The race to Detroit for the MAC Championship Game is wide open, and the Ohio Bobcats are still very much at the forefront of it. However, the Eastern Michigan Eagles will be looking to swoop down and take a bite out of their chances while securing a bowl game berth for themselves in Week 12. So, who endures?
Our Eastern Michigan vs. Ohio prediction covers it all—from the latest betting odds to each team’s outlook for the rest of the 2024 college football season.
Eastern Michigan vs. Ohio Betting Preview
All Eastern Michigan vs. Ohio odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Ohio -7.5 - Spread
Ohio -11-.5 - Moneyline
Ohio -425, Eastern Michigan +330 - Over/Under
51.5 points - Game Time
7:00 p.m. ET - Location
Peden Stadium | Athens, OH - Predicted Weather at Kick
52 degrees, cloudy, 3 mph winds - How To Watch
ESPN2
Wednesday night marks the 34th edition of this MACtion matchup, with Ohio holding a 20-12-1 head-to-head advantage over the Eagles. The Bobcats have won the last two (2021, 2017) and eight of the last 10 despite losing the last time they met in Ohio. With historical records and recent form, it’s not surprising to see that Ohio is a clear favorite by the oddsmakers.
MORE: CFN Betting Parlay Calculator
While EMU is 7-2 against the spread in its last nine games, the program is only 1-6 ATS in its previous seven meetings with Ohio. Plus, Ohio is 5-1 ATS in its past six home games against the Eagles. If you’re off ATS for MAC games — fair enough — perhaps the total tickles your fancy? The over has hit in our of Eastern Michigan’s last five games and four of Ohio’s last six.
Eastern Michigan’s Winning Probability
The Eagles are just one win away from bowling for the fourth straight year but securing it won’t be easy. According to the FPM, they aren’t favored to win any of their final three games, two of which are on the road.
- at Ohio: 34.3%
- vs. Buffalo: 49.2%
- at Western Michigan: 28.4%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, they’d end the year with a 5-7 record, including a 2-6 MAC campaign. That would be their worst record since the disrupted 2020 season. Their clash with the Buffalo Bulls offers the best chance to secure their sixth win.
Ohio’s Winning Probability
The Bobcats are already bowl-eligible at 6-3 on the year, but they are playing for a spot in the MAC Championship. They are one of four teams at 4-1 in conference play, and although they won’t play any of the other contenders (Miami-Ohio, Bowling Green, and Western Michigan), those three will play each other, leaving Ohio’s destiny in its own hands.
- vs. Eastern Michigan: 65.7%
- at Toledo: 49.4%
- vs. Ball State: 71.6%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, Ohio would end the year with an 8-4 overall record, including a 6-2 MAC campaign. At present, that wouldn’t be good enough for them to play in the title game. However, anything can happen when the MACtion mayhem unfolds.
Prediction for Eastern Michigan vs. Ohio
These squads enter Week 12 in contrasting forms. In its last two games, EMU handed the Akron Zips their first FBS win (25-21) and fell to the Toledo Rockets by one point (29-28). Meanwhile, Ohio dusted both the Buffalo Bulls (47-16) and the Kent State Golden Flashes (41-0), posting their first two 40+ point outings of the year.
“That’s just a two-game sample size!” The full-season view doesn’t get any better for the Eagles, whose five wins have come against UMass, early-season Jacksonville State, FCS-level St. Francis, Kent State, and Central Michigan.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season With CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
The Eagles are +7 in turnover differential to the Bobcats’ -8, but that’s about their only advantage. They have aired it out with Cole Snyder under center, putting pressure on the offensive line to hold up, resulting in 25 sacks allowed, second-most in the MAC.
The Bobcats haven’t exactly harassed QBs all year, generating 2.22 sacks per game, but their strength is Eastern Michigan’s weakness: the edge. Ohio’s trio of Bradley Weaver, Marcel Walker-Burgess, and Ben McNaboe have combined for 10 sacks, while EMU’s OTs (Joshua Anderson, Blake Bustard, and Mark Indestad) have conceded 10 on the year.
Making matters worse, the Eagles’ offense will likely have to throw their way back into the game, as the defense, which checks in at 124th in EPA per dropback and 91st in EPA per rush, will struggle to stop the Bobcats.
With Parker Navarro and Anthony Tyus III in the backfield, Ohio has remained on schedule, ranking 33rd nationally in offensive success rate (44.5%). Take the Bobcats to win and cover at home.
Prediction: Ohio 31, Eastern Michigan 20
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