Sacramento State at Eastern Michigan

Eastern Michigan opens at home as a manageable favorite against a Sacramento State team dropping down a level after going 7-4 a year ago, the kind of buy-game spot that rarely turns into the shootout the total in the mid-50s might suggest. The Eagles were far from good in 2025, a 4-7 finish with a defense that allowed 28.5 points a game, but their issue last season was consistency against Mid-American Conference competition, not a lack of overall talent, and that gap in roster quality shows up against an FCS opponent even in an off year. Sacramento State can move the ball, evidenced by a 55-point outing against Weber State last season, but it also gave up 49 in a loss to a ranked Montana team, the kind of defense that does not travel well into a road opener against a program with a size and speed advantage. Season openers against overmatched competition tend to play out in bursts rather than start to finish, with the favorite building an early lead and working backups through the second half instead of pressing for style points. Go with the UNDER.