Miami (Ohio) vs. Western Michigan Prediction, Betting Odds & How To Watch

Western Michigan kept finding ways to win close games against MAC opponents – except one particular matchup.

The Broncos went 8-4 during the regular season with a 7-1 mark against league teams. They started out with losses to Michigan State and Illinois, two Power Four programs, as well as an overtime loss against North Texas, which is ranked in the top 25 by the College Football Playoff Selection Committee this week.

But after that 0-3 start, the Broncos won eight of their last nine games. They pulled off one-possession victories over teams like Toledo, Central Michigan, and Ohio.

But their one MAC loss was a 26-17 defeat at Miami (Ohio). And now WMU will face Miami again in the MAC Championship this weekend.

Miami’s path to this point wasn’t easy, either. The RedHawks also lost their first three games. They fell against P4 programs Wisconsin and Rutgers as well as UNLV, another top-notch Group of Five squad this season.

But from there, the RedHawks found ways to beat most of their MAC opponents, including WMU. However, RedHawks went 2-2 in the month of November, losing at Ohio and against Toledo at home before closing the season with double-digit victories over Buffalo and Ball State.

Is Miami prepared to beat Western Michigan again, or will the Broncos manage to get even with more at stake?

Miami (Ohio) vs. Western Michigan Betting Odds

Western Michigan is a -1.5 college football betting odds favorite against Miami (Ohio), with the Over/Under being 43.5 as of this writing. The moneyline for Miami (Ohio) is -105, while it’s -115 for Western Michigan.

Miami (Ohio) vs. Western Michigan On TV

The matchup between Miami (Ohio) and Western Michigan will be televised on ESPN. 

The game will kick off at noon ET on Saturday, Dec. 6. The contest is taking place at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.

Miami (Ohio) vs. Western Michigan Prediction

I predict Western Michigan will win and cover the 1.5-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 43.5 total points.

I could see this being a close game in terms of the score. And I think a game like that is better suited for Western Michigan, which has already battled through plenty of close contests in 2025.

When looking at the last time these two teams played during the regular season, former Miami quarterback Dequan Finn fueled the RedHawks’ offense. He threw for 260 yards and a touchdown while rushing for 52 yards and another TD.

But he’s no longer on the team. And without him, this could be a tough matchup for Miami.

The Broncos are second in the MAC in scoring defense (18.7 points per game allowed) and total defense (302.3 yards per game allowed). I think they’ll continue to be solid on that side of the ball.

And considering WMU has scored 30-plus points in its last two games – which it hadn’t done in back-to-back games all year – I think the Broncos are showing some improvement offensively.

I expect quarterback Broc Lowry and running back Jalen Buckley to rise to the occasion and help WMU sustain some drives with a solid ground game. If the Broncos can control the line of scrimmage and time of possession, I think they will end up winning the MAC title.