Ohio is still in MAC Championship contention. But it can’t afford to lose today.
The Bobcats are 7-4 overall and 5-2 in league play. They’re tied with Toledo, Central Michigan, and Miami (Ohio) for second in the conference standings, and Western Michigan (8-4, 7-1 MAC) has already locked up a spot in the MAC title game.
Ohio does need some other things to happen to defend its MAC crown, but first the Bobcats need to take care of business against Buffalo.
The Bobcats have played at a pretty high level in recent weeks. They’ve won four of their last five games with wins over Northern Illinois, Eastern Michigan, Miami, and UMass with their loss during that stretch being a four-point game at Western Michigan.
But Buffalo won’t lose without a fight, though. The Bulls are 5-6 overall, so a win in this matchup would earn them bowl-eligibility.
However, they’ve struggled over the past month. They’ve lost three of four games against Akron, Central Michigan, and Miami with a win over Bowling Green.
Ohio vs. Buffalo Betting Odds
Buffalo is a +7 college football betting odds underdog against Ohio, with the Over/Under being 44.5 as of this writing. The moneyline for Ohio is -250, while it’s +200 for Buffalo.
Ohio vs. Buffalo On TV
The matchup between Ohio and Buffalo will be televised on ESPNU. The game will kick off at noon ET on Friday, Nov. 28. The contest is taking place at UB Stadium in Buffalo, New York.
Ohio vs. Buffalo Prediction
I predict Ohio will win and cover the seven-point spread. I also project the game will go Over 44.5 total points.
I think the Bobcats have a good team and one that is worthy of being in the mix for a MAC Championship this late in the season. But they haven’t been very consistent, especially on the road.
They are 1-5 away from home this season. And even if you were to take out two of their games against Power Four opponents Rutgers and Ohio State, they’re 1-2 with losses to Ball State (4-7) and Western Michigan. Their one win was a seven-point contest at Eastern Michigan (4-8).
But I still think Ohio will win because Buffalo hasn’t exactly been better at home. The Bulls are 2-4 at UB Stadium this season, with one of those victories being against FCS Saint Francis. They also beat EMU by one point at home.
Otherwise, they’ve lost to Troy and UConn – two solid Group of Five programs that were non-conference games – as well as Akron and Miami (Ohio). And that last contest vs. Miami was decided by 17 points.
The Bobcats are top four in the MAC in scoring offense (28.5 points per game) as well as scoring defense (22.6 PPG allowed). Led by quarterback Parker Navarro and running back Sieh Bangura as well as defensive backs Jalen Thomeson and Adonis Williams Jr., I expect Ohio to put together a well-rounded effort in a win.
