Eastern Michigan Eagles vs Miami Ohio RedHawks Point Spread Picks

Eastern Michigan got its second win of the season using a balanced offense while defeating Northern Illinois 16-10 on Saturday. Noah Kim threw for 147 yards and a TD with one interception, and Dontae McMillan ran for 104 yards on 23 carries for the Eagles, whose defense easily had its best showing of the season. The Eagles are 4-1 ATS in their past five games and 8-3 ATS in their past 11 October games. Miami has won three in a row, but the competition has been average at best as the victories were against FCS school Lindenwood, Northern Illinois, and Akron. The Redhawks lost their first three games while allowing 34.3 points per game against tougher foes. Eastern Michigan lost its previous game in overtime, 31-30, at Buffalo, as Kim and McMillan were a good combo again. Kim passed for 168 yards and two TDs with no picks, and McMillan rushed for 117 yards on 20 carries. The Eagles are capable of keeping this one close. Take the points with Eastern Michigan. 

The Eastern Michigan program started playing in the FBS in 2006, and in their first 10 years they went a ridiculous 23-97. Chris Creighton took over the program in 2014, and he has done a respectable job here. He has led Eastern Michigan to five Bowl games, which is a huge jump from where this team was before him. His teams typically overachieve, and taking him when posted as a dog has been money. Creighton, in games he has coached at Eastern Michigan, is 48-31-4 ATS, and when he is not an excessive dog, and posted at 19 or fewer points, his team is 42-21-3 ATS. (3-1 ATS as a dog to Miami, O). Miami, O. was 11-4 last year, but lost most of their great defense. The Red Birds offense is brutal as they have averaged just 13.6 PPG. I like Eastern Michigan.

At 2-6, the Miami, Ohio. Red Hawks don't seem to me a match for the upstart 5-3 Eestern Michigan Eagles. The Eagles have had a breakout season at 5-3 and gave Western Michigan, who is unbeaten, a good game last time out. This is an entirely different place for Eastern Michigan, who has not been favored by this many points but once since 2000 in a conference game, which is 16 years! The history of this team shows they have been a favorite just 37 times, and are 13-24 ATS. These teams are just 0.2 yards apart from the line of scrimmage in total, and the strength of schedule for these teams is also pretty even. I think this line is being driven by the records, not the talent on the teams as things look a lot closer to me. Make the play on Miami, Ohio.