The Central Michigan Chippewas are set to take on the FIU Panthers on September 7, 2024, at Pitbull Stadium in Miami. This game features two teams with vastly different starts to their seasons. Central Michigan opened their campaign with a massive 66-10 victory over Central Connecticut State, showcasing an explosive offense led by quarterback Joe Labas, who threw for 342 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. The Chippewas’ defense was also stout, allowing just 10 points and forcing turnovers that set up scoring opportunities.

Conversely, FIU had a tough start to their season, losing 31-7 to Indiana. The Panthers struggled offensively, managing only 182 total yards. Quarterback Keyone Jenkins had a challenging outing, throwing for 129 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Defensively, FIU showed significant weaknesses, especially against the run, where they allowed 234 rushing yards. Head coach Mike MacIntyre will need to address these defensive lapses and find a way to generate more offense if FIU hopes to compete against a confident Central Michigan team. Key factors in this game will be Central Michigan’s ability to continue their offensive momentum and FIU’s attempt to shore up their defense. The Chippewas’ balanced attack could be too much for the Panthers if FIU does not find ways to control the line of scrimmage and limit big plays. Expect Central Michigan to focus on maintaining a fast tempo and leveraging their passing attack, while FIU will need a much-improved effort on both sides of the ball to pull off an upset.