The SportsLine Projection Model just spilled the tea on Eastern Michigan’s Week 0 battle against Sacramento State, and it’s got a strong take on the total. Kickoff is set for 6:30 p.m. ET from Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan, and the Eagles are coming in as 9-point favorites. The over/under is sitting at 52.5 points.
Sac State Makes The Leap, EMU Looks To Step Up
Sacramento State is making a serious jump this season, ditching the Big Sky Conference (FCS) to debut in the Mid-American Conference (MAC) on August 28th. That’s a huge step up in competition, and they’ll face an Eastern Michigan Eagles squad that went 4-8 overall last year. MAC coaches, surprisingly, are still pretty high on EMU, with their media day poll projecting a step up for the Eagles. Can Sac State really hang after that conference leap? It is Week 0, so anything can happen, but history shows this is a tough road.
Why The SportsLine Model Is Hitting The Under
After simulating the game 10,000 times, the SportsLine model is hammering the Under 52.5 points, and the reasons are pretty clear. Sacramento State’s record against FBS-level teams since 2000 is a brutal 4-24, with their last win coming way back in 2023 against Stanford. That just screams tough sledding for points. Eastern Michigan, despite bringing back a lot of key offensive pieces, only ranked 92nd nationally in scoring offense. You throw in the usual Week 0 sloppiness from both sides, and it’s looking like a defensive slugfest. The model is projecting a combined 45 points, with the Under hitting in a solid 56% of simulations.
This isn’t just some random prediction either; the model is on a 31-19 run on top-rated college football money-line picks since the 2024 season. It’s been upgraded for 2026 to factor in the transfer portal even better. So, when it says “Under,” it means business. This Week 0 opener is going to be a real test for Sac State, and it looks like it will be a low-scoring grind.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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