Toledo at WMU Spread, Betting Pick & TV Info

Posted by Michael Hunt on Tuesday,November 22, 2016 10:00, EDT in

The best season in the history of Western Michigan’s football program will be ruined on Friday if the No. 21 Broncos are upset at home by Toledo. The winner of this game plays in the MAC Championship Game next week. If WMU can win that as well, it could be heading to the first New Year’s Six bowl game in school history. And the Broncos are favored on college football lines to beat the Rockets.

Toledo at WMU Spread, Betting Pick & TV Info

When: Friday, Nov. 25, 5 PM ET
Where: Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo, Mich.
TV: ESPN2
Stream: WatchESPN
Radio: Toledo / WMU
Opening NCAA Football Lines: WMU -9 (69)

Why Bet on Toledo?

The Rockets (9-2, 6-1) have won three straight and six of seven and come off a 37-19 win over Ball State last Wednesday. Logan Woodside threw for 325 yards and three touchdowns, setting a Toledo single-season passing record. Woodside, who has thrown for at least three touchdowns in every game this season, leads the nation with 40 TD throws. He has 3,653 yards passing, eclipsing former Toledo record-holder Bruce Gradkowski’s 3,518 in 2004.

Not to be overshadowed by Woodside, senior Kareem Hunt rushed for 107 yards and added six receptions and a career-high 98 receiving yards. Hunt’s 71-yard TD reception on the second play of the second half was his career long, and gave Toledo a comfortable 27-10 lead. Junior Cody Thompson also had six receptions for a game-high 105 yards and one score.

The Rockets finished with 504 yards of total offense (325 passing, 179 rushing). UT has now totaled at least 500 yards on eight occasions this season. Toledo averaged a whopping 7.1 yards per play. Toledo is one game behind WMU and can earn a share of the division title with a win. UT would advance to the MAC Championship Game for the first time since 2004 by virtue of the head-to- head tiebreaker.

Toledo’s last trip to the MAC Championship Game came in 2004, when the Rockets earned a co-division title with Northern Illinois, then went on to defeat Miami in the MAC title game, 35-27. Since 2004, the Rockets have earned four co-West Division titles but lost on tie-breakers each time, keeping them out of the MAC Championship Game.

Toledo leads the series with Western Michigan, 41-29, and had won five straight games in the series until last year’s defeat in the Glass Bowl.

Why Bet on Western Michigan?

The Broncos (11-0, 7-0) beat Buffalo 38-0 on Saturday. Zach Terrell passed for a career-high 445 yards and four touchdowns, helping Western Michigan remain undefeated. Corey Davis had 13 catches for 173 yards and two touchdowns, breaking the Mid-American Conference record for career receptions.

Davis also holds the MAC records for career yards receiving and touchdown catches. Davis also moved closer to the Football Bowl Subdivision career receiving record. His 4,987 yards ranks second behind Trevor Insley’s 5,005. Terrell broke the Broncos record for career passing yards (11,461) previously held by Tim Hiller (11,329).

Senior Michael Henry added six receptions for 121 yards and had a career-high reception of 65 yards for a touchdown. Junior running back Jarvion Franklin caught five passes for 71 yards, including a 20-yard touchdown in the first quarter. He also carried the ball 17 times, picking up 78 yards on the ground.

WMU’s offense out-gained Buffalo’s 626-268. Western Michigan’s defense recorded its second shutout this season. The Broncos beat Akron 41-0 on Oct. 15 for their first shutout since 2006. Western Michigan, which won its program-best 11th game this season, hadn’t shut out two teams in the same season since 2000.

Last year, WMU won 35-30 at Toledo. Davis caught two touchdown passes. The game turned when Toledo’s Alonzo Russell fumbled a punt to set up Davis’ second touchdown, a 30-yard catch from Terrell with 1:07 to play in the first half that gave the Broncos a 25-21 lead. The Broncos would not relinquish the advantage, pushing their lead to two scores on a fourth-and- goal run from 1 yard out by Jamauri Bogan on the first drive of the second half. Toledo was ranked No. 24 then. It was WMU’s first win over a ranked team ever.

Toledo at WMU Betting Pick: WMU

Broncos are 5-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record.
Over is 5-2 in the last 7 meetings.

Take WMU and the over on NCAA football odds.