Central Michigan vs Western Michigan, NIU vs Kent State Odds, Picks and Prediction – Wednesday, Nov 3rd MACtion Football
- Central Michigan (4-4) faces Western Michigan (5-3) at Waldo Stadium Wednesday at 7:00 Eastern on ESPNU
- Kent State (4-4) hosts Northern Illinois (6-2) at Dix Stadium Wednesday at 7:00 Eastern on ESPN2
- Below are the odds and team breakdowns to wager on ahead of kickoff
Forget about Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday football for a minute. The real action this week is going to come from a pair of MAC games on Wednesday night.
Let’s start with the rivalry game between Central Michigan and Western Michigan in Kalamazoo. The Broncos are 10.5 point favorites and have won three straight and six of seven against the Chippewas.
Check out the latest betting trends for both games before placing your wagers as well.
Central Michigan vs Western Michigan Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Central Michigan | +10.5 (-112) | +265 | O 67.5 (-109) |
| Western Michigan | -10.5 (-109) | -360 | U 67.5 (-112) |
Odds as of Nov. 2nd at Barstool Sportsbook
Broncos Appear to Have Clear Advantage
The path to success for Western Michigan is very clear. They possess the football for 36:38 minutes per game – which ranks second in the country – but turnovers have been an issue.
In their two conference losses this year, they’ve turned the ball over a combined six times. If the Broncos can tidy up that part of their game, they should be a forced to be reckoned with on Wednesday night at 7:00 PM Eastern on ESPNU.
Much of the credit for the high time of possession belongs to the dynamic duo at running back of La’Darius Jefferson and Sean Tyler. The pair have combined for 1,156 rushing yards and 13 touchdowns so far this season.
.@AdamJaksa talks to the Head Coach of the Chippewas about our upcoming Western Michigan game.
Catch the full interview at https://t.co/c8HNecjoKe. pic.twitter.com/YlqKYKamGa
— CMU Football (@CMU_Football) November 2, 2021
Need more proof the Broncos are a tough team to play against? Look no further than Central Michigan head coach Jim McElwain.
He spent much of the lead up to this one singing the praises of his school’s biggest rival. “This team has embarrassed us and me personally,” McElwain said. “This team is awful scary that we’re playing, I think they are as talented as there is.”
Whether its gamesmanship or honesty, side with McElwain and trust the talent gap between these two teams to be the difference. Take Western Michigan to cover and kick your weekend off with a win.
- The Pick: Western Michigan -10.5 (-104)
Northern Illinois vs Kent State Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Northern Illinois | +3.5 (-112) | +150 | O 66.5 (-107) |
| Kent State | -3.5 (-109) | -186 | U 66.5 (-113) |
Dual Threat Quarterbacks Take Centre Stage at Dix Stadium
Northern Illinois quarterback Rocky Lombardi has his team in the driver’s seat in the West Division. Lombardi and the Huskies are first in the west thanks in large part due to his 1,293 passing yards, 323 rushing yards and 14 total touchdowns.
His ability to move the ball downfield with both his arm and his legs makes Northern Illinois a threat to score on every possession.
Both of the Huskies losses this year were out of conference, one to Wyoming and a second lopsided affair against the Michigan Wolverines. They’ve won five straight overall and are bring a lot of confidence into this game.
📋 STATSHEET STUFFERS 📋
The Huskies went on the OFFENSIVE 😤 up in Mt. Pleasant!! 📈#BeatKent #TheHardWay pic.twitter.com/3Ri7hGKx9m
— NIU Football (@NIU_Football) October 28, 2021
Kent State quarterback Dustin Crum has a lot of the same traits as Lombardi. He has 1,770 passing yards and 368 rushing yards with 15 combined touchdowns. The Golden Flashes are first in the East Division, meaning this could be a potential preview of the conference title game.
The total is set at 66.5 points but don’t let that number scare you off. Both of these teams do a great job moving the football and should breeze by the number. The number could go north as football fans prepare for Wednesday night MACtion, so if you’re taking the over consider doing it sooner rather than later.
The Pick: Over 66.5 (-106)
Ryan has been working at TSN for over eleven years, and is now a lead writer and content producer at That's Hockey. Over the years, he's launched and hosted TSN's first NCAAF podcast, The College Football Show, and been featured on the likes of TSN 1050, Sportscentre, and That's Hockey 2Nite.
