Midweek MACtion wraps up with the 5-6 Eastern Michigan Eagles traveling to upstate New York to attempt to secure bowl eligibility with a win over the 3-8 Buffalo Bulls.
Can the Eagles swoop into the postseason, or will the Bulls trample on their dreams? Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan prediction.
Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Monday, Nov. 20, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Buffalo -6.5 - Moneyline
Buffalo -225, Eastern Michigan +185 - Over/Under
36 points - Game time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
UB Stadium, Buffalo, NY - Predicted Weather at Kick
48 degrees, 13 mph winds, showers - How to Watch
ESPN2, FuboTV
Are you planning on backing the Bulls on Tuesday night, or do you think the Eagles are easy money? If you’re going to take advantage of the Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Two teams who haven’t lived up to expectations in 2023 collide, as Eastern Michigan fights for a spot in bowl season, while pride is on the line for the Bulls. Buffalo might be 4-6 this season, but the Bulls have won the last three between the two teams and come into this game as a favorite.
MORE: 2024 College Football Realignment
HC Chris Creighton’s Eagles team hasn’t won as an underdog this year, but as our Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan prediction explains, there’s reason to believe they can end the year on a high by booking bowl eligibility. If they do lose, however, they lost their last three by more than the spread line and have only played one close loss this year. If you think Buffalo wins, pick them to cover.
Looking at Buffalo’s betting trends this season, it’s easy to assume that this game comes in under the extremely low points line. However, the last three Eastern Michigan games have gone over the points total. That’s been partly due to the Eagles’ defense which has failed to restrict opposing offenses to less than 20 points in their last four. This game could clear 36 total points.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Buffalo Depth Chart | Eastern Michigan Depth Chart
- QB Cole Snyder, Buffalo
- QB CJ Ogbonna, Buffalo
- QB Austin Smith, Eastern Michigan
- RB Ron Cook Jr., Buffalo
- RB Mike Washington Jr., Buffalo
- RB Al-Jay Henderson, Buffalo
- RB Jacquez Barksdale, Buffalo
- RB Samson Evans, Eastern Michigan
- RB Jaylon Jackson, Eastern Michigan
- WR Cole Harrity, Buffalo
- WR Marlyn Johnson, Buffalo
- WR Boobie Curry, Buffalo
- WR Tanner Knue, Eastern Michigan
- WR Hamze El-Zayat, Eastern Michigan
- WR JB Mitchell III, Eastern Michigan
- TE Zion Carter, Buffalo
- TE Andrew Schnackenberg, Buffalo
- TE Jere Getzinger, Eastern Michigan
There are two college football games on Tuesday to compile your DFS team from in Week 13. If you’re new to DFS, Fanduel Superflex contests require you to select a quarterback, two running backs, three wide receivers, and a “superflex” that can be any of the above or a tight end.
The final Tuesday slate of the 2023 Midweek MACtion season is not kind at the quarterback position for fantasy purposes, so let’s begrudgingly start your Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan picks there. With 127.96 total fantasy points, Buffalo’s Cole Snyder is the highest-scoring option in this game but hasn’t been fantasy-relevant in recent weeks, due to situational rotation with QB CJ Ogbonna.
MORE: What Does MACtion Mean?
That makes Austin Smith almost your de-facto selection unless you want to bet on the split backfield at Bowling Green or QB Hayden Wolff for Western Michigan. While the quarterback situation might not be ideal, Eastern Michigan RB Samson Evans and Buffalo RB Ron Cook Jr. are both 100-plus fantasy-point options. Evans has double-digit touchdowns this season.
The lack of any reliable passing game makes picking WRs a treacherous business. EMU WR Tanner Knue is the most talented pass catcher on display and one of the top-scoring fantasy assets in this game. Although Buffalo WR Cole Harrity has fewer fantasy points — and yards — than his two teammates, he was the last person to catch a touchdown for the Bulls and could be a low-cost add in DFS.
Prediction for Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction. Are the Eagles plotting a flight path for the postseason or is Buffalo putting a brave face on a difficult season with a win in the final game of the year?
Let’s start with the advantages the Bulls have in this game. Despite their offensive struggles this year, Maurice Linquist’s team has the better scoring offense statistically this season, averaging 21.6 points per game, compared to Eastern Michigan’s 20.0. On his day, there aren’t many better MAC QBs than Snyder, and the running back room has a talented trio in it.
Additionally, Buffalo holds an advantage in turnover margin. Only Bowling Green has more interceptions than the Bulls in the MAC this year, as Devin Grant has secured five interceptions, two of which were pick-sixes, this year. If the Eagles try and test the Buffalo defense through the air, disaster lurks around every corner, giving the Bulls the opportunity to get their fourth win of the season.
However, the Eastern Michigan defense holds a more substantial advantage, and with Chase Kline and Joe Sparacio patrolling from the linebacker spot, they can neutralize the Buffalo offense, especially in the red zone. Here, the Eagles are allowing a touchdown on just 55.32% of trips. Additionally, Buffalo is bottom of the MAC for red zone conversion. Eastern Michigan edges a close one.
Prediction: Eastern Michigan 23, Buffalo 19