Tag: Ford Field

Quick Lane Bowl: Pittsburgh vs. Eastern Michigan odds, picks and best bets

Previewing Thursday’s Quick Lane Bowl between the Pittsburgh Panthers and Eastern Michigan Eagles, with betting odds, picks, tips and bets.

The Pittsburgh Panthers (7-5) and Eastern Michigan Eagles (6-6) tangle in the Quick Lane Bowl Thursday. Kickoff at Ford Field in Detroit is set for 8 p.m. ET. We analyze the Pittsburgh-Eastern Michigan odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Pittsburgh vs. Eastern Michigan: Three things you need to know

1. Pittsburgh’s bowl history goes all the way back to the 1927 Rose Bowl, a game it lost 7-6 to Stanford. The Panthers also fell to Stanford 31-24 in the Sun Bowl last season. They’ll be more than happy to face anyone else. This will be Pitt’s first-ever bowl game vs. a Mid-American Conference foe.

2. Eastern Michigan makes the short jaunt from Ypsilanti to downtown Detroit for its fourth bowl game in school history. The Eagles are 1-2 all-time, falling last season to Georgia Southern in the Camellia Bowl in Birmingham. Their only bowl win was back in 1987 in the California Bowl vs. San Jose State, 30-27.

3. Pitt is 5-1 against the spread in the past six non-conference games, and 4-1 ATS in the past five vs. MAC opponents. EMU is 17-5 ATS in the past 22 non-conference games, and 17-8 ATS in the past 25 vs. winning teams.

College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!

Pittsburgh vs. Eastern Michigan: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Wednesday at 2:30 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Pittsburgh 26, Eastern Michigan 17

Moneyline (ML)

Pitt (-435) had a so-so offense this season, but the defense was super stout. As such, the Panthers are expected to roll to a victory against the boys from Eastern Michigan (+325). Even so, the Panthers are just too expensive, when having to risk more than four times your return, especially since this game is right down Interstate 94 from Ypsi.

New to sports betting? A $10 bet on Pitt to win outright would return a profit of just $2.30.

Against the Spread (ATS)

EASTERN MICHIGAN (+11.5, -110) likely isn’t going to win this game, but it is the Eagles’ national championship game. It’s primetime. It’s in their home state. And they have the passing attack to hang with most marginal Power 5 teams, for which Pittsburgh (-11.5, -110) certainly qualifies.

The Eagles were 29th in passing yards per game at 279.7, while posting 29.1 points per game to rank 64th in the land. EMU also has DB Brody Hoying, cousin of former Ohio State standouts Bobby Hoying and Ross Homan, patrolling the secondary. He led the team with four interceptions.

Over/Under (O/U)

UNDER 49.5 (-115) is going to be a strong play for me in this one, also included perhaps as a part of a three-team teaser. The Under is 28-10-1 in Pittsburgh’s last 39 games overall, and 7-1 in the past eight as a favorite. The defense will dictate the pace of the game.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Miami (Ohio) vs. Central Michigan odds, lines, picks and best bets

Previewing Saturday’s MAC Championship Game between the Miami (Ohio) Redhawks and Central Michigan Chippewas, with betting odds and picks.

The Miami (Ohio) Redhawks (7-5, 6-2 MAC East) and Central Michigan Chippewas (8-4, 6-2 MAC West) tangle at Ford Field in Detroit at 12:00 p.m. ET for the Mid-American Conference championship. We analyze the Miami (Ohio)-Central Michigan odds and betting lines, while providing college football betting tips and advice on this matchup.

Miami (Ohio) vs. Central Michigan: Three things you need to know

1. Miami clinched its spot with two games to play, and really struggled down the stretch. The Redhawks narrowly escaped with a 20-17 win against winless Akron Nov. 20, and were blasted 41-27 at Ball State last weekend.

2. The Redhawks lost QB Brett Gabbert to an undisclosed injury for the second half last week, but he is expected to be available for this one. He left last week’s game with Miami up 27-14 at half. The ‘Hawks were outscored 27-0 in the final 30 minutes without him.

