Pinnacle +5½ -108 Bet365 +5½ -110 SportsInteraction +5½ -110 5DIMES +5½ -110 888Sport +5½ -110

Posted at 1:30 PM EST.

KENT STATE +5½ -108 over Buffalo

Dix Stadium – Kent, OH

7:00 PM EST. Hyperbolic language is often a sign of an overreaction. An overreaction signals the possibility of strong value to be found, thus, it has prompted us to take a closer look at the underdog here and we like it.

Market credibility and presence are two focal points of our analysis. A team with a greater market presence and credibility is almost always prone to spotting an inflated number. In this case, the Bulls have become a household name in the spider’s lair that is the Mid-American Conference. After all, the Bulls were just in the MAC Championship last year and could have very well been crowned the kings of this league had it not been for a titanic collapse UB suffered in the second half. Buffalo has also been kind at the window lately, covering in their last four contests while rattling off three consecutive dominant wins against the likes of Akron, Eastern Michigan, and perhaps the best team in the MAC this season, Central Michigan. Despite the strong performance portfolio offered up by Buffalo recently, the books are very reluctant to give the hosts a converted touchdown. This resonates strongly with us since Kent State is not the first name that comes to mind when one ponders who the big dogs are in the Mid-American yard.

It would not be unimaginable for some to struggle to name Kent State’s nickname (it is the Golden Flashes, by the way). In the last three decades, Kent State has had just three winning seasons, zero conference championships, and just one bowl appearance in 2012 (of course they lost that game). Kent State has been a perpetual bottom-feeder in this conference and in their present state may appear to be well on their way to another losing season, coming into this tilt 3-6 overall with a meagre 2-3 conference record. However, looks are deceiving. In MAC play, all three of Kent State’s losses were by no more than a touchdown. These three losses were against two of the MAC’s favorite sons in Toledo and Ohio, along with the front-runner for the East Division title, the Redhawks of Miami Ohio. While some may be quick to believe that a bowl bid or divisional crown may be out of reach for the Golden Flashes, Kent State will view their work as far from over. Under second-year Head Coach Sean Lewis, the Bolts have already made a stark improvement compared to last year’s 2-10 mark. Should Kent State win out, they will render themselves 6-6 and post a winning campaign for the first time since a storied run in 2012 where the Flashes won 11 games. For a program viewed as a cupcake, such an achievement is a big deal to Kent State. The spot for Kent State has all the ingredients for it to be a dangerous dog capable of an upset. The incentives are there and we’re going to trust that Kent State will make their presence felt and their case heard. We also love the underdog number (+5½).

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