A chance at a conference title and joining the ranks of college football infamy hang in the balance with Miami (OH) and Kent State. It just means more in the MAC.
Kent State (0-9, 0-5 MAC) is the lone FBS team void of a win this season. Losing its final three games of the season would make it the first 0-12 team since fellow MAC program Akron “accomplished” the feat in 2019.
On the complete opposite end of the spectrum is Miami. The RedHawks (5-4, 4-1) are 1 of 3 teams with only 1 loss atop the MAC standings. Miami is looking to become the first repeat MAC champion since Northern Illinois in the 2011 and 2012 seasons.
While the teams have very different goals left for the season, a 30-point spread is a huge number to cover. Will the Golden Flashes avoid such a huge blowout?
Let's take a look at my Miami (OH) vs. Kent State predictions and college football picks for this Mid-American Conference clash on Wednesday, November 13.
Miami (OH) Football vs. Kent State Football Prediction
- Kent State vs Miami (OH) Pick: Kent State +30.5
My Miami (OH) vs. Kent State best bet is on the Golden Flashes to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Miami (OH) vs. Kent State Odds, Spread
| Kent State Golden Flashes Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
+30.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | +3300 |
| Miami (OH) RedHawks Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Point Spread | Over/Under | Moneyline |
-30.5 -110 | 47.5 -110o / -110u | -10000 |
- Spread: Miami (OH) -30.5, Kent State +30.5
- Over/Under: 47.5 Total Points
- Moneyline: Miami (OH) ML -20000, Kent State ML +3000
Miami (OH) RedHawks vs. Kent State Golden Flashes Preview
Miami RedHawks
The RedHawks needed two fourth-quarter field goals to do so, but Miami’s repeat MAC title hopes stayed intact last week against Ball State. The win marked Miami’s fifth in six tries.
Quarterback Brett Gabbert tossed three touchdowns in the game. The sixth-year senior has been the driving force behind a Miami offense that ranks 46th in Pass Success Rate. Gabbert’s 16 passing touchdowns are tied for the second-most in the MAC.
Nationally, few teams run the ball less often than the RedHawks, who rank just 120th in Rush Success Rate. The RedHawks' five rushing touchdowns are better than only Kent State in the conference.
Whoever starts at quarterback for Kent State will likely struggle against the Miami secondary. The RedHawks are one of three MAC teams holding teams to fewer than 200 yards passing per game (194.1), and it's top-25 nationally in Pass Success Rate allowed.
Its run defense has also rounded into form as conference play has progressed. The RedHawks have held four of their past five opponents to 110 yards rushing or fewer, with only one of those opponents averaging more than 3.0 yards per carry.
Kent State Golden Flashes
In a season full of lows, Kent State managed to create an even lower low last week against Ohio.
It’s one thing to be shut out by the likes of college football powers Tennessee and Penn State earlier this season. It’s another thing to be shut out at home by Ohio, losing 41-0.
The Golden Flashes managed just 114 total yards of offense, only slightly better than their output against the Volunteers and Nittany Lions. Eight of their 12 possessions ended in either a three-and-out or an interception.
The game marked the first career start for quarterback Ruel Tomlinson. The freshman got the nod over Tommy Ulatowski in hopes of creating any sort of spark on the offense.
As the score indicates, the switch sparked no such change. The Golden Flash offense continues to be one of the worst in the country, ranking in the bottom five nationally in Pass Success Rate, Rush Success Rate, Quality Drives and Havoc allowed.
Their 15.1 points scored per game is only better than Florida State.
The 41 points Kent State surrendered to Ohio was the sixth time it has allowed at least 41 points this season. Kent State’s 46.0 points allowed per game is the worst in the country by more than a field goal.
Similar to its offense, there's no real strength to the Kent State defense, with the Golden Flashes ranking bottom-10 nationally in Pass Success Rate allowed and Rush Success Rate allowed.
Miami (OH) vs. Kent State Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Miami (OH) and Kent State match up statistically:
Kent State Offense vs. Miami (OH) Defense
 | Offense | Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 131 | 82 | |
| Line Yards | 122 | 99 | |
| Pass Success | 131 | 23 | |
| Havoc | 131 | 77 | |
| Finishing Drives | 112 | 14 | |
| Quality Drives | 133 | 36 | |
Miami (OH) Offense vs. Kent State Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 120 | 128 | |
| Line Yards | 56 | 133 | |
| Pass Success | 46 | 125 | |
| Havoc | 84 | 133 | |
| Finishing Drives | 100 | 126 | |
| Quality Drives | 44 | 134 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 108 | 105 |
| PFF Coverage | 127 | 95 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 123 | 34 |
| Middle 8 | 133 | 63 |
| Seconds per Play | 28.0 (90) | 30.0 (122) |
| Rush Rate | 55% (77) | 49% (105) |
Miami (OH) vs. Kent State Picks and Betting Analysis
This is an obvious mismatch. But four-plus scores between two MAC teams?
Miami has only beaten Central Michigan by a number this big. Kent State has kept three of its five conference games within this number.
The RedHawks operate one of the slowest offenses in the country, and Kent State also isn’t exactly a warp-speed offense. With the continued quarterback carousel, it could easily look to just keep its offense on the ground, bleed clock and limit as much damage as possible on the road.
While it's possible that the Golden Flashes will finish this season winless, I’m going to plug my nose this week, thinking Kent State can at least avoid a complete catastrophe against Miami.
Pick: Kent State +30.5
Miami (OH) vs. Kent State Channel, Streaming How to Watch, Start Time
| Location: | Yager Stadium, Oxford, OH |
| Date: | Wednesday, Nov. 13 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPNU |
Kent State travels to Oxford, Ohio, on Wednesday, Nov. 13 to take on Miami (OH) in a MAC matchup at 7 p.m. ET on ESPNU.
Miami (OH) vs. Kent State College Football Betting Trends to Know
- 53% of bets and 83% of the money are on Miami (OH) to cover the spread
- 92% of bets and 47% of the money on the moneyline are on Miami (OH) to win outright
- 80% of bets and 57% of the money are on the over
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Miami (OH) vs. Kent State Weather
