Central Michigan vs Kent State Prediction, Pick & Wednesday MACtion Odds

• Central Michigan is a 7.5-point favorite over Kent State in Wednesday MACtion
• The Golden Flashes rank 127th in scoring defense, and 103rd in yards allowed per play
• See below for my Central Michigan vs Kent State prediction and pick, plus the latest odds

Wednesday’s were made for MACtion and this week’s slate features a pair of games, including Central Michigan (6-4, 4-2 MAC) versus Kent State (4-6, 3-3 MAC). The Chippewas need a win to keep their conference title hopes alive, and online sportsbooks like their chances per the college football odds. CMU is currently favored by 7.5 points, and I don’t think that’s enough given the state of the Golden Flashes defense.

Kickoff is scheduled for 7pm ET from Dix Stadium, in Kent, OH, with ESPNU providing the broadcast coverage.

Here is my CMU vs KENT prediction and pick, plus the latest odds.

Central Michigan vs Kent State Prediction and Pick

The Kent State defense isn’t just bad, it’s one of the worst in college football. They rank 127th in scoring defense and 103rd in yards per play. The Golden Flashes are fresh off a wild 45-32 overtime win versus Akron, but a closer look suggests they were not the better team.

Kent State was outgained by 156 yards, and its defense was on the field for 95 plays. The Golden Flashes did force two turnovers, but otherwise couldn’t get stops. They surrendered 33 first downs and allowed the Zips to throw for 424 yards.

Kent State Defensive Stats

Akron is power rated outside the top-100, and 24 spots lower than Central Michigan. Kent State’s defensive metrics look even worse when you consider their competition. The Golden Flashes have played only five teams ranked inside the top-110, but in those outings they’ve surrendered a combined 248 points.

The Central Michigan offense doesn’t resemble anything close to a CFP odds contender, but even they should have an easy time finding the end zone on Wednesday. I expect them to impose their will in the run game, wearing down the Kent State front. CMU averages nearly 5.0 yards per carry, and rush the ball at one of the highest rates in the nation.

The Chippewas rushing attack is unique and tough to game plan for. In addition to a stable of running backs who get carries, Central Michigan also deploys a two-QB system. Angel Flores excelled in this offensek leading the team in rushing, but his status is in doubt for this game. Not to worry, Marcus Beamon will step up in his place, splitting reps with Joe Labas, a more traditional pocket passer.

Kent State is vulnerable no matter what style of offense CMU decides to deploy, ranking 111th in rushing yards allowed, and 118th in opponent completion percentage.

As for the Chippewas defense, they specialize in takeaways and keeping teams out of the end zone. CMU’s 76.47% opponent red zone scoring percentage is 14th in all of college football, while they rank 20th in turnovers and 24th in INT rate.

Boxscore watchers might be blown away by Dru Deshields’ numbers versus Akron, but don’t be fooled. He owns a dismal 58% completion percentage this season, and ranks 106th in QBR. Deshields has passed for fewer than 200 yards in six of nine outings, while none of the Golden Flashes four primary ball carriers average north of 3.9 yards.

CMU vs KENT Odds

With significant advantages on both sides of the ball, I’ll happily lay 7.5 points with the Chippewas. The best book to bet them right now is at FanDuel, where they’re anywhere from 1 to 1.5 points lower on the spread than the rest of the market.

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Odds as of Nov. 18. New customers can claim the FanDuel promo code and get a bonus to bet on college football.

Total-wise, the over-under sits at 49.5. Per the college football public betting trends, that’s a number that every Kent State game versus top-110 competition has cleared so far this season.