MACtion continues into Week 12 with a good matchup when the 6-4 Eastern Michigan Eagles meet the 4-6 Kent State Golden Flashes.
Both sides are coming off solid road wins, as Eastern bested Akron 34-28 and KSU smashed Bowling Green 40-6 to set up Wednesday’s battle.
Who will win this MACtion clash? Find out in our free college football picks and predictions for this Week 12 showdown between the Eastern Michigan Eagles and Kent State Golden Flashes on Wednesday, November 16.
Eastern Michigan vs Kent State best odds
Eastern Michigan vs Kent State picks and predictions
Mid-November is the time of year when teams play for more than just conference titles. Eastern has covered the spread at a 75% clip as the away team, and it is my best bet to cover the +7.5-point spread Wednesday.
The Eagles aren’t playing for a MAC title and have already clinched at least consideration for a bowl game, but they want at least one more victory on their resume, and they have a good enough offense to keep this one close.
Sophomore QB Austin Smith is 3-1 as a starter and is a dual threat that opposing defenses have had difficulty stopping. Smith has thrown for 774 yards with six scoring strikes while scampering for an additional 256 yards and two TDs. He’s thrown four picks, but he’s more mobile than senior QB Taylor Powell and the Eagles are winning with him at the helm.
Smith has a couple of solid weapons in senior RB Samson Evans and senior WR Tanner Knue. Evans has rushed for 855 yards and 11 TDs while Knue has 466 receiving yards and six receiving TDs. However, Evans exited last week’s game with a neck injury and is questionable for Wednesday.
They’ll face a leaky Kent State defense allowing the sixth-most points in conference play. The Golden Flashes have the second-worst passing defense, a mediocre rushing defense, and have allowed the sixth-most points in the conference.
The Golden Flashes bring a robust offense of their own to the table. Junior QB Collin Schlee is coming off a three-TD game against Bowling Green and has 1,945 passing yards and eight TDs overall, though he has thrown five picks. Schlee is mobile, tallying 403 rushing yards with four TDs.
Junior RB Marquez Cooper is among the best in the nation, rushing for 1,106 yards and nine TDs. Sophomore WR Devontez Walker has five TD receptions over the last three games. Junior WR Dante Cephas has been injured but is a big-play threat when healthy.
The Eastern defense isn’t very good. EMU allows the fifth-most points in the MAC alongside the fourth-most rushing yards. The Eagles are fourth in passing defense and have allowed 71 points over their last three.
The forecast calls for light rain throughout the night with light winds to boot. Neither side is particularly adept at stopping the run, and this should be a close game. Eastern has played much better with Smith behind center, and the Eagles should be able to move the ball with or without Evans.
Kent State can score with the best of them, but the Golden Flashes' defense hasn’t stopped anyone all year — a sloppy Bowling Green notwithstanding — and won’t get enough defensive stops to put this game away. The Eagles have been a tough road team this season, and while they may not win, +7.5 is too many for this contest. Take the points and the Eagles to cover in this matchup.
My best bet: Eastern Michigan +7.5 (-110 at BetMGM)
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Eastern Michigan vs Kent State spread analysis
It’s tempting to take Eastern +220 to win straight up, and I’m leaning toward this play.
Kent State has a big-time offense when healthy, but Cephas hasn’t played much over their last three games, and the offense isn’t as potent without him. The strength of the Eagles defense is defending the pass, and if Cephas is out, the Eagles will have a much easier time keeping this one close enough to eke out a win.
The Golden Flashes defense is lousy. The FBS ranks Kent State as the 118th-worst defense in the country and relies upon its Top-50 offense to make up the difference. That is usually what happens, but the weather might make passing the football difficult for Schlee, and I don’t believe Kent State is good enough to win on the ground.
Eastern is 4-1 this season straight up as the away team. Kent State saw its 12-game home winning streak snapped two weeks ago to Ball State and Cephas missed that game. Walker had one reception for a TD but left that game in the first quarter and failed to return.
The Golden Flashes are 12th in the conference in net punting yards. Wet balls produce bad snaps and the Eagles should benefit from good field position. The shorter field should help EMU outscore the Golden Flashes.
Kent State is 3-1 SU at home and 1-3 ATS. Eastern is 3-1-1 ATS as the away side.
Eastern Michigan vs Kent State Over/Under analysis
The total is 61.5 points, probably too many, and I’m leaning toward the Under.
The weather will play a factor, but just how much is anyone's guess. Slinging the football is a large part of both offenses, and while it isn’t supposed to be windy, it will be a cold, wet night, which will cause problems for both QBs.
Eastern depends on Evans and will miss his production if he's unable to go. Junior RB Jaylen Jackson rumbled for 60+ yards against a stout NIU defense. He won’t have the sexy numbers Evans’ has posted, which should also affect the scoreboard.
Neither team has a positive turnover margin, with EMU at -4 and KSU at -1.
EMU is eighth in time of possession, while KSU is last in the conference. Big passing plays for TDs are the Golden Flashes calling card, but the weather could have a significant impact.
The Under is 5-5 over the last 10 EMU contests, and 3-7 over the Golden Flashes 10 games this season.
The Under is 6-2 over their last eight meetings and 3-0 over their past three.
Eastern Michigan vs Kent State betting trend to know
The road team is 5-2 ATS in their last seven meetings. Find more NCAA betting trends for Eastern Michigan vs. Kent State.
Eastern Michigan vs Kent State game info
| Location: | Dix Stadium, Kent, OH |
| Date: | Wednesday, November 16, 2022 |
| Kickoff: | 6:00 p.m. ET |
| TV: | ESPN2 |
Eastern Michigan vs Kent State latest injuries
Eastern Michigan vs Kent State weather
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