The MAC offers three college football games on Tuesday night to get fans and bettors a little closer to Saturday's bustling slate. Four of the six teams playing Tuesday are 3-2 in MAC play — all are in the hunt for a MAC division title and a potential spot in the MAC Championship.
We cover everything you need to know about odds, betting lines and props and offer a few predictions for Tuesday night's MACtion as Week 11 of the college football season gets rolling.
Ball State and Northern Illinois kick off at 7 p.m. ET, as do Central Michigan and Western Michigan, with coverage on ESPNU. Ohio vs. Buffalo gets underway at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN2. The last of the three matchups played at 7:30 p.m. ET on ESPN 2 is Ohio vs. Buffalo.
The top two teams in the MAC play Wednesday night (Miami hosts Akron, and Toledo hosts Eastern Michigan), but Northern Illinois, Central Michigan, Ohio and Buffalo all need to win tonight to keep their division title hopes alive.
Tuesday MACtion: Ball State vs. Northern Illinois live odds
Here are the moneyline, spread, and total point live odds for Ball State vs. Northern Illinois from the best online sports betting apps:
Ball State Cardinals betting news
Ball State has had a poor year but has been more competitive in their last two games. The first was a win against CMU two weeks ago, followed by a three-point loss to BGSU last week. Their opponent, NIU, lost to CMU last week, so that should give the Cardinals some confidence coming into this game.
The key to Ball State's improvement in the last two weeks has been the rushing attack of quarterback Kiael Kelly and running back Marquez Cooper. The two have combined for 85 rushing attempts for 406 yards and six rushing touchdowns. The difference between these games was turnovers: two in the loss and none in the win.
Northern Illinois Huskies betting news
Northern Illinois has been erratic over the past few weeks, and last week's loss to Central Michigan was a big blow to the Huskies. They have to win out to have a chance to win their division, but they also need to win two of their last three to qualify for a bowl game.
The Huskies turned it over three times in their loss to CMU, so Northern Illinois needs to take care of the football to give themselves a better chance to avoid getting upset by Ball State.
Ball State vs. Northern Illinois prop bets at FanDuel Sportsbook
- 4+ TDs to be scored in each half (+650)
- 1+ rushing touchdown in each quarter (+750)
- 1+ passing touchdown in each quarter (+1000)
- Both teams to score in every quarter (+1600)
- Ball State to win and OVER 43.5 points (+750)
- Northern Illinois to win and OVER 43.5 points (+140)
Ball State vs. Northern Illinois prediction
Northern Illinois is playing at home, trying to keep their division hopes alive. They should win but likely won't cover. Over a touchdown, the spread is too tough to cover against a Ball State team that has played better in recent weeks.
Pick: Ball State
Tuesday MACtion: Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan live odds
Here are the live odds for Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan:
Central Michigan Chippewas betting news
The Chippewas had a big win last week against Northern Illinois to keep their MAC division title hopes alive. CMU racked up 331 rushing yards as a team on seven yards a carry and won the turnover battle 2-0. If they can keep rushing the ball and get a turnover or two, they will have a great chance to beat in-state rival Western Michigan.
Western Michigan Broncos betting news
The Broncos had an impressive 24-point win over Eastern Michigan last week. The offense was just OK, but the defense forced four turnovers, giving themselves some easy scores to go with two third-quarter safeties forced against EMU. Their defense must show up big against a Chippewas team coming off an excellent rushing performance.
Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan prop bets at FanDuel Sportsbook
- 4+ TDs to be scored in each half (+260)
- 1+ rushing touchdown in each quarter (+470)
- 1+ passing touchdown in each quarter (+550)
- Both teams to score in every quarter (+550)
- Central Michigan to win and OVER 56.5 points (+330)
- Western Michigan to win and OVER 56.5 points (+210)
Central Michigan vs. Western Michigan prediction
Central found their rushing attack last week, and even if they don't average seven yards per carry again, their ability to control the game on the ground will lead them to an upset win over their in-state rival.
Pick: CMU
Ohio vs. Buffalo live odds
Ohio vs. Buffalo is the biggest game in the MAC on Tuesday night, with both teams at 3-2. Here are the live odds for the game:
Ohio Bobcats betting news
After losing two of the three games, Ohio is looking to bounce back from their worst stretch of the season after starting the year 5-1. Much will ride on Kurtis Rourke, Ohio's senior QB. The Bobcats are 5-1 when Rourke throws at least one touchdown and no interceptions.
Buffalo Bulls betting news
The story is similar for Buffalo, who lean on a senior quarterback of their own in Cole Snyder. In MAC play, the Bulls have yet to lose when Snyder throws one or fewer interceptions. In their two conference losses, Snyder has thrown two interceptions. If Snyder can take care of the football and get it to their playmakers on the outside, Buffalo will have a chance to win.
Ohio vs. Buffalo prop bets at FanDuel Sportsbook
- 4+ TDs to be scored in each half (+700)
- 1+ rushing touchdown in each quarter (+900)
- 1+ passing touchdown in each quarter (+1000)
- Both teams to score in every quarter (+1400)
- Ohio to win and OVER 43.5 points (+145)
- Buffalo to win and OVER 43.5 points (+550)
Ohio vs. Buffalo prediction
This game will come down to which team gets better quarterback play as pass-first offenses. Ohio's Kurtis Rourke has been the more consistent of the two senior quarterbacks in this game. With a spread around a touchdown, keep an eye on the odds to see if you can get it under seven points for Ohio to cover the spread.
Pick: Ohio
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