Prediction: Central Michigan Chippewas VS South Alabama Jaguars 2025-11-13
South Alabama Jaguars vs. Central Michigan Chippewas: A Clash of Claws and (Mostly) Jaguars
The South Alabama Jaguars (3-0) and Central Michigan Chippewas (1-1) are set to battle in St. Petersburg, Florida, with the Jaguars favored by 5.5 points across most books. Letâs dissect this matchup with the precision of a coachâs film breakdown and the humor of a student trying to explain why they deserve an A.
Parsing the Odds: Why the Jaguars Are the Favorite
The betting line tells a clear story: South Alabama is the bookmakersâ chosen child. At BetMGM, the Jaguars are priced at -5.5 (implied probability: ~74.6%), while the Chippewas sit at +5.5 (~25.4%). For context, this spread is like betting on a tortoise in a race against a sleepwalkerâthereâs some chance the sleepwalker stumbles into victory, but donât bet your grandmaâs knitting needles on it.
The total is set between 134.5 and 137, with SportsLineâs model predicting the Over in over 50% of simulations. This seems counterintuitiveâSouth Alabamaâs defense allowed just 64.6 PPG last season (18th-best nationally)âbut Central Michiganâs offense is a leaky faucet. The Chippewas shot a comically poor 32.5% from three (261st in the nation) and averaged 75.5 PPG. Itâs the basketball equivalent of a toaster trying to roast a turkey: messy, inconsistent, and likely to set off the smoke alarm.
Team News: Injuries, Stats, and Why the Chippewas Are Already Trailing
South Alabama is off to a 3-0 start, including a 99-50 thrashing of Spring Hill, where Hantz Louis-Jeune dropped 17 points. Their defense is a brick wall (18th-best in the country), and their home court is a fortressâthey scored 75.4 PPG at home last season versus 69.9 on the road. Maxwell Land, their projected star, averaged 10.3 PPG in simulations, and three Jaguars are expected to hit double digits.
Central Michigan, meanwhile, is a statistical trainwreck. They lost their last game 85-54 to Bradley, with Keenan Garnerâs stat line (12 points, 8 rebounds, 0 assists) resembling a âmehâ emoji with legs. Their defense is a sieve (191st nationally, allowing 72.2 PPG), and their three-point shooting is so bad it makes a blindfolded poet look like Steph Curry. The Chippewasâ 311th-ranked 6.4 threes per game is like showing up to a barbecue with a forkâtechnically valid, but wildly inappropriate.
The Humor: Why This Game Is a Foregone Conclusion
Letâs be real: Central Michiganâs offense is a âmehâ in human form. They made just 32.5% of their threes last seasonâimagine shooting that poorly at a free-throw contest and still being asked back. Their zero assists in the Bradley loss? Thatâs like a symphony orchestra performing without a conductor. Chaos. Beauty. A fire alarm.
South Alabamaâs defense, meanwhile, is the reason why Central Michiganâs players might start crying into their Gatorade. The Jaguarsâ D is so stifling, it makes a locked door look welcoming. And letâs not forget: Central Michigan is 0-1 at neutral sites this season. Theyâre the sports equivalent of a student who bombs every practice test but somehow aced the finalâonly to realize they studied the wrong textbook.
Prediction: Jaguars Pounce, Chippewas Chip Away at Hope
Putting it all together: South Alabamaâs defense will suffocate Central Michiganâs anemic offense, and their home-court advantage (75.4 PPG at home) gives them the edge to cover the -5.5 spread. The Jaguarsâ three players hitting nine+ points, per SportsLine, will ensure a comfortable win, while the Chippewasâ struggles from beyond the arc will keep their scoring in check.
Final Score Prediction: South Alabama 78, Central Michigan 65.
Bet the Jaguars, unless you enjoy the thrill of watching a team shoot like theyâre playing HORSE with a blindfold on. This oneâs a layup for the âJagsâliterally and figuratively. đđ„
Created: Nov. 13, 2025, 5:16 p.m. GMT