Time for a MAC Attack

For weekday college football, it’s been all Mid-American Conference all the time this month and this continues on Hump Day with a two more tilts. Central Michigan is trying to win the league championship for a third time in four years and takes another step closer with a victory over Ball State. Miami-O tries to end dismal season on a positive, hosting Buffalo in the other MAC matchup.

Central Michigan at Ball State 8:00E ESPN2

The Chippewas held serve in blowout win over Toledo 56-28 last week and will try to do the same at Ball State. Central Michigan (8-2, 7-2 ATS) forced five turnovers and quarterback Dan LeFevour threw for 341 yards showing exactly why they are unbeaten (5-1 ATS) in conference play. The Chippewas have big game with Northern Illinois next and are 9-1 ATS before they play them.

Ball State (1-9, 5-4 ATS) just finished with the Huskies, losing 26-20 and is on short week for final home game. The Cardinals are 12-2 ATS in home games having lost two out of their last three games.

It’s been a long season for the Cardinals and with Central Michigan averaging 33.1 points per game, the Ball State is going to have to step up as the Cardinals are 24-49 ATS when they allow 28 or more points since 1992.

DiamondSportsbook.com has the Chippewas favored by -15 and the home team is 1-4 ATS in last five meetings; however Ball State is 5-2 ATS in last contest at Scheumann Stadium.

Buffalo at Miami-O 6:00E ESPNU

The whole televised deal hasn’t worked out for Buffalo (3-7, 4-6 ATS), losing last two games by on total of four points on the world wide leader’s family of networks. The Bulls offense moves the ball, but doesn’t always finish drives properly; accounting for the fact they average 23.8 points per game against opponents that have allowed 26.1.

Miami-O (1-10, 5-6 ATS) has had forgettable season and will try and send seniors out with one last blast of glory. The RedHawks problems are easily definable, -23 turnover margin. About the only positive is redshirt freshman QB Zac Dysert’s play. He too has thrown enough interceptions that a meager Miami defense cannot overcome. They are 2-10 ATS when playing against a team with a losing record over the last three seasons.

Buffalo is a 3.5-point favorite and is 11-2 ATS against teams with a turnover margin of -1 per game or worse.

A little Tuesday Night Football

It’s a weeknight in November, which must mean it’s time for Mid-American Conference Football. The league has enjoyed a bit of resurgence in 2009 with better quality football. Central Michigan knocked off Michigan State and Northern Illinois punted Purdue among fine showings. This week several more MAC games will be televised as teams compete to determine who plays in the league’s championship game.

This is Ohio U’s last road game of the season and it has intentions of staying right where they are in the MAC East standings, hoping to setup all important matchup with Temple in last contest of the year. The Bobcats (6-3, 5-4 ATS) are 4-1 in conference action and trail the Owls who have yet to lose. Before then, the Bobcats have to avoid what almost befell them at Ball State, escaping with 20-17 win as 5.5-point favorites.

Ohio U. has been road warriors with 4-1 (3-2 ATS) record. They hope that continue, since the last several years have been contrary to that information, being 8-13 and 6-15 ATS on the November road. The Bobcats offense is now more of a spread with “pistol” elements and as expected growing pain has been part of the process. They’ve averaged 315 yards against teams that allow 376 per game. Their biggest problems have been in the red zone, with a youthful offensive line and no true power backs.

Defensively, Ohio U has been strong, forcing 27 turnovers and giving the offense continual chances. Off their win at Ball State, they are 11-3 ATS after playing their last game on the road over the last three seasons.

Buffalo (3-6, 4-5 ATS) is off painful last minute loss to Bowling Green 30-29 last Tuesday and is running out of reasons to stay motivated.

“It’s a tough loss, tough for our football team,” Buffalo coach Turner Gill said. “That’s why you have to play four quarters. We didn’t know how to finish the football game. Bowling Green did a good job and finished the football game.” After being MAC champions a season ago, the best Buffalo can hope for is .500 record if they win out.

The Bulls have gone thru a number of running backs this season due to injury and Jeffvon Gill, no relation to Buffalo’s coach, rushed for 172 last week against the Falcons in a relief role. The Bulls played mistake free football as week ago, yet is only 8-19 ATS in home games after a contest where they committed one or less turnovers.

Bookmaker.com has Buffalo as 1.5-point favorites with total of 45.The Bulls are 5-4 and 6-3 ATS in last nine meetings and have never been favored in 10 previous games vs. Ohio U until today. Buffalo is just 2-5 ATS as a home favorite and 5-1 OVER against teams with winning records. Ohio U. is 3-11-1 ATS as underdog of three or less points since 1997 and is 7-1 OVER in that role.

ESPN2 has the coverage starting at 7 Eastern live from University of Buffalo Stadium.

A Tuesday MAC Attack

MAC East Division combatants do business on Tuesday night on a nationally televised cable contest. Neither Bowling Green (3-5 SU& ATS) nor Buffalo (3-5, 4-4 ATS) are going anywhere this season, mired in the lower dwellings of the MAC. This is especially painful for Buffalo coming off a league championship season and bowl game.

The Bulls are team that lives on the edge. Last season half of Buffalo’s 14 games were decided by six points or less and they were 4-3. In 2009, five of their games have come down to seven or less points and they are 2-3. Buffalo’s offense has to be more productive in the red zone. The Bulls are second in the MAC in total offense at 410.9 yards per game, but are a pedestrian eighth in points scored at 23.1. Buffalo needs to put up points and are 12-2 ATS when they score 28 or more points.

The Bulls have a terrific receiving trio in Naaman Roosevelt, the best receiver in school history, along with wideout Brett Hamlin and tight end Jesse Rack. What’s killing Buffalo is -7 turnover margin and a secondary loaded with backups due to injury.

Bowling Green had their two game winning streak snapped by Central Michigan in last outing. The 343 yards passing only netted 10 points, as they finished with 20 net yards rushing, which has been the story of their season. The Falcons do prefer to throw the ball; nonetheless having the worst running game in the country at 61.6 yards per game at 2.3 yards per carry has to be unacceptable.

That places all the pressure on quarterback Tyler Sheehan and receiver Freddie Barnes. Sheehan has completed 65 percent of his passes for 2,677 yards with 15 touchdowns and only five interceptions. Barnes has burst onto the national scene by making 99 receptions and nine touchdowns. Passing teams always have a chance to cover and Bowling Green is 9-2 AT in road games over the last two seasons.

The Falcons defense allows 210.6 yards per game on the ground against teams that only average 145 YPG, making them a porous group. Buffalo’s Ike Nduka has become a solid runner after they lost standout running back James Starks before the year began. Bowling Green is 1-5 SU and ATS this season when they allow a back to run for 100 or more yards.

Bookmaker.com has Buffalo as 3.5-point favorite with total of 53.5. This will be just the second time the Bulls have been a favorite this season and they are 3-4 ATS all-time as MAC home favorites. The Falcons are 4-6 ATS as conference road underdogs since 2001, however 8-1 ATS as visiting dogs over the last three seasons.

ESPN2 has this MAC matchup at 7 Eastern, with the mission for each squad to win remaining last four games and possibly snag a bowl bid with 7-5. Buffalo is 3-1 ATS in four meetings with Bowling Green since joining the league is 1999, with the visitor having covered three in a row.