Buffalo Bulls CMU Chippewas Odds and Predictions

MACtion goes full steam ahead with three more conference games on Wednesday. The most electric game may be the Central Michigan Chippewas (3-6) playing host to the Buffalo Bulls (5-4).

The follow-up to a 9-4 season has been underwhelming, with the Chippewas one loss away from being out of bowl game consideration. However, they kept their hopes alive for at least another week with a 35-22 win at Northern Illinois last Saturday.

CMU used a two-quarterback system to run away with the win, having starter Daniel Richardson toss two touchdowns on 150 yards while Jase Bauer ran for a pair of scores on 109 yards. Star running back Lew Nichols returned to the backfield after missing most of October, rushing for 92 yards on 28 carries. Nichols led the NCAA in rushing yards last season.

Meanwhile, Buffalo got steamrolled by the Ohio Bobcats 45-24. The Bulls snapped a run of five straight wins primarily due to a lack of pass defense against the Bobcats' dynamic passing duo of QB Kurtis Rourke and WR Sam Wiglusz. Rourke had five touchdowns, three in the first half, while Wiglusz had 131 yards receiving and two tuddies. Buffalo was slaughtered in the trenches, being outrushed 157-22.

Buffalo vs. Central Michigan Betting Odds

Team	Spread	Over/Under	Moneyline
Buffalo Bulls	-2.5	054	-105
CMU Chippewas	+2.5	u54	-115

All Lines Provided by DraftKings Sportsbook

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Tale of the Tape

CMU is in year four with former Florida Gators head coach Jim McElwain running the show. The Chippewas were off to a hot start with McElwain at the helm, but at 3-6, they are in danger of suffering their worst season since CMU cleaned house in 2018 after a 1-11 season. Quarterback Daniel Richardson, who tossed 24 touchdowns against six interceptions last season, has taken a small step backward this year due to losing his three favorite targets. However, the play of RB Lew Nichols is more concerning. He has missed time due to injury, but when he plays, it's average at best, with 3.4 yards per carry. His dip in production is staggering, given that he ran for 1848 yards on 5.4 yards a pop last season. With all that said, the Chippewas remain a middle-of-the-pack offense.

Defensively, they are tough. They allow 5.1 yards per play, the third-best mark in the MAC. CMU will make opponents work for yards but doesn't tend to get a boatload of turnovers. They average a tick over one turnover per game defensively.

I wrote about the Buffalo Bulls’ matchup against the Ohio Bobcats at the beginning of MACtion, and little has changed in over a week. Head coach Maurice Linguist has a solid second year going after a porous 4-8 record in his first season. Transfers have been the name of the game for the Bulls, bringing in starting quarterback Cole Snyder and leading receiver Justin Marshall. Snyder, a transfer from Rutgers, has accounted for 18 touchdowns against four picks. Marshall, a transfer from Lousiville, is averaging 63 yards receiving per game in his first year with the Bulls. Buffalo features a balanced offensive attack near the middle of all team statistics.

The defense is decent but has struggled against the run. Buffalo allows 4.9 yards per attempt, the worst number in the MAC. Overall, they allow an alarming 6.3 yards per play.

Buffalo vs. Central Michigan Prediction

We are in Week 11 of the college football season and still await a vintage Lew Nichols game. After being on a month-long hiatus, the back ran for 98 yards on 28 carries, dispelling any belief that he wasn't 100%. A date with a lowly Buffalo defense should be all it takes for Nichols to get going. Meanwhile, the Bulls score nearly 30 PPG and can get yards via run or pass. A big running day for CMU and a bounce-back game from the Bulls should result in a lethal day for the offenses.