Top College Football Odds and Best Bets Today (Predictions and Picks for Tuesday Night MACtion)

It's the final week of the regular season and the end of a glorious run of MACtion.

There are two games on Tuesday to wrap up the midweek special with Ohio and Bowling Green headlining the slate as the Bobcats are into the MAC title game with a win, while Bowling Green could lock up a spot depending on what happens to Buffalo and some scheduling quirks.

Meanwhile, the other game is a battle of bowl eligibility as Miami (Ohio) and Ball State meet with the winner extending their season and the other not qualifying for a bowl.

Here are our two plays on the pair of MACtion games:

Bowling Green vs. Ohio Prediction and Pick

Rourke's status is the key to this whole game. Not only is he the starting quarterback for the Bobcats, he is one of the most effective passers in all of the Group of Five. Nationally, the Ohio offense is top 20 in EPA/Pass and success rate as well as completition percentage and yards per pass attempt.

The quarterback covers a deficient defense up that is outside the top 100 in success rate, typically this team is winning high scoring affairs.

However, he left the team's win last week with an apparent knee injury and was on the sideline with a brace around his knee. However, there could be good news on the way as head coach Tim Albin hinted that Rourke could be in line to play Tuesday.

If Rourke is in, Ohio is in line to win this one big. This line is likely a halfway number between Rourke playing or not as I project the Bobcats as 11-point favorites with him, but that number should be closer to -3 if he is out. That's how big of a drop off there is from Rourke and backup Chris Harris, who is more of a dual threat QB.

The Bowling Green defense is vulnerable in the secondary, 94th in success rate against the pass but 26th against the run. If Rourke is in, expect the Bobcats to carve up this Bowling Green secondary en route to a MAC Championship Game appearance. However, if Rourke can't go, this game is going to be a rock fight and the under would be the play.

For the sake of this article, I'll manifest good health for Rourke and for Ohio to roll.

Ball State vs. Miami (Ohio) Prediction and Pick

A lot of this handicap will come down to Carson Steele's availability. The Cardinals workhorse running back left the team's loss to Ohio last week in the second quarter with concussion like symptoms and his status is up in the air for Tuesday's matchup.

Steele has rushed for 1,376 yards on the year with 12 rushing touchdowns, he is the Ball State offense. The team struggles to move the ball through the air with quarterback John Paddock, 104th in EPA/Pass this season. Overall, this Ball State team has relied on quick passes and for Steele to keep the chains moving.

Without their standout running back, this is a severely limited offense that will go up against a stout Miami (Ohio) defense that is allowed more than 24 points just once in MAC play.

The defense is one of the best in the MAC, allowing less than two points per drive this season and is 26th in yards allowed per rush. Even if Steele goes, the RedHawks can limit this offense with their ability to contain explosive plays (top 60 against both the pass and run) and win on the line of scrimmage (top 10 in line yards nationally).

As for the offense, Brett Gabbert has been in and out of the lineup this season due to injury but Aveon Smith has filled in admirably, leading the RedHawks to a win last week at Northern Illinois. The dual threat quarterback rushed for over 100 yards in the win last week.

If Gabbert returns, which there is no word on, then the Miami (Ohio) offense gets a jolt in the vertical passing game, but even so, the team has shown it can play with Smith under center.

With Steele's status in doubt, I can't comfortably take Ball State on the road against a Miami team that has the better defense and as much motivation to win as the visitors given each team sits at five wins.

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.