Welcome to the final Wednesday night MACtion slate of the 2024 college football season.
While next week still features two Tuesday night MACtion matchups, there won't be any football to quench our thirst on Wednesday night.
So, we have to make the most of what we have — and that's where we come in.
Our college football writers broke down both of Wednesday's MAC games and came through with a pick for each. So, whether you're looking to bet Ohio vs. Toledo or Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan, we have you covered.
Continue reading for our Wednesday college football predictions and NCAAF picks for the games on Nov. 20.
Wednesday College Football Predictions
The team logos in the table below represent each of the matchups that our college football betting staff is targeting from Wednesday's slate of MACtion NCAAF games. Click on the team logos for any of the matchups below to navigate to a specific bet discussed in this article.
| Game | Time (ET) | Pick |
|---|---|---|
  | 7 p.m. | |
  | 7 p.m. | |
Specific betting recommendations come from the sportsbook offering preferred odds as of writing. Always shop for the best price using our NCAAF Odds page, which automatically surfaces the best lines for every game. | ||
Ohio vs. Toledo Prediction
Embracing chaos seems to be the theme of the 2024 college football season, and the MAC is no exception. While no teams are vying for the College Football Playoff, there's still a ton left to shake out in the final two weeks of play to determine which teams will play in the conference championship game.
The Ohio Bobcats (7-3, 5-1 MAC) enter Wednesday’s matchup against Toledo with one conference loss and the more straightforward scenario of the two teams. The Bobcats just need to win out to secure a spot in the championship.
Toledo’s path requires a bit more finesse to get there, but the Rockets (7-3, 4-2) are still in contention despite their pair of conference losses. The first step, of course, involves beating Ohio.
The Bobcats have won their last three games by an average of 32.3 points, yet are small road dogs against Toledo. Is Toledo properly favored to defend its home turf?
Let's dive into my Ohio vs. Toledo predictions and college football picks for Wednesday, Nov. 20.
Ohio Bobcats
One of the biggest overachievers in the FBS this season has been Ohio.
The Bobcats lost quarterback Kurtis Rourke to an undefeated Indiana team, their lead running back and nearly all of their receiving production from a season ago, yet they still control their own destiny toward winning the MAC.
Quarterback Parker Navarro isn’t the same caliber of passer as Rourke, but the combination of his arm and legs has kept the Ohio offense chugging along.
Navarro, who has more interceptions (8) than passing touchdowns (7), hasn’t thrown a touchdown in either of Ohio’s two most recent wins, but the dual-threat quarterback has added five touchdowns on the ground in that span.
Ohio ranks 41st nationally in Rush Success Rate and is one of two MAC teams averaging more than 200 yards rushing per game. Its 24 rushing touchdowns are tied for most in the league.
The Bobcats similarly excel at stopping the run on the defensive side of the ball. They're 18th nationally in Rush Success Rate allowed and lead the conference in run defense.
Ohio’s defense has turned it up in recent weeks, allowing just 26 total points across its last three games, making its matchup tonight with one of the MAC’s best offenses particularly compelling.
Toledo Rockets
Toledo’s path to reaching a third straight MAC Conference Championship game is starting to feel like Rocket(s) science, but Jason Candle’s team still has a chance.
In a similar fashion as Ohio, Toledo’s offense was dealt major offseason blows with the departure of its starting quarterback, top running back and all five starting offensive linemen from 2023.
As expected, the Toledo offense took a major step back in the rushing department, but the passing game has more than held up its end of the bargain.
Quarterback Tucker Gleason ranks second in the MAC with 225.8 yards passing per game, as are his 19 passing touchdowns despite having played one fewer game than conference leader Kadin Semonza of Ball State.
Every single one of Gleason’s passing touchdowns have been needed due to a Toledo rushing attack that ranks just 125th nationally in Rush Success Rate. The Rockets have averaged at least 4.0 yards per carry in just three games this season and don’t have a single back averaging even 40.0 yards per game.
While Toledo’s offense is flawed in the running department, its defense is more equally sound in both facets of the game. The Rockets are top-50 in both Pass Success Rate and Rush Success Rate allowed.
Ohio vs. Toledo Pick
So, do the Rockets have what it takes to stay in the conference title hunt?
