College football predictions, picks: Akron-Kent State, more

Midweek college football MACtion continues in Week 13 with three games played on Tuesday.

Here's how I bet on all three contests.

Akron vs. Kent State Predictions

(7 p.m. ET, CBS Sports Network)

The Wagon Wheel series will resume between MAC's two lower feeders on Tuesday.

Akron is 2-8 on the season, but an 0-10 Kent State team is still not good enough to earn 10 points at home.

The Golden Flashes have the worst offense in the FBS in terms of success rate, but the Zips are faring worse, ranking 112th in success rate and 129th in EPA par play.

If there was ever a place to catch a falling knife at Kent State University, it would be here.

But there hasn't been a “flash” in life lately, losing the last four games in conference play by 21 points or more.

With wind and rain in the forecast at Dix Stadium, the only play I would consider would be the under.

Pick: Lean Under 49 points (-110, Fanatics)

Western Michigan vs Central Michigan Prediction

(7 p.m. ET, ESPN2)

Last week, I tried to root for Chippewa against Toledo, but Central Michigan was competitive from a yardage standpoint, only losing by 63 yards.

However, this is a misleading number as the five turnovers allowed the Rockets to consistently get short fields.

With Central Michigan eliminated from bowl eligibility, the Chipps are playing for pride against their in-state rival.

The Broncos offense has a big advantage in this matchup, ranking in the top 30 in both EPA per pass and EPA per rush. Meanwhile, the Chips rank outside the top 100 in defensive points per drive.

Look for Hayden Wolf, Jalen Buckley and others to bounce back after two tough games against the Northern Illinois and Bowling Green defenses.

Pick: Lean Western Michigan Team Over 30.5 Total (-110, BetMGM)

Northern Illinois vs. Miami (Ohio State) predictions

(7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN)

Miami (Ohio) is 5-1 in conference play and tied with Bowling Green and Ohio for first place in the MAC.

The RedHawks currently sit in second place with MAC odds of +320 (FanDuel).

Northern Illinois won't advance to the conference title game, but it will be in spoiler play on Tuesday.

The Huskies were the clear buy team heading into MAC play. They pulled off the biggest upset win of the season against Notre Dame. Still, injuries to quarterback Ethan Hampton, running back Antario Brown and wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph hurt the offense for a while.

The offense is finally healthy and ready to pick up wins against a Miami defense that lost starting cornerback Mychal Yarbrough this season.

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Miami's offense is relatively one-dimensional, with the RedHawks ranking 49th in passing percentage but only 123rd in rushing percentage. The offense will rest entirely on the shoulders of veteran quarterback Brett Gabbert against an NIU defense that ranks ninth in EPA in passes allowed and second in third-down success rate.

Miami's offensive line has struggled to hold up, ranking 109th in PFF pass blocking, and the RedHawks lack significant explosiveness at the wide receiver position.

All four of the Huskies' losses this season have come by one possession, and I would argue that the Huskies are the better team on both sides of the ball in this matchup. I'd like to help the road dogs here, especially with home field advantage, which doesn't have much value in MAC play.

I found Northern Illinois +3 at -120 juice. I don't mind paying 10 cents for a half point here. Even if I don't have access to that line, I still back the Huskies at +2.5 or higher.

Pick: Bet Northern Illinois +2.5 (-110, ESPN BET)

Why trust New York Post Betting?

Jacob Wayne handicaps college football and the NFL for the New York Post. He gained 84.5 units across two sports for an ROI of 6.27%.