and adjust their offensive personnel throughout the afternoon.

Mensah’s performance will be another major storyline. After three games without an interception and with 11 touchdown passes, the sophomore quarterback has established himself as one of the most efficient passers in the country.

Central Michigan, meanwhile, will look to make Miami uncomfortable and turn the Hurricanes’ injury concerns into an opportunity. Miami enters Saturday as the No. 6 team in the country and an unbeaten favorite, but Central Michigan arrives with confidence and the belief that it can make the Hurricanes work for a fourth consecutive victory.