This game ultimately boils down to which version of Gleason comes to play. The Toledo rushing offense is already really poor, and it will be running right into the strength of the Ohio defense.
Gleason has some of the best statistics in the MAC, but he’s also really inconsistent. He’s thrown at least two interceptions in half of Toledo’s conference games this season, and the Bobcat defense is tied for the MAC lead in interceptions.
Ohio’s run-heavy offense travels, and the Rockets have allowed more than 180 yards rushing in three of their last five games. I’ll take the points with the road 'dog and back Ohio to keep proving all the preseason prognosticators wrong.
Pick: Ohio +2.5
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Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan Prediction
Week 13 brings us our last Wednesday night of MACtion when the Buffalo Bulls (6-4, 4-2 MAC) travel to Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan to face off against the Eastern Michigan Eagles (5-5, 2-4).
Buffalo has won 2 in a row and is coming off a 51-48 victory over Ball State in an absolute barn burner. Eastern Michigan, meanwhile, has lost 3 in a row, including a tough 25-21 defeat at the hands of lowly Akron 3 weeks ago.
Buffalo has won 3 of the past 4 matchups with Eastern Michigan with the single loss coming a season ago in Buffalo.
The Eagles are -1.5 point home favorites over Buffalo with an over/under of 53.5.
Can Eastern Michigan win back-to-back, or will Buffalo reclaim the throne over the Eagles? My Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan predictions and college football picks for Wednesday, Nov. 20 are below.
Buffalo Bulls
Head coach Pete Lembo is off to a solid start in his first season in Buffalo, as he's already clinched a bowl berth and has an opportunity to win a few more games to ensure a winning season regardless of the bowl result.
The Bulls also are sitting in a spot where there is a path to playing in the conference championship if they get some help and win out themselves.
Quarterback C.J. Ogbonna has had another solid season in Buffalo, leading the Bulls to 26.9 points per game. While he has been solid with 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions, the Bulls are a run-focused team.
They rank 20th in Rush Rate but are only 112th in Rush Success Rate. The Bulls’ passing game isn't much better, as they rank 104th in Pass Success Rate.
The Bulls don't run a very successful offense,but have hit on some big plays this season and rank 74th in Explosiveness. The offensive explosiveness will need to be there this week in order to help them get some quick, easy scores.
The defense has certainly been the stronger side of the ball. The Bulls have allowed 30.9 points per game, but that's a bit misleading as they rank 118th in Average Field Position allowed. Teams have been getting short fields and capitalizing with scores.
The Bulls defense has been a bit better than the offense, ranking 92nd in Success Rate allowed. They do an excellent job of limiting chunk plays, ranking 23rd in Explosiveness allowed.
No quick or easy scores will come against this defense, which could loom large in keeping this one low-scoring and giving the Bulls an opportunity to win.
Eastern Michigan Eagles
Chris Creighton is in his 11th season at Eastern Michigan and has had plenty of ups and downs along the way. This game weighs heavily for the Eagles as they need one more win to gain bowl eligibility. I expect Creighton to have a good game plan in place for this matchup.
The Eagles run a pretty balanced offense with dual-threat quarterback Cole Snyder and have averaged 27.3 points per game this season.
Eastern Michigan definitely has the better offense in this game, ranking 87th in Success Rate.
The problem is the Eagles' inability to create explosive plays. They rank 111th in Explosiveness, which puts a lot of pressure on Snyder and the offense to sustain drives.
Defensively, the Eagles have only allowed 27.2 points per game, but unlike Buffalo, they rank 52nd in Average Field Position allowed, forcing teams to drive the entire field on most of their possessions.
The defense has been awful at stopping opposing offenses, ranking 95th in Success Rate allowed. If it can't get off the field, it'll be a long game.
The bright spot for this defense is its ability to limit big plays, ranking 37th in Explosiveness allowed.
Buffalo vs. Eastern Michigan Pick
This figures to be an important matchup between two very similar teams, but I have to side with the team with the better defense despite what the points-per-game stats show.
I think this game plays out slowly and will be tight all the way to the end, but I trust Buffalo’s defense to get that one extra stop and pull this game out late. Give me Buffalo on the moneyline.
Pick: Buffalo ML +100
