Preview: Chippewas look to avenge last season's loss to Akron on Homecoming
Central Michigan University football players cheer next to fans in Kelly/Shorts Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. Central Michigan defeated Wyoming 24-10. (CM-Life | Trevor Sparks)
As Homecoming weekend approaches, the tradition of college football at Central Michigan remains tied to the festivities as the Chippewas host Akron on Saturday, Oct 3.
While excitement spreads through campus about Homecoming, head coach Matt Drinkall has remained focused on preparing for the game against the Zips, with last year's loss to Akron still in the forefront of his mind.
"I have thought about that game every day 50 times since, because we weren't the best version of ourselves and I think there is a million reasons why and I have obsessed over trying to make sure that those get corrected for that this time around," Drinkall said.
Meet the opponent
Akron enters the game against CMU 1-3 on the season, with its only win coming against Robert Morris University of the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).
"Put on the tape, they [Akron] are good, this is a good ass football team that is ready to go," Drinkall said. "I am 0-1. We are 0-1 here against them, so I don't care what their record is, it is irrelevant."
The Zips have started the year rotating between Cibastian Broughton and Brayden Roggow at quarterback, but regardless of who is at the helm of the offense, according to coach Drinkall, the coaching staff at Akron will be able to utilize both effectively.
"Coach Moorhead, go look at how incredibly efficient they are, look at what he did to us a year ago on third down, look at what he does to everybody as far as first downs and moving the sticks," Drinkall said. "He is as brilliant of a mind offensively and I think he really takes a lot of pride in, like, each week being able to build a unique plan of attack against that team."
"We are preparing for both, we think we are going to see both."
Broughton notably missed Akron's last game against UNLV with an injury.
Akron has shown to be versatile in its rushing attack with Broughton serving as the team's second leading-rusher, only behind running back Jordan Gant, who rushed for 176 yards in Akron's 2025 game against the Chippewas.
"It is a little bit of a chip on our shoulder because, I'm not going to lie, they just handed it to us last year," senior wide receiver Langston Lewis said. "We had a couple of player led meetings, just like 'we need this game, lets really get back to them, because they really put it on us last year,'"
"It means everything, this is my last year if I don't get this waiver, so I am just taking every game like it is my last, and I am trying to get the guys in that same headspace."
Keys to victory
Akron enters the game with a balanced offense so far during the season, and while it is still unknown whether Broughton will be healthy for the game this weekend, the Zips will be capable of both throwing and running the ball enough to keep the game competitive.
With Broughton being the more involved quarterback in the run game, his injury may make the rushing attack potentially more one dimensional.
"A couple things we have got to do is we have got to win first downs on both sides of the ball, there is no two ways about that," Drinkall said. "We have got to contain their tailback and quarterback run game, that is like the number one thing they are going to want to do."
On offense, Central Michigan passed the ball in a higher volume against Miami than it had earlier in the season, finishing 21-26 through the air, which has potential to be dangerous for an Akron defense that allows the second most passing yards per game in the Mid-American Conference.
A large Homecoming crowd would be another notch in the Chippewas' favor to solidify a strong home-field advantage.
"It's Homecoming, we need everybody to come out and support," Lewis said.
If CMU is able to slow down Akron's run game and establish a dynamic offense, similar to what it showed against Miami, the Chippewas should have everything in place to come out victorious on Saturday.
