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The Central Michigan Chippewas and Michigan State Spartans meet Friday at Spartan Stadium in East Lansing. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET (FS1). Below, we analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s lines around the Central Michigan vs. Michigan State odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
Central Michigan enters this contest as a double-digit underdog coming off the heels of a disappointing 4-8 season. CMU’s starting QB has not yet been announced as redshirt sophomore Jase Bauer and redshirt freshman Bert Emanuel Jr. have been competing for the job. Bauer was last year’s backup, but Emanuel’s dual-threat ability make him a strong contender to start.
The Spartans are looking for improvement after a 5-7 season. With last year’s starting QB Payton Thorne having transferred to Auburn, the Spartans have QB concerns. Redshirt junior Noah Kim and redshirt freshman Katin Houser have been fighting for the starting spot. Coach Mel Tucker said fans will have to wait until gametime on Friday to see who the starter will be.
The Chippewas and Spartans haven’t met since 2018 when the Spartans came away with the 31-20 victory. Michigan State leads the all-time series 8-3 and is on a 4-game winning streak vs. CMU.
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Central Michigan at Michigan State odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list. Lines last updated Thursday at 12:02 a.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Central Michigan +450 (bet $100 to win $450) | Michigan State -650 (bet $650 to win $100)
- Against the spread (ATS): Central Michigan +14.5 (-115) | Michigan State -14.5 (-105)
- Over/Under (O/U): 45.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Central Michigan at Michigan State picks and predictions
Prediction
Michigan State 42, Central Michigan 24
Moneyline
PASS.
Michigan State should win this game but at (-650) the line is far too risky, bet on the spread and/or Over/Under instead.
Against the spread
LEAN MICHIGAN STATE -14.5 (-115).
I expect this game to be very competitive through 3 quarters, but the Spartans should be able to pull away a bit in the 4th. In the Spartans’ last 4 wins vs. CMU, only 1 of those wins was by less than 14 points. I expect CMU to give the Spartans problems, but Michigan State will show why they are a 2-TD favorite come the 4th quarter.
Over/Under
BET OVER 45.5 (-115).
In 5 of the 7 meetings between the schools since 2000, Over 45.5 has hit. Neither team makes their name with their defense, as is common in college football, and I don’t expect that to change here. With both teams starting new QB’s, expect this to be a very sloppy game.
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