Mid-American Conference football returns Tuesday night with two games, including a pivotal East Division matchup between Buffalo and Miami (Ohio) in Oxford. Both teams enter at 3-1 in conference play, making the result significant in the race for the MAC Championship Game on the first Friday of December in Detroit. Ohio leads the division at 4-0 and faces Miami next week, while Buffalo would only meet the Bobcats in the title game if both advance.
Miami opens as a six-point favorite despite identical conference records, largely due to a wide gap in offensive efficiency. The RedHawks average 6.16 yards per play overall and 5.57 in MAC games, while Buffalo ranks 137th nationally at 4.52 yards per play overall and 4.88 in conference action. Miami's passing attack has declined since quarterback David McComb, who had a 7-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, was lost for the season after the Sept. 26 game against UConn. Backup Caleb Heavner has a 3-to-4 touchdown-to-interception ratio and completed 18 of 33 passes for 221 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions last week.
With McComb out, Miami is expected to lean heavily on its running game against a Buffalo defense that has tightened in league play. The Bulls have allowed 3.5 yards per carry in MAC games compared to over 5 yards per carry in nonconference action, and they are yielding just 5.1 yards per play and 327.8 yards per game against conference opponents. Ideal fall weather is forecast across Ohio, removing weather as a factor for bettors and teams alike.
Sources: Las Vegas Review-Journal
Original reporting: Las Vegas Review-Journal →
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