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August 2007
This is the last part of a 10-part college football betting season preview.
Western Michigan and Toledo look solid but overall the MAC appears mediocre at best with a quartet of teams (Miami, Temple, Buffalo and Eastern Michigan) having won two or fewer games last season. (2006 Regular season records in parentheses):
MAC EAST
KENT STATE (6-6 SU, 6-6 ATS): With 16 returning starters and a schedule that has them playing both Bowling Green and Miami at home this season, The Golden Flashes should bounce back from a disappointing stretch run and reign in the weak East, this year.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 27-53
ATS: 34-38-1
HF: 4-8
HD: 8-10
AF: 2-5
AD: 20-15-1
Bets and Pieces: At 6-13 ATS, Kent State has been a poor college football bet in the role of a favorite, the last seven seasons.
BOWLING GREEN (4-8 SU, 3-9 ATS): A sputtering offense doomed the Falcons a year ago but the return of all significant skill people should place BG back in the race for an East title.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 47-34
ATS: 35-40-2
HF: 10-13-2
HD: 6-1
AF: 9-11
AD: 10-13
Bets and Pieces: Bowling Green has been fantastic as a home underdog, posting a 6-1 record ATS, since 2000.
MIAMI (2-10 SU, 4-8 ATS): The Redhawks lost four games by a field goal or less and another in overtime last year so it won't take much more than a little luck to turn things around.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 49-34
ATS: 45-37
HF: 15-11
HD: 4-3
AF: 13-10
AD: 13-12
Bets and Pieces: Miami is 12-5 ATS in road openers in college football betting since 1990.
OHIO (9-4 SU, 7-5 ATS): The East champions return the fewest (11) starters in the conference and must break-in a new quarterback, factors which will make a repeat difficult.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 31-50
ATS: 34-42
HF: 9-10
HD: 7-5
AF: 4-7
AD: 14-19
Bets and Pieces: Ohio is 8-20 ATS the last nine years in September games.
AKRON (5-7 SU, 4-8 ATS): The Zips have a sturdy defense but uncertainty on offense, particularly at quarterback and along the line, will hurt Akron's chances for a winning campaign.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 39-42
ATS: 37-40-1
HF: 8-13
HD: 7-5
AF: 5-8
AD: 16-14-1
Bets and Pieces: The home team is 10-3-1 ATS in the Akron-Miami series.
TEMPLE (1-11 SU, 5-6-1 ATS): The Owls will be competitive in their first full season in the MAC but with just two scholarship seniors on the roster are more an annoyance than a threat.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 16-64
ATS: 40-36-1
HF: 4-3
HD: 14-15
AF: 2-2
AD: 20-15-1
Bets and Pieces: Temple went 4-1-1 ATS versus MAC foes, last year.
BUFFALO (2-10 SU, 7-4-1 ATS): The Bulls' best chance to win a MAC game (they won one last year too) is at Temple, Sept. 8. Otherwise, there's not much chance for success.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 12-68
ATS: 38-39-1
HF: 0-0-1
HD: 18-16
AF: 0-0
AD: 20-23
Bets and Pieces: The home team is 6-2 ATS all time in the Buffalo-Miami series.
MAC WEST
WESTERN MICHIGAN (8-4 SU, 7-5 ATS): With eight starters back on both sides of the ball, the Broncos could have both the best offense and defense in the MAC.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 39-42
ATS: 36-39
HF: 10-8
HD: 3-10
AF: 7-7
AD: 15-13
Bets and Pieces: Western Michigan is 7-16 ATS its last 23 games when hosting MAC opponents.
TOLEDO (5-7 SU, 5-6 ATS): Look for the Rockets, who lost five MAC games last year after not having dropped more than two in any of the six previous seasons, to rebound in 2007. And, they get Western Michigan at home, Sept. 29.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 58-24
ATS: 41-32-3
HF: 19-10
HD: 5-0
AF: 8-12-1
AD: 8-10-2
Bets and Pieces: Toledo has been a great home team in college football betting the last seven seasons, notching a 24-10 record ATS.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (9-4 SU, 10-2-1 ATS): The Chippewas did something no other MAC team did last season, win a bowl game, defeating Middle Tennessee in the Motor City Bowl. A potent offense, led by QB Dan LeFevour, will have to compensate for a suspect defense this year.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 31-50
ATS: 37-37-2
HF: 6-6
HD: 11-8-1
AF: 7-3
AD: 12-19-1
Bets and Pieces: CMU is 12-1 ATS in its first MAC game of the year, the last 13 seasons.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (7-5 SU, 4-7 ATS): The loss of MAC rushing kingpin Garrett Wolfe (1928 yards) hurts but the Huskies' defense should keep them in the title hunt in the very competitive West.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 52-29
ATS: 42-32
HF: 12-13
HD: 6-2
AF: 13-9
AD: 11-7
Bets and Pieces: Northern Illinois is 17-8 ATS versus non-conference foes, since 1997.
BALL STATE (5-7 SU, 8-3 ATS): The Cardinals could probably win the MAC East but probably aren't quite good enough to move into the top half of the West division.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 31-49
ATS: 40-34-1
HF: 8-3
HD: 10-9
AF: 2-5
AD: 20-17-1
Bets and Pieces: Ball State is 15-24 ATS since 1997 in MAC road play.
EASTERN MICHIGAN (1-11 SU, 6-6 ATS): The Eagles wave goodbye to just nine lettermen from the team that was unlucky in losing five games but eight points or less last year but it will be difficult to make significant progress in such a difficult division.
By the Numbers (Regular Season, 2000-2006)
SU: 20-60
ATS: 34-38-1
HF: 5-4
HD: 9-11-1
AF: 1-1
AD: 18-20
Bets and Pieces: Since 1994, Eastern Michigan is 6-24 ATS versus non-conference foes.
Legend:
SU = Straight Up
ATS = Against the Spread
HF = Home Favorite
HD = Home Underdog
AF = Away Favorite
AD = Away Underdog
This is the last analysis of our 10-part college football betting preview analysis.
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