Central Michigan football rolls past UMass 38–13: Townsend’s three-touchdown outburst powers Homecoming win

Central Michigan football handled its business on Homecoming, beating UMass 38–13 on Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant. The Chippewas blitzed the Minutemen with a 21-point first quarter and never looked back, moving to 5–3 (3–1 MAC) while UMass fell to 0–8 (0–4 MAC).

UMass vs. Central Michigan: how the game was won

Central Michigan seized control early. The offense stacked explosive plays in the opening period and the defense forced short fields, producing a 21–7 lead after 15 minutes and a 24–10 edge at halftime. The knockout came after the break: two third-quarter touchdowns stretched the margin to 38–13, and the Chippewas closed it out with clock-chewing drives and sound tackling.

The headline belonged to Brock Townsend, who finished with three touchdowns—two rushing scores and a 51-yard catch-and-run that punctured the Minutemen’s coverage for a back-breaking strike. Under center, Joe Labas delivered a steady day with two touchdown passes, mixing quick-game accuracy with timely shots to stress the safeties. Central’s ground game consistently won first down, setting up manageable sequences and keeping the playbook wide open.

UMass landed its best punches via early counters and field goals that briefly steadied the second quarter, but the Minutemen couldn’t convert red-zone trips into enough touchdowns. As the game wore on, Central Michigan’s front tightened against the run, forcing longer third downs and limiting yards after contact.

Key numbers and turning points

• 21 in the first: Central Michigan’s opening surge flipped game state immediately, putting UMass into chase mode and inviting pass-rush pressure on long downs.

• Third-quarter separation: Two Chippewa touchdowns out of halftime created the 25-point cushion that effectively sealed it.

• Townsend’s trifecta: The blend—short-yardage power, perimeter burst, and the 51-yard reception—showcased a complete impact profile.

• Efficient balance: The Chippewas paired a productive rushing day with controlled passing—moving chains without inviting turnovers.

• Situational defense: Central Michigan forced UMass to settle for points outside the paint and closed the door on third-and-long.

What it means for Central Michigan football

At 5–3 (3–1 MAC), Central Michigan strengthened its positioning for November. The performance checked every midseason box: fast start, explosive plays, complementary defense, and clean special teams. Most encouraging was the balance—the offense didn’t rely on a single star or gimmick; it operated on schedule, leveraged motion and formation variety, and trusted its line to win the point of attack.

Defensively, the Chippewas limited chunk runs and tackled well in space, a necessity against a UMass offense that looks for quick rhythm to stay out of obvious passing situations. The pass rush didn’t chase sacks at the expense of contain; instead, it compressed pockets and forced throws into contested windows.

Where UMass goes from here

The Minutemen showed early resilience but faced the same math that has haunted their season: extended drives that yield three instead of seven, and a defense forced to defend short fields after special-teams and field-position swings. The road back involves:

• Red-zone finishing: Schemed touches for backs and tight ends to lift touchdown rate inside the 20.

• First-down stability: More efficient runs and quick hitters on early downs to avoid third-and-7+.

• Explosive prevention: Safer leverage on the perimeter to stop big gains from turning into momentum pivots.

Box-score highlights (select)

• Central Michigan: Brock Townsend — 3 TDs (2 rush, 1 rec; long TD reception 51 yards). Joe Labas — 2 TD passes, guiding an offense that hit explosives without sacrificing efficiency.

• UMass: A handful of early scoring drives kept it competitive into the second quarter before the Chippewas’ third-quarter burst created separation.

The bigger picture

This was the template win Central Michigan needed heading into the stretch run: front-loaded scoring, a defense that tightened situationally, and a featured playmaker in Townsend who could finish drives from anywhere on the field. The Chippewas’ path in the MAC hinges on repeating Saturday’s sequencing—own the first quarter, stack possessions with the run, and let the defense play downhill.

For UMass, the focus shifts to extracting progress from drive quality into scoreboard output and cutting off the one or two explosives per half that change the game script. The schedule still offers chances to reset, but the finishing details must arrive now.

Final: Central Michigan 38, UMass 13.