Tuesday’s MAC Best Bets, Odds, Predictions

Editor's Note: Be sure to cash College Football Week 11 winners from Joe Williams on VegasInsider.com. Click to win!

The Mid-American Conference kicked off last week with six games played on Wednesday Nov. 4 and the conference will get back into the mix with six more games scheduled on Tuesday and Wednesday this week.

The opening MAC weekend saw solid back-and-forth outcomes on the field and at the betting counter

Straight Up (SU), Against the Spread (ATS)

MAC Betting Results - Week 10

  • Home-Away: 4-2 SU, 3-3 ATS
  • Favorites-Underdogs: 4-2 SU, 3-3 ATS
  • Over-Under: 4-2

For this piece, we're focusing on the three games for Tuesday night and bettors will be staring at some healthy favorites, including two teams laying double digits.

Week 11 - Tuesday's MAC Schedule

Akron at Ohio
Kent State at Bowling Green
Miami Ohio at Buffalo

Let's break down the MACtion!

MAC Tuesday's Best Bets

Akron (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS) at Ohio (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

  • Odds: Ohio -27.5, Total 57
  • TV-Time: CBSSN, 7:00 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Peden Stadium
  • Location: Athens, Ohio

Akron hits the road this week after getting bludgeoned by Western Michigan by a 58-13 count last weekend at InfoCision Stadium in its opener. The Zips amassed just 256 total yards of offense, including 126 yards through the air, while yielding 484 total yards with 218 yards on the ground. It was like they carried over the momentum from last season, and that's not a good thing.

Akron was 0-12 SU in 2019, while going just 1-11 ATS. That included a 52-3 beatdown at the hands of these Bobcats in the regular-season finale, failing to come close to covering a 27.5-point number. And not much has changed, and as luck has it, the spread is identical to that game from back on Nov. 26.

The Bobcats were on the short end of a 30-27 decision in Mount Pleasant last weekend, as they fell to last season's MAC champion Central Michigan in one of the more entertaining games of the league openers. Ohio managed 235 yards through the air, but they'll need a little more balance to be successful over the long haul of the season.

Against the Zips, it likely won't matter, though. The Zips are 3-14 ATS across the past 17 MAC games, and 1-5 ATS in the previous six on the road.

Of course, Akron is 4-1 ATS in the past five against Ohio, and the underdog is 5-1 ATS in the past six meetings in this series. And believe it or not, the Bobcats have failed to cover their past six at Peden, something they'd like to rectify against the lowly Zips.

But just as much as Akron has had trouble winning, Ohio has had trouble as a favorite. They're just 2-9 ATS in the past 11 when favored, and here they are expected to win by nearly four touchdowns.

Best Bet: Akron +27.5

Kent State (1-0 SU, 0-1 ATS) at Bowling Green (0-1 SU, 0-1 ATS)

  • Odds: Kent State -20.5, Total 57
  • TV-Time: ESPN2, 7:30 p.m. ET
  • Venue: Doyt L. Perry Stadium
  • Location: Bowling Green, Ohio

Kent State opened with a solid 27-23 victory over Eastern Michigan, although they failed to cash on the closing number of 4.5 points while the 'under' (65.5) was never in doubt. QB Dustin Crum set the tone early with a 26-yard touchdown pass to WR Isaiah McKoy in the opening minutes, and Crum also punched one in himself from 1-yard out.

The game wasn't without drama, though. The Golden Flashes were up 20-9 at one point, but they frittered away the lead and were actually down 23-20 early in the fourth quarter before Crum bailed them out with his second touchdown strike of the even midway through the final quarter.

The Flashes held on in a game they pretty much dominated statistically. They outgained EMU 431 to 203, they won the turnover battle 2 to 1 and they had 28 first downs to just 20 for the Eagles.

The Flashes are now 8-2 ATS across the past 10 conference tilts after the narrow miss last week against the number, but they are 6-1 ATS in the past seven against losing sides.

For Bowling Green, they didn't fly so high against Toledo in their rivalry game at the Glass Bowl.

Last season BGSU stunned their rivals at Doyt Perry, winning 20-7 as ginormous underdogs, easily their biggest win of 2019, and perhaps in years. But they opened flat with a 38-3 loss in the Battle of I-75, and they were nearly doubled up in total yardage by a 524 to 267 count while turning it over three times to just once for Toledo.

The Rockets also won the time of possession battle by a 38:53 to 21:07 margin, something that the Falcons are going to need to turn around in a big hurry.

BGSU has failed to cover six of the past seven against winning teams, and they're a dismal 6-20 ATS in the past 26 at home while covering just two of the previous 12 as a home 'dog. In addition, they have covered only once in the past five times hosting Kent State, with the under hitting in four of those contests.

Best Bet: Kent State -20.5, Under 57.5

Miami Ohio (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS) at Buffalo (1-0 SU, 1-0 ATS)

  • Odds: Buffalo -9.5, Total 55.5
  • TV-Time: ESPN, 8:00 p.m. ET
  • Venue: UB Stadium
  • Location: Buffalo, New York

Miami won a very entertaining game against Ball State, 38-31, in the opener in Oxford. The Redhawks offense is littered with talented skill position players, and led by a quarterback with a name most recognize. However, QB Brett Gabbert exited the opener in the second quarter due to a head injury, and QB A.J. Mayer took over and tossed three touchdowns.

While perhaps not as famous as his counterpart, Mayer's brother is a tight end for Notre Dame, TE Michael Mayer. The Redhawks posted 288 yards through the air and 134 yards on the ground, but they'll need to be a touch more effective against favored Buffalo, a team expected to win the East Division.

Last season, Miami won the division thanks in large part to a 34-20 win in Oxford as 2.5-point underdogs over the Bulls on Sept. 28. Now, UB looks to flip the script. However, the Redhawks seem to relish the underdog role, going 6-1 ATS in the past seven as a 'dog.

The Bulls fired out to a 49-30 season-opening win on the road against Northern Illinois, never an easy place to win outright, let alone cover. Buffalo didn't roll up a ton of offense, going for just 357 total yards while getting outgained by 40 yards. In fact, NIU posted 26 first downs to just 14. The reason the Huskies were unable to pull off the upset was five turnovers to just two for Buffalo.

So the score isn't exactly indicative about how NIU dominated the game.

Looking on the surface, the score seems to indicate differently, but three of those turnovers resulted in touchdowns, two on scoop and scores just 45 seconds apart in the third quarter, and a 65-yard interception return in the fourth quarter. Buffalo won't be that opportunistic every week, or even close to it.

Still, Buffalo is 17-5 ATS in the past 22 at home, and 4-0 ATS in the past four against winning teams.

Best Bet: Miami-Ohio +9.5

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