MACtion is back in the spotlight for midweek college football in Week 11! This Wednesday night, the Ohio Bobcats hit the road to face the Kent State Golden Flashes in a matchup between teams at opposite ends of the conference standings.
Who will come out on top? Our Ohio vs. Kent State prediction dives into all the important details—from the latest betting odds to each team’s outlook for the remainder of the 2024 college football season.
Ohio vs. Kent State Betting Preview
All Ohio vs. Kent State odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Wednesday, Nov. 6, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter.
- CFN FPM Spread
Ohio -12.5 - Spread
Ohio -20.5 - Moneyline
Ohio -1350, Kent State 8700 - Over/Under
53 points - Game time
7 p.m. ET - Location
Dix Stadium | Kent, OH - Predicted Weather at Kick
46 degrees, clear, 6 mph wins - How to Watch
ESPNU
Ohio and Kent State have met annually since 1949, with the Bobcats holding a significant 46-27-2 advantage over the Golden Flashes ahead of their 76th matchup. While Kent State won the last time the two teams met in Dix Stadium (2022), the Bobcats have had the upper hand recently. They’re the in-form team and, understandably, are considered a favorite by DraftKings.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
Ohio is 5-0 when favored this season, and there’s no reason to expect that to change when they face a team yet to taste victory. While the Bobcats are 4-4 against the spread, Kent State has only covered twice this year and has an average margin of defeat of 29.6 points. They’ve also failed to cover the spread by an average of 9.1 points. Expect a big Bobcats win in Week 11.
Ohio’s Winning Probability
According to the CFN FPM, Ohio has an 82.1% chance of beating Kent State on Wednesday night. Our metric has been in lockstep with the Bobcats throughout the season, projecting their losses to the Syracuse Orange, Kentucky Wildcats, and Miami (OH) RedHawks.
- at Kent State: 82.1%
- vs. Eastern Michigan: 65.7%
- at Toledo: 49.4%
- vs. Ball State: 71.6%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, the Bobcats would end the year with an 8-4 record with two defeats in the MAC. With how the conference is playing out so far in 2024, that could be good enough to secure a spot in the championship game, but there are no guarantees — especially if they lose a tightly projected game with the Toledo Rockets.
Kent State’s Winning Probability
Conversely, CFN FPM gives Kent State a 17.9% chance of beating Ohio on Wednesday night. Our metric has only favored the Golden Flashes once this season, and they lost that game to FCS outfit St. Francis. It’s worth noting that the CFN FPM spread line was significantly shorter than the oddsmakers’ line for that game.
- vs. Ohio: 17.9%
- at Miami (OH): 8.9%
- vs. Akron: 34.3%
- at Buffalo: 17%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, the Golden Flashes would finish the season with a 0-12 record. The program hasn’t had a winless season since 1998 and hasn’t gone 0-8 in MAC play since 2005. After going 1-11 last fall, the pressure is on for head coach Kenni Burns.
Prediction for Ohio vs. Kent State
The return of MACtion is a nationwide celebration, but this matchup may not be the best example of the MAC’s competitive nature this season. While the MAC usually promises midweek chaos, Ohio stands as a steady frontrunner, whereas Kent State is merely fighting to notch a win in a season that’s already slipped away.
Ohio has its sights set on a spot in the MAC Championship Game. Can the Golden Flashes disrupt those ambitions and salvage some pride? The Bobcats clearly hold the advantage, but are there key matchups where Kent State might spring a surprise on Wednesday night?
Ohio’s in-conference journey began slowly, with a tight win over Central Michigan and a loss to Miami. But they hit their stride in Week 9, dismantling the Buffalo Bulls in a game where their offense showed the best of what has otherwise been a middling season.
After years of leaning on Kurtis Rourke’s passing skills, the Bobcats now dominate on the ground. Quarterback Parker Navarro has become a dynamic dual-threat with 507 rushing yards and four touchdowns this season. Even if they’re missing top rusher Anthony Tyus III (610 yards, six total touchdowns), Rickey Hunt is ready to step in and power the ground game.
Even with the threat of Coleman Owen in the passing game, expect the Bobcats to hammer Kent State on the ground. The Golden Flashes’ defense has allowed 26 rushing touchdowns and is giving up 5.93 yards per carry—the highest in the MAC. Burns’ squad also surrenders the most points per game in the country at 46.6.
Kent State’s Chrishon McCray is one of the MAC’s standout receivers. Tommy Ulatowski leads the nation in yards per completion when he connects, but his 42.6% completion rate hampers consistency. With little to show for their ground game, the Golden Flashes seem to lack answers for the Bobcats on both sides of the ball.
Prediction: Ohio 35, Kent State 13
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