Look, I get it. On paper, the Wagner vs Central Michigan game from late 2025 looks like just another "buy game." You know the type. A big FBS school pays a smaller FCS program to come to town, take a beating, and help balance the athletic budget.
The final score was 49-10. It wasn't exactly a nail-biter.
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But if you actually watched that Saturday afternoon in Mount Pleasant, you've probably realized it wasn't just a lopsided box score. There was a lot of weird, interesting stuff happening on the turf at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. For Central Michigan, it was a desperate "get right" game after getting absolutely steamrolled by the University of Michigan the week before. For Wagner, it was a chance to prove they weren't just a punching bag for the bigger conferences.
Honestly, it was a tale of two very different seasons colliding in the middle of Michigan.
The Day Joe Labas Found His Rhythm
Coming into this matchup, Central Michigan was sitting at 1-2. They had just been humiliated 63-3 in Ann Arbor. The fan base was, shall we say, a bit twitchy. Head coach Matt Drinkall was basically forced into a two-quarterback system because of injuries, and the pressure was on Joe Labas to prove he could lead this offense.
He did more than just lead it; he carved Wagner up.
Labas finished the day 12-of-14 for 241 yards and three touchdowns. That's a 19.5-yard average per completion. Basically, every time he let the ball go, it was a chunk play. The highlight? An 88-yard bomb to Nahree Biggins that happened in the second quarter. It was a one-play drive that took exactly 12 seconds. That single play pretty much sucked the remaining air out of the Seahawks' sideline.
Breaking Down the Scoring Blitz
- The Early Disaster: Wagner's nightmare started early. At the 14:20 mark of the first quarter, Dakota Cochran snagged a 30-yard interception return for a touchdown. Wagner was down 7-0 before most fans had even found their seats.
- The Quarterback Carousel: Angel Flores also got in on the action. While Labas was the air threat, Flores was the ground force, punching in two rushing touchdowns. He added a 22-yard passing score to Brock Townsend in the third quarter just for good measure.
- The Statistical Gap: By the time the fourth quarter rolled around, CMU had racked up 506 total yards. Wagner had 113. That's not a typo. The Chippewas averaged 7.7 yards per play, while Wagner struggled to hit 2.1.
Why Wagner Fans Still Had Something to Cheer About
If you only looked at the scoreboard, you'd think Wagner just curled up and died. They didn't. They were outmatched, sure, but they played with a kind of gritty desperation that makes college football fun.
Nicholas Romero managed to squeeze a 33-yard field goal through the uprights in the second quarter, making sure the Seahawks didn't leave Michigan with a zero on the scoreboard. But the real highlight for the Staten Island crew came in the fourth quarter.
Austin Bailey scooped up a fumble and took it 75 yards to the house. It didn't change the outcome—the game was long over—but it was a moment of pure, unadulterated effort. It moved the score to 49-10 and gave the traveling fans something to scream about.
It's easy to play hard when you're winning by 40. It’s a lot harder when you're the one down by 40 in 73-degree heat on the road.
The Reality of the Wagner vs Central Michigan Gap
There is a massive gulf between the NEC (Northeast Conference) and the MAC (Mid-American Conference). We often talk about the gap between the Power 4 and the Group of 5, but the drop-off from the bottom of the FBS to the middle of the FCS is just as steep.
Wagner entered this game 0-3. They had already lost to Kansas 46-7. They were struggling with turnovers—giving it away nine times in their first three games. Against Central Michigan, that trend continued with an early pick-six and a lost fumble.
Central Michigan, meanwhile, used this game as a launchpad. They went on to beat Eastern Michigan the following week and ended up finishing the regular season with a 7-5 record. This blowout wasn't just a stat-padder; it was a confidence builder for a team that had its soul crushed by Michigan a week earlier.
What This Game Tells Us About Scheduling
Critics love to hate these matchups. They call them "meaningless." But for Central Michigan, this game was the difference between a bowl-eligible season and a losing one. For Wagner, the check they received for playing this game likely funded a significant portion of their athletic department's travel for the rest of the year.
Plus, you get to see weird stats that only happen in these lopsided affairs. Central Michigan had 24 first downs. Wagner had 7. CMU's punter, Declan Duley, only had to go out there four times. Wagner’s Joshua Brown was the busiest man on the field, punting 8 times for 376 yards—including a 60-yarder that was actually pretty impressive.
Moving Forward: What to Watch For
If these two teams meet again, don't expect the result to change much unless Wagner finds a way to shore up an offensive line that allowed three sacks and constant pressure throughout the day.
For the Chippewas, the blueprint is clear: dominate the trenches and let the dual-threat QB system of Labas and Flores do the rest. They proved that when they play clean football, they are a force in the MAC.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check the 2026 Schedules: Wagner is slated to play James Madison and California in 2026. If you're a betting person, look for similar spreads and high totals in those FBS vs FCS matchups.
- Track the Quarterback Play: Watch how Joe Labas performs in high-pressure MAC games. His efficiency against Wagner was elite, but the real test is whether that 19.5-yard average holds up against defenses like Toledo or Western Michigan.
- Support the FCS Underdogs: Even in blowouts, players like Austin Bailey (Wagner) show out. Keep an eye on the transfer portal; many standout FCS players from games like this eventually end up on FBS rosters the following season.