Producing points hasn’t been an issue for the Central Michigan Chippewas this season, as they’ve recorded 21 or more in eight of their nine games and at least 30 on five occasions. But with the exception of a shutout victory over Robert Morris in its second game of the year, Central Michigan has allowed a minimum of 23 points in its contests and 30 or more four times. The Chippewas (5-4, 3-2 Mid-American) hope for a better defensive effort when they host the Kent State Golden Flashes (5-4, 4-1) in a MACtion showdown on Wednesday.
Kickoff at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich. is set for 8 p.m. ET. The Chippewas are 2.5-point favorites in the latest Central Michigan vs. Kent State odds from Caesars Sportsbook, while the over-under for total points scored is 75. Before making any Kent State vs. Central 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 $3,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also enters Week 11 of the 2021 season on a 31-20 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 Central Michigan vs. Kent State 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 college football betting lines for Kent State vs. Central Michigan:
- Central Michigan vs. Kent State spread: Chippewas -2.5
- Central Michigan vs. Kent State over-under: 75 points
- Central Michigan vs. Kent State money line: Chippewas -135, Golden Flashes +115
- CMU: The Chippewas are 1-5 against the spread in their last six games following a victory
- KENT: The Golden Flashes are 0-5 ATS in their last five contests as underdogs
Featured Game | Central Michigan Chippewas vs. Kent State Golden Flashes
Why Central Michigan can cover
The Chippewas are averaging 30.4 points per game after posting a 42-30 victory at Western Michigan last week. Central Michigan got off to a slow start as it fell behind 14-0 before Kalil Pimpleton took over. The junior wideout sandwiched punt-return touchdowns around a scoring catch in a span of five minutes late in the second quarter to give the Chippewas a 21-14 halftime lead.
Pimpleton returned a punt 70 yards with 5:03 remaining in the opening half for Central Michigan’s first such TD since Antonio Brown accomplished the feat against Eastern Michigan in 2009. He set the school record exactly five minutes later by bringing a punt back 97 yards, making it the third-longest in conference history. Pimpleton, who also hauled in an 11-yard scoring pass from Daniel Richardson during the comeback, leads the nation with an average of 20.3 yards per punt return.
Why Kent State can cover
The Golden Flashes have rebounded from a difficult start to the season, winning four of their last five games after losing three of their first four. Dustin Crum has been a big reason for the turnaround, as he has elevated his level of play during the stretch. The senior quarterback has thrown eight of his 11 touchdown passes on the season over his last four contests and has run for a total of seven scores during his current five-game streak.
Crum gained 72 of Kent State’s 360 rushing yards in its 52-47 victory over Northern Illinois last week, marking the fourth time in five games he has run for more than 70. He leads the Golden Flashes with eight rushing TDs and has gone eight straight contests without throwing an interception. Sophomore Marquez Cooper and senior Xavier Williams were major contributors to Kent State’s ground attack against the Huskies, rushing for 173 and 103 yards, respectively.
How to make Kent State vs. Central Michigan MACtion picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning under on the total, projecting 70 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 Central Michigan vs. Kent State? 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.
