As the Week 12 CFB slate rolls on, MACtion is in full swing. A clash between Buffalo and Central Michigan at Kelly/Shorts Stadium highlights a three-game Wednesday night slate.
The late-season battle (7:00 p.m. ET on CBSSN) sees the Bulls hit the road to take on the Chippewas. With both four-loss programs looking up at Western Michigan in the Mid-American Conference standings, it’s a downright pivotal bout.
Here, we’ll break down a Buffalo vs. Central Michigan prediction and Wednesday CFB picks. Use PrizePicks’ CFB game for player projections on QB Ta’Quan Roberson and others.
Buffalo vs. Central Michigan Prediction, Preview for Wednesday MACtion
Since 1999, Buffalo and Central Michigan have met a dozen times on the gridiron. While the all-time series goes in the Chippewas’ favor (8-4), the most recent rumble in 2023 saw the Bulls dominate their way to a 37-13 victory.
In that contest, Buffalo scored all of its points through three quarters. Thanks to four CMU turnovers, the game was never in doubt. This time around, the Chippewas will aim to put up a much better fight.
Let’s take a closer look at the Buffalo vs. Central Michigan matchup on Wednesday.
Buffalo Bulls Preview vs. Central Michigan
In his first season as head coach at Buffalo, Pete Lembo led the team to a 9-4 record in 2024 with a Bahamas Bowl win. Unfortunately, he’s already matched that loss total in 2025.
A 2-3 start put the Bulls behind the proverbial eight ball. Since then, however, they’ve rattled off three wins in four games and their lone loss was a 24-16 shortcoming against Akron.
A poor rushing attack holds Buffalo back overall. The program ranks 103rd in frequency at 47.18% and isn’t much better when it comes to yards per rush (3.8, 94th).
The Bulls fare better on the defensive side, ranking 15th in opposing points per play (0.277) and 11th in red zone scoring (73.68%).
Central Michigan Chippewas Preview vs. Buffalo
Central Michigan went 13-23 in head coach Jim McElwain’s final three campaigns, prompting a pivot to Matt Drinkall following McElwain’s retirement.
Following a 3-2 start to his debut effort, Drinkall has led the Chippewas to a 2-2 record in their last four games. Big wins over Bowling Green (27-6) and UMass (38-13) were flanked by one-score losses to Akron (28-22 on Oct. 4) and Western Michigan (24-21 on Nov. 1).
Simply put, CMU’s ground-and-pound offense leaves some to be desired for the overall team. They rank fifth nationally in rush play percentage (69.94) but are 101st in scoring (21.0 PPG).
Defensively, the Chippewas are 86th in yards per play at 5.8 but tighten up on fourth downs (20th) and in the red zone (22nd).
Buffalo vs. Central Michigan Picks for PrizePicks
Below are prime Buffalo vs. Central Michigan picks to consider for Week 12. PrizePicks player projections include QB Ta’Quan Roberson, WR Nik McMillan and RB Nahree Biggins.
Buffalo QB Ta’Quan Roberson Projection: 205.5 Pass Yards
- Roberson, a seventh-year player (yes, you read that correctly), averages a career-high 217.4 passing yards per game this season.
- In his last four games, that average is up to 269.3, including a 403-yard explosion on Oct. 18 against UMass.
- Roberson may not be under much duress in Week 12, as Central Michigan is just 94th in sack rate. They’re also in merely the 38th percentile in Havoc rate.
- Wednesday could be a battle of inefficiency. Per Game on Paper, Buffalo’s passing offense ranks 111th with a 38.5% success rate. CMU’s pass defense isn’t a ton better at 43.3% (77th).
Buffalo WR Nik McMillan Projection: 78.5 Rec Yards
- McMillan’s junior year is undoubtedly his best, seeing him set personal records for receptions (42) and receiving yards (590) alike.
- In games four through six of this season, McMillan combined for 5 receptions for 35 yards. Since then, he’s averaged 8.7 catches and 133.7 yards a week.
- According to Game on Paper, McMillan ranks 140th out of 723 qualified pass catchers in EPA accumulated (20.24).
- The big play is the matchup to watch here. Central Michigan’s defense ranks in the 90th percentile in pass explosives allowed, but McMillan is fourth among all MAC WRs with 30+ targets in average depth of target (15.1 yards), per Pro Football Focus.
Central Michigan RB Nahree Biggins Projection: 41.5 Rush Yards
- Following a similar trend, Biggins is breaking out in his final year of college football. The senior has career-highs in rush attempts (81), yards (426), and TDs (2).
- Dating back to Sept. 27’s 24-13 win over Eastern Michigan (five games), Biggins averaged 59.4 rushing yards per outing.
- Biggins ranks 101st among 273 rushers in yards per carry, via Game on Paper.
- Per PFF, 39 MAC players have logged 20+ rushes in 2025. Biggins is ninth in breakaway run rate at 41%.
Make Buffalo vs. Central Michigan Picks on PrizePicks
While the college football season is winding down, there’s still plenty of time to make Buffalo vs. Central Michigan picks or predictions for other marquee CFB matchups. With PrizePicks’ real-money CFB game, you can cash in on the action.
Doing so is simple. Just pick your players, predict More or Less for their projected stats, and win rewards if you’re right.
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