CFB Rooting Guide
Methodology

Central Michigan playoff odds

Central Michigan makes the College Football Playoff in <0.1% of 2.5 million simulated 2026 seasons. Loading the week 11 guide…

Central Michigan playoff odds and who to root for

Updated November 8, after week 9.

Central Michigan is 4-5 (2-3 in the Mid-American) through week 9 of the 2026 season. It makes the College Football Playoff in <0.1% of 2.5 million simulated seasons (ESPN's FPI: <0.1%), wins the Mid-American in <0.1% and wins the national title in <0.01%, with 6.0 projected wins.

That is the 71st-best playoff chance among the 138 FBS teams.

Who Central Michigan fans should root for in week 11

No other game this week has a significant effect on Central Michigan's playoff odds.

What Central Michigan needs

Even at 7-5, Central Michigan makes the playoff in <0.1% of seasons. It reaches six wins and a bowl in 72.3% of seasons.

WeekOpponentWin probabilityPlayoff odds after a winAfter a loss
Week 11vs Sacramento State89.1%<0.1%<0.1%
Week 12at Buffalo44.8%<0.1%<0.1%
Week 13at Ball State62.1%<0.1%<0.1%

Central Michigan's playoff odds by final record

Regular seasonChance of that recordPlayoff odds
7-527.1%<0.1%
6-645.2%<0.1%
5-724.5%<0.1%
4-83.2%<0.1%

Central Michigan's results

week 1, lost to New Mexico 7-38; week 2, beat Colgate 13-10; week 3, beat Wyoming 24-10; week 4, lost to Miami 3-52; week 5, beat Akron 41-17; week 6, lost to Ohio 14-31; week 7, lost to Western Michigan 14-21; week 8, lost to Miami (OH) 27-28; week 10, beat Eastern Michigan 35-7.

The Mid-American race

TeamWins the Mid-AmericanMakes the playoff
Western Michigan38.6%<0.1%
Toledo26.3%<0.1%
Ohio23.3%<0.1%
Buffalo9.1%<0.1%
Miami (OH)2.7%<0.1%
Central Michigan<0.1%<0.1%
Massachusetts<0.1%<0.1%
Kent State<0.1%<0.1%
Ball State<0.1%<0.1%
Bowling Green<0.1%<0.1%

The Mid-American title race: every team, the likeliest title games and how ties are broken.

Questions

Will Central Michigan make the College Football Playoff?
Central Michigan is 4-5 and makes the playoff in <0.1% of 2.5 million simulated seasons, with 6.0 projected wins. It wins the Mid-American in <0.1% and the national title in <0.01%.
What does Central Michigan need to make the playoff?
Even at 7-5, Central Michigan makes the playoff in <0.1% of seasons. It reaches six wins and a bowl in 72.3% of seasons.
Who should Central Michigan fans root for in week 11?
No other game this week has a significant effect on Central Michigan's playoff odds.
What is Central Michigan's toughest game left?
At Buffalo in week 12, with a 44.8% chance to win.
How are Central Michigan's playoff odds calculated?
The rest of the season is simulated 2.5 million times. Each simulated season is rated, ranked by a model of the selection committee and played through the bracket. A game's impact is the difference in Central Michigan's playoff odds between the simulations each team wins it.

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