A rivalry that dates back to 1907 comes to Tuesday night as the Western Michigan Broncos and Central Michigan Chippewas do battle for the Victory Cannon in Kalamazoo
Ahead of the game, we’ve got the latest college football betting odds, DFS picks, and a Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan prediction.
Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan Betting and DFS Preview
All odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and correct as of Monday, Nov. 7, 2023. Want to take advantage of the Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan odds? Visit the College Football Network live college football odds page to place bets in your state.
- Spread
Western Michigan -3.5 - Moneyline
Western Michigan -180, Central Michigan +150 - Over/Under
56.5 points - Game time
7 p.m. ET - Location
Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI - Predicted Weather at Kick
43 degrees, 8 mph winds, cloudy - How to Watch
ESPNU, FuboTV
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Find our prediction for the Northern Illinois vs. Ball State Tuesday night game here.
Are you fired up to place some cash on the Chippewas? Will the Broncos ride away with this game, and your money? If you’re going to take advantage of the Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan odds, consider some of the following factors before you part with your hard-earned cash.
Western Michigan makes their first midweek MACtion appearance of the 2023 college football season, with some momentum behind them following a Week 9 win over Eastern Michigan. The momentum in this rivalry game is with them too, having beaten their in-state rivals in 2022 while holding a 52-40-2 advantage in the head-to-head record.
They’re favored by the oddsmakers here, and our Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan prediction explains why we also believe in the Broncos. Yet, you should also consider that the Chippewas can cover the 3.5-point line currently offered. Jim McElwain’s team has covered all but one game (Michigan State) as an underdog this year, and this should be a tight affair.
Points? You better believe this game is going to have them. The two teams have combined to hit the over 11 times out of 18 games this season. Meanwhile, two of the previous three editions of the rivalry have tallied comfortably more than the 56.5-point line. The last time they met in Kalamazoo, the Broncos and Chippewas combined for 72 points.
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
Western Michigan Depth Chart | Central Michigan Depth Chart
- QB Jase Bauer, Central Michigan ($11,500)
- QB Bert Emanuel Jr., Central Michigan ($11,500)
- QB Hayden Wolff, Western Michigan ($8,000)
- QB Treyson Bourget, Western Michigan ($8,000)
- RB Jalen Buckley, Western Michigan ($9,800)
- RB Marion Lukes, Central Michigan ($8,800)
- RB Zahir Abdus-Salaam, Western Michigan ($6,300)
- RB Myles Bailey, Central Michigan ($6,000)
- RB Sam Hicks, Central Michigan ($5,100)
- RB CJ Hester, Western Michigan ($4,700)
- WR Anthony Sambucci, Western Michigan ($7,700)
- WR Jesse Prewitt III, Central Michigan ($7,500)
- WR Kenneth Womack, Western Michigan ($7,000)
- WR Tyson Davis, Central Michigan ($5,800)
- WR Chris Parker, Central Michigan ($5,700)
- WR Leroy Thomas, Western Michigan ($5,400)
- TE Blake Bosma, Western Michigan ($5,900)
- TE Austin Hence, Western Michigan ($5,500)
- TE Mitchell Collier, Central Michigan ($5,300)
There are three college football games on Tuesday to compile your DFS team from in Week 11. 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 you can also select a tight end for the Superflex spot.
Kicking off your Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan picks, there’s only one reliable quarterback option in this matchup, and it isn’t Hayden Wolff or Treyson Bourget. Any time you see “OR” on a depth chart, avoid that situation, especially when Central Michigan’s Jase Bauer has more fantasy points than the two Broncos’ quarterbacks combined.
Bauer is so dangerous on the ground, and after rushing for nine touchdowns this year he’s tallied 152.38 fantasy points as the QB2 in the MAC. When he’s thrown it, Jesse Prewitt III has usually been the one on the end of it, especially on touchdowns. Prewitt leads the Chippewas with 428 receiving yards and four touchdowns off his team-high 29 receptions. That’s 66.8 points.
Western Michigan also has some attractive fantasy options in this game. Jalen Buckley is one of the most electric running backs in the MAC, and his 775 yards and seven touchdowns have him as the fantasy RB3 in the conference. Meanwhile, Anthony Sambucci isn’t a big volume addition at wide receiver, but he leads the team in receiving touchdowns and could be a value add.
Prediction for Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan
Okay, so we’ve furnished you with the Western Michigan vs. Central Michigan odds and some DFS picks. Now, it’s time to close this thing out with our prediction.
Can the Chippewas wrestle the Victory Cannon back from their in-state rivalry while also gaining bowl eligibility? Or will Lance Taylor’s Broncos ride another day, keeping slim post-season hopes alive?
Although Central Michigan enters the game with a significantly better overall record, they’re considered an underdog in this rivalry clash. There are reasons to believe they can upset those odds and claim bowl eligibility after missing out last season.
Those reasons begin with quarterback Bauer, who is coming off a monster game against Northern Illinois. He’s been the most dangerous element of the Chippewas offense since taking the starting role from Bert Emanuel Jr. — himself a ludicrous athlete on the move for this Central Michigan offense.
Allowing 29.9 points per game compared to Western Michigan’s 32.8 points per game, you could also argue that the Central Michigan, led by linebacker Kyle Moretti and impressive defensive back Donte Kent, gives the Chippewas an advantage, too.
However, dig behind the headline; a number of things aren’t exactly as they seem. Central Michigan languishes at the bottom of the MAC for passing yards allowed per game, average yards per attempt allowed to the opponent quarterback, and total yards allowed. They’ve also struggled to force turnovers, with the second-fewest in the conference this year behind Ball State.
Meanwhile, they’ve allowed the third-highest red zone conversion rate in the MAC (89.66%) and the second-most yards per carry to opposition running backs.
Which is where Western Michigan may well have the advantage. Running back Buckley has explosive, big-play potential every time he has the ball in his hands, and the Broncos defense has the capability to force turnovers. Finishing with a special teams flourish, WMU kicker Parker Domschke hasn’t missed an extra point all year. CMU’s Tristan Mattson has. Fire the cannon, WMU.
Prediction: Western Michigan 34, Central Michigan 33