The Central Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan college football betting prediction outlines the shift in power this season from the state of Michigan football. The Chippewas are favored over the hosting Eagles, but is that really the right call for Black Friday?
Central Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan Betting Preview
- Spread
Central Michigan (-2) - Moneyline
Central Michigan (-135); Eastern Michigan (+115) - Over/Under
55 points - Game time
Noon ET - Location
Rynearson Stadium, Ypsilanti, MI - Predicted weather at kickoff
45 degrees, clear, 13-15 mph winds - How to watch
fuboTV, CBS Sports Network
Top DFS Picks and Fantasy Plays
- QB Bert Emanuel Jr., Central Michigan ($10,000)
- QB Jase Bauer, Central Michigan ($10,000)
- QB Austin Smith, Eastern Michigan ($9,500)
- QB Taylor Powell, Eastern Michigan ($9,500)
- QB Daniel Richardson, Central Michigan ($7,000)
- RB Samson Evans, Eastern Michigan ($9,300)
- RB Lew Nichols III, Central Michigan ($8,000)
- RB Jaylon Jackson, Eastern Michigan ($5,300)
- RB Darius Boone Jr., Eastern Michigan ($4,800)
- RB De’Javion Stepney, Central Michigan ($4,700)
- WR Tanner Knue, Eastern Michigan ($8,300)
- WR Hassan Beydoun, Eastern Michigan ($7,000)
- WR Dylan Drummond, Eastern Michigan ($6,800)
- WR Carlos Carriere, Central Michigan ($6,600)
- WR Jalen McGaughy, Central Michigan ($6,100)
- WR Darius Lassiter, Eastern Michigan ($5,500)
- WR Finn Hogan, Central Michigan ($5,400)
- WR Noah Koenigsknecht, Central Michigan ($5,200)
- TE Gunnar Oakes, Eastern Michigan ($5,000)
- TE Cade Conley, Central Michigan ($4,900)
It’s not hard to see the value in Bert Emanuel Jr. for CMU. The Chippewas QB has run buck wild over the competition since he joined the fray. Even in the blizzard a week ago, Emanuel was the lone bright spot offensively in the entire game.
In just three games, Emanuel has run for 430+ yards and four scores, most of the scores being long touchdowns that are must-see television. You must roster Emanuel in this game regardless of the way the rest of your lineup shapes out. He’s that valuable.
Elsewhere in this game, however, the stars of your DFS lineup are few and far between. As good of an athlete as Emanuel is, his downfield passing needs help. The inconsistency between the QB play has hurt this team offensively this season.
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It’s also hurt your DFS lineups since you cannot play their top weapons on the outside with much confidence. Carlos Carriere and Jalen McGaughy are massive targets and present large upside if this were a pass-first offense. However, it’s more of a run-first team with Lew Nichols III and now Emanuel, so avoid Carriere and McGaughy, unfortunately.
For the Eastern Michigan side of things, the quarterbacks are to be left alone because they’ve been a conundrum all season long. Taylor Powell and Austin Smith have different skill sets and have each made multiple starts and had differing stints of consistent and inconsistent play.
On the ground, however, Samson Evans is their go-to back and goal-line specialist. He’s rushed for 13 touchdowns and would make an amazing pairing with another top RB in early-slate lineups on Friday.
Prediction for Central Michigan vs. Eastern Michigan
Where does the betting angle come down in this game, though? We know a lot about their players and how they can provide value in your fantasy lineups, but considering EMU is 7-4 and CMU is 4-7, why are the Chips favored?
Without getting too technical, it’s all because of Emanuel. The star freshman quarterback has given CMU a distinct advantage ever since he joined the lineup. It’s incredibly hard to fault him or anyone on the Central Michigan roster last week for the loss, as there was a half-foot of snow on the field during the game.
And yet, Emanuel flashed in that blizzard. The Chippewas are averaging 4.29 yards per carry and have scored 19 touchdowns on the ground, behind only Eastern Michigan’s 20 rushing touchdowns this season.
Making matters worse for EMU is the fact that their defense is giving up 4.29 yards per carry this season, eighth-most in the MAC. They allow the ninth-most yards on the ground per game in the conference and have struggled mightily to contain each opponent’s top player on the ground in close games.
There isn’t much on the line for either team at this point except for state bragging rights and legacy building. The legacy that already is Bert Emanuel Jr. gets another notch on the belt.
Emanuel rides into the offseason on the highest of notes.
Prediction: Central Michigan 29, Eastern Michigan 24