by Chuck Sommers
Tuesday, Sep 07, 2021
Game time: 7 p.m. ET, Sept. 11, 2021
Venue: Camp Randall Stadium, Madison, WI
Where to watch: FS1
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Wisconsin -26; O/U 51.5; Wisconsin -3000, Eastern Michigan +1300
BetMGM: Wisconsin -26; O/U 51.5; Wisconsin -3000, Eastern Michigan +1300
Caesars: Wisconsin -26; O/U NA; Wisconsin -2500, Eastern Michigan +1100
Season record
Eastern Michigan: 1-0
No. 18 Wisconsin: 0-1 (0-1)
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Eastern Michigan - Wisconsin preview and analysis
Recent form
Eastern Michigan: won 35-15 vs. St. Francis on Sept. 3
Wisconsin: lost 16-10 vs. No. 11 Penn State on Sept. 4
Don’t ever get the Eastern Michigan Eagles against a Big Ten team. Have we not learned the past four years?
And now they have to face a Wisconsin Badgers team that just had an absurd heartbreak of a loss to Penn State on Saturday? Seems like prime pickings for the team from the MAC.
Take this for how you will: Eastern Michigan has won its last three games straight up against Big Ten opponents. Those opponents were Rutgers, Purdue and Illinois. Not exactly the cream of the crop in Big Ten play (minus Purdue, perhaps), and Wisconsin is on another level beyond that.
The Eagles are coming off a 35-15 win over St. Francis last Friday, dominated by 221 yards on the ground on offense with all five touchdowns coming from that.
Three of them came from one man, one legend. His name is Samson Evans. He is a 6-foot, 218-pound running back, maybe a fullback, that had five carries for 11 yards. Three of those carries crossed the goal line for a touchdown. A king named Samson runs wild like the ghost of Mike Alstott. What a legend.
Now Evans may not be running wild in this game, but he’ll be a part of an Eastern Michigan’s running game that will need to get going if the Eagles want to challenge for the win in Madison.
But there’s a good chance the Badgers, now No. 18 in the country, will roll into their home stadium a tad peeved at how they lost to the Nittany Lions on Saturday. Two drives to win the game, both ending on interceptions from Graham Mertz. The sophomore finished with 185 yards and those two dreaded turnovers.
Prediction
EMU is coming in with a veteran group; 21 starters return from last season. Wisconsin should get the win, but don’t be surprised if Eastern Michigan puts up a fight and covers. Wisconsin will be mad, and maybe a couple of turnovers swing the total a bit, or swing the spread in the Eagles’ favor. Eastern Michigan covers, but Wisconsin gets the win.
Betting trends
Eastern Michigan is 5-2 against the spread as a road underdog in its last seven.
Wisconsin has lost six straight following a loss against a conference opponent.
Statistical leaders
Eastern Michigan:
Passing: Ben Bryant -- 126 yards
Rushing: Darius Boone Jr. -- 107 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Hassan Beydoun -- 58 yards
Defense: Terry Myrick -- 6 tackles, 1 sack
Wisconsin:
Passing: Graham Mertz -- 185 yards, 2 INT
Rushing: Chez Mellusi -- 121 yards, 1 TD
Receiving: Danny Davis III -- 99 yards
Defense: Jack Sanborn -- 1 sack
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Chuck Sommers
About the Author:
Chuck Sommers has camped outside of sportsbooks since he can remember, learning the tricks and nuances of the trade. He still has nightmares of betting $5,000 on the Raiders in the Tuck Rule game but has since turned that to 25 years of veteran handicapping greatness. You can find him mostly in the shadows at the Red Rock or Aliante casinos wondering if the over is cashing on any given Sunday.
