NAIA-CFB Game Preview: William Penn Statesmen (1-0) vs. Central Methodist Eagles (0-1)

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Venue, Date & Time

Conference: Heart of America Athletic Conference (South Division) – NAIA

Date: Saturday, September 6, 2025

Kickoff: 1:00 PM CDT

Venue: Davis Field, Fayette, Missouri

Weather Forecast (Fayette, MO – Game Day)

Conditions: Mostly sunny, low humidity

Temperature at Kickoff: ~84°F (29°C)

Wind: 6–9 mph from the southwest

Precipitation Chance: <10%

Impact on Play: Ideal conditions for both passing and rushing; minimal weather-related variance expected.

Injury Report (as of latest updates)

William Penn Statesmen

No confirmed major injuries following their 52–23 Week 1 win over William Woods.

Coaching staff monitoring minor knocks from opener; depth chart expected to be intact.

Central Methodist Eagles

No official injury list released after Week 1 loss to Missouri S&T.

Preseason camp reports indicated full participation from key starters.

Recent Team Form

William Penn Statesmen

2024 Record: 4–6 overall, 2–4 HAAC North

Opened 2025 with a 52–23 road win over William Woods.

Offense looked balanced in opener, with explosive plays in both run and pass game.

Central Methodist Eagles

2024 Record: 1–10 overall, 0–5 HAAC South

Dropped 2025 opener at Missouri S&T in non-conference play.

Defense struggled against the run in 2024; improvement needed to contain WPU’s ground game.

Series History

All-Time: William Penn leads 3–0 in modern era meetings.

Last Meeting: Sept. 2, 2023 – William Penn 35, Central Methodist 14 (Oskaloosa, IA).

Notable: WPU has averaged 31 PPG in the series while holding CMU under 20 in each contest.

Betting Trends

William Penn is 3-0 ATS in last 3 meetings vs. CMU.

The Over has hit in 2 of the last 3 matchups.

CMU is 1-9 SU in last 10 games overall.

WPU is 4-2 ATS in last 6 road games.

Suggested Wagering Model

Model Inputs:

Historical scoring averages in series (~50 total points/game)

WPU’s rushing efficiency vs. CMU’s run defense (2024: CMU allowed 210 rush yds/game)

CMU’s home-field performance vs. conference opponents

Weather: Neutral impact

Game Odds

William Penn Statesmen              – 7.5

Central Methodist Eagles             52.5

Odds Courtesy of Sports Odd Direct as of Friday, September 5, 2025

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