After a bit of a shaky opening weekend, we had a nice bounce-back in Week 2, including a winner in the 1stt conference game of the season. Let’s continue to build that bankroll into Week 3.
Below, we analyze Tipico Sportsbook‘s lines around the MAC’s Week 3 slate, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
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MAC best bets for Week 3
– All games listed are Saturday and ET unless noted
Odds provided by Tipico Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 8:09 a.m. ET.
Cincinnati (-22.5, -108) at Miami (Ohio) – noon (ESPNU)
These rivals meet at Paycor Stadium in Cincinnati, technically a neutral site, for their annual game. The Bearcats demolished the Redhawks 49-14 last season, and Cincinnati has won each of the previous 3 meetings by at least 21 points.
Miami will be looking for a little payback. Cincinnati was a little sloppy in its opening loss at Arkansas, but it cleaned things up in a win against overmatched Kennesaw State from the FCS.
The Redhawks hung tough at Kentucky in the opener before falling by the wayside, and never really threatened to cover a 30.5-point number in a 31-14 win over Robert Morris last week.
Miami’s defense hasn’t been the problem, but the offense has struggled mightily. This is a rivalry game, and anything can happen, but lately Cincinnati has been heads and tails better, and it will prove it again Saturday.
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Marshall at Bowling Green (+16.5, -108) – 5 p.m.
The Thundering Herd is coming off 1 of the biggest victories in program history, topping Notre Dame on the road 26-21 last weekend.
Meanwhile, Bowling Green was unable to get past Eastern Kentucky of the FCS last weekend, falling 59-57 at Doyt Perry Stadium in 7 OTs. Yes, 7. It was one of those crazy games which came down to who had the better 2-point conversion offense.
So why back the Falcons, a team which lost to an FCS team? The answer is simple, the Thundering Herd is going to have a hangover.
These teams used to meet frequently as members of the MAC, but Marshall left for Conference USA, and eventually the Sun Belt. Bowling Green leads the all-time series 21-8, and it won the most recent meeting in 2010. The Falcons won’t be pulling off an upset Saturday, but it has the offense to hang with the Herd and make things interesting.
Akron at Tennessee (-47.5, -108) – 7 p.m. (ESPN+ | SEC Network)
The Zips hit the road for another payday in Knoxville, but Akron is unlikely to offer up much resistance in this Power 5 matchup. The Zips were pounded 52-0 at Michigan State last week, rushing 27 times for just 22 yards while losing 4 fumbles.
The Volunteers are coming off an emotional overtime road win at Pittsburgh, and the No. 16 team in the nation is on the rise. Tennessee already has a win over a MAC team this season, destroying Ball State 59-10 in the opener, covering a 37-point number as the Over cashed.
Tennessee is 2-0 ATS in 2 games so far. The Volunteers seem like a potential hangover game victim here, especially after expending so much energy and emotions in Pittsburgh, but the Vols look like a brand new team this season, and you can expect them to cover the nearly 7-TD line, especially since the Zips are unlikely to score much, if anything.
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Pittsburgh at Western Michigan (+10.5, -117) – 7:30 p.m. (ESPNU)
The Panthers had their issues at home last weekend against the aforementioned Volunteers. Pitt couldn’t keep the Vols pass rush off of QB Kedon Slovis, who was eventually knocked out of the game. Backup QB Nick Patti kept the Panthers alive, forcing overtime, before the team eventually lost.
The news kept getting bad for Patti, however, as he was walking with a noticeable limp near the end of the game. He soldiered on and finished up, but like Slovis, he is questionable for Saturday’s game. As such, either redshirt freshman Nate Yarnell or Dartmouth graduate transfer Derek Kyler might be tasked with the start.
Pitt’s QB issues are the gain of Western Michigan. The Panthers won the ACC with a strong quarterback presence last season, never having to replace QB Kenny Pickett. Even with Pickett, now with the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Panthers lost to the Broncos 44-41 at Acrisure Stadium in the Steel City on Sept. 18, 2021.
Normally, coach Pat Narduzzi would be yelling to his team about revenge, but instead, he is simply scrambling to find someone to step in under center. And, he is busy trying to get his offensive line to keep either Kyler or Yarnell, should they start the game, healthy and through a whole game.
Western Michigan hung tough at Michigan State, trailing just 21-13 late in the fourth quarter before the Spartans pushed away. The Broncos went on the road to beat Ball State 37-30 in the MAC opener. This team can score, and it’s a dangerous foe for a beaten up Panthers side.
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