MACtion returns Tuesday as the Miami (OH) Redhawks host the Buffalo Bulls at Fred C. Yager Stadium with kickoff set for 8 p.m. ET. Both teams enter at 5-3 overall and 3-1 in Mid-American Conference play, while the Ohio Bobcats sit alone atop the conference at 4-0, making this a potential conference title game eliminator.
Miami holds an 18-9 all-time series advantage and has won the last two meetings, including a 37-20 victory in Buffalo last season. Head coach Chuck Martin is in his 13th season and has guided the Redhawks to five consecutive bowl appearances. Buffalo's Pete Lambo, in his third year, is seeking a second bowl bid. In two head-to-head matchups between the coaches, Miami has won both, including a 23-10 win in Oxford in 2023.
Betting markets list Miami as a 6.5-point favorite with an over/under of 44.5 points. The money line sits at Miami -220 and Buffalo +184, while Buffalo's team total is set at 18.5 points.
Last season Miami dominated the turnover battle 3-0 and rushed for 162 yards while limiting Buffalo to 46 rushing yards. This year Buffalo has adopted a run-heavy approach, averaging 195.8 rushing yards per game in conference play, while Miami averages 184.0 rushing yards per game and boasts one of the MAC's top run defenses.
Projection models favor the over 45.5 points. The two teams have combined to average 49.5 points per game during MAC play, and the model predicts an average of 51 total points, with the over hitting in 65% of simulations.
