@ CMU

[PorkerPoke]

Central Michigan is not a good football team for 2026. They have an offense that is even worse than the one Sawful has assembled for 2026. But - CMU plays a decent enough defense that will keep this game close which is why they opened as the favorite.

Their strength is rushing the ball. In the two games against UNM and Colgate they have attempted 37 passes and netted 106 yards.

When they rush it will come primarily from the QB spot (Flores) with the two SR RB’s (Blue, Clerveaux) getting 3-4 touches per game.

They held UNM to 364 yards in ABQ and shutdown their FCS foe Colgate. Colgate is not an FCS world beater and puts up lesser numbers than another FCS team named UNC.

Colgate led CMU 10-0 until :25 left in the 3rd quarter. CMU got another TD after a sustained drive in the 4th and held on for the 13-10 win.

This game could be very reminiscent of the opener at Akron in 2025 the Pokes won 10-0.

It will likely be a low scoring slugfest of mostly unimpressive performances with the team that commits the turnovers the likely loser.

Have no doubt the Pokes can win this game and at the same time CMU will be ready to load the box and bring as much heat as possible to disrupt Hughes. The Wyoming defense has not been very spectacular and in typical bend but don’t break will need to be alert for any new wrinkles the inept CMU offense may throw at them.

I want to say the Pokes win this game but am apprehensive simply because of Sawful and the seemingly inability to be the team to unveil an innovative game plan.

Since I still put on the B & G vision specs I will say Wyoming 17 CMU 10.

Don’t be surprised if CMU has their best offensive game of 2026. Can the Pokes keep any foe this season under 300 yards total offense?

National rankings:

Offense
Wyoming -126
CMU - 137

Defense
CMU - 50
Wyoming - 97

Scoring offense
Wyoming - 123
CMU - 136

Scoring defense
Wyoming - 85
CMU - 85

If the Pokes are going to make any run at .500 this is the test to see if Sawful can back his postgame comments up about improving.

 

[Vapoke]

Remember this game is on ESPN+. That subscription can you get most Big 12 Away Duals for Wyoming Wrestling as well this season.

 

[cowpoke pride]

Its going to be a punt-fest just like Akron last year.
Give me, with Brown and Gold glasses on, Pokes 10-6.
The Sawful effect in year 3 makes me dubious about every game.

 

[Vapoke]

O/U set at 39.5

Wyoming +1.5

 

[Poke in New England]

O/U set at 39.5

Wyoming +1.5

A more fair line than last week, but I will be betting against us again and hoping I am wrong.

 

[bladerunnr]

A more fair line than last week, but I will be betting against us again and hoping I am wrong.

Of course. We haven't covered a spread since csewe last year. It has been easy money beating against us. This team has showed absolutely no reason to put your money on them. It's fair to question if we would have won without the lightning delay. Had we lost, this line would have been closer to 7.

 

[OrediggerPoke]

I predict CMU 17-12 in an ugly game. As always when predicting performance under Sawvel, hope I’m wrong (but 2 for 2 on the year and close to the spreads)

 

[PorkerPoke]

I predict CMU 17-12 in an ugly game. As always when predicting performance under Sawvel, hope I’m wrong (but 2 for 2 on the year and close to the spreads)

I have more fear of a Sawful loss than confidence of the victory. I watched most of the Colgate @ CMU game and the Wyoming defense should be very effective. But “should be” doesn’t win games and I fear CMU brings a game plan that a Sawful coached team has difficulty in stopping. I also fear that CMU will make an all out commitment to putting as many defenders in the box as they can and rely on man coverage since a Wyoming offensive line tends to be Sawful - especially on the road.

This was a game I had circled a couple of years ago as a reason to enjoy visiting Michigan and seeing different parts of the state. I pondered all spring and summer if I dare trust the “rebuilding” of the offense. I just couldn’t pull the trigger because of the Sawful feeling I have for the success level of 2026 being anything better than the last two Sawful seasons. Decided to visit the Sun Bowl instead and that could end up being a Sawful decision. I can always cancel out since that would be a driving trip.

 

[East Tennessee Cowboy]

new here, so be easy on me. for the life of me I can not understand why year after year (with a few outliers) wyoming can not find a competent qb. one that will spray it over the field and be a game changer. grabbing a qb from william&mary should not be the standard. neither should be scoring 10-14 points a game. hang your hat on defense, that's fine, but for once I'd love to see this team beat someone 42-10. I don't have the time to go back and see everyones thoughts on Bohl, but with him you knew what you were getting. it was never great nor never bad. at wyoming, competent for the playoffs will probably never happen, but there's zero reason why they can't compete for conference titles. if NEW MEXICO can do it, then so can wyoming. when they went to the conference title in 2016 that was one the best times of my life, even with the team being sort of up and down. NIL has changed everything for the smaller schools, and I'm hopeful that down the road there's some sort of salary cap, or if you sign with a school outside of high school you have to stay for atleast 2 years, etc. wyoming has one of the most beautiful stadiums in the country, a good history before the 2000's, is the only school in the state. it should not be hard to sell guys to come here or even coach here. boosters have to pony up I get that, and hope they do, because if not then this program will be a level of misery that UTEP and akron has been in forever and that's not where they or us deserve to be.

-a lifelong cowboy from east tennessee