The Ohio Bobcats and Central Michigan Chippewas open their seasons at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich., for a 7 p.m. ET kickoff Wednesday. Below, we analyze the Ohio-Central Michigan college football betting odds and lines, with picks and predictions.
Ohio at Central Michigan: Betting odds and lines
Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Tuesday at 4:26 a.m. ET.
- Money line: Ohio -110 (bet $110 to win $100) | Central Michigan -110 (bet $110 to win $100)
- Against the spread/ATS: Ohio -1.5 (-103) | Central Michigan +1.5 (-120)
- Over/Under: 59.5 (O: -115 | U: -106)
Ohio at Central Michigan: Three things to know
- Ohio will be gunning for the East Division title, looking to build off a seven-win season and a bowl victory against Nevada in 2019. The defense returns nine starters, and the Bobcats should be much improved. Ohio won each of its four conference road games last season, and they were 3-1 ATS.
- Central Michigan won the West Division and MAC Championship in 2019. Unfortunately for head coach Jim McElwain, the offensive line has just one starter returning. The Chippewas added several transfers, moved some existing players to the O-line and also made the position a priority in recruiting, but pass protection could be an issue early on.
- CMU QB David Moore was expected to be suspended for the first five games, as he serves a suspension for a banned substance. He has applied for reinstatement with the late start to the season, but there has been no word on a reduction or elimination of suspension from the NCAA. As such, redshirt-freshman QB Daniel Richardson has been named starter.
Get some action on this game or any other matchup with a legal, online bet at BetMGM in CO, IN, NJ, TN and WV. Risk-free first bet up to $500, paid in free bets. Terms and conditions apply. Bet now!
Ohio at Central Michigan: Odds, prediction, betting lines and picks
Prediction
Ohio 34, Central Michigan 27
Money line (ML)
OHIO (-110) is an outstanding play on the road. Yes, Central Michigan (-110) won the West Division last season, but it has had plenty of losses at key positions, especially the offensive line. Plus, quarterback is a huge question mark. Ohio’s pass rush should make things miserable for Richardson and the CMU offense.
Against the spread (ATS)
OHIO (-1.5, -103) doesn’t look like the play on paper. Central Michigan (+1.5, -120) is at home, it’s the defending conference champs and it’s 4-0 ATS in the past four meetings. However, the Bobcats have more returnees, especially at key positions, and the Chips offense is likely to be a bit discombobulated early on. Frank Solich’s bunch will open on the road with an impressive win, something they did all four times in conference play last season.
Over/Under (O/U)
The Chips saw the Over connect in five of their final seven MAC battles in 2019, and the Bobcats also hit the Over in five of their final seven conference tilts. Playing the Over is going against the trends in this series, as the Under is 4-0 in the past four meetings, and 4-1 in the past five in Mount Pleasant. But the OVER 59.5 (-115) is worth playing lightly in this one, as Ohio averaged 34.7 PPG last season, while CMU was good for 31.9 PPG.
Want some action in this one? Place a bet at BetMGM now. For more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com. Please gamble responsibly.
Follow @JoeWilliamsVI on Twitter. Follow SportsbookWire on Twitter and like us on Facebook.
Additional college football coverage from USA TODAY Sports Media Group:
Alabama football / Auburn football / Florida football / Georgia football / LSU football / Michigan football / Michigan State football / Notre Dame football / Ohio State football / Oklahoma football / Tennessee football / Texas football / USC football / Wisconsin football
Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services. Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.
[lawrence-newsletter]
[lawrence-auto-related count=3 category=1622]