Central Michigan vs. Miami Recap: Mensah and Toney Cash in 52-3 Rout

Miami beat Central Michigan 52-3. The visitors took a 3-0 lead on a 49-yard Caden VanHuis field goal, and then Miami scored touchdowns on five straight drives to lead 35-3 at halftime. Miami outgained Central Michigan 572 yards to 158 and did not turn the ball over. Two DARIMARKET plays cashed on this game.

What cashed

ALT: Darian Mensah 2+ passing TDs (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED - Our read: Mensah came in 71 of 79 passing with 873 yards, 11 TDs and 0 INTs in three games, about 3.7 TDs a game while sitting early in blowouts. Central Michigan had 103 passing yards all season, so we expected Miami to get short fields. - What happened: Mensah had all three of his touchdown passes before halftime: 11 yards to Daylyn Upshaw, 8 yards to Malachi Toney and 13 yards to Cooper Barkate. He completed 23 of 27 passes for 338 yards with no interceptions, and also ran one in from 5 yards out with 6 seconds left in the half. That cleared the 2+ line by 1.5. - Worth watching: The early exit we expected showed up, with Luke Nickel throwing 7 passes in relief. When Miami is a big favorite, a lower alt like 2+ leaves room for him to hit it before he sits.

ALT: Malachi Toney 50+ receiving yards (alt, targeted -170 to -200): CASHED - Our read: Toney came in with 28 catches for 444 yards and 5 TDs, or 148 yards a game, and was expected to play. Our view was that even one half of work usually clears 50. - What happened: He caught 6 passes for 120 yards and a touchdown, 70.5 over the line, with a long of 37. His 8-yard score made it 21-3 in the second quarter. - Worth watching: No other Miami receiver had more than 47 yards. With that share of the passing game, the 50+ alt has room even in games where the starters come out early.

How the game played out

Central Michigan managed 21 rushing yards on 25 carries and turned it over three times. Jamal Meriweather's fumble recovery in the end zone made it 42-3 in the third quarter, and Chris Wheatley-Humphrey's 35-yard run capped the scoring. Wheatley-Humphrey finished with 104 yards on 11 carries.

Trends to watch

• Mensah has not thrown an interception this season, and he completed 23 of 27 here. His efficiency is what makes his TD alts playable even with limited snaps.
• Miami spread the carries: Wheatley-Humphrey had 11, Girard Pringle Jr. had 7 and Javian Mallory had 5. That split makes any single Miami back's rushing line harder to trust.
• Miami was flagged 13 times for 107 yards. It did not matter here, but it is worth noting against better opponents.

Stats are from the ESPN box score. Read more on alt lines and player props, or see the college football hub.