The Western Michigan Broncos host the Akron Zips in a cross-division MACtion matchup at Waldo Stadium on Tuesday. Western Michigan (5-4, 2-3 Mid-American) has won 15 of the 20 all-time matchups between the teams, and the Broncos are trying to rebound from a tough loss to Central Michigan last Wednesday. WMU allowed three touchdowns in a five-minute span in the second quarter, including two on punt returns, in the 42-30 loss. The Zips (2-7, 1-4) scored 15 fourth-quarter points on Tuesday night against Ball State, but their rally fell short in a 31-25 loss.
Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET in Kalamazoo, Mich., and it will be televised by CBS Sports Network. The Broncos are 26-point favorites in the latest Western Michigan vs. Akron odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 62. Before making any Akron vs. Western Michigan picks or MACtion predictions, you need to see what the SportsLine Projection Model has to say.
The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past five-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,700 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also entered Week 10 of the 2021 season on a 28-15 run on all top-rated college football side picks. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Western Michigan vs. Akron and locked in its MACtion picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the MACtion odds and betting lines for Akron vs. Western Michigan:
- Akron vs. Western Michigan spread: Broncos -26
- Akron vs. Western Michigan over-under: 62 points
- Akron vs. Western Michigan money line: Zips +1300, Broncos -3500
- AKR: Is 7-4 ATS with a rest advantage since 2017.
- WMU: Is 4-3 ATS with less time to rest since 2017.
Featured Game | Western Michigan Broncos vs. Akron Zips
Why Western Michigan can cover
The Broncos have won four of the past five meetings with the Zips. Akron didn’t score more than 19 points in any of those, while the Broncos topped 40 in all four victories. The favorite is 4-1 ATS in the last five meetings, and WMU is 6-2-1 ATS after a loss since 2019. The Broncos have the advantage statistically in almost every phase, with the WMU offense averaging 434 yards per game (39th in FBS) and the defense yielding just 328 (24th). Meanwhile, the Zips rank 102nd in the nation on offense (350 yards per game) and 114th on the defensive side (446).
Western Michigan’s Kaleb Eleby is one of the MAC’s top quarterbacks, throwing for a conference-high 2,253 yards, with 13 TDs and just three interceptions. Receiver Skyy Moore leads the MAC with 65 catches and is second with 823 yards, while Jaylen Hall and Corey Crooms have 69 catches for 1,112 yards between them. Sean Tyler and La’Darius Jefferson have combined for 1,271 rushing yards and 16 TDs. The Zips allow 38 points per game, while the Broncos give up just 29 and have 27 sacks, led by Ali Fayad (6.5) and Ralph Holley (5.5).
Why Akron can cover
The road team is 6-1 ATS in the last seven meetings, and Akron quarterback Zach Gibson threw for 331 yards and two touchdowns last week. Receiver Michael Mathison scored one of those TDs and had 154 yards on just eight catches. The passing game is the clear strength of the Zips offense. Gibson is completing 72 percent of his throws and has eight TD passes and no interceptions, while DJ Irons can come on to mix things up as a dual threat. The sophomore QB has a team-high 890 passing yards and has another 300 on the ground, accounting for 10 TDs.
Running back Jonzell Norrils also can get it done on the ground, averaging 5.1 yards per carry. The Zips are 3-2 ATS in MAC games this season, and they won 14-13 in the last meeting in Kalamazoo. The team will rally around Oscar Rodriguez, who was promoted on an interim basis after coach Tom Arth was fired on Thursday. The defense has 10 takeaways, led by Charles Amankwaa with three interceptions. Jeslord Boateng is the top tackler with 56, taking over for Bubba Arslanian, who had 48 in the first four games and could be back from a hand injury.
How to make Akron vs. Western Michigan MACtion picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning over on the total, projecting 66 combined points. It also has generated an against-the-spread pick that cashes in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can only get the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Western Michigan vs. Akron? And which side of the spread hits almost 60 percent of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to back, all from the advanced model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.
