Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Predictions, Odds, Picks

Kevin Rogers Sports Betting Expert

7 minute read

Nov. 10, 2021

Dan Dobish
VI Betting Expert
VegasInsider.com

The Kent State Golden Flashes (5-4, 4-1 MAC) travel to meet the Central Michigan Chippewas (5-4, 3-2) in Wednesday's MACtion from Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and the game can be viewed on ESPN.

Score Prediction

Kent State 41, Central Michigan 37

Best Bets

Kent State +2.5 (-110)

Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Predictions

The first-place Golden Flashes put a hurting on Northern Illinois last week at Dix Stadium, as the Huskies just couldn't stop the run. In fact, the Golden Flashes rolled up 359 yards on the ground, while also posting 322 yards through the air. The problem was Kent State allowed 532 yards through the air for NIU in a crazy offensive showcase.

Kent State has registered at least 31 points in each of his past four games, covering three of those outings while also hitting the OVER in three of those games. That's about what was expected of the Golden Flashes and its offense this season. Kent State might be just one game over .500 overall, but remember, this is a team which also played Texas A&M, Iowa and Maryland in the non-conference schedule, all lopsided losses which netted the school roughly $3.4 million. They put that money in the bank and are competing for a MAC Championship. That's great planning.

Central Michigan also collected nearly $3 million for two bloodbaths at LSU and Missouri earlier in September, and here they are one game back in the MAC West, with an outside chance at a rematch with this same Kent State team in Ford Field for the MAC title game if things break a certain way. First things first, the Chips must fire up and win at home Wednesday.

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Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Odds

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Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Resources

• Matchup: MAC
• Date: Wednesday, November 10, 2021
• Venue: Kelly/Shorts Stadium
• Location: Mount Pleasnt, Michigan
• TV-Time: ESPNU - 8:00 p.m. ET

• Weather Report
• College Football Playoff Betting

Kent State Golden Flashes Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 5-4
• ATS: 4-5
• O/U: 3-6
• ATS - Home: 3-1
• ATS - Away: 1-4

The road numbers for Kent State are a bit misleading, as the first three games were against those Power 5 teams in September, and the Golden Flashes were just overwhelmed in those games which collecting those big checks. In their first game on the road in conference at Western Michigan, the Golden Flashes managed a 64-31 setback, and they were feeling terribly good about themselves. They rebounded with a win at Ohio on Oct. 23, 34-27, and then topped NIU by the 52-47 count for a second straight cover. It's the first time Kent State has covered consecutive games all season.

The Golden Flashes have really started to get the offense cranking, averaging 476.1 total yards per game to rank 12th in the nation, while ranking sixth in the country with 235.6 rushing yards per contest. It has equated to 'just' 31.7 PPG, which is 43rd in the nation, but that's due to some shaky early red-zone efficiency in those blowout games. The situation has since been rectified. Kent State's red-zone efficiency across the past three games is at 93.33 percent.

Kent State has posted an 8-2 ATS mark across its past 10 appearances in the month of November. It has posted a 13-5 ATS mark across the past 18 conference games, although the Golden Flashes are just 1-5 ATS across the past six on the road, while going 0-5 ATS across the past five as an underdog. Kent State is 3-14 ATS in the previous 17 on the road against a team with a winning home mark, too.

Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Analysis

Straight Up - SU, Against the Spread - ATS, Over-Under (O/U)

• SU: 5-4
• ATS: 4-5
• O/U: 4-5
• ATS - Home: 2-2
• ATS - Away: 2-3

Central Michigan put it on Western Michigan in "The Zoo" last week, rolling up a 42-30 win as nine-point underdogs. That washed the bad taste out of the mouths of the Chips after a heartbreaking 39-38 loss against Northern Illinois in the previous game at Kelly/Shorts. Prior to that was a 26-23 overtime win and barn burner against Toledo, so it has been exciting for CMU lately, win or lose.

If you saw the highlights last week, or enjoy Scott Van Pelt's "Bad Beats" segment, which is really the only thing watchable on ESPN these days, you saw WR/KR Kalil Pimpleton running up and down the field last week against Western, particularly in the second quarter. He had two punt returns for touchdown, one from 70 yards out, and another from 97 yards. He will be one to watch closely for Kent State.

Central Michigan covered last week at Western Michigan, but they haven't cashed in consecutive games since Sept. 4-11. They haven't had back-to-back covers against FBS teams since Nov. 4-11, 2020 against Ohio and NIU last season, kicking off their abbreviated schedule.

CMU has posted 442.8 total yards per game to rank 34th in the nation, with 282.8 passing yards, ranking 22nd. The Chips have rolled up 30.4 PPG, which is good for 51st overall. Defensively, it has been a train wreck. The Chippewas cannot stop the pass, allowing 271.1 yards per game through the air, which is 113th out of 130 in the FBS. If they have a strength, it's against the run, allowing 142.4 yards per game to rank 55th.

Central Michigan loves Hump Day, going 13-2-1 ATS in the past 16 appearances on Wednesday. (AP)

Inside the Stats - Kent State Golden Flashes

• Record:
• VI Ranking: 78
• Points Scored: 285
• Points Allowed: 314
• PS/G: 31.7
• PA/G: 34.9

Inside the Stats - Central Michigan Chippewas

• Record: 5-4
• VI Ranking: 93
• Points Scored: 274
• Points Allowed: 257
• PS/G: 30.4
• PA/G: 28.6

Key Players to Watch

• KENT: Dustin Crum - QB (157/250, 2,092 yards, 19 total TD, 2 INT)
• KENT: Dante Cephas - WR (55 catches, 807 yards, 6 TD)
• CMU: Daniel Richardson - QB (119/205, 1,711 yards, 15 TD, 2 INT)
• CMU: Kalil Pimpleton - WR/KR (43 catches, 691 yards, 7 total TD)

Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Conclusion

Central Michigan has registered 26 or more points in three straight games, while Kent State has managed 31 or more points in each of the past four. Hopefully someone screwed in a few new lightbulbs in the scoreboard at Kelly/Shorts stadium, because it is going to get a workout.

Kent State has been a friend to OVER bettors lately, going 13-3 in the past 16 following a straight-up win, while going 6-2 in the past eight conference tilts. The OVER is also 4-0 in Kent's past four appearances in November, including last week's 52-47 shootout with NIU. For Central Michigan, there is something about Wednesday football which agrees with it. The Chips have hit the OVER in eight of the past nine appearances on Wednesday, while going 10-4 in the past 14 at home and 5-1 in the past six against teams with a winning overall record. On your mark, get set...let's score!

Kent State Golden Flashes vs. Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Trends

• Kent State is 13-5 ATS in the past 18 conference games.
• Central Michigan is 7-1 ATS in the past eight games in November.
• The OVER is 5-0 in the previous five meetings.
• The favorite is 4-1 ATS in the past five in this series.
• The road team is 4-1 ATS in the past five meetings.

Kevin Rogers

Kevin has been handicapping professionally since 2007 at VegasInsider before shifting to ScoresAndOdds. He focuses on MLB, NFL, college football, NBA, college basketball, and NHL and mainly uses trends, systems, and situations as his top handicapping angles. More from Kevin Rogers