Three opponents to watch: Central Michigan Chippewas

Michigan welcomes in-state foe Central Michigan to the Big House on Saturday in what the Wolverines are hoping will be a get-right game. On national television last week, Michigan got thoroughly beaten by the Oklahoma Sooners, proving that the Wolverines aren’t quite ready for the College Football Playoff conversation.

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Of course, the season is young, but Michigan has a lot of work to do to get back in that discussion, and the only way it can do so is by winning games. It starts this weekend at home against an inferior opponent.

The Wolverines should win this game going away, but here are three Central Michigan Chippewas to watch on Saturday.

RB Nahree Biggins

Through two weeks of the college football season, Central Michigan has run the ball 92 times and passed only 40, which equates to nearly a 70-30 split in terms of play selection percentage. This is a notable trend heading into Saturday’s matchup.

Since CMU has opted to run the ball on nearly 70 percent of its offensive plays through two games, it’ll be important for Michigan to keep the Chippewas’ two main running backs in check.

Senior running back Nahree Biggins is one of the players to watch on Saturday. At 6-foot-1 and 210 pounds, Biggins, a New Jersey native, has carried the rock 27 times for 112 yards so far this season, for an average of 4.1 yards per carry.

Biggins, a captain on this year’s Central Michigan squad, has yet to find the end zone in 2025, but the Chippewas have scored only a total of 33 points in two games. Interestingly Central Michigan has yet to have a quarterback eclipse 100 passing yards yet this season.

Based on how much Central Michigan runs the ball compared to passing, Biggins will be a player to watch at the Big House on Saturday.

RB Trey Cornist

For all the same reasons Biggins will be a player to watch, his teammate Trey Cornist will be another player to look for. No. 6 in white will be a factor on Saturday afternoon, as Central Michigan looks to hang tough with the Wolverines on the ground.

Cornist, a sophomore who began his career at Tulane, haș strikingly similar numbers to Biggins through the first two games of the season. The 6-foot, 215-pound ball carrier has rushed 22 times for 112 yards and a score so far this season.

Averaging 5.1 yards per carry, Cornist is an effective weapon on the ground for CMU. If Central Michigan can get its one-two punch of Biggins and Cornist into a rhythm, the Michigan defense may have a problem on its hands.

LB Jordan Kwiatkowski

Senior linebacker Jordan Kwiatkowski has been a staple on the Chippewas’ defense for the past few seasons. A Sterling Heights, Michigan, native, Kwiatkowski has been loyal to Central Michigan, even in an era of NIL and money-chasing.

Kwiatkowski was voted a captain for this year’s team, and it’s easy to see why. The 6-foot-1, 235-pound linebacker has been a vital part of CMU’s defense since his sophomore season in 2023.

However, Kwiatkowski really stepped up during his junior year last season. He racked up 96 tackles, a pass deflection and an interception for Central Michigan last year, in what was a down season for the Chips.

In 2025, Kwiatkowski already has 12 tackles, a pass deflection and an interception.

As a Michigan native, Kwaitkowski is likely familiar with Michigan’s rich football tradition, and the senior linebacker would love to walk into the Big House and spoil Michigan’s get-right game.

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