Who’s ready for some MACtion? Year after year, the Mid-American conference delivers a different type of excitement that we can’t get out of a Power 5 conference. Here’s one bet for every MAC team.
MAC Betting Preview: One Bet for Every MAC Team
Akron Zips
2022 Record: 2-10
2023 Win Total: 3.5
2023 Conference Odds: +3500
Impact Player: Daniel George, WR (transfer from Penn State)
Our first MAC bet goes to the Akron Zips. Only Buffalo brought in new talent via transfer than Akron in the off-season. The win total is low here at 3.5. Expect the Zips at least to double their number of wins from last season and beat this 3.5 win total.
Bet: Akron to go OVER the 3.5 win total.
Ball State Cardinals
2022 Record: 5-7
2023 Win Total: 5.5
2023 Conference Odds: +4000
Impact Player: Marquez Cooper, RB
Ball State has a few easy home games on the schedule this year. Home games against Georgia State, Indiana State, and Kent State should all be counted as wins. Ball State has enough talent that they should be able to find three additional wins on the in-conference schedule.
Bet: Ball State to go OVER the 5.5 win total.
Bowling Green Falcons
2022 Record: 6-7
2023 Win Total: 4.5
2023 Conference Odds: +4500
Impact Player: Connor Bazelak, QB (transfer from Indiana)
This schedule is just too tough for the Falcons. The out-of-conference matchups against Liberty, Georgia Tech, and Michigan do them no favors. They’ll be underdogs against Ohio, Buffalo, and Toledo. It’s hard to find enough sports for this team to win five games.
Bet: Bowling Green to stay UNDER the 4.5 win total.
Buffalo Bulls
2022 Record: 7-6
2023 Win Total: 6.5
2023 Conference Odds: +800
Impact Player: D’Andre Greeley, CB (transfer from Colorado State)
Buffalo added a lot of talent to the roster in the offseason. They lead the MAC in both recruiting and transfer talent. They went 7-6 last year and should improve in 2023. The Bulls are the class of the MAC East Division and are a strong bet to win the conference.
Bet: Buffalo to WIN the MAC Conference Championship.
Central Michigan Chippewas
2022 Record: 4-8
2023 Win Total: 6.5
2023 Conference Odds: +3000
Impact Player: Jalen McGaughy, WR
The Chippewas have a huge opener against Michigan State to start the season. Going on the road against the Spartans will be tough, but we’ve seen our share of disappointment from Michigan State in years past. The tough MAC battles should have Central Michigan prepared to keep it within the 14.5-point spread.
Bet: Central Michigan to COVER +14.5 against Michigan State Week 1.
Eastern Michigan Eagles
2022 Record: 9-4
2023 Win Total: 7.5
2023 Conference Odds: +800
Impact Player: Hassan Beydoun, WR
Looking through this schedule, it’s hard to find a tough test for Eastern Michigan this year outside of the final few games against Buffalo and Toledo to end the season. The out-of-conference schedule is soft, and they have plenty of winnable in-conference matchups. The Eagles are a good bet to go over the win total here.
Bet: Eastern Michigan to go OVER the 7.5 win total.
Kent State Golden Flashes
2022 Record: 5-7
2023 Win Total: 2.5
2023 Conference Odds: +15000
Impact Player: None!
Flat out, Kent State is a bad football team. Don’t expect them to win many games this year. They are a 35-point underdog to start the season against UCF – and it doesn’t get much better from there. This win total is so low it’s hard to take the under, so the best thing to do here is to leave it alone.
Bet: No bet here. Sometimes you just need to walk away from a bad spot, including this one.
Miami (OH) RedHawks
2022 Record: 6-7
2023 Win Total: 6.5
2023 Conference Odds: +850
Impact Player: Brett Gabbert, QB
Buffalo looks like the team to beat in the East Division – but Miami may be the next team up. There’s ground to make up for with a 6-7 record last season, but their schedules line up nicely for them. The October 28th clash against Ohio will be tough on the road, but home games against Toledo and Buffalo will give them a shot at a championship game appearance.
Bet: Miami (OH) to WIN the MAC Conference Championship.
Northern Illinois Huskies
2022 Record: 3-9
2023 Win Total: 5.5
2023 Conference Odds: +2500
Impact Player: Trayvon Rudolph, WR
Northern Illinois travels to Boston to start the season against the Boston College Eagles. This spread has been moving between 10.5 and 10. Getting 10.5 points on the Huskies is the bet to take. Boston College was bad last season – also 3-9 – and Northern Illinois should be able to keep this game inside double digits.
Bet: Northern Illinois to COVER the 10.5 point spread against Boston College Week 1.
Ohio Bobcats
2022 Record: 10-4
2023 Win Total: 7.5
2023 Conference Odds: +280
Impact Player: Jailen Hammer, WR
Ohio is in a good spot this season to win some games. They come into the season as the second-favorite to win the conference after double-digit wins a season ago. Out-of-conference games against Florida Atlantic and Iowa State will be tough tests, but they avoid the game against Toledo this season and game home games for most of the tougher in-conference matchups. A win total of 7.5 is too low for this formidable team.
Bet: Ohio to go OVER the 7.5 win total.
Toledo Rockets
2022 Record: 9-5
2023 Win Total: 8.5
2023 Conference Odds: +180
Impact Player: DeQuan Finn, QB
Toledo is the returning conference champion and the class of the MAC. After a 7-5 regular season, they beat Ohio in the MAC championship and went on to beat Liberty in the Boca Rotan Bowl. They are the favorites for a reason, and it doesn’t make sense to bet against them.
Bet: Toledo to WIN the MAC Conference at +180.
Western Michigan Broncos
2022 Record: 5-7
2023 Win Total: 3.5
2023 Conference Odds: +5000
Impact Player: Zahir Abdus-Salaam, RB
Western Michigan starts the 2023 season in brutal fashion. In the first five weeks of the season, they’ll have visited Syracuse, Iowa, Toledo, and Mississippi State. The only September home game is against Ball State, and they shouldn’t be expected to win this one, either. All things point to an 0-5 start. Take the under on this win total.
Bet: Western Michigan to go UNDER the 3.5 win total.
