Eastern Michigan Eagles vs UMass Minutemen Betting Pick & Prediction 8/31/24

ESPN+ will be covering the season opener between the Eastern Michigan Eagles and UMass Minutemen as they face off at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium in Amherst. The game is set for 3:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st. UMass is the -2.5 point favorite at home, with the over/under line at 48.5 points. This is the first game of the season for both teams.

EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES VS UMASS MINUTEMEN BETTING PICK

The Pick: Eastern Michigan Eagles +2.5

This game will be played at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium at 3:30 ET on Saturday, August 31st.

WHY BET THE EASTERN MICHIGAN EAGLES:

  • We have the Eastern Michigan Eagles winning this one by a score of 26 to 23
  • Not only do we have the Eastern Michigan Eagles winning straight-up, we have them covering the spread at +2.5
  • Look for this game to go over the line of 48.5 points

Will The Eastern Michigan Eagles Pick Up A Win On The Road?

Eastern Michigan is coming off a season in which they were 3-5 as the underdog and 3-2 as the favorite. Overall, the Eagles finished with a 6-7 record, including going 5-2 at home and 1-5 on the road. This season, they are ranked 126th in our pre-season power rankings, and we are giving them a 46.7% chance of being bowl-eligible.

In the futures market, the Eagles are listed at +3220 to win the Mid-American Conference, giving them the 8th longest odds out of 12 teams. However, their chances of making it to the Mid-American Conference title game are set at +1200, with an 8% chance based on the current futures odds.

Eastern Michigan’s passing game was limited last season, as they ranked 115th in passing yards per game, with just 152 yards per contest. Overall, the Eagles’ offense averaged 19.5 points per game, placing them 86th in the country. On the ground, they finished 101st in rushing yards per game, averaging 113.5 yards.

This season, the Eagles welcome quarterback Cole Snyder, who threw for 2,109 yards and 13 touchdowns last year at Buffalo. Snyder completed 54.6% of his passes, but he also threw 9 interceptions and finished with a passer rating of 72.8. Dontae McMillan is the top returning running back, and the team also added Delbert Mimms III from NC State to bolster the backfield. The top returning receiver is JB Mitchell III, who had 398 receiving yards last season.

Eastern Michigan’s defense allowed 26.7 points per game last season, ranking them 61st in the nation. They struggled against the run, giving up 189.8 rushing yards per game, which placed them 151st in the country. However, their pass defense was more effective, holding opponents to 213 passing yards per game (70th). Quarterbacks had a passer rating of 86.1 against the Eagles, placing them 72nd in college football.

Will The UMass Minutemen Win At Home Over The Eastern Michigan Eagles?

UMass finished last season with a 3-9 overall record, going 2-4 on the road and 1-5 at home. They were favored in four of their 12 games, going 1-3 in those matchups and 2-6 as the underdog. Currently, UMass is ranked 125th in our power rankings, with a 29.8% chance of becoming bowl-eligible, placing them 109th in the nation.

UMass quarterback Taisun Phommachanh is coming off a season in which he threw for 1,507 yards and six touchdowns, finishing with a passer rating of 78.6. The Minutemen offense, however, averaged just 23.2 points per game, ranking 80th in the country. Their struggles were partly due to a lack of a consistent running game, as they finished 88th in rushing yards per game (142.3) and 86th in passing yards per game (214.1). Phommachanh also threw 11 interceptions last season.

Heading into this season, UMass is looking for more production from their running backs, with CJ Hester joining the team from Western Michigan. Hester rushed for 124 yards last season and scored two touchdowns. The Minutemen are also hoping for a big season from wide receiver Anthony Simpson, who returns after recording 792 receiving yards and three touchdowns last year.

UMass had a tough time stopping the run last season, allowing 222.4 rushing yards per game. Overall, they gave up 37.8 points per game, ranking 98th in the country. Despite these struggles, the Minutemen were decent against the pass, allowing just 206.2 passing yards per game. However, opponents found a lot of success on the ground against them.