Northern Illinois at Eastern Michigan (+20.5)
The Huskies (5-2, 2-1) enter The Factory a difficult team to read. The consensus is that Northern Illinois is the second best team in the MAC behind Toledo, but we're getting mixed messages out of DeKalb. In the last three, Northern squeaked by Kent State 17-14, were soundly beaten 34-17 by Central Michigan and needed its top offensive effort to get by Miami last week, 51-41. To date it's all about the ground game for the Huskies. NIU ranks in the top 3 in rushing offense and defense in the MAC (1st, 3rd) and bottom five in passing offense and defense (10th, 9th). After Eastern Michigan, the Huskies travel to Ball State before a de facto MAC West championship game with Toledo on November 11th.
The Huskies had better come to The Factory prepared. Eastern Michigan (2-5, 1-2) is undefeated at home. It's true! Look it up! A season opening win over FCS foe Morgan State, and a 37-27 victory over Buffalo two weeks ago completes the Eagles home resume to this point in 2014. EMU returned to this planet last week, with a 36-14 loss at UMass. Dead last in the MAC in both offense and defense, that's Eastern's reality. I think everybody who is not a Northern Illinois fan would like to see the upset here. Won't happen, but I think the Eastern can keep it to within 3 scores. Take the Eagles and the points. - KS
Ohio (+10) at Western Michigan
Ohio (4-4, 2-2) enters Kalamazoo follow its biggest win of the 2014 season, a 23-20 home victory against Akron. MAC East title aspirations seem to have dissolved for the Bobcats, but a bowl invitation is a very real possibility. Ohio does it with defense, the Bobcats allow 25 points a game, good for third in the MAC. Points are hard to come by though, as OU ranks ahead of only Kent State and Eastern Michigan at 18.8 points per contest. The 23 points Ohio scored last week against Akron was its most in a conference game this season.
Speaking of postseason invitations, a win here and Western Michigan (4-3, 2-1) is just one victory away from bowl eligibility. The S.S. P.J. Fleck is a one point overtime loss to Toledo from being undefeated in league play and on top of the MAC West. Last week the Broncos scored and impressive victory over Bowling Green, handcuffing a Falcons offense that scores north of 33 points a game in a 26-14 road win. Freshman Jarvion Franklin rushed for 149 yards and a score for the Broncos in the win. Franklin is now just 8 yards shy of 1,000 on the season and has tallied 16 TDs, tops in all of FBS. I don't want to discount what the Broncos have accomplished so far this year, but slow down. I'm not ready to regularly install them as two score favorites. Take the Bobcats and the points. - KS
Massachusetts at Toledo (-17)
SOMEBODY BREAK UP THE MINUTEMEN. UMass (2-6, 2-2) is on a roll, winners of two in a row and tied with Ohio for third place in the MAC East. They weren't close wins either, Massachusetts ran over Kent State 40-17, then easily handled Eastern Michigan, 36-14. In the latest win, Shadrach Abrokwah rushed for 135 yards and 4 touchdowns on 24 carries. Tajae Sharp continued his assault on MAC secondaries, catching 13 balls for 193 yards.
Toledo (4-3, 3-0) was off last week and is still firmly entrenched in the top spot in the MAC West. The Rockets get the Minutemen then travel to Kent State before their biggest game of the year against Northern Illinois. Toledo is going to win this one, and easily. I'm not saying that UMass won't continue to click on the offensive side of the ball, in fact I think they can put up as many as they did a week ago. But if they score 36, Toledo is scoring 56. Take the Rockets, lay the points. - KS