Before the Mid-American takes up its midweek residency, a tide-turning clash between the Toledo Rockets and Eastern Michigan Eagles takes place on Saturday afternoon of Week 10. In a conference where chaos is commonplace, a loss could put either team outside of the race to the championship game.
Our Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan prediction dives into all the essential details, from the latest betting odds to each team’s outlook for the remainder of the 2024 college football season.
Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan Betting Preview
All Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024. The CFN Spread comes from College Football Network’s Football Playoff Meter (FPM).
- CFN FPM Spread
Toledo -2 - Spread
Toledo -8.5 - Moneyline
Toledo -298, Eastern Michigan +240 - Over/Under
53 points - Game time
Noon ET - Location
Rynearson Stadium | Ypsilanti, MI - Predicted Weather at Kick
58 degrees, mostly sunny, 7 mph winds - How to Watch
ESPNU
Saturday marks the 52nd edition of Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan, and the odds are stacked in the Rockets’ favor. They are the betting favorite by DraftKings and the CFN FPM and hold a 38-13 head-to-head advantage after winning the last two encounters. Forget any road disadvantage; Ypsilanti has been a happy hunting ground for the Rockets, losing once there since 2006.
MORE: Simulate the College Football Season with CFN’s College Football Playoff Predictor
While our prediction favors the Rockets, the Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan odds offer some possibilities for making a little money. Jason Candle’s team is 2-4 against the spread when favored, while Eastern Michigan is 6-2 ATS this season with a 3-1 spread record as an underdog. Taking the Eagles to cover with a Toledo moneyline bet is the way to go with this MAC matchup.
Toledo’s Winning Probability
According to the CFN FPM, Toledo has a 53.4% chance of beating Eastern Michigan on Saturday afternoon. The Rockets have been difficult to read so far in the 2024 season, losing some games where our metric predicted victory while overcoming the odds to secure a win where defeat had been projected.
The remaining win probabilities for Toledo in the 2024 season are below:
- at Eastern Michigan: 53.4%
- vs. Central Michigan: 67.7%
- vs. Ohio: 53.4%
- at Akron: 63.6%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, the Rockets would end the year with a 9-3 record. They would have a 6-2 record in the MAC, which could be good enough for a place in the conference title game, depending on other results as the season progresses.
Eastern Michigan’s Winning Probability
Conversely, Eastern Michigan has a 46.6% chance of securing a win against Toledo on Saturday afternoon. The Eagles secured an unlikely win against the Jacksonville State Gamecocks early in the season but enter this game after an upset defeat to the Akron Zips.
Here are the remaining win probabilities for Eastern Michigan in the 2024 season:
- vs. Toledo: 46.6%
- at Ohio: 35.9%
- vs. Buffalo: 50.4%
- at Western Michigan: 26.6%
If those win probabilities were to hold true, the Eagles would end the 2024 season with a 6-6 overall record that includes a 3-5 MAC campaign. That would mean bowl eligibility for a fourth successive season (the first time in program history) despite the worst conference record since the disrupted 2020 season.
Prediction for Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan
Following the MAC this season has been a wild ride, and while the Western Michigan Broncos are the only undefeated team in the conference, any one of eight teams have a legitimate chance of reaching the championship game. However, the loser of this Toledo vs. Eastern Michigan matchup will likely fall by the wayside in the race to the MAC Championship Game.
They’re both 5-3 overall. They’re both 2-2 in the MAC. They’re both teams who have the players to mount a title challenge. But who has the edge, and where will the crucial battles unfold in this battle to remain alive in the conference title race?
Offenses win games, and these two units are evenly matched heading into the Week 10 encounter. They’ve had games where they’ve looked unstoppable, counterweighted by games where they’ve been very stoppable. As a result, they’ve averaged 29.1 points per game (Toledo) and 29.4 points per game (Eastern Michigan), ranking in the top half of the FBS for scoring.
Eastern Michigan quarterback Cole Snyder leads the conference in passing attempts and yards, while Toledo passer Tucker Gleason leads the MAC in passing touchdowns and passing yards per game. The Eagles also have an element of a rushing attack behind Delbert Mimms, while Connor Walendzak heads a Rockets rushing attack that plays second fiddle to the air attack.
Toledo is blessed with a strong pair of wide receivers in Junior Vandeross III and Jerjuan Newton, who have accounted for 13 touchdowns and over 1,300 yards this year. Against an Eastern Michigan pass defense that has allowed 15 scores, 8.8 yards per pass attempt, and opposition QBs to complete 64.1% of their attempts while snagging just three interceptions, they can eat.
Offenses may win games, but defenses win championships, and with title implications on the line this Saturday, Toledo has the better unit. Allowing an average of around four points less per game than their MAC foes, the Rockets’ secondary can clamp the passing game, while Darius Alexander, Daniel Bolden, and Jackson Barrow can put pressure on the Eagles offensive line.
Prediction: Toledo 27, Eastern Michigan 23
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