Buffalo vs Central Michigan Pick & Prediction - 11/12/2025
Updated July 9, 2026
One team will secure bowl eligibility in the matchup between the Buffalo Bulls and Central Michigan Chippewas in the MAC on Wednesday night. Both teams have five wins on the season and this game will grant one of them a spot in the upcoming bowl season. This game also has huge implications in the race to make the MAC championship game. Here, you will find a full breakdown of this contest, including my Buffalo vs Central Michigan prediction.
Buffalo’s defense has been the foundation of their run toward contention in the MAC. They allowed just 3 points last game against Bowling Green and rank approximately 25th in points allowed (19.6 ppg). Central Michigan often leans on the run game heavily, averaging 185 yards on the ground per game with significantly less emphasis on the passing attack. Buffalo’s front seven should be able to challenge CMU’s core strength on offense.
Central Michigan has a perfect 3-0 home record this season and coach Jim McElwain’s crew will want to defend home turf and become bowl eligible here. They also have a strong turnover margin (+5), which gives them an edge in tight games. They nearly beat a very good Western Michigan team in their last game and will try to bounce back at home in this contest.
Buffalo travels well, entering this game with a 3-1 road record that includes a win over Bowling Green in their last time out. Their offense is not explosive, averaging 24.8 points and 358.8 yards per game. But when paired with their stingy defense, they have a formula to win tight games in the MAC.
Score Projection: Buffalo 20 – Central Michigan 21
Win Probability: Buffalo 43%, Central Michigan 57%
I think we are going to see an incredibly close and competitive game between two teams that will want to seal up bowl eligibility without having to sweat things out in their final couple of regular-season games. This is a very close game to call, in my opinion. But I do think there is more value betting on the under than on either side to cover the spread. We should see a defensive game where the running game is prioritized on offense, which will help things stay under the total.
Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.
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