2005 Eastern Michigan Eagles Handicapping Review

 

By Tom Wilkinson

 

Few college football programs have been as inept or unappealing as Eastern Michigan, who has posted just six winning straight up seasons since 1974. The Eagles have been a very streaky team against the odds over the past few seasons and headed into 2004 with such streaks as; losing streaks of three and four games against the odds in 2000, five straight wins against the sports betting line to end 2001, a 2-8 overall record against the pointspread in 2002, and three straight wins against the odds to close 2003. As has always been the case, Eastern Michigan entered the 2004 season as a team that would likely not be appearing on many, if any, lists of football picks except as a potential “go against” team by sports bettors. Few if any sports betting bloggers even mentioned the Eagles in passing on their preseason posts.

Eastern Michigan began the 2004 season with a most discouraging 37-34 home win over Buffalo as 6-point chalks. The Eagles failure to dominate one of the Mid-American Conference’s weak links was a portent of things to come.

At Florida, as 36.5-point dogs, Eastern Michigan was blown out 10-49 and followed that with a 32-42 bad beat as 9-point home dogs against MAC power Toledo. Things were to get much worse, however, as in their next game, un-lined against 1-AA Eastern Illinois, the Eagles fell at home 28-31 to completely shatter whatever credibility they had remaining. For some reason, Eastern Michigan was made a 7-point home chalk by the sports betting odds makers in their next game, a 41-45 loss to Idaho. With a record of 1-4 straight up and 0-4 against the spread, what few online sports betting blog posts that appeared in regards to Eastern Michigan were of the most negative nature.

As perhaps the worst team in the MAC, Eastern Michigan had ZERO sports handicapping appeal, which had the strange effect of making their value against the odds skyrocket. Incredibly enough, the Eagles would cover their next four games against the sports betting line, winning three of those games straight up. Unfortunately, too few sports bettors cared enough to get involved. Eastern Michigan dropped their final two games against the odds including a 17-69 disgrace at Kent as 12.5-point dogs. The Eagles finished 4-7 straight up and 4-6 against the sports betting line.