The Mid-American Conference is 2-11-1 against the spread (ATS) in bowl games the last three seasons, a trend that college football betting aficionados will be watching. Teams are listed in predicted order of finish with 2010 records, returning starters (RS) - including kickers - and returning lettermen (RL) in parentheses:
EAST DIVISION
TEMPLE (8-4 SU, 6-5 ATS, 13 RS, 46 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:42-87
ATS: 67-54-2
HF:10-10
HD:19-16-1
AF:8-5
AD:30-21-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Owls are 30-21-1 as road underdogs the last 11 years.
Sports Betting Angle: Temple has covered four straight meetings with Akron.
Bets and Pieces: The Owls have covered four in a row the week after facing PennState.
MIAMI (10-4 SU, 9-5 ATS, 17 RS, 51 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:69-67
ATS: 70-63-1
HF:17-16-1
HD:10-8
AF:15-12
AD:26-22
Sportsbook Buster: The Redhawks have covered seven straight the week before playing Bowling Green.
Sports Betting Angle: Miami is 4-1 ATS in its last five games versus Bowling Green.
Bets and Pieces: The Redhawks have covered three of their last four versus both Akron and Western Michigan.
OHIO (8-5 SU, 7-5 ATS, 14 RS, 57 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:58-75
ATS: 63-61-1
HF:15-13
HD:11-8
AF:10-12
AD:23-24-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Bobcats have covered four straight at home versus Marshall.
Sports Betting Angle: OhioUniversity has covered three straight games against both Akron and Temple.
Bets and Pieces: The Bobcats have covered five in a row versus state rival Miami.
BOWLING GREEN (2-10 SU, 5-7 ATS, 14 RS, 38 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:72-61
ATS: 63-63-2
HF:15-21-2
HD:8-6
AF:15-13
AD:22-18
Sportsbook Buster: The Falcons are 5-1 as non-conference road dogs of four or more points since 2000.
Sports Betting Angle: Bowling Green is 1-8 ATS the game after a week off.
Bets and Pieces: The Falcons have covered five of their last six at home versus Toledo.
AKRON (1-11 SU, 5-6 ATS, 13 RS, 32 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:52-78
ATS: 57-66-2
HF:10-17
HD:13-11
AF:7-10
AD:25-26-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Zips are 10-17 as home favorites over the past 11 seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Akron is 10-3 as an underdog of more than 22 points.
Bets and Pieces: The Zips have covered three straight at home versus KentState.
BUFFALO (2-10 SU, 1-10 ATS, 19 RS, 63 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:32-98
ATS: 59-65-2
HF:4-9-1
HD:20-21
AF:0-0-1
AD:32-33
Sportsbook Buster: The Bulls are 7-0 ATS the week before playing Akron.
Sports Betting Angle: Since 2000, Buffalo is 4-9-1 as a home favorite.
Bets and Pieces: The Bulls have covered four of their last five versus Miami.
KENTSTATE (5-7 SU, 4-7 ATS, 14 RS, 44 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:44-84
ATS: 51-64-2
HF:7-12
HD:12-15-1
AF:5-9
AD:27-25-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Golden Flashes are 12-21 as favorites the last 11 years.
Sports Betting Angle: KentState has covered five consecutive visits to OhioUniversity.
Bets and Pieces: The Golden Flashes are 5-2 ATS versus Bowling Green the last seven games.
WEST DIVISION
NORTHERN ILLINOIS (11-3 SU, 10-2-1 ATS, 14 RS, 47 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:79-56
ATS: 69-54-1
HF:20-20
HD:9-2
AF:19-13-1
AD:20-13
Sportsbook Buster: The Huskies are 39-26-1 ATS on the road the last 11 seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Northern Illinois is 7-1 ATS in its last eight games against Western Michigan.
Bets and Pieces: The Huskies have covered four of their last five games versus Buffalo.
TOLEDO (8-5 SU, 7-6 ATS, 18 RS, 50 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:81-54
ATS: 65-60-3
HF:27-16
HD:10-4
AF:10-12-1
AD:14-24-2
Sportsbook Buster: The Rockets are 37-20 ATS at home but 24-36-3 ATS on the road, the last 11 seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Toledo has covered four straight games against Eastern Michigan.
Bets and Pieces: The Rockets are 9-3 ATS, their last dozen meetings with Northern Illinois.
WESTERN MICHIGAN (6-6 SU, 4-5-2 ATS, 14 RS, 40 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:64-67
ATS: 52-65-4
HF:15-15
HD:3-13-2
AF:11-11-1
AD:20-24-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Broncos are just 3-13-1 as home underdogs the past 11 seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Western Michigan has covered five of its last seven games versus Bowling Green.
Bets and Pieces: The Broncos are 4-1 ATS their last five games against Akron.
CENTRAL MICHIGAN (3-9 SU, 5-6 ATS, 14 RS, 42 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:63-72
ATS: 64-58-4
HF:15-11
HD:12-9-1
AF:12-8-1
AD:21-27-1
Sportsbook Buster: Over the last 13 seasons, the Chippewas are 11-1-1 ATS in MAC openers.
Sports Betting Angle: Central Michigan has covered four straight versus both Western Michigan and Akron.
Bets and Pieces: The Chippewas are 13-2 ATS in their second of back-to-back road games.
BALLSTATE (4-8 SU, 4-6 ATS, 16 RS, 53 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:56-75
ATS: 65-55-1
HF:13-11
HD:11-14
AF:8-7
AD:33-21-1
Sportsbook Buster: Since the start of the 2000 season, the Cardinals are 33-21-1 as road underdogs.
Sports Betting Angle: BallState has covered four of its last five visits to Western Michigan.
Bets and Pieces: The Cards have covered five of their last six games versus Toledo.
EASTERN MICHIGAN (2-10 SU, 5-7 ATS, 14 RS, 44 RL)
By the Numbers (2000-2010)
SU:29-99
ATS: 50-67-2
HF:5-8
HD:13-22-1
AF:1-1
AD:30-35-1
Sportsbook Buster: The Eagles are 18-30-1 ATS at home the last 11 seasons.
Sports Betting Angle: Eastern Michigan has covered its final road games for six straight seasons.
Bets and Pieces: The Eagles have covered six of their last seven games versus Akron.
Legend:
SU= Straight Up
ATS = Against the Spread
HF= Home Favorite
HD= Home Underdog
AF= Away Favorite
AD= Away Underdog
This is the 10th installment of an 11-part preview series.
Next: College Football Betting 2011: The Sunbelt Conference and Independents.
