The Ohio Bobcats and Western Michigan Broncos will square off in an important matchup in the MAC on Tuesday night. Both teams enter this week at 4-1 in the MAC and in a tie for the top spot in the conference standings. The winner of this game will have sole possession of first place in the conference for at least a night. Before kickoff from Kalamazoo, continue reading to get my Ohio vs Western Michigan prediction.
Our Ohio vs Western Michigan Pick
Pick: Western Michigan -1.5
Confidence: 3/5
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Ohio Bobcats vs Western Michigan Broncos
- Date & Time: Tuesday, November 11, 2025, 8:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo, Michigan
- Broadcast: ESPN2
Key Storylines
The stakes are incredibly high going into this game. Both programs are tied in the MAC standings and this game will determine who has the upper hand heading into the remainder of the season. There is a four-way tie for first place in this conference. That means the winner of this game will move a lot closer to making the MAC title game, while the loser would need to win out and get a ton of help to see the conference championship game.
Ohio’s identity is built around a strong rushing attack led by Sieh Bangura (830 yards, 10 touchdowns) and supported by QB Parker Navarro (1,987 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, 8 interceptions) and WR Chase Hendricks (60 catches, 845 yards, 6 touchdowns). Western Michigan’s calling card has been defense. The Broncos rank among the country’s best teams in run defense. They are also elite in sack rate and turnover avoidance. That contrast in styles will make this a very interesting game.
Quarterback Play
Ohio’s Parker Navarro has been reliable but not flawless. He is completing 65.5% of his passes and has thrown 12 touchdowns against 8 interceptions. His dual-threat ability is also a factor, as he enters this game with 536 rushing yards and 4 rushing touchdowns as well. But his 8 picks serve as a reminder that the Bobcats must protect the ball to win.
Western Michigan QB Broc Lowry has thrown just 7 touchdowns against 1 interception. His passing yardage (1,314) is modest, but he has 591 rushing yards and 8 rushing touchdowns and averages 65.7 rushing yards per game.
Betting Trends & H2H
- Ohio is 5-3-1 against the spread this season.
- Western Michigan has covered the spread in six of their nine games.
- The under has cashed in five of the first nine games for both of these teams.
- Western Michigan is 27-14 all-time against Ohio. Ohio has won the last two meetings between these programs.
Ohio vs Western Michigan Model Projection
Score Projection: Ohio 21 – Western Michigan 23
Win Probability: Ohio 45%, Western Michigan 55%
Final Thoughts
I’m going to lay the points with Western Michigan as a slight favorite on their home turf on Tuesday night. The Broncos’ run defense should cause some headaches for an Ohio team that is used to eating up yardage on the ground this year. Look for the Broncos to win a grind of a game on their home turf here and for Western Michigan to jump to the top of the MAC standings before the rest of the week’s MACtion.