3. Central Michigan crowned Toledo by a 49-7 score last week, and it has posted 144 total points across the past three games. The Chips have been cover kings this season, too, going 11-1 against the spread while the Over is 6-1 across the past seven.

College football season is almost over! Place your bets on this game, or others, at BetMGM now. Place your bets and win, win, win!

Miami (Ohio) vs. Central Michigan: Odds, betting lines and picks

Odds via BetMGM; access USA TODAY Sports’ betting odds for a full list. Lines last updated Friday at 10:50 p.m. ET.

Prediction

Central Michigan 44, Miami (Ohio) 23

Moneyline (ML)

Central Michigan (-250) has been impressive from start to finish this season, and it probably should have beaten the ‘other’ Miami, you know, the one from Florida, back in late September. The Chippewas fell in 17-12 as 30.5-point underdogs. The Chips are as explosive as anyone and that’s bad news for a Miami (Ohio) team (+200) which enters amid what’s probably its worst stretch of the season.

Against the Spread (ATS)

CENTRAL MICHIGAN (-6.5, -121) is a great play, as the Chips covered in 11 of 12 games this season, and they’re 5-0 ATS in their past five as the favorite. Miami (+6.5, +100) is 13-4 ATS across its last 17 league games, but the Redhawks have failed to cover in the past two. The Redhawks are 2-2 straight up in their four appearances in the title game. The Chippewas are a perfect 3-0 SU in their previous three showings.

Over/Under (O/U)

The MAC title game has a history of points under the roof at Ford Field since 2004. The OVER 54.5 (-105) is a nice play here, as we have seen an average of 65 total points in the previous seven installments. The Over is also 5-2 in Miami’s past seven against winning sides while going 6-1 in the past seven for CMU.

Get some action on this game or others, place a bet with BetMGM today. And for more sports betting picks and tips, visit SportsbookWire.com.

Follow @JoeWilliamsVI and @SportsbookWire on Twitter.

Gannett may earn revenue from audience referrals to betting services.  Newsrooms are independent of this relationship and there is no influence on news coverage.

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Listen: Lions Wire’s Jeff Risdon joins the Detroit Lions Podcast

Breaking down Jeff Driskel, Matthew Stafford’s back, being in a suite at Ford Field, Patricia’s job security and more

Lions Wire managing editor Jeff Risdon joined the Detroit Lions Podcast as a co-host for this week’s episode.

Among the topics discussed between Risdon and regular host Chris:

  • Recapping the Cowboys game and the experience of being in a suite at Ford Field for a Lions game
  • Reacting to all the Cowboys fans outnumbering Lions fans in Detroit
  • Jeff Driskel’s long-term role with the Lions
  • Jarrad Davis and his recent uptick in PFF scores
  • Should the Lions shut down Matthew Stafford?
  • Just how bad are the Redskins?
  • Why Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn will get at least one more season in Detroit

You can also watch the episode on YouTube:

Lions wear white at home and give the Cowboys a de facto home game

Ford Field was loudly pro-Cowboys, so it was fitting the Lions wore the road whites

For the first time since 1970, the Detroit Lions wore their white jerseys at home. It was a fitting metaphor, donning the traditional road uniforms despite playing at Ford Field with the Dallas Cowboys in town.

The game and the stadium had the feel of a Cowboys home game. Allowing them to wear their dark blue jerseys was an appropriate gesture by the Lions. The broadcast feed of the game proved time and again that the Ford Field crowd was predominately rooting for Dallas, not Detroit.

The eruption of cheers when Tony Pollard scored the Cowboys’ first touchdown was an Iron Maiden concert compared to the coffee house open-mic night reaction Bo Scarbrough’s opening TD for the Lions generated.

Cowboys fans are everywhere, that’s no secret. And the Lions haven’t exactly given the home fans much to be excited about lately, going well beyond not having Matthew Stafford in the lineup. But it’s still jarring to hear Ford Field be so loud in support of the opponent and not the Lions.